What Works for Children’s Social Care Spark Grant Scheme Seeks Applications

Funding is available to support researchers from under-represented backgrounds in the field of children’s social care.

What Works for Children’s Social Care (WWCSC) is an independent charity dedicated to raising the standards and volume of high quality research in the sector. WWCSC is committed to providing an evidence base for social workers, leaders in the sector and policymakers to support children, young people and their families in touch with the children’s social care system in England.

The WWCSC Spark Grant Scheme aims to support new research in children’s social care, conducted by individuals who might be under-represented in the research community and/or who might struggle to get funding through other routes. The aim is to provide project leadership opportunities for researchers who have not had the experience. Research projects must focus on children, young individuals and families in touch with the children’s social care system in England.

The scheme is open to applicants who are early career researchers and/or researchers from under-represented backgrounds. WWCSC encourages applications from researchers who are based at either an academic institution (HEI) or an independent research organisation (IRO) in the United Kingdom. Applications will require the approval of the applicant’s employing institution and/or supervisor.

Applicants are not limited to those of any particular status (eg lecturer, professor etc). Co-applicants may be from anywhere in the world, but the lead applicant must be based in the UK.

The total funding available for this call is £200,000. Individual funding of up to £25,000 may be awarded for a duration of 12 months.

Applications for the 2021 call must be submitted by the deadline of 15 July 2021.