Barnardos Knowledge Bank
Not a member yet
1232 research outputs found
Sort by
Roots of Empathy (Barnardos)
No full textInformation sheetRoots of Empathy (ROE) is an international, evidence-based, classroom programme that aims to foster the development of empathy and emotional literacy among primary school children, in order to reduce levels of aggression, bullying and violence, and promote pro-social behaviours. The programme was first established in Canada in 1996 and is being implemented in various countries on three continents
An Exploration of Practitioners’ Experiences of Delivering Digital Social Care Interventions to Children and Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study
Get PDFArticleBackground: Digital technology is an increasing feature of social care practice, and its use has accelerated greatly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Objective: This study aimed to assess social care practitioners’ experiences of delivering digital interventions to vulnerable children and families during the pandemic.
Methods: A mixed methods study combining survey and qualitative research was conducted. In total, 102 social care practitioners working in the Republic of Ireland who delivered a range of digital social care support took part in a web-based survey. This survey captured practitioners’ engagement and experiences of delivering digital social care interventions to children and families as well as training and capacity building needs. Subsequently, 19 focus groups with 106 social care practitioners working with children and families were also conducted. These focus groups were directed by a topic guide and explored in more depth practitioners’ perceptions of digital social care practice, the perceived impact of digital technology on their work with children and families, and the future application of digital social care interventions.
Results: The survey findings revealed that 52.9% (54/102) and 45.1% (46/102) of practitioners, respectively, felt “confident” and “comfortable” engaging in digital service delivery. The vast majority of practitioners (93/102, 91.2%) identified maintaining connection during the pandemic as a benefit of digital social care practice; approximately three-quarters of practitioners (74/102, 72.5%) felt that digital social care practice offered service users “increased access and flexibility”; however, a similar proportion of practitioners (70/102, 68.6%) identified inadequate home environments (eg, lack of privacy) during service provision as a barrier to digital social care practice. More than half of the practitioners (54/102, 52.9%) identified poor Wi-Fi or device access as a challenge to child and family engagement with digital social care. In total, 68.6% (70/102) of practitioners felt that they needed further training on the use of digital platforms for service delivery. Thematic analysis of qualitative (focus group) data revealed 3 overarching themes: perceived advantages and disadvantages for service users, practitioners’ challenges in working with children and families through digital technologies, and practitioners’ personal challenges and training needs.
Conclusions: These findings shed light on practitioners’ experiences of delivering digital child and family social care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both benefits and challenges within the delivery of digital social care support as well as conflicting findings across the experiences of practitioners were identified. The implications of these findings for the development of therapeutic practitioner–service user relationships through digital practice as well as confidentiality and safeguarding are discussed. Training and support needs for the future implementation of digital social care interventions are also outlined
Evaluation of Barnardos National Wellbeing Project
Get PDFEvaluation reportTrauma and adversity can have profound, lifelong effects on health and wellbeing, making trauma-informed services a public health priority. The Barnardos National Wellbeing Project is a new intervention designed to support children aged 4–18, their parents, and communities by addressing the impacts of trauma and toxic stress. The programme includes multiple components aimed at both prevention and treatment, and was evaluated between March and July 2022. Findings indicate the project’s significant potential, with children and young people showing improved emotional regulation after participating. The evaluation also noted benefits for parental wellbeing and high levels of satisfaction and engagement among community members. Emotional wellbeing and mental health were identified as key community concerns, and the project was valued for its role in promoting resilience and addressing these challenges. Success was attributed to effective implementation, skilled project workers, and a collaborative, interagency approach, all of which enhanced engagement and programme impact
How Relationships Impact on Children’s Behaviour in Early Learning and Care
Get PDFBookletEverything that a child does, all of their behaviour, is a communication of what the child is thinking and how the child is feeling. Many different factors will influence this behaviour including the child’s individual temperament, their stage of development and how comfortable they are in their environment. The most significant impact on a child’s behaviour, however, comes from the relationships they have with the important adults in their life. When these relationships are consistent, empathic and connected, and are based on caring, responsive and attuned interactions, children feel secure and that they feelings and their needs matter. This is key to a child’s emotional and social wellbeing and development, and to supporting and guiding their behaviour.
This resource supports those working with young children in an Early Learning and Care (ELC) setting to better understand children’s behaviour. It explores how, by building and maintaining trusting relationships with them, we can help children to learn how to manage and express their big feelings, how to self-regulate and how to behave in situations of stress and conflict
Your Young Child's Behaviour: How You Can Help
Get PDFBookletBeing a parent is one of the most important jobs we can do, but it can also be one of the most difficult and we have all had times when we are frustrated, confused and stressed by our child’s behaviour.
When young children behave in ways that we find challenging, it is often simply because they are overwhelmed by their big feelings and they have not yet learned any other way to express themselves, or they do not yet understand what is expected of them in certain situations. With your support and encouragement, your child will learn the skills they need to manage their own emotions and their behaviour.
This booklet is for parents of young children up to the age of six. It aims to give you a better understanding of your child’s behaviour and what it is that your child is trying to communicate through their behaviour. It also offers some ideas that you might find helpful in guiding you to support your child to express their emotions, needs and wants effectively
Teen Parent Support
Get PDFInformation sheetBarnardos Teen Parent Support Programme aims to ensure the well-being of vulnerable teenage parents and their children and reduce the risk of future negative outcomes for both. The programme is implemented with teen parents in their homes in order to maximize the long-term positive impact
Critical Incidents in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Services: Planning and Responding
Get PDFBookletAll Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) services are required to have a service level Critical Incident Plan as outlined in the Tusla Quality and Regulatory Framework (QRF) and the National Quality Guidelines for School Age Childcare Services. All employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of their employees, under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.
This guide has been developed from previous guidance on critical incidents planning, including the Critical Incident Plan Toolkit and the extensive work of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), to support ELC and SAC services to think about and plan for critical incidents and to have practical supports in place should it be necessary to respond to a critical incident.
It also clarifies the roles and responsibilities at national and local levels when responding to critical incidents.
Incidents may occur outside normal working hours or may require a response outside normal hours including evenings, weekends or holidays.
This guide does not cover every aspect of what settings should do in relation to emergency planning. Settings must comply with their legal responsibilities, including health and safety legislation, and should seek legal advice as needed. Risk assessments, policies and plans should be continuously reviewed and updated to reflect new and updated guidance
Implementing Change in Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare Settings
Get PDFeBookChange is inevitable in the operation of any early learning and care (ELC) or school age childcare (SAC) setting. Change may be necessary due to requirements imposed from outside a setting, such as regulatory or legislative requirements, or due to decisions made within the setting. It may be necessary to improve or enhance the quality of service provision or it may be due to financial or other reasons such as a move to a new premises. The types of change are many and varied.
Some change processes will have minimal impact on those who work in the setting and on the children and families who use its services, while others may have a more significant impact. Whichever the case, for the change to be introduced positively and successfully, it is important to focus on how to bring it about in a way that is not overly disruptive and that achieves the desired goals efficiently and effectively. It is essential also that everyone involved has a clear understanding of both the rationale for the change and what it is hoped it will achieve. What is most important is that the process is well managed, with the needs and rights of children kept at the centre of any change being made.
This resource aims to support anyone taking an active role in the implementation of change in an ELC or SAC setting at any stage of the process. It will also be useful for anyone whose role is to support those who are implementing change, such as development workers or mentors, and for students of management and leadership in children’s services. This resource outlines how to plan for and drive change effectively, how to consult and communicate positively with key stakeholders, how to ensure the change is implemented as planned, and how to review and evaluate the process to ensure the change is meeting the needs of all concerned and is sustained
Early Years eNews: Issue 2
No full textNewsletterIn this issue of Early Years eNews, we bring you updates from DCEDIY and across the sector as well as details about the latest publications, training and library offerings from Barnardos