Dr Adam Whitworth
Professor
Work, Employment and Organisation
Personal statement
Professor Adam Whitworth is an expert in the design and analysis of employment support interventions to support people to move into, stay in and progress in employment. He has particular expertise in issues around work-health, Supported Employment and IPS in population groups beyond severe mental health, quasi-market forms and effects, local integration, and policy analysis. He has published over 50 peer reviewed articles, book chapters and policy reports.
An applied scholar by nature, his work combines theoretical and empirical analysis and relates to key priorities and challenges amongst policy stakeholders and programmes. He has supported the design and mobilisation of large scale employment interventions in central and regional government in the UK context, including the world's largest IPS trial.
He serves on the Editorial Board of Social Policy & Administration and is a member of the Social Policy Association. Prior to joining Strathclyde in 2021 he worked at the Universities of Sheffield and Oxford. He holds an undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (First Class), MSc and DPhil in Comparative Social Policy all from the University of Oxford.
Qualifications
DPhil (2007) University of Oxford: 'Work, care and social inclusion: lone motherhood under New Labour'
MSc Comparative Social Policy (2003) University of Oxford
MA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics (First Class) (2001) St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford
Publications
- Estimating the health and economic impacts of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) for people with mental and physical health conditions : A Cost-Benefit Modelling Study
- Clarke Holly, Morris Damon, James Megan, Brennan Alan, Whitworth Adam
- Public Health in Practice Vol 12 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2026.100867
- Lived Experience for Impact : Data Analysis Report
- Strokosch Kirsty, MacIntyre Gillian, MacFarlane Joanne, Whitworth Adam, Farnsworth Vicky, Ferguson Annie, Allot Michael, Bradley Jodie, Dale Phil, Farnsworth Alicia, Hague Lacey, Marsh Emma, Owen Alison, Owen Richard, Stansfield Fraser, Wilcock Hayley, Wilson Marshall, Wyatt James
- (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.17868/strath.00097357
- Activating relational welfare : insights from supported employment
- Whitworth Adam, Astley Elaine, Cullen Anne Marie, Cullingworth Jane, Farnsworth Vicky, Ferguson Annie, Runswick-Cole Katherine
- Journal of Social Policy, pp. 1-18 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047279426101664
- Activation, work and well‐being : theory, evidence and policy implications
- Whitworth Adam
- Social Policy and Administration Vol 59, pp. 1204-1213 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.13120
- Individual Placement and Support (IPS) beyond severe mental health : an overview review and meta-analysis of evidence around vocational outcomes
- Whitworth Adam, Baxter Susan, Cullingworth Jane, Clowes Mark
- Preventive Medicine Reports Vol 43 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2024.102786
- Understanding interventions and outcomes in supported employment and individual placement support : A qualitative evidence synthesis
- Baxter Susan, Cullingworth Jane, Whitworth Adam, Runswick-Cole Katherine, Clowes Mark
- Disability and Health Journal Vol 17 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101579
Research Interests
Research Interests:
- employment support policy
- labour market activation
- quasi-market forms and effects
- policy design and governance
- Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
- work and health
- labour market precarity
- socio-spatial inequality
- comparative social policy
- policy evaluation
- small area estimation
Professional Activities
- NIHR invited keynote to internal NIHR stakeholders and senior decision-makers regards their work-health funding portfolio
- Speaker
- 13/3/2026
- NIHR invited keynote talk to UK academics regards UK work & health policy and NIHR strategic funding priorities
- Speaker
- 20/1/2026
- Invited expert oral evidence to Work & pensions Select Committee, Parliament
- Speaker
- 17/12/2025
- British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) annual conference
- Speaker
- 17/11/2025
- Scottish Government employability masterclass series
- Speaker
- 28/10/2025
- Transforming Employability in Scotland: Health, Work & Economic Inactivity
- Keynote/plenary speaker
- 28/10/2025
Projects
- Refinement and Review of IWRS Pilot Model
- Whitworth, Adam (Principal Investigator) Cullen, Anne Marie (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2027
- Individual Placement and Support – Youth (IPS-Y): Feasibility Study and RCT
- Whitworth, Adam (Principal Investigator) Vallely, Michael (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2026
- DWP Labour market evidence synthesis and dissemination
- Whitworth, Adam (Principal Investigator)
- 31-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2027
- Research Excellence Award: Future Shifts: Growing Good Work Opportunities for People with Learning Disabilities and Autism Known to Adult Social Care Services
- Whitworth, Adam (Academic) Strokosch, Kirsty (Academic)
- 01-Jan-2025
- Lived experience for impact: enabling work-orientated service systems change and mutual value co-creation through the lived experience of working age adults with learning disabilities and autism
- Strokosch, Kirsty (Principal Investigator) MacIntyre, Gillian (Co-investigator) Whitworth, Adam (Co-investigator)
- Project runs from 1/10/25 - 31/07/26
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
- Mental health as a determinant of work (Support2Work) NIHR Work & Health Programme
- Whitworth, Adam (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2028
Contact
Dr
Adam
Whitworth
Professor
Work, Employment and Organisation
Email: adam.whitworth@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 553 6064