The Department of Law and Criminology’s Health and Social Care research cluster hosted an interdisciplinary conference on creative research methods in health and social care research.

The Health and Social Care research cluster comprises researchers from law, social work, criminology, sociology, forensic psychology, health studies and psychology.  The conference, held on 14 June, saw both internal and external speakers, across a range of disciplines, consider how creative research methods may offer novel approaches to data collection whilst also enhancing participatory research practices.

The ‘Creative Methods in Health and Social Care Research’ conference, hosted by the Department of Law and Criminology’s Health and Social Care research cluster, took place on 14 June.  Organised and run by cluster leads Dr Jane Marriott and Karl Mason, with support from Dr Maja Grundler, the conference brought together speakers from a range of disciplines and included presentations covering both completed studies and emerging ideas:

• Professor Frank Keating ‘Photovoice: Methodology and Application’
• Alix Walton ‘Photography and Researching Organisational Practices in Social Work’
• Professor Dawn Watling ‘Unlocking the Link between Nature Connectedness and Wellbeing’
• Dr Chris Waller ‘Mobile and Sensory Methods in a Men’s Local Prison’
• Dr Caterina Nirta ‘Ideas for Ethnographic Designs’
• Dr Louise O’Connor ‘Capturing Everyday Emotions and Reflections: Solicited Diaries in Ethnographic Research’
• Karl Mason ‘Story Completion Methods in a Discriminatory Abuse Study’

The post-presentation discussion - ‘Creative Research Methods: Gold or Gimmick?’- considered the role and value of creative research methods in project design, data collection and participatory research practices and allowed colleagues the opportunity to share insights and experiences in this area. 

In particular, the discussion referred to the growth in interest in creative methods in health and social care, with specific reference to their potential to offer more participatory and inclusive 

methods and fresh insights into phenomena that may be difficult to self-report on due to stigma or communication issues. 

The conference also heard from colleagues about their new projects which the cluster will showcase in events across 2023/24.