WWFC has provided training seminars and events for practitioners to increase awareness of research informed practice and to provide practical support and advice on how best to do this. Between 2001 and 2005 we also provided in house training to the 6 Children's Fund Programmes with whom we worked as part of the project. For current training click here or to download the Barnardo's Evidence Guide order form, click here.

Past events have included:

London, 11th December 2006

Research priorities in the new world of children’s services: seminar for research funders and research users

This seminar was hosted by SCIE, the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Representatives of research funding and commissioning bodies along with managers, planners and commissioners responsible for developing services in the new Children’s Trusts arrangements were invited to explore what research evidence is needed to inform the development of children’s services.

Liverpool, 12th September and Leeds, 12th October 2006

What works for children?: A seminar for managers, planners and commissioners in the new world of children's services.

These events will explore how research evidence can be used to inform the development of children's services. They aim to facilitate discussion about the areas of practice where practitioners would like to see more research. The discussions follow on from our review of the research priorities of social care practitioners in the UK (see opposite).

Policy Studies Institute, London, 7 March 2005

What works for children?: Using evidence to improve practice in children's services
WWfC hosted a conference to address the development of evidence-based practice in the provision of effective children's services. The event was attended by practitioners, policy analysts, researchers and intermediaries in children's services and academics working on evidence-based practice. Keynote presenters included Professor Norman Glass (on Sure Start) and Maggie Jones (JRF) on funders' perspectives. Workshops profiled practical examples and approaches to using evidence in practice and policy in children's services.

Barnardo’s Conference – Congress Centre, London, 22 June 2004
‘What Works’ and What Matters?
Two workshops on were held on 'Using Research in Practice' and ran a stand displaying the range of WWfC resources at this conference. There were 25 participants at the workshops, during which participants discussed their own barriers to using research evidence and raised other important issues.

York,5th November 2003
Services for Disabled Children
A one day conference focussing on what works for providing services to disabled children and their families. Speakers included: Professor Tricia Sloper from the Social Policy Research Unit at the University of York, Katy Barton (Care Co-ordination Network), Katie Clarke (Calderdale Parent and Carers Council), Jan Morrison (Barnardo's), Jacqueline Winstanley (Access and Inclusion Manager) and Issy Cole-Hamilton (Children’s Play Council).

Leeds, 11th April 2003

'And what evidence do you have to support that view?' Finding information to help decision making

A half-day workshop for Children’s Fund Programme staff in Calderdale, Doncaster, Leeds, Barnsley, York and Wakefield.

Halifax, 5th December 2002

Reducing offending amongst children and young people: What works?

This one day conference, aimed at practitioners, brought together researchers from What Works for Children? and Barnardo’s to present research findings on effective and less effective interventions for reducing offending amongst young people. The afternoon workshops provided practitioners with an opportunity to identify their current use of research evidence and to begin to identify those factors needed to successfully implement research evidence into practice within their organisations. One of the outputs of this exercise has been a review on Reducing Offending in Children and Young People: What Works?

York, 26th June 2002

What Works for Children with Behavioural Difficulties? - How to Read the Papers

What Works for Children organised this one day training seminar at the University of York, for Children's Fund managers and other practitioners. The day provided participants with an introduction to "evidence based" methodologies, whilst also offering the opportunity to work through and critically appraise specific articles in the field of child mental health.

Leeds, 27th February 2002

The Role of Research Evidence in the Children's Fund

Around 50 managers and practitioners from eight Children’s Fund (CF) authorities met at this workshop. The focus of the day was to share approaches and discuss how research evidence might be used in the development of CF programmes.

Of particular interest were the concerns raised by participants including:

• How research evidence might be relevant to local areas and their specific conditions.

• The concern that research could stifle innovation. 

• What if national and local policies conflict with research evidence?

• Reservations about how research is presented and the need for more accessible versions in terms of language and medium.

The feedback received has helped guide our work, and we have since addressed some of the issues identified via the resources offered on this site.