Government Social Research
Following the inaugural meeting of the Welsh Social Research Association (SRA) in September, this event was held on 8 December in Llandrindod Wells, entitled “The Challenge Ahead”. The aim was to draw together and present the latest evidence on poverty, deprivation and living conditions in Wales. Chaired by Professor David Adamson (University of Glamorgan), speakers included Steve Marshall from the Statistical Directorate, who discussed work on the Index of Multiple Deprivation; Ed Swires-Hennessey from Data Unit Wales on the Living in Wales Survey; and finally, Peter Kenway from the New Policy Institute, who presented findings from a recent JRF report, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Wales.
Professor Adamson commented that these three new sources of research will provide a very powerful resource for understanding and addressing some of the most pressing issues facing social and economic policy in Wales.
Turnout was encouraging. A brief meeting of the SRA Wales network followed, in which Richard Thurston (Office of the Chief Social Research Officer, OCSRO) discussed the opportunities for developing the SRA in Wales. The network will provide a number of opportunities to develop and strengthen the use of research and evaluation across sectors in Wales. An SRA Wales Network co-ordinating group is to be set up, and anyone interested in taking part or contributing to this initiative should contact Joanne Coates in OCSRO.
For further information about the research presented at this seminar please use the following links: