IRISS is hosting a series of workshops around the theme of What Works in delivering positive outcomes in the social services. The workshops are intended to be practice oriented, with the aim that attendees can take home at least one strategy on how to apply research and evidence effectively in their practice. These free, half-day morning events will include lunch and will take place at the Surgeons' Hall, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DW.

The workshop themes are:

1. Research Utilisation in Social Services - 10th Dec 2009

The first workshop in the series will focus on the use of research in social services.

This workshop will be led by Professor Sandra Nutley. Sandra joined the University of Edinburgh in 2006 as Professor of Public Management. She is a leading authority in debates about research utilisation and the development of evidence-based policy and practice in public services. Sandra is Director of the Research Unit for Research Utilisation (RURU), which was established in 2001 with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). From its roots at the University of St Andrews, RURU is now a research partnership between members of the Universities of Edinburgh, Dundee, and St Andrews. Sandra is a non-executive member of the Social Work Inspection Agency Board and she is also a member of the Scottish Funding Council’s Knowledge Exchange in Public Policy Action Sub-Group. 

• Presentation

2. Effective User Involvement -20th Jan 2010

User involvement in public service design and management has been widely promoted as a means of improving the quality and responsiveness of services. This workshop examines the role of the user in service planning.

Peter Beresford OBE is a long term user of mental health services and also Chair of Shaping Our Lives, the national independent service user controlled organisation and network. He has a longstanding involvement in issues of participation and empowerment as writer, researcher, educator, service user and campaigner.  He is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Centre for Citizen Participation at Brunel University, a member of the Department of Health Transformation of Adult Social Care Programme Board and the Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy Board. He was a Commissioner on the national Commission on Personalisation established by Hampshire County Council. He is a Trustee of the National Skills Academy for Social Care, member of the Advisory Board of the National Institute for Health Research and a member of the Advisory Group of Involve, the body set up to advise government on public and user involvement in health, public health and social care research.

• Presentation
• Podcast of presentation
• Video interview with Peter Beresford

3. Youth Justice - 5th Feb 2010
This workshop examines the range of practices and procedures for dealing with young people involved, or at risk of being involved, in offending.

Professor Fergus McNeill will lead this workshop. Fergus is Professor of Criminology and Social Work in the Glasgow School of Social Work (a Joint venture of the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde) and a Network Leader in the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research at the University of Glasgow. Prior to becoming an academic in 1998, Fergus worked for a number of years in residential drug rehabilitation and as a criminal justice social worker. His research interests and publications have addressed a range of criminal justice issues including sentencing, community penalties, ex-offender reintegration and youth justice. Most recently, Fergus' work has focused on the policy and practice implications of research evidence in the process of desistance from offending. His first book, co-authored with Bill Whyte, 'Reducing Reoffending: Social Work and Community Justice in Scotland', was published by Willan in April 2007. His second, co-edited with Monica Barry, 'Youth Offending and Youth Justice', was published by Jessica Kingsley in September 2009.

• Podcast of presentation
• Video interview with Fergus McNeill

4. Mental Health and Employment - 17th Mar 2010
This workshop examines the important role employment plays in both improving and maintaining mental health amongst those who have experienced mental health problems.

Miles Rinaldi will lead this workshop. Miles is the Head of Recovery and Social Inclusion at South West London & St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust. Since working within mental health he has established employment services to help people with mental health problems gain and retain employment. These services have been recognised by government as models of good practice. Miles has also co-ordinated and evaluated a self management training programme for people with bipolar disorder across London. He has worked on mental health policy in the Social Exclusion Unit (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), the Department of Health, the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (Cabinet Office) and more recently in the Department for Work and Pensions. Miles has also conducted and published research on mental health and employment and the self-management of bipolar disorder. He has worked in various mental health settings within the voluntary sector, a local authority and the NHS.
 

• Presentation
• Podcast of presentation
• Video interview with Miles Rinaldi

5. Childhood Resilience - 15th Apr 2010
This workshop examines the ways in which resilience can be successfully promoted in children through an emphasis on the provision of coping tools rather than risk aversion interventions.

Professor Brigid Daniel will lead this workshop. Brigid is a trained Social Worker who specialised in children and families before moving to the Centre for Child Care and Protection at Dundee University where she taught on multi-disciplinary post-qualifying courses in childcare and protection. She moved to Stirling in 2001 as Senior Lecturer in Social Work, returning for three years to Dundee as Professor of Child Care and Protection. Brigid is now Professor of Social Work at Stirling University and is a founding member of the Scottish Child Care and Protection Network.  The Network works to disseminate and evaluate research on child care and protection in Scotland to ensure that those working with vulnerable children have access to best practice. Children's resilience is one of Brigid’s key research areas.

•  Presentation

6. Re-ablement - 30th Apr 2010
Re-ablement is about giving people over the age of 18 years the opportunity to relearn the skills they may have lost as a consequence of poor health, or going into hospital or residential care, and the confidence to develop new skills that will help them to maintain their independence.

Dr. Parvaneh Rabiee will lead this workshop. Parvaneh is a Research Fellow who has worked on a range of projects in Social Policy Research Unit. Her research interests include the needs of disabled people and their families, challenges for service providers in responding to those needs and developing methodologies for research with disabled people, including those with communication impairments. Parvaneh is currently involved in a longitudinal study into the longer-term impacts of Home Care Re-ablement Services. She is also working on a longitudinal qualitative study of choice and change across the life course. 

• Presentation

For further information, or to book a place at any of the workshops, contact amy.oneill@iriss.org.uk

As spaces are limited, please apply at least two weeks in advance of the workshop(s) you wish to attend by providing your name, title, organisation and contact details.