Building Resilience, Enhancing Social Support: What research tells us

Children’s Research Network for Ireland and Northern Ireland 5th Annual Conference

6th December 2016

1

WelcomeLiam O’Hare

Chair Children’s Research Network

for Ireland and Northern Ireland

Senior FellowQueen’s University Belfast

2

Highlights from the year

300+ members and growing

More events than ever before– SPSS training

– Anonymisation Workshop

– PhD Symposium

– Using Research to Improve Practice

– What is What Works Research

Many successful co-hosting opportunities

– ISPCC

– ISSDA

– Maynooth University

– Queens University, Belfast

– Playboard NI

3www.childrensresearchnetwork.org

New website

New identity and function– Build to suit diverse membership

and facilitate better networking amongst members

– Knowledge hub for members to upload their work

– New members’ profiles

– Easy and efficient search function to source latest research in the field

4www.childrensresearchnetwork.org

Thank you!

To our very busy activities committee

- Ailbhe Booth

- Claire Hickey

And in particular to the Committee Chair

Tess Noonan

And to all our members who have contributed to and attended our events….

5

Current projects

• The Network beyond 2017

• EBSCO Member Survey

• Early Childhood Research Bibliography

• Children’s Research Digest– Next issue (conference)

• Establishing new special interest groups

• Developing our support for practitioner researchers – We want your input!

6www.childrensresearchnetwork.org

The Network 2017Over to you….

7

• Co-host an event with us!– Summer PhD Symposium – with who and where?

– Thematic or training events

• Join a thematic sub-group:– Activities Committee

– Early Childhood Research Group

– PhD sub-group

– NEW????

• Prevention and Early Intervention Research Initiative

• Influence our work– Practitioner research – how can we support it?

– Next year’s conference – theme?

– Children’s Research Digest – theme?

New format: Research DialoguesWhat are they:

• Short research presentations with a focus on implications

Why?

• Connect researchers, policymakers and practitioners

• Establish lasting partnerships

• Develop working relationships

How?

• Not a standard Q/A - discuss policy and practice implications

• Define next steps for research, policy and practice 8

Today’s event

New format: Research DialoguesWhat are they:

• Short research presentations with a focus on implications

Why?

• Connect researchers, policymakers and practitioners

• Establish lasting partnerships

• Develop working relationships

How?

• Not a standard Q/A - discuss policy and practice implications

• Define next steps for research, policy and practice 9

Enjoy the conference!

Supporting Children and Families Through Early Intervention, Prevention and

PartnershipFred McBride

Chief Executive

Tusla

10

Supporting Children and

Families Through Early

Intervention, Prevention and

Partnership

Fred McBride, CEO6th December 2016

Introduction

• Status quo not an option

• Build a compelling vision for the future

• Build a change coalition

• Mobilise commitment

• Quick wins and celebrate/demonstrate success

• Create a coherent multi-agency system to build resilience and wellbeing for children families and communities

Service Delivery Framework

Why the Status Quo is not

an OptionPriority based commissioning redirects resources to make interventions that change outcomes in a

way that is measurable at the population level. This requires alignment of financial, performance

and demographic analysis to inform spending decisions.

Key Strategic ObjectivesK

EY

ST

RA

TE

GIC

OB

JE

CT

IVE

S

Defined, Measurable

Outcomes

National Approaches to

Practice

Positive Learning

Environment

Proactive Relationships

with Partners

Empowering our People

21

36

4 5

Clear Response Pathways

Child & Family

Levels of Participation

Children and

Families

Fairness

Reciprocity

Self-determination

Autonomy

Well-being and

Resilience

Dignity

Early Intervention and

Prevention System

Tusla’s Early Intervention and Prevention System aims to:

• Align services to support children and families in local communities and geographical areas through the development of Child andFamily Support Networks (CFSNs).

• Fully implement Meitheal, a Tusla-led National Early Intervention Practice Model to ensure that the needs and strengths of children and their families are effectively identified and understood and responded to in a timely way.

• Deepen evidence-based practice around participation of children and young people, supporting parenting, hidden harm and commissioning.

Area-based Approach: Child and

Family Support Networks and Meitheal

Growing proactive relationships with key child

protection and welfare partners:

• Tusla and Tusla-funded organisations

• Education

• Service user representative groups

• Community and voluntary organisations

• Universal and specialist health services

• An Garda Siochana

• Professional representative organisations

• Government departments

• General public

Actively building and maintaining productive relationships with our key internal and external stakeholders

Supporting Parenting

Tusla’s Parenting Support Strategy

• Parenting support is integrated into the work of the Agency

• A culture of using evidence to inform parenting support and value based approach is developed

• A coherent continuum of support is available to all parents in a locality

• Parents experience services provided by the Agency and partner agencies as engaging and participatory

Commissioning

Tusla’s national commissioning unit

What difference will it make?

• Staff supported to do commissioning well

• Evidence-informed use of resources to achieve positive outcomes for children, young people and families

• Fair distribution of resources

• More collaborative working with providers and communities.

Progress:

• 6 pilot sites have developed Commissioning Statements

• Commissioning Toolkit and national training to follow

• Launch of new National Toolkit on

Child and Youth Participation

• National Training on participatory

practice

• Investing in Children Membership

Award Scheme

Participation of Children and

Young People

Thank You

The Impact of Impact Measurement for Gaisce – The President’s Award

Yvonne McKenna

Chief Executive

Gaisce

24

Y

CHILDREN’S RESEARCH NETWORK CONFERENCE 2016

Building Resilience, Enhancing Social Support:

What research tells us

‘The Impact of Impact Measurement for

Gaisce – The President’s Award’Yvonne McKenna, CEO

Presentation

- Gaisce – The President’s Award

- The Research

- The Findings

- What then?

- What next?

What is Gaisce?

The Research:

- Genesis

- Perspective

- Research Questions

- Methodology

The Findings

What then?

- Relief!

- Dissemination

- Impact

- External

- Internal

What next …?

Thank you

Gaisce – The President’s Award

Ratra House

North Road

Phoenix Park

Dublin

D08YD62

info@gaisce.ie / ymckenna@gaisce.ie

T: 01 617 1999

www: gaisce.ie

DREAM BIG!

12 Messages from Research on Resilience and Social Support

Pat Dolan

Professor

NUI GALWAY

33

“12 Messages from Research on Resilience and Social Support”

Children’s Research Network6th December 2016

Prof Pat Dolan

12 Messages for 12 Days of

Christmas

1. Multiple issues at the Same Time

2. One Reliable Alliance(relationships really matter)

3. Resilience as ecological or Individual

4. Ordinary magic meshed Turning Points

5. Incremental Resilience

6. Hidden Support (discrete)

7. Role of Extended Family (not toxic)

8. Different Pathways (Defies Programmes)

9. Timing of Resilience (crisis is good)

10. “Minute” Resilience Training Works

11. Civic Engagement is Effective

12. Deal with oppressor more than the oppressed

Using Evidence to Inform Service Design

Grainia Long

Chief Executive

ISPCC

39

Using Evidence to Inform Service Design

Grainia Long

Chief Executive

Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

@GrainiaLong

What is good design?1. Good design is a discipline –

2. Whatever the language used (service outcomes/behavioural change), designing services usually involves solving problems- in partnership

3. Instead of patching together solutions to problems as they arise, good design thinking redesigns an entire system to redefine the problem from the ground up (The RSA, ‘Design for Public Good’, 2013)

4. ‘Good design turns problems on its head and starts with walking in the shoes of the users, not with the problems of the providers.’ (Nat Hunter, The RSA)

5. Avoids expensive pilots, by testing iteratively and checking everything against user need

Evidence-based design is a key component in developing better things. It's a philosophy that's critical for ensuring the team have a

common objective and rationale for decision making when working in large multidisciplinary teams.

Measurement is a critical part of this.

Dr Dan Jenkins & Lisa Baker,

UK Design Council

Lessons we’ve learned from service design

1. Works best when teams work together, i.e. not ‘top down’- makes best use of skills and knowledge

2. Use of evidence in the right way, can help to frame the problem correctly- ‘What’s the problem we are trying to solve’ and how e.g. levels of expected demand, profile of clients.

3. It’s not about requirements, it’s about problem solving- which means TALKING TO PEOPLE!

4. Good use of evidence prevents mission creep

5. The more complex the problem, the more testing that is needed.

Approaches to service design that use evidence

Source: Ben Holliday, Head of User Experience, DWP (UK)

Bringing all the evidence

we can into the room to

help us understand

problems, e.g. how do we

help children living in

Direct Provision to

transition into ‘traditional’

community settings?

We now understand the

problem fully. (e.g. it’s a

housing challenge) Test

approaches with service

users. Agree rules and

constraints on our service-

what we can’t do.

Delivery. Using people,

technology, other

infrastructure. Learning

from service user

feedback. Using metrics to

measure value. Using this

to inform future services.

ISPCC Outcomes Evaluation 1. Developed with UNESCO child and family centre to ensure ISPCC has 'fit

for purpose' tools to support service design and accurate outcome evaluation…

2. Emphasis on ensuring ISPCC has the right systems in place for outcomes evaluation

3. Complete set of standardised evaluation tools to measure outcomes across key areas: service satisfaction and three outcomes – social support, psychological resilience/coping ability and the ability to self-regulate behaviour and emotions.

4. Standardised evaluation tools completed at Baseline & Follow up

What Works: ISPCC Outcomes Evaluation

1. Developed with Viewpoint UK to inform our service design and service evaluation

2. Child centred/family centred online tool

3. Provides an engaging and independent means of expressing views

4. Completed at Baseline & Follow up

5. Measures: service satisfaction and three outcomes – social support, psychological resilience/coping ability and the ability to self-regulate behaviour and emotions.

ISPCC Outcomes

#ISPCCOutcomes

Outcome area Outcome Measures utilised for this outcome

Increased level and quality of social

support

I HAVE

Social Network Questionnaire

Social Provisions Scale

What Works Outcome Evaluation Tool

Individualised Programme Planning

Staff judgement & practice wisdom

Stakeholder opinion

Increased coping ability and

individual resilience

I AM

Rosenberg Self Esteem

Adolescent Well-being Scale

Parent Child Relationship Inventory

What Works Outcome Evaluation Tool

Individualised Programme Planning

Staff judgement & practice wisdom

Stakeholder opinion

Increased ability to self-regulate own

behaviour and emotions

I CAN

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

Parent child relationship Inventory

What Works Outcome Evaluation Tool

Individualised Programme Planning

Staff judgement & practice wisdom

Stakeholder opinion

Case Study - 14 Year Old Client referred to ISPCC from TUSLA following neglectful

parenting

• This client suffered with low mood and social anxiety and was school refusing.

• The goals we worked on were building resilience and coping skills, creating and maintaining friendships, self care.

• The outcome of this case was: I am, Level 3.

• What did the ISPCC help you with the most? Under standing my self

• Describe the service in your own words: It was good. it has a good feel to it…was the best. helped me feel way less anxious and built up some of my confidence.

How evidence based service design has changed ISPCC… 1. We make no assumptions about the problem we are trying to solve

2. We have embedded cross- team/cross- discipline approach to designing services

3. Child centred evidence is embedded right at the start – the voice of the child heard throughout

4. Has changed how we resource and plan for new services

5. Approach enables us to learn lessons and make improvements as we go along… much more agile approach to service delivery

6. Each part of the organisation (non-services too!) recognises the value of evidence and data

7. We are MUCH better at spotting trends as we know their potential

8. From board, to CEO to all staff- committed to investing in technology

Challenges/risks for the future…1. Secure data capture a key challenge

2. Risk of ‘overload’ for service users- their involvement on their terms

3. Having the internal systems in place to transform data into information

4. Continuing to invest in technology during times of financial constraint- we’ve created a new dependence on infrastructure

5. Risk of excessive focus on data: focus on the means, not the end

6. Evidence to inform practice: the priority remains being clear about organisational purpose and service goals.

Children’s Rights Perspective on Resilience and Social Support

Natalie Whelehan

NICCY

53

Natalie WhelehanSenior Policy and Research OfficerNorthern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People

@nichildcom

Children’s Rights Perspective on

Resilience and Social Support

• “Safeguard and promote the rights and best interests of

children and young persons” in Northern Ireland (Article 5)

• Have regard to “any relevant provisions of the United Nations

Convention on the Rights of the Child”(Article 6)

NI COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

The Commissioner for Children and Young People (NI) Order 2003

• General Measures of Implementation of the

Convention on the Rights of the Child

•Child Poverty

•Child and Adolescent Mental Health

•Educational Inequalities and Inclusion

•Legacy of the Conflict

NI COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE – KEY PRIORITIES

Child Poverty

o 2014-15 28% in relative poverty, After Housing Costs - 122,000 children

o Persistent levels of child poverty in NI

o Correlation between highest rates of child poverty and areas most

impacted upon by the conflict

o Predicted rise in child poverty rates – phased introduction of Welfare

Reform over 2016 / 2017

o Child poverty rates in general comparative with Britain, most

household costs are higher in NI including fuel, food, clothes

o Severe Impact of Child Poverty on education and health outcomes

CHILDREN’S LIVES IN NI

Mental Ill Health

o 20 – 30% of children will develop mental health problems before 18

o Trans-generational cycle of mental ill-health

o 2013-14 14% increase in self-harm A&E presentations by under 16’s

o 25% higher rates of metal ill-health than Britain but spend 25% less (7.8%

MH Budget)

o 75% of parents of children with mental health problems seek help, only

25% receive support. 10 year delay between first symptoms and receiving

help

o Family Support Hub Programme - 5-10 yr olds highest referral age group

CHILDREN’S LIVES IN NI

Educational Inequalities and Inclusion

o Around 4,000 children leave primary school unable to read and write to

the expected standard

o 66% 5 GCSEs A*-C inc English and Maths, 41.3% FSME 73.7% Non-

FSME

o 70.5% of girls 5 GCSEs A*- C inc English and Maths, 61.6% of boys

o 95.6% of grammar school leavers 5 GCSEs A* - C inc English and

Maths, 45.3% for non-grammar school leavers - difference of over 50%

o NI - Highest rates of young people NEET in UK - 37,000, or 17.1%

o Youth Unemployment - 18.5% (3 X overall rate), UK rate - 11.9%

CHILDREN’S LIVES IN NI

Legacy of the Conflict

“...parents psychologically affected by the Troubles

continue to affect the lives of children and young people

today… the transmission of poor mental health and

prejudices within families in combination with economic

deprivation is detrimental to the development of children

in their early years.”

Towards a Better Future, March 2015, University of Ulster, CVS

“The conflict is not so much between communities, but within

communities”

Young person

CHILDREN’S LIVES IN NI

•NI Executive - Programme for Government 2016 - 2021

•UNCRC and Committee Examination (Concluding

Observations – June 2016)

•Children’s Services Co-operation Act

(8 well-being parameters)

•NI Executive - Children & Young People’s Strategy

GOVERNMENT POLICY ON CHILDREN AND

YOUNG PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

NI Executive – Draft Programme for Government

2016 – 2021

High Level Outcome 14 - We give our children

and young people the best start in life

“Early intervention in the early years provides an opportunity to interrupt

intergenerational transmission of underachievement and lost opportunity,

and to improve outcomes for children and their families. It seeks to stop

problems becoming entrenched or well established.”

GOVERNMENT POLICY ON CHILDREN AND

YOUNG PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Within the Act the term ‘well-being’ is defined through using 8

general parameters that could be used to demonstrate or

indicate ‘well-being’.

1. Physical and mental health

2. Enjoyment of play and leisure

3. Learning and achieving

4. Living in safety and stability

5. Economic and environmental well being

6. Positive contribution to society

7. Respect of their rights

8. Promotion of good relations

CHILDREN’S SERVICES CO-OPERATION

ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2015

“Every children’s authority must, so far as consistent with the proper exercise of its

children functions (functions which may contribute to the well-being of children and

young persons), co-operate with other children’s authorities and with other children’s

service providers in the exercise of those functions”

“The Executive must make arrangements to promote co-operation”

Children’s authorities include;

NI Departments (and agencies)

District Councils

A Health and Social Care Trust

The Regional Health and Social Care Board

The Public Health Agency

The Education Authority

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive

The Police Service of Northern Ireland

The Probation Board for Northern Ireland

STATUTORY DUTY TO CO-

OPERATE

The Strategy must -

•Set out what outcomes the Executive intends to be

achieved

•Detail actions to be taken by Departments

•Explain how success or failure will be measured and

determined

•Be for a set period of time

•Be developed with children and young people,

parents and guardians

CHILDREN’S STRATEGY -

REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ACT

•OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

study on Wellbeing – Department of Education

•ETI Chief Inspector’s Report 2014 – 2016 key message for the

future of education – “All young people need to build resilience”

•ETI evaluation of preventative education and the statutory

curriculum to inform the Independent Inquiry into CSE (2014) and

ETI’s second evaluation of RSE (2016) -“timely to review the need

for strengthening the resilience of children and young people at all

levels through stronger and more explicit preventative education

within the wider taught pastoral care curriculum”

WELLBEING AND RESILIENCE

RESEARCH COMMUNITY

•Research community - robust evidence base to improve the

lives and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people

NICCY

•Advise Government

•Challenge and Hold Government to Account

•Monitor Government Plans and Actions

•Ensure Better Wellbeing Outcomes and an Enhanced Focus

on Resilience which relies upon a robust evidence base.

MOVING FORWARD