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practiceISSN: 2009-776X

LINKS

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ut u

s Practice Links is a free publication of the School of Applied Social Studied (social work), University College Cork, Ireland

The aim of PL is help practitioners to keep up-to-date with new publications, conferences and continuing professional development opportunities.

Follow Practice Links on Twitter:@PracticeLinks

Issue 87, April 2020

PL

Would you like a free copy of Practice Links directly to your email account? Click here and enter your details to join (or leave) the Practice Links distribution list.

@PracticeLinks Page of 2 29

Practice Links Survey of Readers

Thank you to all of our Practice Links readers who completed the online survey. The feedback we received was very positive. Despite there being a lot of avenues now to find out about information, it is clear that Practice Links continues to play an on-going role in supporting front-line practice.

Summary of key feedback:

Positives • Average rating of 4.42 stars out of 5 • 75% of respondents said Practice Links was just the right length. • Practice Links contains information that practitioners do not get from other

sources. • Getting information in one place and directly to an email account works best

for front-line staff. • Information profiled in Practice Links is easy to access. • 5 editions a year is sufficient.

Recommended changes • Additional focus on other area of practice such as safeguarding,

management, disability and mental health. • Greater coverage of events across the country. • Update the Practice Links design. • Ensure that links are updated.

We will be working on implemented readers’ recommended changes throughout 2020.

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Continuing professional development

6th BiennialInternational Symposium

Decisions, Assessment, Risk and Evidence in Social Work

Plenary Speakers:

Professor Pascal Bastian, Professor of Social Pedagogy, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany, who has undertaken a wide range of research on judgement and decision making in social work including on issues of big data.

Professor Karen Broadhurst, Professor of Social Work, Lancaster University, England who will Co-Direct a data partnership central to the Nu!eld Foundation’s new Family Justice Observatory for England and Wales which aims to improve the use of national family justice data to improve practice and systems.

Dr Emily Putnam-Hornstein, Associate Professor and Director of the Children’s Data Network, University of Southern California, United States of America, whose work focuses on the integration and application of data to inform interventions and policies.

For further information see our website: www.ulster.ac.uk/dare To be added to mailing list please email: Mrs Sharon Lucas at: dare@ulster.ac.uk

Tuesday 30 June & Wednesday 01 July 2020Dunadry Hotel, Templepatrick, Northern Ireland(convenient to Belfast International Airport)

School of Applied Social & Policy Sciences

www.ulster.ac.uk/conference/dare

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON DARE SIX Dear colleagues, we trust that you are surviving the pressures of the COVID19 pandemic and the government, organisational and social responses. I regret to inform you that we have to postpone DARE SIX due to the situation. All hotels are closed, and we have been in touch with the Dunadry Hotel which does not expect to be back in business by June. Also, there are uncertainties of travel arrangements for many participants. In the circumstances we have no option but to postpone the conference, and we have booked the Hotel for Wednesday 30 June and Thursday 01 July 2021 for DARE SIX. Our three plenary speakers have confirmed that they are available on those dates. We hope that our five Workshop leaders and those of you who have had abstracts accepted will also be able to attend on those dates. Accepted abstracts will be regarded as accepted for the revised dates. If you have already paid the registration fee, we will regard that as the fee for the conference on the revised dates unless we hear from you. If you require reimbursement, please contact Mrs Sharon Lucas, our administrator (dare@ulster.ac.uk). We will be in touch in the autumn, and look forward to seeing you in summer 2021 if not before!

Brian Taylor, Campbell Killick On behalf of the DARE Conference Committee

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Continuing professional development

What’s the Story?

Narrative in youth work and youth studies

4th Maynooth International Youth Studies Conference, Ireland 18-19 June 2020

Narrative is now well established as an idea and an approach across the social sciences. It routinely features in reference books and dictionaries not just of anthropology and sociology but of geography, political science, social policy, business and management and it has entered mainstream economic discourse with the publication of Nobel Prize winner Robert Shiller’s Narrative Economics (2019). Given the interdisciplinary and eclectic nature of youth studies it is not surprising that narrative has come to occupy a central place both conceptually and methodologically. Looked at differently, perhaps the particularly fruitful and innovative use of narrative within youth studies has been one of the factors influencing its wider appeal and adoption in the many disciplines and fields with which youth studies interacts and overlaps.

Story and narrative (the terms are commonly used interchangeably) have equally come to the fore in youth work as a profession and a practice, as they have in other areas of ‘work with people’ (community development, education, social care and social work). They now commonly feature in accounts of face-to-face practice, in young people’s own creative actions and activisms, in evaluation studies and research reports, even in policy papers. In other words story and narrative are being found to have uses in describing and explaining what youth workers do and how they do it; what young people do in and through youth work; what its impact, benefits and outcomes are (i.e. what happens or changes as a result of youth work); what its nature and purpose is at the broader societal level and how it relates to other areas of policy and practice.

Despite this widespread use there is not always or necessarily agreement about what narrative (or story) is or what it ‘does’. That may be part of its usefulness and attractiveness. It is certainly a reason to come together to ask ‘What’s the Story?’, not in the expectation of arriving at an agreed answer but so as to enable a mutually enriching sharing of perspectives, experiences and insights.

Reponses, in the form of paper presentations, panel discussions, facilitated conversations and dialogue, interactive workshops and other forms of storying are welcome.

In the first instance an expression of interest (250-300 words) should be sent to: youthwork@mu.ie

Deadline for expressions of interest: Friday 3 April 2020. Responses will issue by: Friday 10 April 2020.

YouthWorkAndYou.org

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Practice teaching in social work (UCC)

Continuing Professional Development

Would you like to contribute to the development of your social work profession?

Have you thought about practice education/taking a student on placement? Have you been a Practice Educator before and not done it in a while? If any of these questions apply to you and you want to discuss it further, please contact the Fieldwork Co-ordinator at the School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork.

I would be very interested in discussing what is entailed with you. The main times placements are required for UCC are for 14 weeks from September to December and January to April. Due to increased demand we also require placements from May to September. I am currently accepting placements for Summer and Autumn 2020 and January 2021. Sharing a placement with a colleague is also possible.

Practice Educators are paid a placement fee and o!ered a library card in UCC for the duration of the placement. A CPD call in day is held in advance of each placement to help prepare you for your student and again mid-way through the placement. It is professionally stimulating to pass on your knowledge and experience to social workers in training who want to learn more. Social Workers who engage in practice education have continually informed us of the benefits in terms of their own continuing professional development.

For further information please contact: joanne.rose@ucc.ie or 021-4903954.

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Supervision training

Continuing Professional Development

CPD1639 Professional Supervisionin Health and Social Care

Training for Social Work SupervisorsThis CPD O!ering is aimed at: Senior Social Workers, Principal Social Workers, Team Leaders or social workers hoping to progress their career by applying for more senior posts.

The overall aim of this workshop is to equip supervisors with the knowledge and skill to supervise students/sta! e!ectively. It is targeted at supervisors who have responsibility for students/sta! working with service users within the education/social/health care context.

This five-day programme is designed to comply fully with the standards of professional competence set by Tusla, the HSE and CORU.

N.B. The structure involves a commitment from 10:30am to 4:00pm on the following dates:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 12, 13, 14 May 2020 Wednesday, Thursday 10th & 11th June 2020

Fees and Costs:

• "400.00 Early Bird Fee for Registrations made between 22nd January to 28th February 2020 • "450.00 Registration Fee - From 1st March to 30th March 2020

The course will be presented by Teresa Crawford, (B.Soc.Sc., C.Q.S.W., Masters in Applied Social Studies and M.Sc. in Work and Organisational Psychology, currently completing a PhD in Occupational Psychology and Wellbeing).

This course is pending approval by the IASW.

Application can be made online at: https://www.ucc.ie/en/cpd/options/cacsss/appliedsocialstudies/cpd1639/

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Continuing professional development

Masters (MSocSc) in Voluntary and Community Sector Management at University College Cork (Level 9)

Recruitment for University College Cork’s Masters in Voluntary and Community Sector Management is now open.

This Masters is offered to voluntary and community sector workers who have experience of project co-ordination and who would like to improve their knowledge and skills base. The course may also be of interest to public sector workers who work closely with the voluntary and community sector. Starting in September 2020, the course is taught one day a week (Wednesday 10.00-4.30) over two years. Six different Depts across UCC contribute 13 different modules to the programme - Applied Social Studies, Law, Management, Business Information Systems, Government, Food Business and Development. The cost of the programme is €3,080 per annum.

Further information on this programme is available on our online prospectus at www.ucc.ie/en/CKE75, or by contacting Dr. Féilim Ó hAdhmaill, School of Applied Social Studies, via email f.ohadhmaill@ucc.ie

Applications can be made online through the Postgraduate Admissions Centre at http://www.pac.ie

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Continuing professional development

National Programme for Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI) for Problem Alcohol & Drug Use

One Day Course

Aim This course aims to prepare nurses, midwives, health and social care professionals to implement Screening and Brief Interventions (SBI) for problem substance misuse.

Learning Outcomes On completion of this course, participants should be able to: • Apply the theory from the SAOR online module to their practice • Identify opportunities to conduct a brief intervention • Demonstrate appropriate brief intervention skills using the SAOR model • Identify appropriate alcohol and other drugs care pathways

Course Content The key course content which emerges from the course learning outcomes is outlined below: • Evidence for the effectiveness of SBI. • Alcohol and drug related presentations to health and social care settings. • Contemporary models of SBI for problem alcohol and drug use. • Overview of the SAOR model of intervention for problem alcohol and drug use. • Establishing a supportive working relationship with the service users. • Asking about alcohol and drug use and screening for alcohol and drug related problems. • Delivering a structured brief intervention based upon the SAOR model. • Developing appropriate care pathways for service users and arranging appropriate

follow up. • Accessing useful links and reference materials for further reading and research.

Target Groups The primary target audience is nurses, midwives and allied health and social care professionals who are in a position to offer Screening and Brief Interventions to service users presenting with problem alcohol and drug use.

Contact Marwin Jagoe for 2020 Training Dates marwin.jagoe@hse.ie

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Signs of Safety / New Publications

Type to enter text

Click here for the 2020 Signs of Safety Gathering Website

This comprehensive international study provides a cross-national analysis of different understandings of errors and mistakes, as well as lessons to avoid and how to handle them in child protection practice, using research and knowledge from 11 countries in Europe and North America.

Divided into country-specific chapters, each examines the pathways that lead to mistakes happening, the scale of their impact, how responsibilities and responses are decided and how practice and policy subsequently change. Considering the complexities of evolving practice contexts, this authoritative, future-oriented study is an invaluable text for practitioners, researchers and policy makers wishing to understand why child protection fails – and offers a springboard for fresh thinking about strategies to reduce future risk.

https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/errors-and-mistakes-in-child-protection

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Supporting children through the CoronavirusThe European Commission Coordinator for the Rights of the Child has put together a selection of links to tools, videos and other resources that may help children children and their parents deal with the current coronavirus situation.

Child Help International resources

Young Scot resources

BBC Coronavirus resources

Save the Children resources

Eurochild resources

Coronavirus explainer video for children

Further information for families and children during the coronavirus pandemic

Department of Education and Skills Talking to Children and Young People about Coronavirus

Susan Perrow (March 2020) The Little Gnome who had to Stay Home

Barnardos support for children and families during COVID 19. You can make contact with this service by phoning 1800 910 123 between 10.00am and 2.00pm Monday to Friday or by emailing parentsupport@barnardos.ie. Barnardos also provide specialist services and support in relation to bereavement, adoption and fostering.

Click here to access the Ombudsman for Children’s Office coronavirus information and OCO activities for children

Click here to join the group. Care Alliance Ireland and COVID, information for family carers.

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New publications and policy reports

Law Reform Commission - A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding

Click here for access to the report

Hospice and Palliative Care Social Workers - Guidance for Bereavement Support provided by Specialist Palliative Care Social Workers in Ireland

This document provides evidence informed guidance to all specialist palliative care social workers who are involved in the delivery of bereavement support to patients and families. While acknowledging that the majority of bereaved individuals manage their grief with good quality information and their informal support networks, a significant minority of bereaved people may require additional supports. The guidance recognises the differing levels of need which may emerge after a significant loss and advocates an appropriately matched response.  The document was developed by members of the Palliative Care Social Workers Group with the support of Dr. Audrey Roulston, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work in Queen’s University, Belfast. Click here for access to the report.

Three new publications from CES - Learning from Area Based Childhood Programme

Click here for access to the reports.

EUFAMI Economic Case Study for Family or Informal Carers in Ireland (February 2020)

The Economic Case for Caring is a project which builds on EUFAMI's Caring4Carers survey by looking at how unpaid (informal) care provided by family members and other unpaid carers is an important element of any mental health system, yet too often these contributions are not fully recognised or appreciated. Policymakers are unlikely to be aware of the extent of the cost if they had to replace all of this ‘informal’ care with formal mental health services and support. 

Link to study information

Link to survey

Mental Health Europe, (February 2020), Mental Health in all Policies: Scoping Review of National Developments (2017-2019)

The “Mental Health in All Policies” scoping report aims to inform EU policy stakeholders about the state of play in the area of mental health across the EU. In the light of a recent European Economic and Social Committee’s conference to shape the new EU agenda for disability rights 2020-2030, the report findings could be used as supporting evidence for the future strategy from a psychosocial disability perspective. Click here to access to the review.

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New Irish researchIntroduction Historically, Ireland has a distinctive combination of high emigration, high marital fertility, low nuptially and low non-marital fertility. One consequence is that Ireland has a high proportion of women, relative to other Western Europe countries, who never married or married late in life and do not have children. In-depth qualitative interviews were carried out with 10 women ranging in age from 55-87. The construct of ‘solo’ was used by the researchers as an alternative to other descriptive terms, such as ‘single’ or ‘unmarried’ which can have a more pejorative association.

Findings In Ireland, social stigma related to a solo identity was reported as common-place and some women reported feeling stigmatised in their contact with services because of their solo identity. Ageing without a partner or children was viewed as a disadvantage which caused anxiety about the future. Unlike women in other demographics, solo women are not supported by socially sanctioned relationships that create assumptions and obligations to provide care in later life.

Generally, participants did not know about existing services or make links between how health and social care services could help now or in the future. An expectation or fear of being treated in a negative way may be a deterrent to using health and social care services in future.

Conclusion Anxiety around ageing has been linked to poorer health outcomes and was evident in our sample. Enabling women who are solo to plan for later life may improve health outcomes both now and in the future.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1473325018796138

What is this article about? This study reports the results of the effectiveness evaluation of the Fostering Connections Programme, a newly developed trauma-informed care programme within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare the results of the intervention group (n=49), to a control group (n=30,) who received usual care. Foster carers’ knowledge of trauma-informed fostering, tolerance of misbehaviour and fostering efficacy, and children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties were assessed at baseline, 6-weeks on completion, 16 weeks and 15 months post-intervention.

What were the study results? Significant improvements were found in foster carers’ knowledge of trauma-informed fostering (p < 0.001), tolerance of child misbehaviour (p = 0.007) and fostering efficacy (p < 0.001), with effect sizes ranging from medium to large and sustained over fifteen months (ES = 0.07–0.14). Significant improvement was also found in children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties at fifteen months (p = 0.019), with a small effect size (ES = 0.05).

What are the implications for practice? This study has produced promising research evidence to support the effectiveness of Fostering Connections. Thus, this intervention is likely to support Irish foster carers in caring for foster children who have experienced trauma and have challenging needs.

Article

Women ageing solo inIreland: An exploratorystudy of women’sperspectives onrelationship status andfuture care needs

Eileen ReillySocial Work Department, Beaumont Hospital,Dublin, Ireland

Trish Hafford-Letchfield andNicky LambertDepartment of Mental Health, Social Work,Interprofessional Learning and Integrative Medicine, Schoolof Health and Education, Middlesex University, Hendon,London, UK

AbstractThis study explores the impact of relationship status for women in Ireland who areageing ‘solo’ and their perspectives on relationship status and their future care needs.Solo women were defined as those over 55 years who identify with long-term, non-partnered relationship status and have not had children. In-depth qualitative interviewswith 10 women were used to gather data on how participants responded to their solostatus. Voice-relational method was used to analyse the data and we report on threethemes relating to social work. Firstly, participants experienced social stigma related totheir status as solo women; secondly, their resistance and resilience in response andthirdly, the anticipated challenges and experiences of solo ageing in relation to meetingtheir care and support needs. Whilst conducted in Ireland, further research in this area

Corresponding author:Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Department of Mental Health, Social Work, Interprofessional Learning andIntegrative Medicine, School of Health and Education, Middlesex University, Ground Floor, Town Hall Annex,The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK.Email: p.hafford-letchfield@mdx.ac.uk

Qualitative Social Work

0(0) 1–18

! The Author(s) 2018

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/1473325018796138

journals.sagepub.com/home/qsw

Lotty, M., Dunn-Galvin, A., & Bantry-White, E. (2020). Effectiveness of a trauma-informed care psychoeducational program for foster carers–Evaluation of the Fostering Connections Program. Child Abuse & Neglect, 102, 104390.

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New report on adult safeguardingFalling Through the Cracks. The Case for Change, Key Developments and Next

Steps for Adult Safeguarding in Ireland. A new report launched on 11th December 2019 by Minister for Health Simon Harris, has revealed how the current law, policy and protections are inadequate to safeguard the wellbeing of vulnerable adults. The research was commissioned by Senator Colette Kelleher, Houses of the Oireachtas and was carried out by Dr Sarah Donnelly, Assistant Professor of Social Work, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, UCD and Dr Marita O’Brien, Independent Health Policy Analyst. The study involved interviews and focus groups with Social Workers, Alzheimer Society of Ireland Dementia Advisors and a SAGE Regional Advocacy Coordinator and an online survey of 116 social workers. It identified four key areas that need to be addressed: Adults who can’t and are denied the chance to express their will and preference; coercive control; failure to provide any health and social care services; and poor information sharing with GDPR highlighted as “a significant barrier to effective safeguarding.” According to the report, "there is a considerable lack of consistency in practice, in terms of available resources, roles and responsibilities and interagency working across HSE Safeguarding and Protection Social Work teams", while "referral process for adult safeguarding was described by participants as being in disarray". It also said discharge from hospital to community and other transition points was problematic, "as often there was ambiguity and a lack of clarity in relation to who should follow-up on actions where there were adults at risk", while the absence of an appeals or review process when there were refusals to accept a referral was "a cause for concern". The report calls for the urgent full enactment of the Adult Safeguarding Bill 2017 in order to address the exiting gaps in adult safeguarding policy and legislation in the Irish context.

The report can be accessed at: https://researchrepository.ucd.ie/handle/10197/11242

Left to right: Dr Sarah Donnelly, Assistant Professor of Social Work, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice UCD, Senator Colette Kelleher and Dr Marita O'Brien, Independent Health Policy Analyst.

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New publications and policy reports

Decisions, assessment and risk in social work

Assessment, Risk and Decision Making in Social Work An Introduction

Campbell Killick and Brian J. Taylor

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February 2020 • 208 pages • Paper (978-1-5297-0222-4) • £21.99 £16.49

Decision Making, Assessment and Risk in Social WorkBrian Taylor This book� LV� written for� SUDFWLFLQJ� VRFLDO� ZRUNHUV� DQG� KDV been designed to help professionals VWXG\LQJ� DW� D� SRVW� TXDOLI\LQJ� OHYHO� WR� make sound judgments in increasingly complex contexts and under pressure. $SU������Ɣ�����SDJHV�Ɣ�3DSHU�����-1-5264-0105-���Ɣ�£25.99 £19.49

Working with Aggression and Resistance in Social Work Brian Taylor (Editor) This book addresses issues in relation to the main client groups, with specific chapters taking an overview of issues such as understanding and defusing aggressive behaviour and keeping yourself safe from assault.

�����Ɣ�����SDJHV�Ɣ�3DSHU�����-0-85725-429-���Ɣ�£21.99 £16.49

To claim your 25% discount simply visit sagepub.co.uk add your book(s) to the basket, and the discount code at the checkout.

UK20AUTHOR This offer is valid till 31/12/2020 and cannot be used in conjunction with another offer.

Click here: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/home

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New publications and policy reportsGardner, C. Garcia, J, Staines, A. Vaughan. K. (December 2019), Better for Every Child, Summary Report Quality Matters. Dublin, Ireland

The Nurture Programme sought to create positive change through the delivery of six key programme deliverables and by achieving eight systems change objectives. This evaluation draws on data from more than 400 people, attained through focus groups, surveys and interviews, in order to assess whether the Programme goals were achieved and to what extent. Click here to access the evaluation.

Gardner, C. Vaughan. K, Garcia, J, Staines, A. Dermody. A. (February 2020), Delivering Systems Change. Quality Matters. Dublin, Ireland.

Creating sustainable change in a complex national healthcare system is challenging. Well evidenced barriers facing leaders with a goal of improving national services are widely recorded and include a lack of resources, the non-linearity of change, and the complexity and fragmentation of existing systems (Barry et al. 2018). To overcome these challenges, among many other supports, leaders need proven methodologies which draw from international best practice and which can be thoughtfully applied to the Irish context. This report aims to contribute to the body of literature on what works in creating change in complex health care environments. This report outlines 16 key lessons identified through dialogue with those engaged in leading the Nurture Programme, from the last five years of overseeing this ambitious multi-faceted national change programme. Click here to access the report.

World Health Organisation, (March 2020), Mental Health Considerations during COVID 19 Outbreak

Click here for the report.

Mental Health Commission, (March 2020), Guidance for Mental Health Tribunals Re the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2020 and the Covid-19 public health emergency

Click here to read the guidance.

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Couple and family therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Suomi, A., Evans, L., Rodgers, B., Taplin, S., Cowlishaw, S. (December 2019)

Research briefs

Why is this review important?

PTSD is a severe condition that is linked to both individual and relationship problems. Therapies targeting couples and families have been recommended for the treatment of PTSD, but it is not clear if these are helpful in reducing trauma symptoms, and other mental health or relationship problems. The current review is the first attempt to summarise the findings from studies on couple and family therapies for adults with PTSD.

Who will be interested in this review?

People who suffer from trauma, as well as their families; researchers; and mental health professionals.

What questions does this review aim to answer?

Are couple or family therapies helpful in treating PTSD symptoms and other mental health and relationship problems in comparison to ‘no treatment’ or other types of therapy?

Is there any type of couple and family therapy that is more beneficial than others?

Which studies were included in the review?

We included all published studies of couple and family therapies for PTSD. We found four studies of relevant therapies for adults where one adult person in the couple/family was diagnosed with PTSD.

What does the evidence from the review tell us?

There were few relevant studies and more research is needed to be sure about the benefits of couple and family therapies for PTSD. The four studies included in this review provided early suggestion that couple-based treatments may be helpful in reducing trauma symptoms for the person with PTSD. However, the benefits were not as clear for improving relationship quality or the mental health of family members.

What should happen next?

More studies, including different types of trauma and different types of couple and family therapies for PTSD, are required.

Link: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011257.pub2/full

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Research briefs

Little evidence of the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) CPD aims to improve outcomes for the children and young people with whom educational and welfare professionals work. There is no clear evidence that CPD in education improves student academic outcomes.

What is this review about? CPD is delivered in a variety of settings by different kinds of “trainers” or educators for differing lengths of time and differing intensity. There are many methods of delivery such as coaching sessions, feedback based on observations or videotapes of classroom practice, and feedback and reflection workshops. This review looked at the effects of CPD approaches for education and welfare practitioners (preschool teachers, pedagogues, school teachers, social workers, psychologists, police officers) on educational, social, crime and justice outcomes for children and young people; and—as secondary outcomes—any effects on the professional practice of practitioners in these fields. For the purposes of this review, the CPD must involve the development of core professional skills.

What is the aim of this review? This Campbell systematic review (SR) examines the effects of CPD approaches for education and welfare practitioners on: educational and social outcomes for children and young people; and outcomes for practitioners. The review summarises evidence from 51 moderate-quality studies, including 48 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and three quasi-experiments.

What studies are included? This review includes studies that evaluate the effects of CPD on children's or young people's and professionals' outcomes. Fifty-one studies were identified, all related to education. No eligible studies were identified for social welfare or crime and justice. The 51 education studies were grouped into three subtopic areas: 12 studies (reporting 10 trials) considered CPD in social and emotional development interventions (in daycare, kindergarten, preschool and school settings); 38 studies (reporting 33 trials) dealt with CPD in language and literacy development interventions; one study looked at CPD in stress reduction. Most (48) studies used experimental designs with random assignment. Only 26 of the 51 studies were included in the meta-analyses. The reduction was caused by studies reporting on the same trial (five studies), insufficient reporting of outcomes to calculate an effect size (four studies) and studies being rated to have too high risk of bias. In total 16 studies were assessed not to be of sufficient methodological quality to be included in the meta-analyses. The studies spanned the period 1999–2018. Thirty-three trials were undertaken in the United States, two in the UK and one in each of the following countries: Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia, Chile and Germany.

Effectiveness of continuing professional development training of welfare professionals on outcomes for children and young

people: A systematic review Filges, T., Torgerson, C., Gascoine, L., Dietrichson, J., Nielsen,

C., Viinholt, B. (November 2019)

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Research briefs

What are the main findings of this review? Social and emotional development interventions (nine studies) A very small body of evidence for social and emotional development interventions (in daycare, kindergarten, preschool and school settings) finds no effect of CPD on student academic outcomes (four studies). Results from only two individual studies could be combined in a single meta-analysis of other student outcomes (i.e., nonacademic) and teacher outcomes, precluding any conclusions concerning effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this type of CPD on these outcomes. Language and literacy development interventions (17 studies) A moderate body of evidence for language and literacy development interventions finds no effect for CPD on student academic outcomes (13 studies). The results from only three individual studies could be combined in a single meta-analysis of teacher outcomes, thus precluding any conclusions concerning effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this type of CPD on teacher outcomes. Stress reduction (one study) It is not possible to draw conclusions from the one study placed in the subtopic of stress reduction.

What do the findings of this review mean? There is insufficient evidence for conclusions to be drawn, with the exception of language and literacy development interventions. For this type of CPD, there seems to be no effect on student academic outcomes. The dominance of the United States as the main country in which the types of CPD interventions covered by this review have been evaluated clearly limits the generalisability of the findings. Moreover, the limited number of studies means that it was not possible to conduct an analysis of specific CPD-approaches across cultures, professions/service-deliverer types, organisations and service-receiver types. Agencies should consider conducting a large RCT (or a series of large RCTs) evaluating the effectiveness of a CPD intervention in countries outside the United States.

How up-to-date is this review? The review authors searched for studies up to December 2018.

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cl2.1060

Effectiveness of continuing professional development training of welfare professionals on outcomes for children and young

people: A systematic review Filges, T., Torgerson, C., Gascoine, L., Dietrichson, J., Nielsen,

C., Viinholt, B. (November 2019)

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Podcast, Articles & TwitterThe School of Applied Social Studies (social work) at UCC has been supporting front-line managers and practitioners with queries about how to shift some of their activities online (teams meetings, supervision, training, etc.). In response to the volume of queries, they have created the following free resource. The Padlet is open access and you can also add your own resources directly onto the Padlet. 

CLICK HERE to access the Padlet

S

Click here for 5 Ways to Care for Your Mental Health During Coronavirus

Click here to register for the Dublin North, North East Recovery College online

courses, promoting connection and support during Coronavirus

Click here to access “Beating the Virus”, a short wordless story, that will help people to

understand what to do if you have Coronavirus and how to keep yourself and those

who you care about safe

Click here for a list of services that have been made available for free for the duration

of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is being continuously updated.

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VIDEOS

Centre for Behavioural Analysis, QUB, Seminar videos The Centre for Behavioural Analysis at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queens University Belfast, is an international research centre with associations from across QUB, other national and international Universities and Research Centres, and the local and international community. You can find video links to a number of informative seminars here: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforBehaviourAnalysis/Resources/

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and a pioneer in the field called interpersonal neurobiology which seeks the similar patterns that arise from separate approaches to knowledge. Dr. Siegel’s mindsight approach applies the emerging principles of interpersonal neurobiology to promote compassion, kindness, resilience, and well-being in our personal lives, our relationships, and our communities. There are several interesting and informative videos on his website: https://www.drdansiegel.com/resources/video_clips/

In Praise of Slowness This is an old Ted Talk from 2005 in which Journalist Carl Honore espouses the Western world's emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. But there's a backlash brewing, as everyday people start putting the brakes on their all-too-modern lives… during the current pandemic many of us have been forced to slow down and perhaps (hopefully) things will change for the better when it is over. http://www.ted.com/talks/carl_honore_praises_slowness

WEBSITE

AsIAm.ie aims to provide a one-stop shop for the Autism community in Ireland, providing a strong voice for the concerns of the community. Over the past few weeks, AsIAm has set up an online COVID-19 Hub, containing support materials and a webinar to help autistic people and family members through the uncertainty, anxiety and lack of routine.

AsIAm Home page

TWITTER

The Recovery Research Institute (RRI) @MassGeneralNews a @HarvardMed teaching hospital. Enhancing #RecoveryThroughScience. Director @Johnkellymgh

Irish Social Sciences Platform (ISSP) @IrishSocSci

COVID-19 Ireland @CovidIreland Daily Updates regarding the status of #COVID_19 virus in Ireland Not affiliated with the HSE, NHS or WHO. Author has a MD in Pathology.

Videos, Website & Twitter

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Apps, Blogs & Useful TipsAPPS

Insight Timer is a great app of meditations and guided relaxations. It also has some guided relaxations to help kids sleep.The basic app is free and there should be no need to pay for extra. InsightTimer for iOS Insight Timer for Android

A new self care and information app on eating disorders. The HSE have launched a Self Care App which provides accurate information and advice for anyone worried about developing an eating disorder or for those who have been diagnosed or are recovering from an

eating disorder. The app was developed by HSE Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders, Bodywhys, and the Eating Disorders Association of Ireland. Click here to download the app

Zoom Online Conferencing App It seems everybody is talking about the award winning Zoom app these days! I’ve even used it myself and found it easy and very stable. Zoom brings video conferencing, online meetings and group messaging into one easy-to-use application.

Zoom for Android Zoom for iOS

GoToMeeting App The GoToMeeting mobile app gives you the accessibility & reliability you need to take your work with you on the road & across the globe. It is also the app used by the AA and NA (see below) to host their online meetings during the Corona Virus pandemic. GoToMeeting App for Android GoToMeeting App for iOS

Find the list of Narcotics Anonymous online meetings in Ireland here: https://www.na-ireland.org/covid-19/

BLOGS & USEFUL TIPS

A nice little inspiration blogpost about love and social care https://rewritingsocialcare.blog/2020/02/21/joining-the-dots/

Thriving Littles blog is worth checking out, e.g. Supporting kids with big emotions: https://www.thrivinglittles.com/emotions-and-meltdowns/2019/12/30/six-ways-to-release-steam-in-kids-with-big-emotions

Useful tips for working remotely from Uplift.ie https://www.uplift.ie/2020/03/11/working-remotely-some-tips-from-the-uplift-team/

10 simple tips to boost mood This is an autoimmune website but the tips are simple and easy and for everyone. https://www.phoenixhelix.com/2019/03/29/10-ways-to-boost-your-mood-right-now/

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Website on miscarriage advice

Pregnancy Loss Research Group,Cork University Maternity Hospital

https://www.corkmiscarriage.com

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Practice signposts: data sources to support practice

National Institute for Health and Clinical

Excellence (NICE) - NHS UK The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides guidance, sets quality standards and manages a national database to improve people's health and prevent and treat ill health. http://www.nice.org.uk/ . Videocasts: http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/videocasts/videocasts.jsp. Podcasts: http://www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/podcasts/index.jsp

Health Intelligence Unit (HSE) Health Intelligence is part of the Quality and Clinical Care Directorate within the Health Service Executive and is responsible for capturing and utilising knowledge to support decision-making to improve the health of the population. Website has links to HSE research, databases, facts (census etc.), publications and using evidence effectively. http://w w w. h s e . i e / e n g / a b o u t / W h o /Population_Health/Health_Intelligence/

Evidence in Health and Social Care (NHS) NHS Evidence is a service that enables access to authoritative clinical and non-clinical evidence and best practice through a web-based portal. It helps people from across the NHS, public health and social care sectors to make better decisions as a result. NHS Evidence is managed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical E x c e l l e n c e ( N I C E ) . h t t p : / /www.evidence.nhs.uk/

Practice signposts are permanent pages that will appear in every edition of Practice Links. The aim of these pages is to provide sign posts to high quality, research-informed databases. Some of the

databases at a quick glance may seem too medical/health orientated, but also contain great resources to support social work

and social care practice also.

Campbell Collaboration The Campbell Collaboration (C2) helps people make well-informed decisions by preparing, maintaining and disseminating systematic reviews in education, crime and justice, and social welfare. Access to the database in the Republic of Ireland is free as the government of Ireland has purchased a license. http://www.campbellcollaboration.org

Cochrane Collaboration The Cochrane Collaboration, e s t ab l i shed in 1993 , i s an international network of more than 28,000 dedicated people from over 100 countries. We work together to help health care providers, policy makers, patients, their advocates and carers, make well-informed decisions about health care, based on the best available research evidence, by preparing, updating and promoting the accessibility of Cochrane Reviews. Our work is internationally recognised as the benchmark for high qual i ty information about the effectiveness of health care. http://www.cochrane.org/

HRB National Drugs Library

The HRB National Drugs Library is an information resource that supports those work ing to deve lop the knowledge base around drug, alcohol and tobacco use in Ireland. The library is funded by the Department of Health, and based within the Health Research Board. We have a range of services and resources designed to provide the evidence needed for practice and CPD. In particular, see the social worker page on our online practitioner resource.

http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie

Drugs.ie Drugs.ie is an independent website managed by The Ana Liffey Drug Project. Drugs.ie’s mission is to help individuals, families and communities prevent and/or address problems arising from drug and alcohol use.

http://www.drugs.ie/

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Practice signposts: data sources to support practice

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people who use care services by sharing knowledge a b o u t wh at wo rk s . We a re a n independent charity working with adults, families and children's social care and social work services across the UK. We also work closely with related services such as health care and housing. We gather and analyse knowledge about what works and translate that knowledge into practical resources, learning materials and services. Our work helps to improve the knowledge and skills of those working in care services. This includes managers, frontline staff, commissioners and trainers. People and their families who use these services also use our resources. All of our work is developed in collaboration with experts - including people who use care services a n d t h e i r c a r e r s . h t t p : / /www.scie.org.uk/

Decision Map.ie DecisionMap.ie, the new online decision-support tool developed by Ordnance Survey Ireland and Twelve Horses. Decis ionMap, currently in beta test release, combines digital mapping from Ordnance Survey Ireland, with visualisation and web delivery tools developed by Twelve Horses, and statistical data provided by the Central Statistics Office and others. It aims to provide decision makers in the public and private sectors instant access to easily-consumable, spatially-referenced data about Ireland. http://decisionmap.ie/

Growing Up in Ireland Growing Up in Ireland is a national study of children. It is the most significant of its kind ever to take place in this country and will help us to improve our understanding of all aspects of children and their development.

The study will take place over seven years and follow the progress of two groups of children; 8500 nine-year-olds and 11,000 nine-month-olds. During this time we will carry out two rounds of research with each group of children.

The main aim of the study is to paint a full picture of children in Ireland and how they are developing in the current social, economic and cultural environment. This information will be used to assist in policy formation and in the provision of services which will ensure all children will have the best possible start in life. http://www.growingup.ie/

Irish Qualitative Data Archive The Irish Qualitative Data Archive (IQDA) is a central access point for qualitative social science data and provides online access to all new qualitative data generated within the Irish Social Science Platform, and to s e l e c t e d ex i s t i n g d a t a . h t t p : / /www.iqda.ie/content/welcome-iqda

North South Child Protection Hub This hub available for use by child protection professionals (policy makers, practitioners, researchers and educators) in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The Hub brings together research, policy and practice guidance, inspection reports, serious case reviews, court judgements, news articles and other material relevant to child protection published in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland together with material from Great Britain and other countries. Staff in the Health and Social Care Board and Trusts in Northern Ireland and in the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland, will have access to the Hub but it will also be an important resource for all organisations concerned with child protection. http://www.nscph.com/

RIAN - Irish Open Access Research Archive(free) RIAN is the outcome of a sectoral higher education project supported by the Irish Government's 'Strategic Innovation Fund'. Project planning was carried out by the seven Irish university libraries, DCU, NUIG, NUIM, TCD, UCC, UCD, UL and was supported by the Irish Universities Association (IUA). The project aim is to harvest to one portal the contents of the Institutional Repositories of the seven university libraries, in order to make Irish research material more freely accessible, and to increase the research profiles of individual researchers and their institutions. It is intended to extend the harvest to other Irish research institutions as RIAN develops. http://rian.ie/en

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Practice signposts: data sources to support practice

Resource on Marijuana

Marijuana LIT is a source of fact based information to assist professionals in providing accurate information to those affected by the use of cannabis. There are lots of confusing messages regarding the use of cannabis, the harm it causes and whether it should be legalised or not. This makes it difficult sometimes to determine facts from urban myth or popular opinion. The Addiction Technology Transfer Centre Network Co-ordinating Office in the United States has a user friendly package of resources to assist those who provide services to substance users. It has information and infographics on how cannabis affects the body, using cannabis while pregnant and the potential complications for unborn children and newborns and how cannabis impacts on young people and families. Dr. Thomas E. Freese explains in-depth what is meant by “Medical Marijuana Use”. Who uses it and why, and the difference between medical marijuana and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) medications. He also discusses the legal issues around the debate on the legal use of marijuana.

http://attcnetwork.org/marijuana/index.aspx#infographic

The DCYA Children's Participation Hub Database – Hub na nÓg

The DCYA Children's Participation Hub Database is now online. Please click on this link: https://www.hubnanog.ie/database/ The database includes a wide range of national and international practice and research publications and articles on children and young people's participation in decision-making. This database is the first stage of development of the Children and Young People’s Participation Hub, which is one of the key actions for DCYA under the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making (2015-2020).

Hub na nÓg is the national centre for excellence on children and young people’s participation in decision-making. It supports the implementation of the strategy through the provision of information, training and advice for Government departments and agencies and the non-statutory sector. The database was developed on behalf of the DCYA by the Child Law Clinic.

Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention Audio Recordings

Please click on the links to these MP3s for your personal use or to share with clients.

Body Scan (female voice) Body Scan (male voice)

SOBER space (female voice) SOBER space (male voice)

Urge Surfing (female voice)

Brief Sitting Meditation (female voice) Brief Sitting Meditation (male voice) Sitting - sound meditation (male voice) Sitting - breath meditation (male voice)

Longer Sitting Meditation (female voice)

Forgiveness Meditation (female voice)

Kindness (male voice) Kindness (version 2, male voice)

Mindful Movement (male voice) Mindful Stretching (male voice) Mindful Walking (male voice)

Mountain Meditation (female voice) Mountain Meditation (alternative female voice)

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Research briefs

Are you wondering how to begin a conversation around using evidence in your practice with your team/

supervisor/clients? Why not try one of the following ideas:

1. Read a relevant research article and discuss it with your Supervisor.

2. Recommend that your team read a relevant research article and discuss it at your next team meeting.

3. Provide a relevant research article/research summary to the families you are working with. Use it to start a

discussion around issues clients are facing at your next meeting.

4. Think critically about the research article(s) you have read and the research it contains. Some questions to

consider include:

♣ What additional questions do you have after reading it?

♣ What more do you want to know?

♣ What methodology was used in this study?

♣ What are the limitations and strengths of this type of methodology?

♣ What are the key characteristics of the population involved in the study?

♣ Are there similarities and/or differences between this population and the children and families

I am working with?

♣ How might this impact the relevance and applicability of this research to my practice?

♣ Where was this research carried out? E.g. in a rural/urban setting? In Ireland? Europe?

♣ Are issues of culture and ethnicity considered in this research?

♣ What do the results indicate?

♣ Can I apply these findings to my practice? What do I need to consider before doing so?

Consider the findings of relevant research in the context of client preferences and values, case circumstances

and your organisational context, and practitioner knowledge and experience.

Remember: Using evidence in your practice will look different in every organisational context, for every

practitioner, and with each client you work with.

Using Research Evidence in your Practice

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Open access materials

Open Access (Free) Journals (Google the journal title to access the journal

website)

• Journal of Early and Intensive Behaviour Intervention

• International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience (IJCAR)

• Journal of Global Social Work Practice

• International Journal of High Risk Behaviours and Addictions

• Journal of Indigenous Social Development

• Critical Social Work

• International Journal of Child, Youth & Family Studies

• The Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

• Comparative Migration Studies

Research Archives/Institutional Repositories

• Trinity Access Research Archive (TARA) - http://www.tara.tcd.ie

• Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) - https://cora.ucc.ie

• Galway Open Access Research Archive (ARAN) - https://aran.library.nuigalway.ie

Data Archives

• Irish Social Science Data Archive (ISSDA): https://www.ucd.ie/issda/

• Irish Qualitative Data Archive (IQDA): https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/iqda

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THEIRISHASSOCIATIONOFSOCIALWORKERSTHEVOICEOFSOCIALWORKINIRELAND

TheIrishAssociationofSocialWorkers(IASW)istheProfessionalBodyfortheSocial

WorkProfessionintheRepublicofIreland.

TheIASWProvidesMemberswithSupport&RepresentationinthePracticeofourProfession,aswellasanOpportunitytoImprovetheStandards&

QualityofSocialWorkinIreland

The IASW welcomes members from across the profession, to those who are fullyqualified,retired,newtotheroleorstudyingfortheirqualification.MembershipoftheIASWOfferstheFollowingBenefits–

ü CORUFitnesstoPractiseLegalExpensesCoverü FREECPDFolder,ResourcesandSupportinMaintainingaCPDPortfolioü ExclusiveAccesstoJobAdvertisementsü FREESubscriptiontothe"IrishSocialWorker"JournalandaccessonlinetoALL

previouseditionsofthe"IrishSocialWorker"ü ProfessionalAdviceandSupportfromtheIASWOffice,Board&Council

Representativesü ReducedRatesatConferences,Lectures,Training&OtherIASWContinuing

ProfessionalDevelopment(CPD)Activitiesü InvitationtoFREEMemberOnlyCPDEventsü ParticipationinSpecialInterestGroups&Committeesü InputintoNationalStandards,PolicyandLegislationü QuarterlyIASWNewslettercontainingupdatesonIASWactivities,

announcementsofupcomingeventsandinformationonthestrategicplanü FREEHostingonourSupervisionPanelü InvitationtoourAnnualConference&AGM

THEIASWISRUNBYMEMBERSFORMEMBERS

GetInvolved,KeepInformed,ReceiveSupportandInfluencetheFutureofSocialWork

inIreland.

SOCIALWORKISYOURPROFESSIONJOINTHEIASW-WEARESTRONGERTOGETHER

IASW membership and benefits

https://www.iasw.ie/Social-Worker-association-membership

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This edition of Practice Links was edited by Dr Kenneth Burns School of Applied Social Studies, UCC

W: http://www.ucc.ie/en/appsoc/aboutus/activities/pl/ T: https://twitter.com/PracticeLinks

Practice Links team Kerry CuskellyHSE Mental Health ServicesDr Eavan Brady School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College DublinDr Robert O’DriscollHSE Addiction ServicesLouise McCormickWestview Project-Foróige &Young Persons Probation Service Dr Kenneth BurnsSchool of Applied Social Studies, UCC

About Practice Links Practice Links is a free e-publication

for practitioners working in Irish

social services, voluntary and non-governmental sectors. Practice

Links was created to help practitioners to keep up-to-date

with new publications, conferences and continuing professional

development opportunities. Practice

Links is published every other

month in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf file). Distribution is by email, Twitter and

on the Practice Links and CORA websites http://www.ucc.ie/en/

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be received two weeks prior to the

next publication date. Please forward submissions by email to

k.burns@ucc.ie.

Who are we?

Practice Links is a publication of the

School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Ireland.

http://appsoc.ucc.ie

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Disclaimer

The inclusion of an item in Practice

Links does not represent an

endorsement and items may not necessarily reflect the views of the

editor, PL team and/or the University.

Cover photo: “Daffodils” by Andrew Wilkinson from Flickr

@PracticeLinks Follow us on Twitter for regular practice updates!