ADRC-S Legacy Projects from phase 1 (2013-18)

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Administrative data (that is information collected primarily for administrative purposes) has long contributed to central government statistics. During the last 15-20 years, technological advances in data science have allowed very large databases to be held by central and local government and by specialist agencies across the UK. This resource, coupled with the enormous computational power now available, and a robust data protection framework, opens up the possibility of developing a core resource for social science research. Linking such administrative data sets (in an anonymous form, and analysed in a secure environment) provides new insights into a diverse set of issues, e.g., the impact of homelessness on health, the type of care given to children looked after by the state, the impact of poverty on child development. The ambition of administrative data research is to help government and others make better-informed decisions based on a robust understanding of the issues.The set of projects to be supported were initiated in the first phase of funding (ADRN) that established a UK-wide network of data centres. These projects were not able to be completed within the time-frame, in part because of the pioneering nature of the work and the (understandable) length of time taken to agree data sharing agreements with data controllers. For example, some of the projects that will be supported utilise Census data, where the principles of data sharing (in Scotland) have only just been agreed. Other projects have been in negotiation with Whitehall over many years (e.g. DWP) and data will now be delivered in the wake of the DEA.ESRC recognised the value of this area of research, but also the need to work more closely in collaboration with government partners, with the ambition of creating research-ready data holdings and a unified process of governance and permissions. Hence the award of the second phase of funding, and the realisation that the work done in the first phase (e.g. negotiating access to data, obtaining research-specific permissions) should if at all possible be continued to supported.