Research

Aims

1. Broaden the ethos of enquiry and knowledge creation in all aspects of occupational therapy to support the creation a research, innovation and enterprise base.
2. Ensure our professionally occupation focussed, intra and interdisciplinary high quality research and innovation activity directly informs, influences, and influences on the communities in which we work.
3. Support the accessibility and availability of our research and scholarship to our local, regional, national, and international audiences.
4. Grow and develop our community of researchers and innovators through supporting their development from early career researchers to established experts and leaders in their field.
5. Grow our productive partnerships; professional body; research based institutions; health and social care; and other stakeholders.
6. Support the implementation, translation, adoption of occupation focussed evidence based practice by occupational therapists

From this flow the following objectives:

1. Support research into the cost effectiveness of occupational therapy through appropriate work with health economics experts (O1).
2. Support the production of evidence about the value of occupation and participation (O2).
3. Support the implementation and adoption of evidence in practice (O3).

To this end, the Trust will support the funding of research grants ranging of £25,000 to £200,000 for individuals or groups of researchers. The aim will be to develop and deliver occupational therapy research on priority areas as identified by WFOT and RCOT/ JLA (priorities in development) and to build capacity in evidence generation & knowledge mobilisation such that occupational therapists will use the evidence overtly in day to day practice.

£500,000 will be invested against this strategic intention from 2015-2020.

The Elizabeth Casson Trust is exploring the demand for a new funding opportunity to pump-prime research activity. We recognise that having the time, space, support and funding to start your research activity can be a challenge, especially for early career researchers and it is these individuals for whom the awards are intended.

The Trust intends to make available awards of £500 – £5,000 for activities such as writing a proposal, carrying out a small-scale study, buying-in specialist skills, convening a support group or network, writing a paper that enhances your research profile, etc. The intention is that the activity supports and enables your development as an early researcher.

The application will become available in October 2020, in the meantime if you have any questions or comments we are keen to hear from you so we know exactly how best to support you. Please email Pam. Otherwise, watch this space and follow us on Twitter (@elizabethcasso1) for further announcements.