‘HOPES for Homecare’
‘HOPES for Homecare’: Developing reflective learning for care workers supporting people with dementia. The School for Business and Society is delighted to offer this postgraduate research studentship opportunity.
The School for Business and Society was formed in 2022 through a merger between The York Management School and the Department of Social Policy and Social Work. Our research is cross-disciplinary and draws together activities that other universities normally locate in separate Business Schools and Schools of Public Policy. Reflecting York’s long-standing strengths in both of these areas we are the largest organisational unit at the University, and we are at the forefront of the University's mission to be a University for public good.
This studentship is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care and its ‘3 Schools’ initiative to bridge the gap between social care, primary care and public health research in dementia. The successful candidate will join a prestigious national cohort of 15 new dementia care PhD students. The studentship will also offer opportunity to collaborate nationally, including partnership working with dementia training development experts Prof Claudia Cooper (Queen Mary University London) and Prof Claire Surr (Leeds Beckett University). The successful candidate will also join a large and diverse postgraduate research community in the School for Business and Society at York.
The PhD will be hosted at the University of York in its vibrant and expanding social care research centre, and supervised by Dr Mark Wilberforce and Prof Yvonne Birks.
Open to International (including EU) and UK (home) students.
Essential criteria:
- you will need at least an upper second-class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent in a relevant social or health science
subject.
- candidates will be expected to demonstrate an awareness and strong interest in dementia and the care of those needing
support, particularly in non-clinical contexts.
- you will need to demonstrate a commitment and engagement in research, including some knowledge of evidence base
for dementia care
- candidates will also need to be committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in research.
Desirable criteria:
- have a master’s degree with an applied research component.
Open to UK (home) students. International students are also welcome to apply, but please note that we are unable to waive the full international fee, so you would need to provide evidence of your ability to pay the outstanding fees. The stipend cannot be used for the purposes of funding PhD fees.
If you are offered the scholarship you must then apply for a place on the PhD in Social Policy and Social Work (full-time and campus-based) and must take up that place in order to qualify for and accept the scholarship.
This scholarship is not available for part-time or distance learning routes.
You cannot apply for this scholarship if you are already registered on a PhD programme at the University of York.
Application deadline: Friday 10 May 2024, 5pm BST
Please send your academic CV, degree transcripts/certificates, two academic references, and a covering letter by email to sbs-phd
The covering letter should explain your suitability for the PhD Project with reference to your academic background and interests, as well as the essential and desirable criteria listed. Please ensure that the subject title of your email and covering letter clearly indicate the PhD Project to which you are applying. The deadline for 17:00 on Friday 10 May 2024. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
If you are shortlisted for the post you will be called for an interview via zoom on Wednesday 15 May 2024.
The scholarship will pay a yearly stipend of £19,237 (in line with current UKRI rates) and provide a fee waiver at home student fee rates for three years.
As the number of people living with dementia grows, so will the number who need care at home to help them to continue living meaningful and independent lives. However, some people with dementia experience problems engaging with care services. People with such needs can sometimes withdraw or avoid care workers, may display extreme apathy, or can even verbally or physically repel care. Research indicates that ‘resistance-to-care’ often leads to the collapse of care arrangements and family carer crises, additional use of medication, social exclusion, and chronic self-neglect.
Previous research at the University of York has developed research resources to help (www.hopes.org.uk). The 'HOPES' study found that reflective learning can help staff to feel prepared for difficulties engaging people living with dementia and can help provide more tailored and person-centred care. However, to be of value to homecare workers, we need to understand what adaptations are needed and how these can be implemented together with homecare providers.
The aim of the PhD will be to develop and test a 'HOPES for Homecare' learning resource, to be adapted for implementation in homecare organisations. Whilst the successful candidate will design their own research plan, we expect that the PhD will draw on a range of qualitative methods (e.g. focus groups, interviews).