Social Policy (including Social Work, Social Care and Early Childhood Studies) (Research)

The research degree programme aims to provide students with an outstanding learning experience in a
supportive community of learning. The Social Policy subject area is known nationally and internationally for
excellence in research and teaching and all staff are engaged in conducting their own research. Information on
staff research interests and achievements can be found on the Departmental web pages below. As a PhD
student with us you will be a part of a vibrant active group of researchers of all ages in the centre for workforce
development. Students come from a wide range of professional backgrounds in the public, voluntary and
private sector including healthcare, education, childhood studies, social work and social care. As a doctoral
student you can enjoy your learning through participating in departmental fortnightly research events, expert
seminars, a student forum held monthly and a quarterly student research summit. This is in addition to
University wide activity. Our students are supported to build their research profiles in order to present at
conferences and to write journal articles as they proceed with their doctoral studies. Our supervisory teams are
multi-disciplinary and all supervisors are active researchers in their subject field and / or in methodology.
http://www.chi.ac.uk/department-social-work-social-care
https://www.chi.ac.uk/department-childhood-social-work-social-care/centre-workforce-development

Professor Janet McCray leads the development of research in the Social Policy subject area. Based in the
Department of Childhood, Social Work and Social Care. Janet is responsible for ensuring the delivery of the
Departmental Research having gained support from internal and external stakeholders. A key part of this
leadership in the University of Chichester has been the development and sustainment of team based research
and consultancy activity. This has resulted in the winning of a number of key contracts with public sector clients
(NHS and Local Authority) to deliver bespoke accredited leadership development, but also to support other
research activity, research supervision and bidding. Janet has published over 30 academic papers, a book and
many book chapters. As a PhD supervisor she has supported traditional and professional doctorate students to
success and has examined students undertaking both routes. Her leadership has built an effective and positive
research culture for social policy with a programme of events and support in which Doctoral and Post-Doctoral
participants can flourish. Professor McCray’s research includes the development of a conceptual framework for
inter-professional leadership in health and social care ( McCray, 2004 ) its further rolling out and review
( McCray, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012 ) Resilience in Practice (McCray, 2012,2014,2015, 2016) and research into
action learning with Doctors in the NHS (2015,2016, 2018 ). Her research focusses on supporting
organisational, team and individual practitioner development, and enabling employees in health, social care and
education to evaluate and reflect on their own position as a leader of others and provider and facilitator of care
and or education in a constantly changing environment. Janet’s current students are undertaking research into
the NHS, Adult Social Care, Palliative Care, Social Work, Education and the Voluntary sector.