News and Events
Adolescents ‘still vulnerable to suicide
The Queen's Conflict in Cities team attend a launch of Briefing Papers at Kings College
Science News covers suicide work
Dr David Hayes invited to experts meeting on research with children in the justice context
Professor John Pinkerton was involved in the planning and the facilitation of a Policy Forum “Engaging Youth in Planning Education for Social Transformation”, held in Paris
Undergraduate Awards Ireland
Dr Anne Kouvonen has had an article published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Undergraduate Awards Ireland
Child Protection Systems. Press release
“Gender and Employment in Europe across the Lifecourse” conference co-organised by Dr. Emma Calvert
15/09/2012: Dr Anne Kouvonen is one of the co-authors of an article published in the Lancet
23/07/2012: Age Encounters - Exchanging knowledge about ageing
19/07/2012: Guardian live debate
Associate Professor Clarke California State University Fresno Department of Social Work Education, USA will present on PLACE MATTERS: THE RETURN OF COMMUNITY IN SOCIAL WORK to Social Work students and faculty, as part of the Professional Development Day Program on Wednesday 27th February, 2013 at 2-4pm
Room 02/011 in the Peter Froggett Centre, QUB.
This workshop will provide an introduction to the concept of ‘place matters’ as policy, community action and a social justice intervention. Critiques of the ‘place matters’ movement will also be explored and debated. This course is intended for students and practitioners interested in equality and social justice issues, social work and social policy.
Kris Clarke, Ph.D is an Associate Professor at the College of Health and Human Services, Department of Social Work Education (DSWE). She grew up in Fresno, but lived in Europe for over 20 years where she completed her graduate studies in international relations/development studies and social work. Dr. Clarke served for seven years as the Finnish national representative for the European Union public health project AIDS & Mobility in the field of HIV/AIDS and immigrant rights. Her current research interests are in global social work, substance abuse and mobility. RSVP to Dr Janet Anand by email: j.anand@qub.ac.uk by the 26th February, 2013
Ulster GAA uses study on the role of positive coaching that was produced by Catherine Ward as part of the completion of the Masters in Social Research Methods at the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work under the supervision of Dr. John Karamichas.
Dr Anne Kouvonen is one of the co-authors of an article published in BMJ, one of the world’s leading medical journals (impact factor 14.093). The study looked at work stress and cancer risk in 12 European cohort studies (N=116,000; 5700 incident cancer events) and found that work stress, defined as job strain, at baseline is unlikely to be an important risk factor for colorectal, lung, breast, or prostate cancers. The study was led by Professor Mika Kivimaki from the UCL and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
The first ever review of abuse cases related to child death or serious injury in Northern Ireland was launched at Queen’s University on 24th January 2013 by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Edwin Poots, MLA. The review, Translating Learning into Action, was commissioned by the Mr Poot’s Department and was carried out by researchers at Queen’s University and the NSPCC.
The Case Management Review (CMR) report – the first to be produced in Northern Ireland - analysed 24 case reviews relating to 45 children which resulted in death or serious injury in the period between 2003 – 2008. While the rate of non-accidental child deaths in Northern Ireland continues to fall as a consequence of having a strong child protection system, the findings from the review offer important opportunities for strengthening the system.
Of the 24 cases reviewed, 18 dealt with the death of a child – four children who died as a result of a physical or sexual assault; six infants who died unexpectedly, for which there was no cause established; and eight young people who died by suicide or accident. The remaining six case reviews involved a range of issues, including the serious injury of a child, the standard of care of children by their carers, and how professionals worked together.
At the launch Professor Sir Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor and President, stated that:
“In recent months we have been reminded in the most tragic way about the vulnerability of children and young people in our society. The launch of this report underlines how we need to look out for, and listen to, our children. Publications like that launched today are also vital in that they lead to systematic improvements through the recommendations made.”
The report drew a number of conclusions:
- The rate of non-accidental child deaths in Northern Ireland continues to fall as a consequence of having a strong child protection system;
- The majority of the 24 case reviews commented positively on the dedication and professionalism of individual staff working with the families subject to review;
- The children in these reports were amongst hundreds living in very similar circumstances and who were known to professionals, and the reviews concluded that it was unlikely that the children who died or were seriously injured could have been identified as being at heightened risk;
- There is a need for services to become involved at an earlier stage with families before problems became entrenched and harder to improve;
- Services need to stay involved for longer with some families to ensure that improvements in parenting are consolidated in the longer term;
- Alongside providing services to reduce the risk that children may be at from physical or sexual abuse, therapeutic services to children should be provided to address the psychological harm of poor parenting;
- Professionals should be provided with opportunities to meet together more frequently to co-ordinate assessments and interventions with children and families;
- Senior managers across organisations must take greater responsibility for ensuring that workloads of individual professionals are manageable and commensurate with their level of experience;
- The interface between services working with children and services working with adults who are parents (for issues such as poor mental health or substance misuse) must be improved;
- Senior managers should ensure that staff receive regular support and supervision in dealing with what is often highly complex and emotional work.
As a result of the CMR review process public agencies have made a number of significant improvements in the way that children and their families are supported, including:
- Improved information sharing between criminal justice and social care organisations in respect of adults who pose a serious risk of harm to children;
- Introduction of an initiative to support medical and health professionals working in adult mental health and substance misuse services in respect of their child protection responsibilities;
- A new structure for the receipt and management of referrals in respect of children to HSC Trusts;
- A new regional framework across health and social services, education and criminal justice organisations for assessing the needs of children and their families;
- The development of Family Support Hubs to ensure that families with lower level needs are quickly put in contact with services that can meet these needs;
- Improved arrangements for the supervision and support of social workers and health visitors.
Principal Investigator, Dr. John Devaney, from the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at Queen’s University, said: “This is the first time a review like this has been carried out in Northern Ireland. The overall aim has been to provide better safeguards for children by establishing the facts of the cases where children have died or been seriously injured, establishing whether lessons can be learned, identifying what those lessons are and how they can be acted upon.”
“Most of the children in these reports were already known to Health and Social Care Trusts and were not considered to be at great risk of serious harm – they were like many families known to social services. Importantly, this research has highlighted a number of key findings from individual case management reviews have already led to improvements in the systems and processes for supporting vulnerable families and protecting children at risk.”
Dr Lisa Bunting from the NSPCC, said: “The very fact of Case Management Reviews, and the production of this report, signals a real commitment to continued improvement in an already robust child protection system. There is always more to be done, and lessons that can and should be learnt, and we welcome this opportunity to effect change.
“Examination of these cases revealed that a lack of sustained intervention with children and families was sometimes an issue. Although problems in the family had, in many cases, been evident for a number of years, agencies were sometimes particularly poor at addressing the impact of chronic neglect on children, and intervening at an early stage. We need to ensure that practitioners have access to a range of appropriate interventions and services which can prevent family problems from becoming entrenched.”
A copy of the report is available online.
Dr. John Karamichas was invited as a speaker at the Waste and Resource Research meeting organised by the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM) at the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPACE) at QUB. Further information about this event can be found at the institute's website.
Queen’s University, Belfast is pleased to announce a Strategic Priority Studentship for post-graduate research (Ph.D.). The Studentship will be jointly affiliated with the School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work and the School of Pharmacy. Funding is available for three years and will cover university fees. A monthly stipend is also provided.
Working title of the Studentship:
“Medicating conflict-related trauma through prescription drug use: Trends at neighbourhood level and diffusion to the illicit drug market.”
Background:
Rates of prescribed tranquillisers were disproportionately high in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s, and possibly linked to general practitioners’ exposure to patients who were experiencing high levels of conflict-related trauma. More recently, government bodies have voiced increasing concern about high rates of prescribed benzodiazepines, and disproportionately high rates of sedative and tranquilliser use have been reported among Loyalist and Republican former prisoners. Prescribed opioids have emerged as a social problem with some global estimates indicating that self-reported use (i.e., annual prevalence) is highest in Northern Ireland. Illicit street sales of prescribed drugs have also been highlighted in the region.
Research aims:
The proposed project will address four research aims: 1) to critically examine trends in prescribed benzodiazepine and opioids, 2) to map these trends in conjunction with annual police data relating to prescribed drugs (i.e., seizures and arrests), 3) to explore trends in relation to geographic areas in Northern Ireland, that have experienced high/low levels of political violence, and 4) to utilise multivariate analyses to identify macro-level factors that contribute to rates of prescribed benzodiazepine and opioids.
Supervision:
The project will be supervised by Dr Karen McElrath (School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work) and Professor Carmel Hughes (School of Pharmacy).
Start/End dates: 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2016
How to apply:
Apply via Queen’s University’s online application system which can be found at http://go.qub.ac.uk/pgapply. All applications will be appraised according to the University/School selection criteria for admission to post-graduate research. These criteria include a 2:1 undergraduate degree or higher (or the equivalent), and a master’s degree, preferably in the social sciences. DEL eligibility criteria on residence, nationality and academic qualifications also apply (http://go.qub.ac.uk/Cxbbc)
Previous research training (e.g. research methods) is desirable and should be highlighted in the application. The application must include a tentative methodological strategy that would meet the research aims of the project (500 words maximum). The selection process will include an interview.
Deadline for Applications: 25 February 2013
Congratulations to all of our students graduating at this morning's ceremony – especially:
Dr. Elizabeth Ashurst
Dr Brendan Browne
Dr Romana Khaoury
Dr Karla Mason
Dr Jennifer McIlwaine
International scholar Dr. Barry Mason (second from left) spent a morning exclusively with the post-graduate students on the Systemic Practice and Family Therapy Pathway (year 2), one of the School’s Masters in Applied Social Studies (MASS) courses. He is pictured here with Dr. Stephen Coulter (pathway convenor - left) and course tutors Mr Artie O’Neill and Ms Anne Brant. The title of his input was ‘The Therapeutic Relationship and the Construction of Bridges Across Difference’
Barry Mason is the former Director of the Institute of Family Therapy, London, current Chair of the Advanced Programme in Supervision at the Institute of Family Therapy in London, independent practitioner and leading author on systemic thinking and practice – was in Belfast on 29th and 30th November 2012 at the invitation of the Northern Ireland regional branch of the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT).
Dr Berni Kelly and Dr Sandra Dowling were invited speakers at the first in a series of knowledge exchange seminars on ‘Getting It Right For Looked After Disabled Children and Young People’, organised by the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children In Scotland (CELCIS). As looked after, disabled children and young people constitute a hidden group in research policy and practice, the seminar series brings together academics, policy makers, practitioners and service user organisations, to explore and understand the experiences of looked after, disabled children and young people in research, policy and practice arenas. This first seminar focused on theorising childhood disability and establishing the numbers and characteristics of disabled, looked after children and young people across the UK. It will be followed by further seminars on disabled, looked after children and young people being heard, being included and being valued. Further information about the seminar series can be found at:
http://www.scottishinsight.ac.uk/Programmes/Programmes20122013/Lookedafterdisabledchildren.aspx
The School has four PhD studentships to allocate for 2013/14 and welcomes proposals on topics relating to the School’s research priorities and themes. These priorities and themes are reflected in the School’s research clusters and are as follows:
(a) contemporary social issues and policy
(b) family policy and child welfare
(c) identities, lifestyle and culture
(d) social divisions and conflict and
(e) life-course research.
Applicants are advised to explore the School’s website to attain further details of the staff’s research interests in the above areas.
Applicants must have a 2:1 undergraduate degree and a masters degree, preferably in a social science or cognate area. Training in research methods is also desirable. Selection will also include an interview. Applications will be appraised using the University’s selection criteria.
For a full award (fees and stipend), applicants must have been resident in the UK for three years. Details of PhD studentships covering tuition fees and maintenance for home and EU students (subject to the Department for Employment and Learning UK residency rules), can be found here. Successful applicants must meet the DEL criteria.
The deadline for application is 4.00pm on the 6th February 2013.
To apply, applicants should access the University’s on-line application system. A considered research proposal (1,500-2,000 words) must be attached to the application.
Dr. Stephen Coulter received an award for ‘special contributions on the field of family therapy practice and research’ at the international conference, Contemporary Issues Facing Families: Psychological, Social and Spiritual perspectives in Dialogue held in Timisoara, Romania in September 2012.
The conference had been jointly organised by the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, West University of Timisoara and the Aeropause Institute of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice. Dr. Coulter gave a plenary address on “Holding hope and facilitating resilience in families affected by trauma” and facilitated a workshop on “The ‘spiritual genogram’ as a way of increasing trainees’ self-reflection and promoting competence to address spiritual issues in practice.”
Dr. Coulter has been invited back in March 2013 to contribute to the teaching on the undergraduate and postgraduate Social Work courses in West University of Timisoara and to the Family Therapy training at the Areopagus Centre. He and is exploring the potential for an ongoing international link.
Dr Claire Hamilton’s book on Irish Social Work and Social Care Law is to be launched in Dublin by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, on the evening of Thursday 15th November.
The book will be launched in Dublin Institute of Technology, Mountjoy Square, together with another text on Early Childhood Care and Education. The book was published in 2012 by Gill and MacMillan and is the first text of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. Prior to this, students and practitioners of social work and social care in the Republic of Ireland have been without a legal textbook relevant to their work. This new textbook by Dr Hamilton aims to address this lacuna through the provision of clear and concise guide to both the legal framework and the substantive law relating to children and vulnerable adults.
Speaking on the book, former Supreme Court judge, Catherine McGuinness said:
‘I have no doubt that Irish Social Work and Social Care Law will become an invaluable resource not alone for students of the law of social work and social care, but also for all lawyers who practise in this area. The book’s clarity of style will also make it of interest to the general public, many of whom will come into contact with social workers and social care professionals in the course of their ordinary lives.’
For further information on the book or to purchase a copy please visit http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/
A report by a group of researchers in the School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work at Queen's University has warned that older teenagers in Northern Ireland are still vulnerable to suicide because of negative experiences in their childhood.
Dr John Devaney, Dr Gavin Davidson, Dr David Hayes, Dr Anne Lazenbatt and Dr Trevor Spratt, along with Dr Lisa Bunting from the NSPCC, compiled the ‘Still Vulnerable’ report on behalf of the Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney.
The report contains recommendations designed to better support and protect young people at risk of suicide. It also outlines how exposure to problems in early childhood is linked to poor outcomes in later years, including suicide in adolescence and young adulthood.
Dr Devaney said: "We hope this research highlights the importance of seeing young people's presenting behaviour in the context of their lifelong experiences.
“Our findings highlight that too many young people have experienced multiple adversities, and that if professionals are to make a difference, it will require earlier, more sustained and better co-ordinated intervention for those young people.
“In our research we found many examples of professionals such as teachers, social workers and health workers engaging in work of the very highest standard with young people and their families.
“We hope that the recommendations from our study can ensure that politicians and policy makers support these professionals in what is often challenging but extremely important work."
Mrs Lewsley-Mooney said: “The loss of a child or young person due to suicide or accidental death is a tragedy and I am deeply aware of the profound impact of this loss on everyone it touches.
“If you are having thoughts about suicide or want to harm yourself or you are worried about a friend, please talk to an adult you trust or contact ChildLine online or on 0800 1111, ChildLine’s volunteer counsellors are trained to support you through a difficult time.
“Too often negative early childhood experiences mean that teenagers are not able to deal with additional pressures as they grow older. Experiences in childhood affect how we learn to cope with life problems, and reduced resilience and ability to cope may mean young people are more vulnerable to risks such as suicide and accidental death.
“Sadly, Northern Ireland continues to experience higher rates of suicide among adolescents and young adults than other parts of the United Kingdom.”
Recommendations have been set out in the report and detail how services can be planned and delivered to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and young people. The recommendations have been shared with senior government advisers at a round table meeting in Stormont on Monday 12th November 2012.
“Suicide is a complex phenomenon and unfortunately there is no single solution,” said the Commissioner. “Adolescent suicide requires an approach that is not just focused on responding to an immediate crisis or problem.
“Services and support should be provided on an individual basis, from an early stage and delivered in a sustained and co-ordinated manner to limit negative life experiences.
“Young people may present with what adults can view as 'challenging' behaviour, however this is often a result of negative life experiences and a reduced ability to cope.
“The research reminds us that services must be designed to engage these most vulnerable young people, in order to support and protect them.”
The report can be accessed at: http://www.niccy.org/article.aspx?menuId=16030
Science News has linked suicide trends in Northern Ireland to the growing evidence of the effects of adverse childhood experiences on brain chemistry and the ability to cope with stressors in later life. The magazine picked up on Professor Mike Tomlinson’s International Sociology article, ‘War Peace and Suicide’, which establishes a cohort effect linking the most violent period of the Troubles with the doubling of suicide rates during the peace process.
Professor Tomlinson commented, ‘the sociology of suicide needs to be making connections between the social, the psychological and the biological. The evidence from epigenetics should be of interest to all social scientists. The challenge is to understand the complex pathways linking social patterns and experience to the ability of individuals to cope with humiliation, family problems and periods of mental illness.’
Science News is the fortnightly magazine of the Society For Science & The Public based in Washington DC. The Society was founded in 1921 and is a non-profit membership organisation dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education.
Laura Sanders (2012) ‘Suicidal Threads’, Science News, 3rd November, 182 (9): 9.
Mike Tomlinson (2012) ‘War, Peace and Suicide: the case of Northern Ireland’, International Sociology, 27 (4): 464-482.
Dr. Sally Shortall has been appointed as an OECD expert on their ‘Rurban’ research.
The OECD, in collaboration with the European Commission, is using a new analytical framework to assess urban-rural linkages and to help identify the governance forms that will enhance urban-rural interactions. The aims of the OECD’s "Rurban" project are: to identify and assess formal and informal urban-rural partnerships and assess the role these partnerships can and should play in regional development and in bridging co-ordination gaps in policies for urban and rural dwellers; to understand if formal or informal partnerships are conducive to sustainable regional growth; to analyse the form and function of these partnerships structures; and to assess how and whether these arrangements should be further supported through public policies and/or through regional and rural policy instruments.
The research is being carried out by OECD appointed experts who visit study sites and write reports on site visits. Professor Mike Tomlinson, Head of School, said he is very pleased with Sally Shortall’s appointment. He said it shows the international standing of the School’s researchers, and further demonstrates our commitment to being a publically engaged university at the international as well as the local level.
Dr David Hayes was invited to contribute to an experts meeting at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna on Friday 12th October. The Agency is currently carrying out a qualitative study on child participation in justice proceedings across 10 EU member states in order to identify practices and procedures of child participation in criminal (as victims or witnesses) and civil justice proceedings and to assess how the Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice are applied. The research project covers issues such as non-discrimination, the right to information, the right to be heard, protection and safety, child friendly environment and language, training of professionals and multidisciplinary approaches, access to child-friendly justice proceedings and an overall assessment of the child’s best interest.
Dr Hayes was invited to contribute to the study due to his work on the experiences of young witnesses in criminal courts.
The Agency has established a network of experts to review research materials and advise on issues such as appropriate methodologies, ethical and practical issues and to review the findings. The network of experts will provide on-going support to the project over the next two years. Further information about the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the child friendly justice project can be found at
Forest Whitaker, in his role of UNESCO Good Will Ambassador, was one of the rich mix of contributors to a Policy Forum “Engaging Youth in Planning Education for Social Transformation”, held in Paris, 16-18 0ctober. Another was Professor John Pinkerton who was involved in planning the event and facilitated two workshops: youth supporting education for conflict transformation and opportunities for youth civic engagement within formal and non-formal education systems.
Further information about the event, which was an initiative of Ireland’s two UNESCO Chairs, Professor Pat Dolan (NUI Galway) and Professor Alan Smith (UU), can be found at www.planwithyouth.org.
The information includes three very informative global briefing papers prepared for the event and the initial outcomes of the exchanges between young people, Ministers of Education, NGO staff and academics.
Congratulations to two of our students whose work was rated ‘top class’ in the recent Undergraduate Awards, an international competition for third level students.
Winner: In the category Social Sciences, Philip Rea, a second year student on the module: City Life: Divisions and Diversity came first with an essay entitled "How useful is it to understand Belfast as a Global City?"
Commended: In the same category, Elizabeth Martin, a third year on the module: Mental Health Policy, was among the top 10% of entries with the essay "Discuss some of the most pressing issues facing policy makers in relation to mental health services in Northern Ireland. Give evidence for your choices"
For information on the winners and on how to submit you essay for the competition next year, click on the link.
Dr Anne Kouvonen has had an article published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This study in a large cohort of public sector employees showed that workplace stress is associated with a slightly increased risk of insufficient physical activity.
Congratulations to two of our students whose work was rated ‘top class’ in the recent Undergraduate Awards, an international competition for third level students.
Winner: In the category Social Sciences, Philip Rea, a second year student on the module: City Life: Divisions and Diversity came first with an essay entitled "How useful is it to understand Belfast as a Global City?"
Commended: In the same category, Elizabeth Martin, a third year on the module: Mental Health Policy, was among the top 10% of entries with the essay "Discuss some of the most pressing issues facing policy makers in relation to mental health services in Northern Ireland. Give evidence for your choices"
For information on the winners and on how to submit your essay for the competition next year, click on this link.
Dr. Emma Calvert recently co-organised a conference “Gender and Employment in Europe across the Lifecourse”, along with the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and Global Women’s Studies at National University of Ireland, Galway. The plenary address was given by Professor Nicky le Feuvre, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dr Anne Kouvonen is one of the co-authors of an article published in the Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals (impact factor 38.28). The study looked at work stress and heart disease in 13 European cohort studies (N=200,000) and found that job strain is associated with a small but consistent increased risk of experiencing a first coronary heart disease event. The study was led by Professor Mika Kivimaki from the UCL and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Lynn Johnston and Briony Dow during questions and discussion at the first ‘Age Encounters’ network meeting in Queens University Belfast, June 2012
A new interactive network of researchers, academics and representatives from the voluntary, community and statutory sector in Northern Ireland met for the first time in June this year as the result of an initiative led by Dr. Janet Anand-Carter from the School of Sociology, Social Work and Social Policy in Queens University. The theme of the first ‘age encounter’ was intergenerational relationships and was attended by around 40 people from a wide range of voluntary, statutory and academic arenas.
The purpose of the group is to promote knowledge exchange between academics, researchers, practitioners, students and older people interested in exploring the challenges that our ageing society represents.
The first meeting of the group was opened by Prof. Frank Kee from the Centre of Public Health. Prof Kee informed the group about a new longitudinal study of the older population in Northern Ireland. Replicating neighbouring studies in the UK and Ireland, the Northern Irish study (called NICOLA) will involved a stratified random stratified sample of 8500 men and women aged 50+. The sample will be surveyed every three years and data will be collected on social, behavioural, economic and environmental aspects of ageing.
The group then heard from Dr. Briony Dow, Director of the Health Promotion Division of Melbourne University’s National Ageing Research Institute who spoke about intergenerational relationships in Australia. Briony shared her work which investigated older and younger people’s views on ageing and related the findings to Dr. Simon Bigg’s work on ‘Generational Intelligence’, proposing that intergenerational contact can promote empathy and understanding across age groupings and that this is a crucial element in addressing our ageing society.
Lynn Johnston, PhD candidate within the School of Sociology, Social Work and Social Policy then spoke about her research which investigates intergenerational relationships within a neighbourhood case study in Northern Ireland. Lynn also reflected that intergenerational relationships are important and shared her findings about how a range of social factors impact on these. Her research shows that ageism and perceptions of age, social exclusion and the legacy of the conflict are all relevant factors.
Given the level of interest already expressed in the network, ‘Age Encounters’ intend to meet quarterly and the next meeting will be scheduled for the autumn. If you would like to be involved, please email Janet : j.anand@qub.ac.uk
Dr Sally Shortall will participate in The Guardian's live online blog on the role of research in policy making tomorrow. The discussion is framed as follows:
"In a post-recession economy, with many different sectors seeking to get the attention of policymakers, how should universities organise themselves to have the greatest impact? Where is the best practice to be emulated and what does the role of the researcher become as the number of higher education wonks continues to grow? Join our live chat on Friday 20 July at 12 BST, to answer these questions and raise others of your own.
The Sage Handbook of Social Work, a key contemporary reference text on social work in the international context published this month, contains three chapters from staff in the school. Professor Mary Daly, Dr Stan Houston and Dr Nicola Carr have contributed respective chapters on Gender and Welfare, Child and Family Social Work and Criminal and Juvenile Justice. The publication is intended as a major reference work for students, practitioners and policy makers and provides a comprehensive and authoritative survey of contemporary social work.
Drs David Hayes and John Devaney have been awarded ‘Ambassadors of the Year’ by the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau at a ceremony at the Titanic Signature Building for their work in convening the eighth international congress of the British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect in April 2012. The congress attracted 720 delegates from 28 countries over four days, generating £1.5 million for the local economy. During congress delegates heard over 300 presentations on the latest research findings and practice developments relating to the protection of children from abuse and neglect. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Peter Gregson addressed delegates on the opening evening, and highlighted the importance of such events in providing policy makers, service providers and clinicians with the opportunity to engage with researchers in discussing the implications of research to ensure that the findings are translated into practice.
Presentations from the congress, including a number from staff and post graduate researchers within the School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work, are available to download.
