Biography
Jess Harris is a Research Fellow at the Health & Social Care Workforce Research Unit (HSCWRU) at King’s College London, and joined its predecessor, SCWRU, in 2006. She has been leading the NIHR SSCR funded study on Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect and is undertaking two SSCR funded follow-on projects, on Evidencing the social work role within responses to multiple exclusion homelessness and on Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education. Jess is co-investigator on the major Housing Model Evaluation (HOME) study (2023 - 2026).
Jess runs the HSCWRU Homelessness Event Series, webinars on different aspects of homelessness research and innovative practice which are open to all, and links Unit work with other research, policy and practice groupings on multiple exclusion homelessness. In 2022 she undertook a project engaging people with experience of homelessness in the production of a short film, funded by the UKRI Participatory Research Fund, about participating in research and in 2020 co-led a series of national impact activities to promote research on Strengthening pathways out of hospital for people who are homeless.
She is also part of the team Examining the Introduction of the Nursing Associate Role in Health and Social Care. She established and ran the Unit's annual conferences on older people’s social care and mental health & social care. Previously research at SCWRU included the Longitudinal Care Work Study (LoCS), the evaluations of 'Jobs First' and ‘Social Work Practices with Adults’, studies of what works in Social Work ‘Grow Your Own’ initiatives, of disclosure of disability within social work, teaching and nursing for the (then) Disability Rights Commission, of the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (PoVA) List, and a guide to local government strategic approaches for black and minority ethnic older citizens.
Jess has an MSc in Voluntary Sector Organisation from LSE and previously worked developing older people’s engagement in policy and practice at Better Government for Older People, within a London local authority, a Health Authority Health Improvement Programme for Older People, and a small community organisation. She has 15 years' voluntary experience in community sector organisational governance.
Jess Harris: Recent publications | ORCID iD | Research Profile at King's
Research
International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed
Examining the introduction of the Nursing Associate role in health and social care
Research into the introduction of the Nursing Associate role and the extent to which the role has achieved policy aims.
Project status: Completed
Opening the "too difficult box"
Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect (2019–2023)
Project status: Ongoing
Homelessness Research Programme
The Homelessness Research Programme (HRP) is based in the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce at King’s College London and brings together leading researchers in the field.
Signs of Safety evaluation: Phase 2
The implementation of Signs of Safety varied markedly across local authorities, as did use of its components.
Project status: Completed
The Visa Study: Understanding the impact of the Health and Care Worker visa on the frontline adult social care workforce
Evaluating the impact of immigration rule changes on the social care system.
Project status: Completed
Just another form of exclusion?
A short film in which individuals with lived experience discuss being involved in research about multiple exclusion homelessness (2022)
Project status: Completed
Evidencing the social work role within responses to multiple exclusion homelessness
This short project builds on Unit work on homelessness and self-neglect (2022–2023)
Project status: Completed
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Current approaches to addressing multiple exclusion homelessness within qualifying social work education in England (2023)
Project status: Completed
Use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with people experiencing multiple exclusion homelessness in England
Funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (2023–2026)
Project status: Ongoing
News
Out-of-Hospital Care Models programme for people experiencing homelessness
Launch of major evaluation report led by Michelle Cornes and Michela Tinelli
At the NIHR School for Social Care Research Conference 2024
The Unit was a strong presence at the annual conference in Birmingham
Brain injury and homelessness
Steph Grant and Alistair Atherton spoke at the Unit's Homelessness series
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Report launch was part of Social Work Week 2024
Unit research cited by Homeless and Inclusion Health Barometer 2024
The report also cites the Unit’s Homelessness webinar series
Homelessness radical safeguarding toolkit - an introduction
Gill Taylor spoke at the Unit's Homelessness series
A data-driven approach to inform service implementation for people experiencing homelessness
A recording of Dr Tinelli's webinar is available
Unit research features in Huck
The magazine cites Unit work on homelessness
Nutrition / homelessness
Jo Coombes and Jess Harris met three Dietetics students from within King's
Specialist homelessness social workers – new report
Unit study found evidence of the distinctive impact made by this ‘Inclusion Social Care’ role
Events
Thinking about mental capacity and multiple exclusion homelessness
Emerging findings from a national study
Primary health care services for people who are homeless - what works?
Dr Maureen Crane and Dr Louise Joly, both from the Homelessness Research Programme
Psychological approaches to working with people experiencing homelessness
Dr Kari Vyas & Dr Lily Krause, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologists, Psychology in Hostels Project
Please note: this event has passed.
Try not to look away: the epidemic of brain injury in MEH groups
Steph Grant and Alistair Atherton
Please note: this event has passed.
Launch: Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Karl Mason and Jess Harris
Please note: this event has passed.
Homelessness and multiple disadvantage: Improving responses for women
Joanne McGrath and Prof Monique Lhussier
Please note: this event has passed.
Homelessness Radical Safeguarding Toolkit: shaping homelessness social care
Gill Taylor in a follow-up to a March 2023 webinar in this series
Please note: this event has passed.
A data-driven approach to inform service implementation for people experiencing homelessness
Michela Tinelli (LSE) reports from a Department of Health and Social Care funded study
Please note: this event has passed.
LAUNCH: Multiple Exclusion Homelessness: Practitioner Safeguarding Toolkit
First developed in 2020, the finalised toolkit benefits from practitioner feedback
Please note: this event has passed.
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Lyn Romeo, Steph Grant, Ruth Allen, Rebecca Mulvaney, Harrshita Murarka, Jess Harris & Karl Mason
Please note: this event has passed.
Research
International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed
Examining the introduction of the Nursing Associate role in health and social care
Research into the introduction of the Nursing Associate role and the extent to which the role has achieved policy aims.
Project status: Completed
Opening the "too difficult box"
Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect (2019–2023)
Project status: Ongoing
Homelessness Research Programme
The Homelessness Research Programme (HRP) is based in the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce at King’s College London and brings together leading researchers in the field.
Signs of Safety evaluation: Phase 2
The implementation of Signs of Safety varied markedly across local authorities, as did use of its components.
Project status: Completed
The Visa Study: Understanding the impact of the Health and Care Worker visa on the frontline adult social care workforce
Evaluating the impact of immigration rule changes on the social care system.
Project status: Completed
Just another form of exclusion?
A short film in which individuals with lived experience discuss being involved in research about multiple exclusion homelessness (2022)
Project status: Completed
Evidencing the social work role within responses to multiple exclusion homelessness
This short project builds on Unit work on homelessness and self-neglect (2022–2023)
Project status: Completed
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Current approaches to addressing multiple exclusion homelessness within qualifying social work education in England (2023)
Project status: Completed
Use of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with people experiencing multiple exclusion homelessness in England
Funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (2023–2026)
Project status: Ongoing
News
Out-of-Hospital Care Models programme for people experiencing homelessness
Launch of major evaluation report led by Michelle Cornes and Michela Tinelli
At the NIHR School for Social Care Research Conference 2024
The Unit was a strong presence at the annual conference in Birmingham
Brain injury and homelessness
Steph Grant and Alistair Atherton spoke at the Unit's Homelessness series
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Report launch was part of Social Work Week 2024
Unit research cited by Homeless and Inclusion Health Barometer 2024
The report also cites the Unit’s Homelessness webinar series
Homelessness radical safeguarding toolkit - an introduction
Gill Taylor spoke at the Unit's Homelessness series
A data-driven approach to inform service implementation for people experiencing homelessness
A recording of Dr Tinelli's webinar is available
Unit research features in Huck
The magazine cites Unit work on homelessness
Nutrition / homelessness
Jo Coombes and Jess Harris met three Dietetics students from within King's
Specialist homelessness social workers – new report
Unit study found evidence of the distinctive impact made by this ‘Inclusion Social Care’ role
Events
Thinking about mental capacity and multiple exclusion homelessness
Emerging findings from a national study
Primary health care services for people who are homeless - what works?
Dr Maureen Crane and Dr Louise Joly, both from the Homelessness Research Programme
Psychological approaches to working with people experiencing homelessness
Dr Kari Vyas & Dr Lily Krause, Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologists, Psychology in Hostels Project
Please note: this event has passed.
Try not to look away: the epidemic of brain injury in MEH groups
Steph Grant and Alistair Atherton
Please note: this event has passed.
Launch: Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Karl Mason and Jess Harris
Please note: this event has passed.
Homelessness and multiple disadvantage: Improving responses for women
Joanne McGrath and Prof Monique Lhussier
Please note: this event has passed.
Homelessness Radical Safeguarding Toolkit: shaping homelessness social care
Gill Taylor in a follow-up to a March 2023 webinar in this series
Please note: this event has passed.
A data-driven approach to inform service implementation for people experiencing homelessness
Michela Tinelli (LSE) reports from a Department of Health and Social Care funded study
Please note: this event has passed.
LAUNCH: Multiple Exclusion Homelessness: Practitioner Safeguarding Toolkit
First developed in 2020, the finalised toolkit benefits from practitioner feedback
Please note: this event has passed.
Addressing multiple exclusion homelessness in social work education
Lyn Romeo, Steph Grant, Ruth Allen, Rebecca Mulvaney, Harrshita Murarka, Jess Harris & Karl Mason
Please note: this event has passed.