A-Z Databases: Social Care Online: Library Guide

Go to Databases A-Z and select 'Social Care Online'.

Click on register/sign in.  Create an account following the instructions.  You will need to use your account login details each time you wish to access the resources on Social Care Online. 

SCIE (2020) An introduction to Social Care Online. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l22Rv9VyIHk&t=17s (Accessed: 14 July 2023).

Search results

Too many search results? Add fields to your search strategy to limit/filter your search results eg content type, publication year.

Too few results? Use the Boolean operator OR to search for additional terms. Or use the subject term field and include broader, narrower and/or related terms.

Export search results

Use Export results  to export up to 500 records. In the Export Search results screen select your records and export format.

Saved searches

Use Save search to re-run and combine searches, build up complex search strategies and subscribe to email alerts. To save a search: run, name, and then save your search using the Saved Search button.

Email alerts

To set up an email alert, select one or more of your saved searches and use the Action menu to ‘Subscribe to selected’.

Follow Social Care Online on Twitter

Social Care Online is produced by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)

Searching on Social Care Online

You can find resources and services by:

• using the search box: Use the search box at the top of the web page. Enter any term for a free text search. This will show you all the pages where this term appears. 
• using the advanced search option: see 'Advanced search tips' section for more information.
• A-Z subject topic: Select a letter from the A-Z  to see a list of social and health care subject topics. Choose your topic to produce a list of SCIE resources on that subject.
• geographical location: Select the geographical area covered. For example, if you are looking for resources that specifically refer to policy in Scotland, select Scotland.
• resource type: Select a resource type. For example, if you are looking for a detailed guide - select guide.
• SCIE resources list: Browse the list for resources on your topic.

Browse the definitions of the resources used in Social Care Online. 

Social Care Online Subject Thesaurus

Subject terms are taken from the Social Care Online thesaurus, a controlled vocabulary of terms developed by the Social Care Institute for Excellence specifically for Social Care Online.

The thesaurus helps to ensure that all items on a particular topic can be retrieved using the same subject term.

The Social Care Online thesaurus is freely available to view and download.

• Social Care Online thesaurus: alphabetical
• Social Care Online thesaurus: hierarchical

Use to find good quality full text  and audio visual resources about social work and social care. Supporting subject areas include:

• benefits and personal finance
• criminal justice, law and rights
• education (covered very selectively for books and articles, with a tight focus on social care issues, including mental health, social exclusion, school exclusion and policy issues around inclusive learning), training and employment
• health and health care
• housing
• local government
• management and organisational development
• psychology

Using the Advanced search option

• Select the field from the drop down list to suit your search needs:  Add only one word or phrase in each search box. Use speech marks "  "  to search for a phrase eg "dementia care". Use ‘exact’ fields for more precise results. A search for ‘integration’ using ‘Title exact’ will retrieve results with ‘integration’ in the title. A search using ‘Title’ will also retrieve integrated, integrating, integrative.
• Use the Add field icon  to build up your search strategy. 
• Use Boolean Operators OR, AND or NOT in this order when combining search terms eg adoption OR foster care AND siblings.
• To search for an author/editor:  Type the surname first and select from the auto-suggest list eg "smith p." If not listed type in the surname only.
• Use the more Info icon  when searching by subject term to see the scope of the term and its broader, narrower and related terms. The drop down menu allows use of these terms in your search.
• Check the Social Care Online subject thesaurus for further search terms on searching your topic area.

If you are experiencing difficulties accessing any resources or would like to discuss your searches, referencing or related matters, please contact library staff:

Email library@uws.ac.uk or log a call on the Self Service Portal.

• Self Service Portal

  All students and staff members have access to an online Self Service Portal to search through the answers to FAQs, log calls or place service requests and review the progress of any submitted requests.