Prevalence and Nature of Mental Health Problems Among Single, Homeless People in Belfast, Northern Ireland

There has been growing concern about the increasing numbers of homeless people with mental ill health, many of whom may be falling through the "net" of mental health services [1]. A recent large UK study [2]-which excludes Northern Ireland (NI)-provided a comprehensive picture of the prevalence of mental morbidity among homeless people. However, there is still some uncertainty about the extent and severity of mental disorders among this population. Furthermore, hostel staff in Belfast (NI) and elsewhere have expressed concerns about their capacity to provide appropriate care and support. Approximately 1 percent of the NI population (21,000) were registered as "statutory homeless" (i.e., as opposed to the "hidden homeless") during 1995-96,40 percent of whom were considered "vulnerable" (e.g., because of physical or mental disability)

Living in an 'Electronic Age': Cyberbullying among Irish Adolescents

The prevalence and nature of specific forms of cyberbullying (CB) in a sample of Irish post-primary school students, aged 12 to 18 years (n=122), are examined. Overall, CB was found to be less frequent than traditional bullying (TB). Although all forms of CB were largely short-term, CB was regarded by participants as worse than TB, with the notable exception of email. No significant relationships emerged between several background variables and CB. Overall rates of CB seem to be lower than in other countries, but further research would be required to determine its prevalence and nature

Living in Critical Times: The Impact of Critical Incidents on Frontline Ambulance Personnel: A Qualitative Perspective

Little is known about the impact of Critical Incidents (CIs) on the lives of ambulance personnel. One-to-one interviews were conducted with 27 participants who had experienced CIs during the previous 12 months in order to: assess the nature and impact of CIs on health and well-being; examine attitudes toward support services; and explore barriers to service use. The results showed that incidents involving children, suicides, and grotesque mutilation were the most distressing. Participants reported a wide range of physical and mental health problems including sleep difficulties, angry outbursts, irrationality and feelings of alienation. Key themes included: low support service uptake due to fears relating to confidentiality and machismo; a perceived lack of concern and support from management; and a need for professional counselling and stress awareness training. Emergency Medical Controllers (EMCs) also reported a number of difficulties unique to their role. The findings suggest that exposure to CIs has a significant impact on health and well-being; this has important implications for recognizing and appropriately addressing the health and training needs of ambulance personnel, including the effective management of Critical Incident Stress

An evaluation of the Strengthening Families Programme in Co. Kildare

This report presents the results of an evaluation of the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) in Co. Kildare. The evaluation took place between January – April 2017 to explore the perspectives of families and stakeholders involved in the programme. The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) has been delivered annually in Co. Kildare since 2013, and previously in 2008 and 2009. This evaluation investigates the delivery of the SFP from 2013 – 2016, with a particular focus on programme impact and implementation in 2016

An evaluation of the Strengthening Families Programme in Co. Kildare

This report presents the results of an evaluation of the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) in Co. Kildare. The evaluation took place between January – April 2017 to explore the perspectives of families and stakeholders involved in the programme. The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) has been delivered annually in Co. Kildare since 2013, and previously in 2008 and 2009. This evaluation investigates the delivery of the SFP from 2013 – 2016, with a particular focus on programme impact and implementation in 2016

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Early Childhood Intervention: Evidence from an Experimental Evaluation of the Incredible Years Parenting Program.

A number of researchers and policy makers have recently argued that the most effective way of dealing with long-run disadvantage and the intergenerational transmission of poverty is through early childhood intervention and in particular policies aimed at supporting the family. This study was part of a randomised evaluation of the Incredible Years Program, which is aimed at improving the skills and parenting strategies of parents who have children with conduct problems. The results show that the treatment significantly reduced behavioural problems in young children. Furthermore our detailed cost analysis, when combined with a consideration of the potential long-run benefits associated with the programme, suggest that the long-run rate of return to society from this program is likely to be relatively high.

Use of dependency and prioritization tools by clinical nurse specialists in palliative care: an exploratory study

Aims: The principal aim was to assess the utility of three needs assessment/dependency tools for use in community-based palliative care services. Specific objectives were to assess a sample of patients receiving specialist palliative care community nursing using these tools, to assess the predictive ability of each tool, and to explore the utility of prioritizing and measuring patient dependency from a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) perspective. Method: In phase 1, 22 community-based CNSs completed the Vale prioritization tool for all patients visited during a 3-month period (n=162). They also completed either the Graves and Payne (2007) or the Birch et al (1997) dependency tool after each visit. In phase 2 a focus group (n=8) and two one-to-one interviews with CNS participants explored the perceived utility of all three tools. Results: The Vale prioritization tool appeared to be the most useful for prioritizing patient need and managing workload. Statistical analysis highlighted minimal differences between the two dependency tools, neither of which predicted length of visit. Three themes were identified from phase 2: difficulties with routine administration, points of divergence between the two dependency tools, and workload concerns. Conclusion: While the Vale prioritization tool emerged as the most useful, the findings raise questions about the overall utility and practical application of these kinds of tools with community-based palliative care patients. Further research is needed to identify/develop, adapt, and evaluate appropriate, setting-specific dependency tools for use with this population

Reasons For Non-engagement With The Provision Of Emotional Competency Coaching: A Qualitative Study Of Irish First Year Undergraduate Students

Very little is known as to why students choose not to participate in emotional intelligence coaching programmes. This qualitative study was undertaken with a sample of Irish undergraduate students (n=20), who chose not to engage with the provision of coaching at a technical college in Dublin. The reasons for non-engagement were explored by means of face-to-face interviews. The four principal reasons for nonengagement were: failing to appreciate the value of coaching; a perceived heavy academic workload; the fact that coaching was not a mandatory component of the academic curriculum; and fear that coaching may reveal weaknesses of character. Based on the findings from this study, it is recommended that institutes of higher education consider providing emotional competency coaching to First Year undergraduate students

Enhancing The Academic And Social Learning Of Irish Undergraduates Through Emotional And Social Skills Development

This paper considers the potential merits of emotional competency coaching for undergraduate students. We outline the findings from our previous work which showed, for example, that a sample of First Year undergraduate students failed to engage with coaching primarily because it was not a mandatory aspect of the curricula. An analysis of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) - which details the specific learning outcomes that must be achieved by all Irish academic syllabi found that this framework makes scant reference to the development of social and emotional skills. Therefore, a revised working model of the NFQ is proposed, which incorporates learning outcomes related to emotional and social development at all levels of academic attainment. Keywords: Emotional intelligence, emotional competency, student support, education

The Role and Contribution of Philanthropy to the Lives of Older People in Ireland

This paper examines the impact, since 2008, of an international philanthropic organisation on the ageing sector in the Republic of Ireland. Several methods were used in a sector-wide evaluation, including documentary analysis, one-to-one in-depth interviews, a cross-sectional survey of grant-holders, and collaborative work with Northern Ireland. There was a relative lack of strategic focus on older people before the philanthropic work began; evidence for policy and planning was limited and advocacy was small-scale and largely uncoordinated. This may have been because the Republic of Ireland had the lowest proportion of people aged ≥65 in the EU. The findings show that philanthropy has played a pivotal role in enhancing capacity, infrastructure and expertise through large-scale investment in research and training, strengthening older people’s organisations and developing centres of excellence. Important initiatives include a national longitudinal ageing study, a commitment to develop a positive ageing strategy and roll-out of the Age Friendly Counties programme. The sustainability of these notable achievements relies on a sector-wide collaborative ethos, translating evidence into practice, actively involving older people and securing support from the academic, health and government sectors. Overall, the philanthropic organisation has contributed significantly to Ireland’s efforts to develop innovative, evidence-based ageing strategies and policies