Mary Walsh, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Ireland

Most of us know the phrase, “prevention is better than cure”.

And I'm sure a good many of us would agree: preventing the emergence of a problem, rather than tackling its consequences, is often the better course of action.

The case for prevention and early intervention is particularly strong when designing and implementing policy and services for children and young people. These are not new concepts, but governments everywhere are learning more about prevention and early intervention, and what is needed to embed it in policy and services.  There is now a huge body of international research, knowledge and experience which tells us that cross-government work that focuses on outcomes is required to strengthen prevention and early intervention.

In Ireland, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has taken a leading role in championing prevention. Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, the national policy framework for children and young people is a cross-government approach with prevention at its core. The framework is based on a number of cross-cutting goals, from listening to and involving children and young people, to encouraging inter-agency collaboration.

Outcomes identified have touched many dimensions to children’s lives – including their learning and development, health, safety, economic security and opportunity. The framework informs a range of services, programs and initiatives, which aim to improve the lives of children and young people living in Ireland.

The pandemic forced us to rethink our plans to hold a large prevention and early intervention summit in Dublin

Recent initiatives by the Department of Children, such as the What Works Initiative and First Five, build on this work through leadership and coordination, taking risks, providing long-term commitment, and demonstrating what works with concrete, well-evidenced examples that champion a preventative approach. The Department’s What Works initiative, which was launched in 2019 is about maximising the impact of prevention and early intervention for children and families in Ireland.

What Works aims to:

  •         Enhance the evidence base by bringing together research and learning from existing and new initiatives
  •         Enhance the information base by supporting the development and alignment of existing data initiatives and related knowledge management systems
  •         Enhance the knowledge and skills base by developing coaching and training programs
  •         Enhance and sustain the quality base through the development and implementation of a quality framework for children’s services.

In summary, What Works is about encouraging curiosity and an appetite for learning amongst policy makers, services and researchers.

A Festival of Learning

Earlier this year, the pandemic forced us to rethink our plans to hold a large prevention and early intervention summit in Dublin. Like many others, we’ve had to think about how we convene people in a virtual environment, how we continue our conversations and deepen our understanding and knowledge of prevention and early intervention.

In November, the Department of Children will bring together expert contributors from the US, UK, Estonia and communities around Ireland, for “The Festival of Learning”, a series of 4 virtual events. It is intended to appeal both to those already working in prevention and early intervention and those looking to learn more about the subject.

It is timely for us to host conversations on the role of Government in prevention, and how we strengthen it within policy. We will showcase examples of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking within social services, and hear about the emerging role of the “public entrepreneur”. Our final event focuses on Artificial Intelligence, and its potential impact on future generations of children and young people in Ireland.

Festival line up

The line up for our Festival includes Dr Patrick McCarthy (former President, Annie E. Casey Foundation), Professor Paul Cairney (University of Stirling), Rowan Conway (UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose) and Alexa Hasse from (Berkman Klein Centre, Harvard University).

Events will feature lively discussions hosted by Irish broadcaster Áine Kerr, and will feature experienced policy makers, service providers and researchers from Ireland and further afield.

Attendance at the events is free. We invite you to join us as we look back to how prevention and early intervention has developed in Ireland, call on international thinkers to share fresh insights, shine a spotlight on good practice and host important conversations about the future.

Prevention and early intervention involves all of us working for children and young people, and these events allow us to make connections, and put our learning and knowledge to work.

To read more and register, visit:  https://whatworks.gov.ie/festival-of-learning/

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