Dr Jenni Brooks MA, BA
Associate Professor of Social Policy
Summary
I am a sociologist and social policy researcher, and teach various aspects of sociology and qualitative research methods. My research focuses on the intersection of social care, social policy, and the experience of living with a health condition or impairment.
Teaching
Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Sociology
Courses taught:
BA (Hons) Sociology
MRes Social Science
BSc (Hons) Public Health
Modules taught:
Applied Research Methods
Sociology: Real World Application
Qualitative Research
Dissertation Supervision
Research
My work is situated within the fields of social policy and social care. My main focus is on the experience of ageing without children, particularly in relation to people with dementia who live alone and who have no informal support. See here for findings and resources from my most recent project 'Living alone with dementia: managing without informal support to contact and navigate services': https://livingalonewithdementia.co.uk/
I am also doing work around institutional barriers to public involvement in universities.
Publications
Journal articles
Aspinal, F., Willcox, A., Murphy, D., Sanders, T., & Brooks, J. (2023). Living alone with dementia - managing without informal support to contact and navigate services: A mixed methods protocol. Journal of Long-Term Care, 135-141. http://doi.org/10.31389/jltc.194
Brooks, J., & Savitch, N. (2022). Blogging with dementia: writing about the lived experience of dementia in the public domain. Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice, 21 (8), 2402-2417. http://doi.org/10.1177/14713012221112384
Maddison, J., Brooks, J., Graham, K., & Birks, Y. (2022). They exist but they don't exist’: personal assistants supporting physically disabled people in the workplace. Work, Employment and Society. http://doi.org/10.1177/09500170221075532
Graham, K., Brooks, J., Maddison, J., & Birks, Y. (2021). Two jobs in one day: exploring the dynamics of personal assistance relationships in the workplace. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research. http://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.761
Kara, H., & Brooks, J. (2020). The Potential Role of Comics in Teaching Qualitative Research Methods. The Qualitative Report, 25 (7), 1754-1765.
Brooks, J., Gridley, K., & Parker, G. (2019). Doing research in care homes: the experiences of researchers and participants. Social research practice, 8 (Autumn), 19-27. https://the-sra.org.uk/SRA/Publications/Social-Research-Practice.aspx
Mitchell, W., Beresford, B., Glendinning, C., Brooks, J., & Moran, N. (2017). Taking on choice and control in personal care and support : the experiences of physically disabled young adults. Journal of Social Work, 17 (4), 413-433. http://doi.org/10.1177/1468017316644700
Brooks, J., Mitchell, W., & Glendinning, C. (2017). Personalisation, personal budgets and family carers: Whose assessment? Whose budget? Journal of Social Work, 17 (2), 147-166. http://doi.org/10.1177/1468017316638554
Brooks, J., Gridley, K., & Savitch, N. (2017). Removing the 'gag': involving people with dementia in research as advisers and participants. Social Research Practice, 3-14. http://the-sra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/social-research-practice-journal-issue-03-winter-2017.pdf
Gridley, K., Brooks, J., Birks, Y., Baxter, K., & Parker, G. (2016). Improving care for people with dementia: development and initial feasibility study for evaluation of life story work in dementia care. Health Services and Delivery Research, 4 (23). http://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr04230
Glendinning, C., Mitchell, W., & Brooks, J. (2014). Ambiguity in practice? Carers' roles in personalised social care in England. Health and Social Care in the Community, 23 (1), 23-32. http://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12123
Gridley, K., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2014). Good practice in social care: the views of people with severe and complex needs and those who support them. Health and Social Care in the Community, 22 (6), 588-597. http://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12105
Mitchell, W., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2014). Carers' roles in personal budgets: tensions and dilemmas in front line practice. British Journal of Social Work, 45 (5), 1433-1450. http://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcu018
Gridley, K., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2013). Good practice in social care for disabled adults and older people with severe and complex needs: evidence from a scoping review. Health & Social Care In The Community, 22 (3), 234-248. http://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12063
Book chapters
Mitchell, W., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2014). Personalisation : where do carers fit? In Needham, C., & Glasby, J. (Eds.) Debates in Personalisation. (pp. 65-74). Bristol: Policy Press: http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?ISB=9781447313427&
Brooks, J. (2012). Practice example 5, George: 'It's like having a friend around'. In Davies, M. (Ed.) Social Work with Adults: Policy, law, theory, research and practice. (pp. 82). London: Palgrave Macmillan
Reports
Brooks, J., Morrison, J., & Goodwin, P. (2019). Evaluation of 'Dancing for Health' partner dancing programme for people affected by incurable illness. Sheffield Hallam University.
Etherington, D., Jeffery, R., Thomas, P., Brooks, J., Beel, D., & Jones, M. (2018). Forging an inclusive labour market - empowering workers and communities : an interim report on low pay and precarious work in Sheffield. Sheffield: Sheffield Trades Union Council.
Grant, S., Atherton, A., Brooks, J., Colbeck, M., Fortescue, D., & Vanderhoven, D. (2016). Experiences of Homelessness and Brain Injury. Homelessness and Head Injury Research Group.
Mitchell, W., Brooks, J., Beresford, B., Moran, N., & Glendinning, C. (2015). Taking on and taking over : choice and control for physically disabled young adults. NIHR School for Social Care Research. http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/pubs/pdf/sscrToto.pdf
Gridley, K., Brooks, J., Birks, Y., Baxter, K., & Parker, G. (2015). Improving care for people with dementia: development and initial feasibility study for evaluation of Life Story Work in Dementia care. NIHR/Social Policy Research Unit. http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/159727/FLS-11-2000-11.pdf
Mitchell, W., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2013). Carers and personalisation. School for Social Care Research, National Institute for Health Research. http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/pdf/SSCRcp.pdf
Glendinning, C., Mitchell, W., & Brooks, J. (2013). Carers and personalisation. York: Social Policy Research Unit, University of York. http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/pdf/PandCarersDHdiscuss.pdf
Gridley, K., Brooks, J., & Glendinning, C. (2012). Good support for people with complex needs: What does it look like and where is the evidence? NIHR School for Social Care Research. http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/pubs/pdf/complex.pdf
Media
Glendinning, C., Mitchell, W., Beresford, B., Moran, N., & Brooks, J. (2014). Taking on and taking over: physically disabled young adults and their care and support arrangements. [video]. http://php.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/research/summs/TOTO.php
Other publications
Brooks, J. (2020). Keeping connected, staying social, getting virtual. Social Research Association: https://the-sra.org.uk/SRA/Blog/Keepingconnectedstayingsocialgettingvirtual.aspx
Brooks, J., & Bishop, B. (2019). Oh no! Not another boring research report! https://the-sra.org.uk/SRA/Blog/Oh%20no%20Not%20another%20boring%20research%20report.aspx
Brooks, J. (2017). The 'do it yourself' future of social care. Sheffield Institute for Policy Studies: https://sheffieldinstituteforpolicystudies.com/2017/06/14/the-do-it-yourself-future-of-social-care/
Brooks, J. (2014). Workplace personal assistants : what do we need to know? Revaluing Care Research Network: http://revaluingcare.net/workplace-personal-assistants/
Other activities
Other external responsibilities:
NIHR Research Programme for Social Care committee
Sheffield Dementia Strategy Implementation Group
Postgraduate supervision
Postgraduate supervision:
I am happy to provide postgraduate supervision in qualitative research in the areas of social care, social policy, social aspects of dementia and ageing.