2013

Evaluation of the Community Safety Initiative, Tallaght West

Dr John Canavan, Dr Noreen Kearns and Mr John Reddy
Expert Advisory Panel: Professor Chis Curtin, Dr Brian McGrath and Professor Robert Chaskin 

In September 2008, the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) began the 3-year process of implementing the Community Safety Initiative (CSI) in Tallaght West, Co. Dublin. Through supporting local resident interaction and promoting collaborative responses to addressing local safety issues, the CSI sought to improve people’s perceptions of safety, improve neighbour relations and promote a safe and healthy environment for children and families (CDI, 2008).

 This UCFRC evaluated the achievement of the overall aims of the CSI in this period ( 2008- 2011)  in order to answer the evaluation’s overall research questions, which are:

1. How is the CSI being implemented and what is the value of the logic underpinning the initiative?
2. Were there any changes in (1) perceptions of safety and (2) safety and/or crime prevention within the four target areas of Tallaght West?
3.  If yes, what role (if any) did CSI activities play in influencing change (e.g. increasing community engagement and enhancing a ‘sense of belonging’ among community members) in the four areas?
4. What are the outcomes for children, parents and the wider community?

• Evaluation of the Community Safety Initiative of the CDI

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Dr Bernadine Brady and Dr Louise Kinlen

As part of its process of developing a new national children and young people’s policy framework, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs undertook a public consultation process. The UNESCO CFRC analysed the data emerging from this process.

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Wizard of Words (WOW)

Dr John Canavan, Dr Noreen Kearns, Dr Carmel Devaney, Dr Allyn Fives, Ms Rena Lyons and Dr. Pat Eaton

WoW was a one-to-one reading support programme delivered by volunteers over the age of 55 years recruited and trained by Barnardos project leaders. Participants in the study were children in 1st and 2nd class from disadvantaged areas in Dublin and Limerick experiencing delays in reading but who did not need formal reading interventions. The study design combined a randomised controlled trial (RCT) outcomes study and a process study. The process study and outcomes study were integrated in an explanatory mixed methods approach. Data from the process study were utilised to expand on and provide plausible reasons for the outcomes study findings.

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• WOW Final Report
• WOW Exec Summary
• Measure of Enjoyment of Reading and Perceived Competence

Dr Bernadine Brady, Dr Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, Dr John Canavan and Mr Jakub Gajewski

The REAL U programme aims to engage young people aged 12-18 years in developing and building positive relationships.The aims of the evaluation were as follows:

• To describe the programme and its operational context.

• To assess programme implementation as this relates to the three domains of utilisation, fidelity and organisation.

• To assess the outcomes for young people participating in the REAL U programme.

• To generate learning for Foróige for future implementation of relationships and sexuality programmes.

A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures were used in the study. Qualitative measures included focus groups with young people, focus groups with staff, interviews with key stakeholders and documentary analysis. Quantitative measures included a survey of staff trained in the programme.

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• Real U Evaluation Report‌

Evaluation of the Restorative Practice Programme of the Childhood Development Initiative

 Dr Allyn Fives, Dr John Canavan, Dr Lisa Moran, Dr Liam Coen and Ms.Celia Keenaghan

This project involved the evaluation of the Restorative Practice Programme, part of the Childhood Development Initiative’s (CDI) Community Safety Initiative (CSI). The study comprised (i) a process study evaluation of programme implementation under the headings of programme utilisation, programme organisation and programme fidelity; and (ii) an outcomes study evaluation of programme impact on participants’ work, lives, organisations and family, and also the wider impact on community building and collaborative action.

 

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• CDI Evaluation 2013

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Prof. Pat Dolan, Dr. John Canavan, Celia Keenaghan, Danielle Kennan and Dr  Louise Kinlen

The Child and Youth programme was an independent collaboration between the two UNESCO Chairs in the Island of Ireland at the UNESCO Centre at the University of Ulster and the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway.
The programme was an academic, independent monitoring programme, focusing on the well‑being of children and youth in Ireland and Northern Ireland, using a rights‑based approach.

Further details on the CYP programme can be found here

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Report 1: A Based Approach to monitoring Children and Young Peoples Well-being

• CYP 1 Full Report
• CYP 1 At a glance
• CYP 1 Briefing Paper

Report 2: Understanding Policy Development and Implementation for Children and Young People

• CYP 2 full report
• CYP 2 at a glance
• CYP 2 Briefing Paper

 Report 3: Reviewing the Provision of Education for Young People in Detention: Rights, Research and Reflections on Policy and Practice

• CYP 3 Full report
• CYP 3 at a glance
• CYP 3 Briefing paper

Report 4: Capacity Building for Inclusion: The Role and Contribution of Special Needs Assistants and Classroom Assistants in Ireland and Northern Ireland

• CYP 4 full report
• CYP 4 at a glance
• CYP 4 briefing paper

Report 5: Education for Civic Engagement in Post-Primary Schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland: A Rights Perspective

• CYP 5 Full Report
• CYP 5 At a glance
• CYP 5 Briefing Paper

Report 6: Maternal Mental Health and Poverty: The Impact on Children’s Educational Outcomes

• CYP 6 Full Report
• CYP 6 At a glance
• CYP 6 Briefing Paper

An Evaluation of the BELONG Programme, Northern Ireland

 Professor Pat Dolan, Dr. John Canavan, Dr. Orla McGarry, Dr. Cormac Forkan , Dr Liam Coen, Dr. Allyn Fives, Leanne Robins and Patsy O’Sullivan

The BELONG Programme (http://www.belongni.org/about-belong-ni/ ) is a cross-sectoral, inter-agency family support programme. Its primary aim is to promote a sense of belonging for black & minority ethnic (BME) children in Northern Ireland communities, schools and society.

 The UCFRC conducted a comprehensive formative and summative evaluation of the Belong Programme. The objectives of the evaluation were  as follows:

- To establish the extent to which the intended medium term outcomes of the programme have been achieved;

- To establish the extent to which the intended outcomes of the interventions within the overall programme have been achieved;

- To establish the relative contribution of individual interventions to the overall programme outcomes;

- To establish factors underpinning programme / intervention success or otherwise;

- To establish factors facilitating or constraining the implementation of the programme / intervention

•  Belong Programme Final Evaluation Report 2013

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An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Induction of Social Workers

Dr Carmel Devaney

This evaluation conducted by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUIG, was commissioned by the National Office for Children and Family Services to ascertain the extent to which the Induction of Social Workers: A Policy and Guidelines for Children and Families Social Services (HSE, 2010) had been implemented by Social Work Departments during its first full year of implementation.

• ‌‌ An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Induction of Social Workers A Policy ‌

Dr Susan Redmond, Professor Mark Brennan and Professor Pat Dolan

The evaluation was undertaken to:

• Explore whether the Youth Leadership Programme was successful in achieving its desired outcomes.

•Compare Youth Leadership Programme participants with a group of similarly matched peers who did not receive the programme.

• Explore the impact of the programme for young people considered high and low risk in terms of adolescent well-being.

• Leadership Evaluation Report‌