2026

A literature Review of State Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Policies for Children and Families that are most Strongly Associated with Improved Outcomes

January 2026

Dr Carmel Devaney (PI), Dr Patricia O'Connor

This project is commissioned by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. The overall research question is: Since 2010, what core components and governance features of national prevention and early intervention (PEI) policy frameworks for children and families in Ireland and comparable jurisdictions are most strongly associated with improved outcomes?

Through knowledge synthesis techniques and methods the project will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of prevention and early intervention strategies.
  Identify PEI components and governance features that demonstrably improve outcomes (e.g. parental engagement, multi-agency coordination, strengths based practice, progressive universalism);
• Understand how and why PEI approaches succeed, including enablers, barriers, and contextual factors;
• Assess outcomes linked to PEI, such as child development, well-being, school readiness, parental self-efficacy, reduced maltreatment, and equity impacts.
• Examine effectiveness across models (universal, targeted, mixed; community based, digital, or school-linked); and
• Identify gaps requiring further research.

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Knowledge Synthesis project to inform a review of Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017

January 2026

Professor Caroline McGregor, Dr Carmel Devaney, Professor John Canavan

This project is commissioned by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.  In will involve a knowledge synthesis to inform a review of Children First: Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 which was published in 2017. The Guidance outlines the Irish statutory obligations for the protection and welfare of children and sets out best practice procedures that should be followed by all organisations involved with children. The Guidance is intended to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect, make clear the responsibilities of mandated professionals and organisations and to contribute to overall improvement of safeguarding and protection of children. This project will provide a report to the DCDE to inform the update of the Children First Guidance.  It will provide:

a) updated knowledge and understanding to inform the main considerations in Children First including definitions of abuse and neglect, public responsibilities, mandatory reporting, organisational leadership and co-operation and procedures for working with the Gardai.

b) a more general review of trends and issues relating to new ways of thinking and developing child protection and practice nationally and internationally that can inform how the updated Guidance is framed.

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Factors that Foster Resilience in Outcomes for Vulnerable Children

October  2025

 Dr Charlotte Silke, Dr Bernadine Brady & Professor Caroline Heary

This research project seeks to deepen understanding of resilience in the face of early life adversity by analysing longitudinal data from Cohort ’98 of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) survey. The central aim of this research is to understand how youth who are considered “at risk” at age 9, end up “doing well” by age 25, and to identify the key (individual, familial or contextual) factors (measured at ages 13, 17 or 20 years) that contribute to this resilience.

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November 2024 to December 2025

Dr. Cormac Forkan, Dr. Brendan Dolan, Miss Annemarie Shalloo

The overall aim of the Access Centre is to create a supportive learning environment whereby students who have experienced socio-economic disadvantage, students with disabilities and mature students are enabled to access, participate, and succeed within higher education.

The aim of this research is to measure the social impact of the Diploma in Foundation Studies run by the Access Centre. This will be carried out utilizing a Social Return on Investment methodology, incorporating the lived experience of those who have engaged with the programme. A further aim, based on research findings, is to develop an evaluative framework for use by the Access Centre in terms of measurement of future impact and performance.

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