Karen Gray
Biographic Data
| ID | 4426859 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Karen Gray |
| GIVEN NAMES | Karen |
| FAMILY NAME | Gray |
| SIGNATURE | GRAY K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Worcester |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0559-8112 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 13 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 11 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Connecting evidence with decision-making in adult social care: A cross-sectional staff survey
For adult social care organizations faced with growing challenges, an increasingly important issue is how best to make use of relevant research. This article reports on a survey that sought to assess the views, experiences, and use of research among adult social care staff in three neighboring local authorities in England. Findings In total, 250 staff (30% response rate) across all grades and areas of practice responded to the survey. Staff expre…
What Influences the Use of Research by the Adult Social Care Workforce
Despite a recognition that research evidence plays a critical role in informing decisions in adult social care, there has been little investment in developing the sector’s own capacity to engage with it. This article reports on a qualitative study of the adult social care workforce (social workers, occupational therapists, managers and commissioners) in three local authorities in England. Data were collected through twenty-five semi-structured in…
The Place of Research in the Professional Identity of Practitioners and Managers in Adult Social Care
The nature of professional identity in the roles of practitioners in social care is not clearly defined. This article uses baseline data from a study seeking to increase the use of research in decision‐making within adult social care to discuss the role of research in the professional identity of social care practitioners. Semistructured interviews were completed with 25 members of staff working in adult social care in the UK, employing purposive…
Shooting in the dark’: Implications of the research–practice gap for enhancing research use in adult social care
While participants feel positively towards research, there remains a gap between these perceptions and its use in practice. There remains a need to improve research relevance and accessibility and to clarify its role in decision-making in social care, including where there is no evidence, where evidence challenges existing practice, or where the evidence base is growing. Collaborative partnerships between adult social care organisations, research…
Instrument Development and Validation of the Home Child Care Version of the Assessment for Quality Improvement
Research Findings: Measures of home child care (HCC) quality are limited and tend to be labor intensive. This article presents the measure development process as well as psychometric, construct, convergent and discriminant validity analyses for the HCC version of the Assessment for Quality Improvement (HCC-AQI) measure. The HCC-AQI is part of a suite of observational measures developed by the City of Toronto for use in its early childhood educati…
Arts in Hospitals during Covid-19: Time to Reflect, hosted by CW+ (the charity for Chelsea & Westminster NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust), 22 January 2021, online
Review of: Arts in Hospitals during COVID-19: Time to Reflect , hosted by CW+ (the charity for Chelsea & Westminster NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust), 22 January 2021, online
The role of social capital in participatory arts for wellbeing: Findings from a qualitative systematic review
Challenges and enablers for creative arts practice in care homes
This article reports on the experiences of artists working in UK care homes across residencies that focused on poetry, dance and drama. Data were collected from reflective diaries and focus group discussions to explore the key challenges when working in settings that can be unfamiliar, complex and disruptive. We also describe a range of strategies that artists developed in response to these challenges (enablers) and how this supported successful …
Mentoring and peer support as facilitators of arts-based practice in care homes
This article reports on the evaluation of a mentoring approach that was adopted to support the sustainable provision of activities in UK care homes across three creative art forms: poetry, dance and drama. Data are presented from multiple sources including questionnaires, focus groups, reflective diaries and interviews to explore the implementation and impact of the approach. Artists reported that the support of their mentors enabled them to deve…
Creative and credible evaluation for arts, health and well-being: Opportunities and challenges of co-production
Background: This paper reports findings from a one-year UK knowledge exchange (KE) project completed in 2015. Stakeholders’ experiences of evaluation were explored in order to develop online resources to strengthen knowledge and capacity within the arts and health sector (www.creativeandcredible.co.uk).Methods: The project used mixed methods, including a survey, interviews and focus groups, guided by a Stakeholder Reference Group comprised of 26 …
The Meaning of Service Learning in an MSW Course
Service learning is an educational practice that bridges the gap between academics and the real world. Knowledge generated within educational institutions is offered to a community with the goal of strengthening student learning and increasing students' civic engagement. There is a pedagogical congruence between service learning, civic engagement, and the educational and professional values of social work given the field's commitment to social ju…
Creative and credible evaluation for arts, health and well-being: Opportunities and challenges of co-production
Background: This paper reports findings from a one-year UK knowledge exchange (KE) project completed in 2015. Stakeholders’ experiences of evaluation were explored in order to develop online resources to strengthen knowledge and capacity within the arts and health sector (www.creativeandcredible.co.uk).Methods: The project used mixed methods, including a survey, interviews and focus groups, guided by a Stakeholder Reference Group comprised of 26 …
Shooting in the dark’: Implications of the research–practice gap for enhancing research use in adult social care
While participants feel positively towards research, there remains a gap between these perceptions and its use in practice. There remains a need to improve research relevance and accessibility and to clarify its role in decision-making in social care, including where there is no evidence, where evidence challenges existing practice, or where the evidence base is growing. Collaborative partnerships between adult social care organisations, research…
The Meaning of Service Learning in an MSW Course
Service learning is an educational practice that bridges the gap between academics and the real world. Knowledge generated within educational institutions is offered to a community with the goal of strengthening student learning and increasing students' civic engagement. There is a pedagogical congruence between service learning, civic engagement, and the educational and professional values of social work given the field's commitment to social ju…
The Meaning of Service Learning in an MSW Course
Service learning is an educational practice that bridges the gap between academics and the real world. Knowledge generated within educational institutions is offered to a community with the goal of strengthening student learning and increasing students' civic engagement. There is a pedagogical congruence between service learning, civic engagement, and the educational and professional values of social work given the field's commitment to social ju…
Creative and credible evaluation for arts, health and well-being: Opportunities and challenges of co-production
Background: This paper reports findings from a one-year UK knowledge exchange (KE) project completed in 2015. Stakeholders’ experiences of evaluation were explored in order to develop online resources to strengthen knowledge and capacity within the arts and health sector (www.creativeandcredible.co.uk).Methods: The project used mixed methods, including a survey, interviews and focus groups, guided by a Stakeholder Reference Group comprised of 26 …
Challenges and enablers for creative arts practice in care homes
This article reports on the experiences of artists working in UK care homes across residencies that focused on poetry, dance and drama. Data were collected from reflective diaries and focus group discussions to explore the key challenges when working in settings that can be unfamiliar, complex and disruptive. We also describe a range of strategies that artists developed in response to these challenges (enablers) and how this supported successful …
Mentoring and peer support as facilitators of arts-based practice in care homes
This article reports on the evaluation of a mentoring approach that was adopted to support the sustainable provision of activities in UK care homes across three creative art forms: poetry, dance and drama. Data are presented from multiple sources including questionnaires, focus groups, reflective diaries and interviews to explore the implementation and impact of the approach. Artists reported that the support of their mentors enabled them to deve…
Arts in Hospitals during Covid-19: Time to Reflect, hosted by CW+ (the charity for Chelsea & Westminster NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust), 22 January 2021, online
Review of: Arts in Hospitals during COVID-19: Time to Reflect , hosted by CW+ (the charity for Chelsea & Westminster NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust), 22 January 2021, online
The role of social capital in participatory arts for wellbeing: Findings from a qualitative systematic review
Instrument Development and Validation of the Home Child Care Version of the Assessment for Quality Improvement
Research Findings: Measures of home child care (HCC) quality are limited and tend to be labor intensive. This article presents the measure development process as well as psychometric, construct, convergent and discriminant validity analyses for the HCC version of the Assessment for Quality Improvement (HCC-AQI) measure. The HCC-AQI is part of a suite of observational measures developed by the City of Toronto for use in its early childhood educati…
Shooting in the dark’: Implications of the research–practice gap for enhancing research use in adult social care
While participants feel positively towards research, there remains a gap between these perceptions and its use in practice. There remains a need to improve research relevance and accessibility and to clarify its role in decision-making in social care, including where there is no evidence, where evidence challenges existing practice, or where the evidence base is growing. Collaborative partnerships between adult social care organisations, research…
What Influences the Use of Research by the Adult Social Care Workforce
Despite a recognition that research evidence plays a critical role in informing decisions in adult social care, there has been little investment in developing the sector’s own capacity to engage with it. This article reports on a qualitative study of the adult social care workforce (social workers, occupational therapists, managers and commissioners) in three local authorities in England. Data were collected through twenty-five semi-structured in…
The Place of Research in the Professional Identity of Practitioners and Managers in Adult Social Care
The nature of professional identity in the roles of practitioners in social care is not clearly defined. This article uses baseline data from a study seeking to increase the use of research in decision‐making within adult social care to discuss the role of research in the professional identity of social care practitioners. Semistructured interviews were completed with 25 members of staff working in adult social care in the UK, employing purposive…
Connecting evidence with decision-making in adult social care: A cross-sectional staff survey
For adult social care organizations faced with growing challenges, an increasingly important issue is how best to make use of relevant research. This article reports on a survey that sought to assess the views, experiences, and use of research among adult social care staff in three neighboring local authorities in England. Findings In total, 250 staff (30% response rate) across all grades and areas of practice responded to the survey. Staff expre…
Medicine (9 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Nursing (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Social care (4 works) · The arts (4 works) · Computer Science (3 works) · Focus group (3 works) · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes (3 works)