Institute of Applied Social Research

Director: Professor Emily R. Munro

The Institute of Applied Social Research (IASR) brings together research within the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, producing work which both anticipates and shapes key changes in policy, administration and practice. In the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) 81% or our research was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

The Institute is home to two research centres – The Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care (TGC), the Safer Young Lives Research Centre (formerly The International Centre: Researching child sexual exploitation and trafficking) plus three interdisciplinary research groups which focus on forced migration, substance misuse and ageing and building resilience and wellbeing in the helping professions.

We are recognised for our knowledge and expertise in the following areas:

• Undertaking applied research and evaluation, to inform policy and practice and the delivery of social care and multi-disciplinary services
• Engaging Participant Expert by Experience Researchers in the design and conduct of studies
• Evaluating strengths-based practice to improve social work practice (e.g. motivational interviewing and systemic practice)
• Safeguarding children and young people from child sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse
• Contextual safeguarding
• Research with children looked after and young people negotiating the transition from care to adulthood
• Empirical studies of youth crime and victimisation, policing, the operation of the youth justice and community safety services
• Establishing new ways of understanding the complexities of migration and trafficking
• Understanding the extent of alcohol-related harm and exploring what alcohol treatment approaches work best with older people who misuse alcohol.

Address

Institute of Applied Social Research
Room C411 The University of Bedfordshire
Luton campus
Luton, Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
T +44 (0)1234 400 400 (switchboard)
go to map and directions to Luton campus