Investigating the role of employee ethnicity as a risk factor for exploitative labour practices in the UK adult social care industry: a focus on East Sussex and Hampshire

Project in brief

The research investigates how funding shortfalls in social care impact local ethnicised care markets. Research has flagged exploitative practices in a sector that contains ethnic inequalities but the extent to which such practices are taking place in the South East coastal region is not well known. Long term care services have suffered major staff shortages across the OECD owing to the low pay and long working hours that characterise secondary labour markets. This reduces the desirability of such posts for indigenous workers. The percentage of foreign-born workers employed in long-term care is high in the UK (around 19 to 20%). Non-EU third country nationals from the Philippines, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe are over represented among LTC foreign workers in the UK (OECD 2020), which suggests a ‘migrant in the market’ model of employment, owing to a privatised model of social care.

The project examines whether ethnicity represents a risk factor in exposure to labour standards violations in a social care environment. The candidate will conduct qualitative research into the employment and working conditions of vulnerable LTC workers through in-depth interviews. They will be guided by an interdisciplinary team who have experience in conducting high impact research.

Please contact the supervisors listed below for full project details.

Key Facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb campus

Themes Social policy, social care industry, ethnic inequalities,

Research centres or groups

See our SCDTP home page

Deadline Monday 04 January 2021, 16.00hr

Interviews 25 January - 05 February 2021

Find out how to apply

University of Brighton supervisory team

Dr Anne Daguerre

Anne welcomes PhD applications in the field of the external environment of HRM, especially local labour market policies and employability, as well as welfare to work.

Dr Adaeze Okoye

She is currently supervising three PhD students.

She would like to hear from potential postgraduate students interested in legal corporate accountability

External supervisors

Dr Jane Parry, partner organisation University of Southampton, Southampton Business School

Entry requirements

Academic entry requirements

We fund students undertaking Masters+PhD programmes (1+3 funding) and stand-alone PhD programmes (+3 funding).

1+3 funding

Applicants must have or expect to gain:

a good honours degree at first or upper second-class level, from a UK academic higher education institution, or a combination of qualifications and/or experience that is equivalent to a relevant UK degree.

Applicants are also required to submit a research proposal of 750 words.

+3 PhD funding

Applicants must have:

a good honours degree at first or upper second-class level, from a UK academic higher education institution, or a combination of qualifications and/or experience that is equivalent to a relevant UK degree.

And have or expect to gain:

a level of research training that would allow them to proceed directly to PhD. This is usually through the attainment of a previous masters qualification in the social sciences with a Merit grade.

Applicants are also required to submit a research proposal of 1500 words.

English language entry requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must have successfully completed a Secure English Language Test (SELT) in the last two years. Applicants who have obtained or are studying for a UK degree may apply without a SELT.

However, the university may request a SELT is taken as part of any award made.

English language IELTS requirements are minimum of 7.0 overall (7.0 for writing , and none below 6.0).

If you have an English language qualification other than IELTS, please contact us to see if you are eligible to apply for a studentship. The UK Home Office will not accept TOEFL tests as proof of meeting the English language requirements.

Residential eligibility

For entry in the 2021-22 Academic Year, the restrictions on eligibility for non-UK applicants have been relaxed. We can now accept applications from Home and non-UK resident students. There will be a recruitment cap of 30% on non-UK resident studentships awarded across the consortium. The management of this cap will be through the selection process. Successful candidates will receive a full stipend and fees at the UKRI rate.

Further information on residential eligibility is here.

Funding

UK residents

ESRC through the South Coast DTP provides a tax-free stipend at UKRI rates (£15,285 per year in 2020-21) and covers fees for the duration of the studentship (four years for 1+3 and three years for +3) for home (UK) students.

South Coast DTP PhD students will also have access to a Research Training Support Grant for activities such as carrying out fieldwork within the UK, purchasing essential equipment and attending relevant conferences.

There are also funds available for students to carry out overseas institutional visits and internships. Further details of these can be found on the South Coast DTP website.

EU and International applicants

See residential eligibility above.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the project, please contact the lead supervisor, Dr Anne Daguerre, via the contact details on their profile page.

If you have any questions about the funding or application process, please contact Fiona Sutton, Doctoral College f.j.sutton@brighton.ac.uk

Guide to making your application

Applicants must submit:

An institutional (University of Brighton) research degree application (deadline 04 January 2021)
A consortium (South Coast DTP) funding application (deadline 18 January 2021; we will support you in completing your funding application).

We will only consider complete applications. The research degree application is complete once you have uploaded all of the following:

your research proposal (see Entry Requirements for word limits)
copies of your bachelors and master certificates, including transcripts
copy of your IELTS (or equivalent) certificate (if applicable)
copy of your passport
two references uploaded - one must be an academic reference from your most recent period of study. Both must have been written within the last year.

To submit your application please follow these steps:

1. Click the 'apply online now' button, on the right.
2. Select 'register and start a new application', to create your user account.
3. Once you are logged in, select 'apply to a new course'.
4. Select the type of course 'research degree'.
5. Select mode of study 'full-time'.
6. Select 'Doctoral College'.
7. Select ‘South Coast DTP’.
8. Select the course 'MPhil/PhD'.
9. Click 'apply'.

You will now be able to complete the online application form.

Apply Online Now