The Institute of Public Care (IPC) is a research and development centre of Oxford Brookes University specialising in projects that drive innovation and improvement in public care in support of a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing. Working with research colleagues within the university Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, we offer a wealth of experience and expertise in providing high quality and large-scale quantitative and qualitative research across a range of areas of relevance to the effective provision of social care for children and families, including in relation to:

• Care experienced children and young people (including adopted children) and their emotional health needs.
• Interventions with children and young people on the edge of care.
• Early targeted help for very vulnerable first time parents.
• Children and young people at risk of exploitation.
• Working with families where there is domestic abuse, parental substance misuse and/or parental mental health problems.
• Engaging effectively with parents with a learning disability or difficulty and/or with fathers.
• Culturally attuned family support.
• Transitions to adulthood.
• Whole system practice change and development.
• Effective leadership of children’s social care services.