
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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing
News
Homelessness and social work education
Karl Mason discussed emerging findings from a NIHR School for Social Care Research study

International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
What are the benefits and challenges associated with these partnerships?

The Homelessness Social Worker role - challenges & impact
Research Fellow Jess Harris reported from an NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Call for evidence
Call for evidence from all adult social work education providers in England

Exploring low-barrier drug and housing interventions for people experiencing homelessness
Ben Scher was the latest speaker in the Homelessness series at King's

Unit research presented at Homeless Link mental health conference
Jess Harris and Bruno Ornelas presented Unit work on homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding

Discussing hospital discharge protocols for people experiencing homelessness
Unit researchers spoke to the London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group

The capacity to act...
Opening the door for people with hidden disabilities and differences

Unit researchers discuss homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding with social work students
Jess Harris and Stan Burridge were at a session at Senate House

Safeguarding, self-neglect and homelessness – discussing findings in Bristol
Jess Harris was invited to speak with Bristol adult safeguarding and homelessness teams

Events

LAUNCH: Multiple Exclusion Homelessness: Practitioner Safeguarding Toolkit
First developed in 2020, the finalised toolkit benefits from practitioner feedback

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.

Changing the system for people experiencing severe & multiple disadvantage
Improving local governance and the wider system of support

The Homelessness Social Worker role - challenges & impact
Findings from an NIHR SSCR funded study
Please note: this event has passed.

Showcase of social care research in NIHR Policy Research Units - 2
Hosted by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Adult Social Care
Please note: this event has passed.

Lived experience perspectives on homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding
Findings from our NIHR SSCR funded national study
Please note: this event has passed.

Radical approaches to safeguarding & homelessness
Gill Taylor, Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Support, London Borough of Haringey
Please note: this event has passed.

Safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect
Findings from our NIHR SSCR funded national study
Please note: this event has passed.

The capacity to act ... opening the door for people with hidden disabilities and differences
What does research tell us about the relevance of executive functioning assessments to work with homeless or rough sleeping adults
Please note: this event has passed.

Social Work & Homelessness
Lyn Romeo and Ruth Allen are among the discussants at this event
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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing

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: Ongoing
News
Homelessness and social work education
Karl Mason discussed emerging findings from a NIHR School for Social Care Research study

International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
What are the benefits and challenges associated with these partnerships?

The Homelessness Social Worker role - challenges & impact
Research Fellow Jess Harris reported from an NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Call for evidence
Call for evidence from all adult social work education providers in England

Exploring low-barrier drug and housing interventions for people experiencing homelessness
Ben Scher was the latest speaker in the Homelessness series at King's

Unit research presented at Homeless Link mental health conference
Jess Harris and Bruno Ornelas presented Unit work on homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding

Discussing hospital discharge protocols for people experiencing homelessness
Unit researchers spoke to the London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group

The capacity to act...
Opening the door for people with hidden disabilities and differences

Unit researchers discuss homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding with social work students
Jess Harris and Stan Burridge were at a session at Senate House

Safeguarding, self-neglect and homelessness – discussing findings in Bristol
Jess Harris was invited to speak with Bristol adult safeguarding and homelessness teams

Events

LAUNCH: Multiple Exclusion Homelessness: Practitioner Safeguarding Toolkit
First developed in 2020, the finalised toolkit benefits from practitioner feedback

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.

Changing the system for people experiencing severe & multiple disadvantage
Improving local governance and the wider system of support

The Homelessness Social Worker role - challenges & impact
Findings from an NIHR SSCR funded study
Please note: this event has passed.

Showcase of social care research in NIHR Policy Research Units - 2
Hosted by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Adult Social Care
Please note: this event has passed.

Lived experience perspectives on homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding
Findings from our NIHR SSCR funded national study
Please note: this event has passed.

Radical approaches to safeguarding & homelessness
Gill Taylor, Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Support, London Borough of Haringey
Please note: this event has passed.

Safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect
Findings from our NIHR SSCR funded national study
Please note: this event has passed.

The capacity to act ... opening the door for people with hidden disabilities and differences
What does research tell us about the relevance of executive functioning assessments to work with homeless or rough sleeping adults
Please note: this event has passed.

Social Work & Homelessness
Lyn Romeo and Ruth Allen are among the discussants at this event
Please note: this event has passed.