>>Home<< WWfC

:: :: :: :: :: ::

What Works for Children? first received funding in 2001 as part of the ESRC EvidenceNetwork and was a joint initiative between Barnardo's, City University London, and the University of York. The What Works for Children? (WWfC) team spent four years looking at what helps and what hinders the use of research evidence in child public health and social care practice. During this time we produced resources to help practitioners use evidence from research to inform practice. We received additional funding from the ESRC in 2006 to update this website and some of the resources available here.

This website is for practitioners working with children in child public health and social care and interested in finding out about evidence from research. In our resources section you will find our Evidence Guide, EvidenceNuggets and research briefings, weblinks, and other resources to help you and your organisation make use of evidence from research. If you have any feedback on this site please email us.

:: latest news
December 2006 - This final seminar, hosted by the Social Care Institute for Excellence has now been held: Research priorities in the new world of children’s services: seminar for research funders and research users Representatives of research funding and commissioning bodies along with managers, planners and commissioners responsible for developing services in the new Children’s Trusts met to explore what research evidence is needed to inform the development of children’s services. Autumn 2006 - Barnardo's hosted seminars in Leeds and Liverpool: What works for children?: A seminar for managers, planners and commissioners in the new world of children's services. These events explored how research evidence can be used to inform the development of children's services. They aimed to facilitate discussion about the areas of practice where practitioners would like to see more research. The discussions followed on from our review of the research priorities of social care practitioners in the UK (see opposite).

:: featured resources
Are you confident about finding research evidence? Do you know where to look and what to look for? Let our Evidence Guide take you through the process of using evidence in practice. Barnardo's have also published a new Evidence Guide training resource made up of five modules, available now. Each module consists of a self-directed learner's pack and a trainer's pack including suggested programmes, PowerPoint slides and activities. Training provision linked to the Evidence Guide can be arranged and the pack can be ordered from Barnardo's.

:: EvidenceNuggets

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy can be effective in managing behavioural problems and conduct disorder in pre-adolescence - updated 2006

One-to-one mentoring programmes and problem behaviour in adolescence - updated 2006

Group-based parenting programmes can reduce behaviour problems of children aged 3 - 10 years - updated 2006

Home visiting can substantially reduce childhood injury - further resources updated 2006

Breakfast Clubs and school fruit schemes: promising practice nugget - further resources updated 2006

Area-wide traffic calming schemes reduce childhood injuries from road accidents and respond to children's own views of what is important - further resources updated 2006

Thank you to everyone who took part in our website questionnaire asking about your priorities for new research to help you in your practice.

See a summary of the website survey results. The website survey was part of a larger review of over 1000 practitioners' research questions - have a look at the favourite questions asked. WWfC also looked at what research had been funded by five major UK social care research funders, to see how well funded research fits with practitioners' needs. You can access a presentation about the full study.

in collaboration with:

page last updated 15/11/2006