PhD Studentship - Understanding and Meeting the Support Needs of Unpaid Carers (Family and Friends) of Acquired Brain Injury Survivors

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is any damage to the brain occurring after birth, and can be caused by trauma due to a head injury, prolonged lack of oxygen, or illness/infections, such as tumour, brain haemorrhage and encephalitis. ABIs can occur in an instant and have varied long term effects on cognitive, physical, communicative and emotional functions. Caring for someone who has suddenly experienced an ABI can therefore be a significant challenge. In addition to the physical, financial and emotional demands that any carer can experience, there are particular difficulties here; for example, the suddenness of the injury can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of shock and grief for the loss of the person they knew before the injury. The long-term effects of the injury may be unknown and/or misunderstood, causing anxiety and fear for both the carer and the person with the brain injury, and contribute to the emergence of unsustainable caring roles. Despite recognition of the challenges of caring after a brain injury, there is limited research specific to the needs of this carer group and the interventions and supports that can effectively address these needs.

Through supervision across the Faculties of Health (Prof Fiona Lecky) and Social Sciences (Prof Nathan Hughes), and a partnership with the Sheffield Community Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team (SCBIRT) - a specialist, therapy-based, interdisciplinary team dedicated to supporting individuals in Sheffield who have experienced a brain injury – this project will seek to:

• Understand the long-term support needs of those caring for acquired brain injury survivors.
• Evaluate the impact of an established psychoeducational and peer support programme for family and friends caring for someone with an acquired brain injury.
• Develop additional support and resources for carers of people with an acquired brain injury to meet long term needs.

These aims would suit a combination of: qualitative research regarding carers experiences and support needs; service evaluation regarding impact on carers' knowledge, attitudes, and well-being; and the co-design and piloting of additional supports, such as online resources, peer networking, or specialized support groups.

This studentship is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research (SSCR): a strategic initiative dedicated to improving adult social care through high-quality applied research. Through association with SSCR, the successful applicant will benefit from a supportive and collaborative research environment, with access to additional funding for research-related costs such as conference attendance, and opportunities for professional development through events organized by the NIHR Academy. As part of the SSCR and NIHR Academy network, students will engage with a vibrant community of researchers and practitioners, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across the field of social care. They will also engage with a wide network of social care researchers at the University, including via the ESRC Centre for Care and CIRCLE.

We welcome applicants from diverse disciplines, including, but not limited to, psychology, nursing, social care, occupational therapy, public health, rehabilitation sciences, health policy or sociology. Applicants should have a strong interest in applied research intended to enhance professional practice, and improve outcomes. Please email nathan.hughes@sheffield.ac.uk should you have any questions.

Funding:

Home tuition fees and stipend and the standard research council rate

Home tuition fees and stipend at the standard research council rate  for 3.5 years

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