The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation that produces, maintains and makes accessible systematic reviews of the effectiveness of health and social care interventions. These reviews are published in the Cochrane Library. Cochrane reviews are widely regarded as a gold standard in evidence-based health and social care. In 2011, CDPLPG published 14 new reviews, 3 updated reviews and 28 protocols for future reviews.

The Institute of Child Care Research hosts one of the Collaboration’s 54+ review groups - the Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group [CDPLPG]. This group looks at ‘what works’ in relation to child development (both physical, cognitive and emotional), children and adults with learning disabilities, and youth justice.

Professor Geraldine Macdonald has been the Co-ordinating Editor of CDPLPG since its inception in 1998. In 2010, the Group moved to Queen’s University Belfast and is now funded by the Research and Development Office of Northern Ireland.

A range of Cochrane systematic reviews are currently being conducted in the ICCR. 

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