Recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants: lessons from a randomized controlled trial

Social work research in the UK has significant challenges in building research capacity due to a lack of funding, austerity policies, and the quality of research training within social work degrees. As a result, the workforce has limited understanding of the value and relevance of research to practice. Indeed, previous studies report a substantial lack of social workers as research participants. Although healthcare research includes a wealth of literature providing guidance on recruitment and retention of participants, these suggestions are not automatically applicable to social work research due to the distinct nature of the sector and the differential understanding and valuation of research. Based on the authors’ experiences from a randomized controlled trial, for which they recruited 614 social workers, this article is the first to offer recommendations for the recruitment and retention of social workers as research participants. The authors describe valuable lessons for future research, including advice on meaningful stakeholder involvement, social media strategies, and emphasizing the value of participation for the advancement of the field and the personal experience of the social worker. The authors conclude with a summary list of actionable recommendations that will improve the research involvement of the social work workforce.