One of the main ways we engage with local and central government, the private, voluntary and independent sectors, national and international organisations is through our centres of excellence. Our centres drive forward improvements in policy and practice through their partnership working.
The School of Social Work & Social Policy hosts the following centres:
- Centre for Health Policy
- Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS)
- Children & Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ)
- Institute for Inspiring Children's Futures
- Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research (SCCJR)
Centre for Health Policy
What does it do?
The Centre for Health Policy works to support the profile of Strathclyde's health policy research, strengthen and broaden connections with external organisations, increase research impact via public and policy engagement, and develop health policy teaching and training, including via our innovative MSc in Health and Social Policy.
The Centre was established in 2014 by co-directors Lee Knifton and Neil Quinn, with support from Alec Morton, Management Science, and Professor Sir Harry Burns as Chair.
From 2023 it is co-directed by Katherine Smith and Ellen Stewart, and guided by an Advisory Board of senior policymakers and staff from public sector bodies and charities.
We aim to transform public health and health policy through an innovative, cross-disciplinary model. Our model brings together leading academics from across disciplines to co-produce research, knowledge exchange, teaching and intervention programmes with leading charities, public sector bodies and policy makers.
We are proud to have developed a series of strong, purposeful partnerships with leading international universities and global health agencies. This provides a stimulating, creative and valuable network of contacts and opportunities for the network of students and partners we collaborate with.
CELCIS
What does it do?
CELCIS is a leading improvement and innovation centre in Scotland. We improve children’s lives by supporting people and organisations to drive long-lasting change in the services they need, and the practices used by people responsible for their care.
We want to see a world where children and young people at risk of harm or in need of care and protection have safe, healthy, happy, and loving childhoods, and are supported to be all they hope to be.
With a track record of bringing together our specialist knowledge and experience of front-line practice, ground-breaking research and data, high-quality learning and development, and policy guidance and analysis, CELCIS is also home to improvement and implementation science expertise.
CELCIS is core funded by the Scottish Government.
CYCJ
What does it do?
Also funded by the Scottish Government, the CYCJ is Scotland's national youth justice centre. It supports improvement in youth justice, contributing to better lives for individuals and communities.
The centre's vision is a Scotland 'where all individuals and communities are safe and flourish; and where Scottish youth justice practice, policy and research are internationally renowned and respected.'
The centre does this by developing, supporting and understanding youth justice practice, policy and research in Scotland, and through seeking and sharing learning internationally.
Institute for Inspiring Children's Futures
What does it do?
Inspiring Children's Futures is a joint initiative at the University of Strathclyde with a collective vision of ensuring that children and young people have what they need to reach their full potential, particularly those who face adversity.
There is a stark gap between our collective ambitions for children and the daily lived realities of many children, in all countries around the world. Despite the fact that the wellbeing of children are an important indicator of the future stability of society and prosperity of the economy, there is still far to go to ensure children’s rights are realised.
To help close this gap, children’s human rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals guide our efforts as we work to: increase the available evidence; inform better policies and practices; and help authorities make the changes needed to better respond to children.
Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research
What does it do?
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has invested in making the University of Strathclyde a full partner in the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research. The University of Strathclyde’s SCCJR hub is located in the School of Social Work and Social Policy.
The SCCJR is led by a partnership of Scottish Universities: Glasgow, Strathclyde, Edinburgh and Stirling. Dr Sarah Armstrong, University of Glasgow, is the Director of SCCJR. Professor Laura Piacentini and Dr Beth Weaver are two of SCCJR’s Associate Directors representing the University of Strathclyde.
The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) aims to:
- Produce high quality, internationally recognised research in relation to crime and criminal justice;
- Advance understanding of crime and criminal justice through theoretical, empirical and applied research;
- Work with communities, policy makers and the wider public to collaboratively build just societies;
- Support the development criminological research capacity across Scotland and provide an inclusive forum for this regardless of SCCJR membership.
The SCCJR is actively engaged in world-leading research, knowledge exchange and innovation programmes under the following broad themes:
- Evidence, statistics and trends
- Organised and White-Collar Crime
- Research methods and criminological theory
- Gender, crime and criminal justice
- Young people and youth justice
- Violence, drugs and alcohol
- Criminal justice process and institutions
We would love to hear from you whether you are interested in doing a PhD or collaborating with us on leading research or knowledge exchange programmes.