
Biography
Stephen is presently conducting a short study examining approaches to mental capacity where multiple exclusion homelessness is a factor, the precursor to a two-and-a-half year study on the topic starting in October 2023. This follows on from an NIHR School for Social Care Research funded examination of self-neglect, homelessness and safeguarding, where mental capacity emerged as a prominent theme. He is interested in social care law, mental capacity and adult safeguarding.
He analysed Safeguarding Adults Reviews where homelessness was a factor (report published September 2019) in a study commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care. A July 2020 article updated this work, examining 19 SARs in total. (See also earlier work on SARs and adult Serious Case Reviews.)
In 2021, he led an international evidence review for a project looking at adult social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people.
He is leading on the stakeholder consultation element of a study focusing on predicting and detecting abuse in care homes and supported living for people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people.
He recently worked on a study examining the availability of section 12 approved doctors for Mental Health Act assessments. The final report was published in early 2022. Earlier, Stephen worked on the Who wants to be an Approved Mental Health Professional? study, which was commissioned by the Department of Health. Prior to this he took part in the Helping or Hindering study. Also commissioned by the Department of Health, this project involved examining the available legal means for social workers seeking to access individuals where a third party was being obstructive.
In the past, he has worked on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults List project and co-authored the interim report for its sequel, the Investigating Vetting and Barring project. Earlier projects included reports on support workers in social care and advocacy in care homes.
Stephen is content provider for the Unit website and tweets and handles the blog, Health & Social Care Workforce, on behalf of the Unit. He is responsible for the upkeep of the database of publications and for updating the Department of Health and Social Care about Unit outputs.
In 2014 Stephen assisted in the development of the Bulletin of the Social Work History Network; he now also sits on that Network’s Steering Group.
Stephen Martineau: ORCID iD | Research Profile at King's | Posts by Stephen on the Unit blog
Research

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.
Status not set
Opening the "too difficult box"
Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect (2019–2023)
Project status: Ongoing

Social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people: What works in practice?
How should Adult Social Care best respond?
Project status: Completed

Availability of section 12 approved doctors
Identifying evidence about factors promoting and inhibiting the accessibility of section 12 doctors to participate in MHA assessments in England.
Project status: Completed

The other keyworkers in care homes: Implications of including domestic staff in social care workforce strategies and practices relating to COVID-19 recovery
Housekeeping staff in care homes – cleaners, those working in kitchens, laundries, maintenance – are often forgotten but are the backbone of many care homes.
Project status: Ongoing

Who wants to be an Approved Mental Health Professional?
A multi-method approach was adopted to explore different perspectives on the recruitment and retention of AMHPs.
Project status: Completed

International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed

Decluttering the homes of people with hoarding behaviours: Local authority commissioning, professional practices, and user experiences
Investigating the role of professional decluttering services.
Project status: Ongoing

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

Examining mental capacity approaches to multiple exclusion homelessness
This short project builds on Unit work on homelessness and self-neglect (2022–2023)
Project status: Ongoing
News
Social work with older people – a hidden history
The Unit hosted the latest event from the Social Work History Network

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

Current thinking on hoarding behaviour
Over 320 people attended a webinar focusing on psychological and legal perspectives

Economic impact of closing the gaps in responses to homelessness & self-neglect
Eighty-eight people attended this dissemination webinar

Kerslake Commission progress report on homelessness cites Unit work
The report draws on three studies from the Unit’s Homelessness Research Programme

Homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding – new article
The article comes in advance of a special event on homelessness and social work

Social work & homelessness – event report
Over 230 people attended this event held to discuss Unit research with stakeholders

What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people?
New evidence review from our NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Self-neglect among older people: an evidence review
How should Adult Social Care best respond?

Ethical international recruitment of healthcare workers – an evidence review
Jo Moriarty is lead author of the latest in the Unit's series of rapid reviews

Research

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.
Status not set
Opening the "too difficult box"
Strengthening adult safeguarding responses to homelessness and self-neglect (2019–2023)
Project status: Ongoing

Social care responses to self-neglect and hoarding among older people: What works in practice?
How should Adult Social Care best respond?
Project status: Completed

Availability of section 12 approved doctors
Identifying evidence about factors promoting and inhibiting the accessibility of section 12 doctors to participate in MHA assessments in England.
Project status: Completed

The other keyworkers in care homes: Implications of including domestic staff in social care workforce strategies and practices relating to COVID-19 recovery
Housekeeping staff in care homes – cleaners, those working in kitchens, laundries, maintenance – are often forgotten but are the backbone of many care homes.
Project status: Ongoing

Who wants to be an Approved Mental Health Professional?
A multi-method approach was adopted to explore different perspectives on the recruitment and retention of AMHPs.
Project status: Completed

International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed

Decluttering the homes of people with hoarding behaviours: Local authority commissioning, professional practices, and user experiences
Investigating the role of professional decluttering services.
Project status: Ongoing

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

Examining mental capacity approaches to multiple exclusion homelessness
This short project builds on Unit work on homelessness and self-neglect (2022–2023)
Project status: Ongoing
News
Social work with older people – a hidden history
The Unit hosted the latest event from the Social Work History Network

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

Current thinking on hoarding behaviour
Over 320 people attended a webinar focusing on psychological and legal perspectives

Economic impact of closing the gaps in responses to homelessness & self-neglect
Eighty-eight people attended this dissemination webinar

Kerslake Commission progress report on homelessness cites Unit work
The report draws on three studies from the Unit’s Homelessness Research Programme

Homelessness, self-neglect and safeguarding – new article
The article comes in advance of a special event on homelessness and social work

Social work & homelessness – event report
Over 230 people attended this event held to discuss Unit research with stakeholders

What do we know about hoarding behaviour and treatment approaches for older people?
New evidence review from our NIHR School for Social Care Research study

Self-neglect among older people: an evidence review
How should Adult Social Care best respond?

Ethical international recruitment of healthcare workers – an evidence review
Jo Moriarty is lead author of the latest in the Unit's series of rapid reviews
