Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust Announces 80% Funded Social Work and Social Care Doctoral Studentship for 2026 ·Unknown

Experienced social work and social care professionals in the United Kingdom have an opportunity to pursue a Professional Doctorate in Social Work and Social Care with significant financial support through a new 80% funded doctoral studentship offered by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with TACT, the UK’s largest fostering charity.

The funded studentship is designed to support practitioner-led research that contributes to improving outcomes for children and young people in care while enabling experienced professionals to advance their academic and research careers.

Applications are open until Monday, 10 August 2026.

About the Funded Doctoral Studentship

The studentship supports a part-time Professional Doctorate in Social Work and Social Care, providing successful applicants with funding covering 80% of tuition fees over a five-year study period.

The programme combines academic research with professional practice, allowing candidates to undertake impactful research while continuing their careers in social work or social care.

Delivered by the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, the doctorate emphasizes evidence-informed practice and research that directly influences policy, professional decision-making, and service delivery.

Research Focus Areas

Successful applicants will conduct research in areas that address key challenges facing children’s social care.

Potential research themes include:

• Children’s pathways through care
• Fostering and permanence
• Professional decision-making in children’s social care
• Improving outcomes for children, young people, and families
• Evidence-informed social work practice
• Experiences of foster carers
• Children’s and young people’s experiences within care systems

As part of the application, candidates must submit a research proposal specifically tailored to this studentship.

The proposal should examine the impact of the newly developed Regional Care Co-operatives and generate practical knowledge that can support organisations such as TACT.

What the Studentship Covers

The funded doctoral studentship offers a range of academic and professional benefits, including:

• 80% funding towards tuition fees
• Part-time doctoral study over five years
• Academic supervision from Tavistock Education and Training
• Collaboration with experienced practitioners at TACT
• Access to nationally recognised experts in fostering, permanence, and children’s social care
• Opportunities to contribute research with real-world policy and practice impact
• A supportive research environment focused on innovation, collaboration, and practice-based evidence

The programme is designed for practitioners who want to make meaningful contributions to improving children’s services while developing advanced research skills.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is open to experienced professionals working in social work or social care who wish to undertake doctoral-level study.

Applicants should:

• Meet the entry requirements for the Professional Doctorate in Social Work and Social Care
• Be passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people
• Have an interest in practice-based research
• Submit a separate application to the Professional Doctorate programme
• Qualify for Home Fees status

The studentship is only available to applicants eligible for Home Fees in the United Kingdom.

Application Process

Interested candidates must complete two separate application steps.

Applicants are required to:

• Submit an Expression of Interest using the online studentship form
• Apply separately to the Professional Doctorate in Social Work and Social Care through the MyTAP application portal
• Include a research proposal tailored to the studentship requirements

Applicants who have already submitted an application to the Professional Doctorate programme can still be considered by completing the Expression of Interest form or contacting the admissions team directly to submit a revised research proposal.

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Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Quality and originality of the doctoral research proposal
• Relevance of the proposed research to the studentship objectives
• Overall strength of the Professional Doctorate application
• Academic and professional experience

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in an online interview during August 2026.

Important Deadline

Prospective applicants should ensure all required materials are submitted before the deadline.

Application Deadline: Monday, 10 August 2026

Late or incomplete applications may not be considered.

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Why This Studentship Matters

The partnership between the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and TACT represents an important investment in practitioner-led research within children’s social care.

By supporting experienced professionals to undertake doctoral study, the programme aims to generate evidence that informs policy, strengthens fostering services, improves professional practice, and ultimately delivers better outcomes for children, young people, and families across the UK.

For social workers and social care practitioners seeking to combine academic research with practical impact, this funded doctoral studentship offers a valuable opportunity to advance both their careers and the wider children’s care sector.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the  organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official  organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.

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