Four books have been released highlighting the research conducted by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway.
The new publications showcase the collaborations between researchers and community groups that help develop policies in order to protect children and their rights.
The books will assist professionals, academics and policy-makers in the real world through providing useful information on life transitions, diversity in homes and the provision of educational spaces for children.
Narrating Childhood with Children and Young People: Diverse Contexts, Methods and Stories of Everyday Life from editors Lisa Moran, Kathy Reilly and Bernadine Brady spotlights narratives and storytelling as a research method for understanding young people’s daily lives and experiences.
The publication analyses examples of narrative methods from across Ireland, Europe and the globe used to further understand children’s experiences.
Support and Protection Across the Lifecourse: A Practical Approach for Social Workers by Caroline McGregor and Pat Dolan offers an account of social work that includes protection of children, support for families and mental health both in Ireland and abroad.
This book covers a number of themes and a wide range of case studies to provide a practical approach for social work on the basis that practice drives theory.
Understanding System Change in Child Protection and Welfare, edited by John Canavan, Carmel Devaney, Caroline McGregor and Aileen Shaw, focuses on the organisation of services to prevent harm towards children.
It takes a look at how a system-change programme has benefitted Ireland’s child protection and welfare efforts through prevention, early intervention and support for families.
Child and Youth Participation in Policy, Practice and Research edited by Deirdre Horgan and Danielle Keenan is “an essential publication for those interested in rights-based participatory approaches” where youths are directly involved in the policy-making process.
Ireland has recently been at the forefront of a participatory approach to children’s rights internationally and this publication captures what researchers have learned in three parts.
Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre Professor John Canavan said this type of research is vital for professionals “now more than ever.”
“Agencies need direction on how best to design and deliver services that reflect the challenges of contemporary family life.
“All of this requires deeper understanding of the lives of children and families and calls upon academics and researchers to develop narrative approaches to access the real experiences of children and young people,” he continued.
Professor Canavan was full of praise for the four new publications, placing them “at the cutting edge” of research aimed at benefitting children and their families.
The books were launched at an online event hosted by Professor Jim Livesey, Vice President for Research and Innovation at NUI Galway, on January 21.
