Research and Capacity Building Social Care Internships

The Research and Capacity Building Social Care Internships were part of a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded national initiative designed to strengthen research capacity within adult social care. Delivered through PenARC between 2024 and 2026, the programme provided social care professionals working in care homes, supported living services and related settings across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset with protected time, funding and academic mentorship to develop their research skills and confidence. The aim was to empower practitioners to explore questions arising from their own practice and use evidence to improve outcomes for the people they support.

Over the course of the programme, interns developed and delivered a wide range of research and improvement projects, gaining hands-on experience in research methods, critical thinking and evidence-informed practice. Topics explored included communication between care homes and health services, recognising and responding to delirium, the use of artificial intelligence in podiatry, sleep hygiene and weighted blankets, sensory approaches for people living with dementia, and innovative modelling approaches to understand workforce and care provision challenges.

As the programme has now come to an end, we are proud to celebrate the achievements of the interns and the impact of their work. Their projects demonstrate the value of supporting social care staff to engage with research and highlight how curiosity, innovation and evidence can drive positive change across the sector.

Below you can explore the wide range of outputs, resources, presentations and reflections produced throughout the internship programme.