Current Projects

Digital and Real-World Leisure Activities: Tracking the Wellbeing Impacts of Teen Pastimes

January 2026

Professor Caroline Heary (Lead Applicant / Co-PI), Dr Charlotte Silke (Lead Researcher / Co-PI), Dr Bernadine Brady (Co-PI) 

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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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March 2025 

Dr Brendan Dolan, Prof John Canavan, Prof Caroline McGregor, Fergal Lynch

This research explores how scientists can optimise their engagement with decision makers in policymaking, through the micro-level lens of the individual researcher, using an ecological framework. A particular focus of this study will be on how engaged research methodologies and approaches contribute to effective translation of research into policy. Results of this study will be used to create bespoke recommendations and guidance to funders, government bodies, researchers and policymakers as to how to better support current and future generations of scientists and policymakers to communicate more effectively and more frequently with each other.

Further information available here.

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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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December 2024

Jackie Murphy (PI), Dr Bernadine Brady, Dr Charlotte Silke & Dr Danielle Kennan

Lead by Jackie Murphy this research project aims to identify the challenges faced by young people today that contribute to their social withdrawal. The study will specifically explore the interventions and methodologies used to engage and retain socially withdrawn young people through youth work approaches. As part of the research process several young people will participate in the Youth as Researchers Programme enabling them to guide the research focus, data collection and dissemination phase of this project.

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2023

Professor John Canavan & Dr Carmel Devaney

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Ment4EU

Dr Bernadine Brady & Dr Charlotte Silke 

Dr Bernadine Brady was part of a successful Erasmus + bid under the Action KA220-HED - Cooperation partnerships in higher education.  The three-year project, called Ment4EU commences in December 2023.  The goal of Ment4EU  is to help higher education keep abreast of the growing significance of social mentoring in policy and practice across nations. A consortium of universities from Austria, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain will develop guidance on how universities can develop mentoring schemes for social inclusion and engage more responsibly with their communities.

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2021

Dr Aisling Gillen, Professor John Canavan 

Programme Aims:

• To explore the application of systems theory and complexity theory as learning tools in health and social care.

• To add to the knowledge base on systems theory and complexity theory as they apply to health and social services in Ireland.

• To increase understanding of how systems theory and complexity theory frameworks can inform case and organisation and systems management.

• To develop materials in systems theory and complexity theory for use in pre-service education and training and continuing professional development in the health and social services sector.

Programme Activities:

• Develop a Working Paper on systems theory and complexity theory and their application to child protection and welfare systems. 

• Develop a practice tool based on systems theory and complexity theory towards improving decision-making in the CPW sector.

• Develop academic output systems theory and complexity theory and their application to child protection and welfare systems.

• Develop teaching and learning materials on systems theory and complexity theory and pilot their application with relevant stakeholders. 

• Develop series of information-sharing events and dialogue events on systems theory and complexity theory.

Outputs:

Webinar 1 Complexity Theory and Child Protection and Welfare

Webinar 2 Complexity Theory and Public Services   

Webinar 3 The complexity of finding out what works 

Webinar 4 Complexity and Leadership  

Webinar 5 Complexity Theory and Children’s Participation

Webinar 6 Complexity Theory and the Importance of Networks

April 2021

Dr Connie O’Regan, Dr Tony Hall & Professor Michelle Millar

The goal of Designing Futures is to enable every student to succeed in the future world of work. The project will ultimately empower every student to design their personalised skills development pathway, and to have their transversal skills achievements recognised on graduation alongside their degree. This approach, if more widely adopted, could position Ireland as a leader in innovative, student-centred and enterprise-engaged education in Europe. Designing Futures will initially transform undergraduate Arts and Science programmes and then building out to all students.

The Evaluation approach combines the processes of Design Based Research with stakeholder engagement methodologies of Developmental Evaluation (Patton 2013). Starting with a Systematic Literature Review, the evaluation function positions itself to track the findings from the literature, the project work flows and stakeholder feedback to refine and amend the approach iteratively as the project is implemented. In this way, it aims to contribute to the embedding and enhancement of the project outcomes.

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