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User groups & communities

Explore user groups, communities, and networks relevant to those interested in or already using administrative data. These include those invested in and developed by ADR UK, affiliated communities, as well as external communities. 

Discover existing collaborative groups and networks within the administrative data landscape and find out how you can join. Communities are centred around specific research areas, datasets, themes, and other relevant information. 

You can find three types of groups here: communities funded by ADR UK, communities affiliated with ADR UK, and external user groups, communities, and networks. While these groups vary in their focus, structure, and level of formality, all support people working with administrative and linked data.

If you are looking for information about ADR UK’s strategic alliances with external organisations, which focus on system-level collaboration, infrastructure, and long-term initiatives rather than user-led communities, see our Strategic alliances & networks page.

Funded communities

ADR UK allocates funding, time, and expertise to foster thriving, well-connected networks that drive impactful research using administrative data. Through these projects, we are building strategic leadership and capacity in key areas such as children’s outcomes and youth transitions. 

By nurturing these communities, ADR UK is advancing the use of administrative data for public good across the UK.

ADR England Research Community Catalyst: Children at Risk of Poor Outcomes

This Community Catalyst will build a community of researchers and analysts focused on children and young people supported by early intervention services or children’s social care in the UK. This community will serve as a vital point of connection, information sharing, and coaching, and provide national strategic leadership for administrative data and research in this field.

Find out more

ADR England Research Community Catalyst: Youth Transitions

This Community Catalyst aims to build a research landscape informed by existing research and evidence gaps in the field of youth transitions. It provides opportunities to address these gaps using administrative data and offers a platform for existing and prospective researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and voluntary and community sector organisations to learn, collaborate and innovate.

Find out more

Affiliated communities 

ADR UK is working with a range of stakeholders to develop affiliated communities. 

Affiliated status signals a shared commitment to advancing administrative data research in line with ADR UK’s strategic priorities. It does not imply ADR UK’s ongoing financial support or endorsement of specific outputs.

Each affiliated community will have its own website. Current affiliated communities and contact details of their community leads are listed below:

External user groups, communities, and networks

A range of groups support people working with administrative and linked data.

Although these are independent of ADR UK, many collaborate closely with us and play an important role in building skills, sharing learning, and fostering collaboration across the research community.

Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data (ECHILD) user group

The ECHILD user group provides an opportunity for existing and prospective users of ECHILD to learn about new data developments, analysis and research findings, and meet other users. 

Children's Social Care Data User Group

This was established in early 2018, by and for those who use data about children’s social care to improve services and the welfare of children and families. It provides a forum to share expertise and learning between all users and potential users of children's social care data, and to provide opportunities for collaboration and joint working between teams.

  • Access: Open
  • Activities: Discussion forum and seminars 
  • Contact: CSCDUG@ucl.ac.uk

Growing Up in England (GUiE) (via Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service) research community 

The GUiE community is for researchers interested in or currently accessing the GUiE dataset via the Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service. The community allows researchers to access relevant information and engage with other GUiE users.  

Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) (via Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service) research community

The LEO community is for researchers who are interested in or currently accessing LEO data via the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Service. The community allows researchers to access relevant information and ask questions. This helps the Department for Education (DfE) and ONS to make the LEO service useful and accessible. DfE will also use the community to post announcements about LEO. 

Wage and Employment Dynamics (WED) community of interest

The WED project is developing a sustainable, documented ‘wage and employment spine’ that can provide new and important insights into the dynamics of earnings and employment in Great Britain. This community of interest is for anyone using WED datasets. 

WED - Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) research community

The WED community is for researchers who are interested in or currently accessing the ASHE dataset via the Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service. It allows researchers to access relevant information, ask questions, and engage with other ASHE users to collaborate and share knowledge, insights, and good practice. 

WED stakeholder groups

The WED project has three stakeholder groups: academic, government and public. The general focus of each of the groups is to oversee the project and promote it within their communities. They also have individual roles - academic to provide technical input, government to ensure outputs meet policy needs, and public to build trust in the project and data sharing in general.

Scottish Safe Haven Analyst Network

The Scottish Safe Haven Network connects the organisations behind Scotland's secure data infrastructure. Established by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO), it is now supported by Research Data Scotland (RDS), with the aim of improving systems for accessing data for research in line with the Scottish Government's strategy for health and social care. The Analyst network has been established by RDS to compliment this ambition, by providing a space for data analysts across the constituent organisations to share operational experiences and develop best practice, in order to support the practical delivery of data projects across Scotland.

Early Career Researchers Using Scottish Administrative Data (eCRUSADers)

The eCRUSADers network is for early career researchers who are working with, or interested in using, administrative data from Scotland. It provides a supportive space to share information, ask questions, and connect with others to exchange insights, practical tips and good practice when accessing and analysing Scottish administrative datasets.

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