Prof. John Canavan - NUI Galway (john.canavan@nuigalway.ie)
Prof. Lucia Jimenez Garcia - University of Seville (luciajimenez@us.es)
Advancing a Family Support Agenda at European Level: The Eurofamnet Experience.
The aim of this keynote is to present the experience of Eurofamnet, a pan-European network of academics and policy makers
aimed at furthering Family Support as a paradigm for policy and practice. Funded as a COST action (CA18123), Eurofamnet's
work programme is focused on conceptualising Family Support, building knowledge on effective family and parenting support
programmes, and related quality and evidence standards, and creating base-line knowledge of skills for effective Family Support
practice. The presentation will focus on Eurofam's progress in each of these areas, highlighting key findings and useful resources
for the conference delegates.
Carolyn Blair, Artemis Eales, Brendan McKeever and Sonia Patton (c.blair@qub.ac.uk)
Representing the voice of Service Users and Carers
'Getting involved in Research': A co-created, co-delivered and co-analysed course for those with lived
experience of health and social care services.
A collaboration of those with lived experience, academics, community and voluntary sector partners and a
representative from the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland co-developed a course ('Getting
Involved in Research') to encourage and support people, who have used health and social care services, to
engage with research. The findings of the evaluation concluded that 'Getting Involved in Research' has
contributed innovatively to the evidence base for how to engage with and motivate those who have
experience of health and social care to become actively involved in research. This presentation will
demonstrate that 'Getting Involved in Research' can be used to effectively train those with lived experience and their care
partners. It will be co-delivered by the evaluator, a course development member with lived
experience and two participants from the course. Speakers Notes
Dr. Niamh Flanagan - Maynooth University (niamh.flanagan@mu.ie)
Angela Feeney - Tulsa (angela.feeney1@tusla.ie)
Michelle Reade - Tulsa (michelle.reade@tusla.ie)
Peer-to Peer Research & Information Mentoring: From theory to strategy and practice
Creating a culture of research, both in terms of production and consumption of research, represents an
important strategy for any organisation aiming for evidence-informed best practice. However, achieving this, within the context
of high demand for frontline services, remains a fine balancing act. In 2017, Tusla, the
Republic of Ireland's statutory Child and Family Agency, adopted a Research & Information Mentor strategy
to address this issue of building research and information capacity within the workforce. The research of
Dr. Niamh Flanagan (Maynooth University) which focused on the information behaviour of frontline
practitioners, provided the theoretical underpinnings for a nationwide system of Research & Information
Mentors within Tusla. Coordinated by the organisation's National Research Office, practitioners from a range
of professions, disciplines and grades are afforded protected time to act as research and information mentors to colleagues.
In this presentation, Peer-to-Peer Research & Information Mentoring, three voices - Dr Flanagan, Angela
Feeney (National Research Officer) and Michelle Reade (Research & Information Mentor) - tell the story of
the Research Information Mentor journey from 'theory to strategy and practice'
The Right Key led by Sheila Smyth
The Right Key
The Right Key uses music for health, healing and recovery of individuals, communities and nations.
We particularly like working within the prison community where we formed the Voice of Release Project seven years ago.
This was in partnership with prison healthcare, primarily the forensic occupational therapists who focused on promoting good
mental and emotional health within Hydebank Wood Female Prison.
We also worked with the young offenders within Hydebank. We provided singing for health workshops, poetry, music
composition and performances within the prison to improve the overall health of serving prisoners, prison staff and extended
families."