First online carer knowledge exchange resource

An OU academic has created a new global online resource which pulls together research evidence relevant to those who require carer-related research information.

Created by Dr Mary Larkin, Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care, the Carer-Related Research and Evidence Exchange Network (CAREN), is a freely accessible resource for use by governments, carers, employers, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, NGOs/third sector organisations and research funders.

The unique resource meets the needs of all those across the globe who require any form of carer-related knowledge – be this research evidence, and/or information about practice and policy.

“CAREN is the first online resource of its kind,” said Dr Larkin. “Not only does it provide a reliable, regularly updated, independent, searchable and coherently organised database of information and evidence about carers, it also allows those accessing it to communicate and exchange knowledge.”

CAREN has been welcomed by users across the world, some of whom made the following comments:

It really is a huge achievement to have created this much-needed network and at a time when 'evidence' is on everyone's lips but existing research and data are often neither known or sufficiently utilised.

This is very timely and well done on all the good work.

Thanks for forwarding details of this fantastic resource.

Visit the CAREN website

Read more about Dr Mary Larkin’s research at the OU’s Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Skills