Podcast

Karen McElrath and Julie Harris: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is widely recognised as an intervention that is used to treat opioid (namely heroin) dependence. It is highly regulated and is available in both North/South Ireland. Using data collected in four different studies in North/South Ireland, we describe clients’ experiences with MMT. Methadone provision in both jurisdictions … Read more

Nicola Carr and Karen Winter: The benefits of an inter-disciplinary approach are evident when working with individuals and families with a range of complex needs, and who have contact with multiple services. This is particularly apposite in the area of child protection and welfare. This seminar will present an overview of an innovative inter-professional training initiative, … Read more

Karen Winter: It is well known that across the UK and elsewhere children in care have poor educational outcomes in comparison with the child population as a whole. The figures for Northern Ireland indicate that children in care here have the lowest attainment scores in Maths and English. This seminar will present the findings of a … Read more

Gavin Davidson: The Mental Capacity (Health, Welfare and Finance) Bill for Northern Ireland is currently being drafted. The proposed law is a potentially progressive approach to providing a comprehensive legal framework for substitute decision making for people whose decision making is impaired. An important aspect of the law, policy and practice in this area is ensuring … Read more

Lynn Johnston: Our planet’s changing age demographic has sparked economic debates relating to intergenerational equity and exchanges. This seminar focusses on the social aspects of intergenerational relationships and will present findings from a neighbourhood case study. At the local level, issues which impact on intergenerational relationships are presented around three themes: social exclusion, age discrimination and … Read more

Madeleine Leonard: The purpose of this presentation is to present young people’s attitudes to peace-walls in Belfast and whether they feel peace-walls should be temporary or permanent structures. The presentation will underline how important it is for policy-makers to consult with young people on their attitudes to these walls as a prelude to finding ways to … Read more

Mike Tomlinson: Measures of poverty typically combine low income with indicators of deprivation – items and activities that people lack because they cannot afford them. Which deprivation indicators are the important ones for defining poverty is a matter of debate. The seminar will present findings from a population-wide survey of Northern Ireland asking people’s opinion … Read more

Sally Shortall discusses why evidence-based policy implicitly assumes a linear relationship between research evidence and policy formation. The reality is much more complex. There are power struggles between different groups presenting different interpretations of the world, political ideology is a key driver of policy making, resources are finite, and policies must be palatable with the … Read more