Earlier this year CES was contracted by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to co-ordinate and manage the What Works Initiative.
What Works aims to maximise the impact of prevention and early intervention in policy and services for children and young people living in Ireland. The Department launched What Works in June 2019 and the initiative has already supported learning, leadership and capacity building activities, innovation in services and new research. It includes a live and actively resourced knowledge exchange platform that hosts data, research and resources. Through that, it facilitates the co-creation of knowledge, analysis, insights and understandings of children and young people’s lives, - including approaches to practice, toolkits, and learning opportunities for policy makers, services and the research community.
A prevention and early intervention summit which was planned this year is now going virtual, with a series of four events taking place in the first two weeks of November. CES has been working with the Department to plan, organise and promote the series, as a ‘Festival of Learning’ about prevention and early intervention in Ireland, with a particular focus on the role of government.
This Festival of Learning will start with a look back to how prevention and early intervention has developed in Ireland, will call on international speakers to share fresh thinking and ideas, put a spotlight on innovative practice and begin important conversations about future developments in policy and services for children and young people.
International keynotes
Keynote speakers include Professor Patrick McCarthy (Annie E. Casey Foundation), Professor Paul Cairney (University of Stirling), Rowan Conway (UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, UK) and Alexa Hasse (Berkman Klein Center, Harvard University). Panel contributors will draw from their experience in Ireland, the US, Estonia and the UK. Three of the events will be moderated by Áine Kerr, Digital Entrepreneur, broadcaster and presenter of RTEs recent series ‘Reignite’.
What Works activities
CES will also support the Department with further development of the What Works website, and other activities planned under the What Works Initiative. This includes supporting the work of the Department in leading on a National Model of Parenting Support Services, as outlined in the governments First 5 Strategy.
What Works is supported through the Dormant Accounts Fund.
