What Works is an initiative designed by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality which aims to maximise the impact of prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children and young people living in Ireland. Prevention and early intervention means anticipating possible problems, minimizing the risk they arise, and targeting resources at those at high risk or showing early signs of a problem. This approach can be applied to many services, not just making sure children and young people are safe and protected from harm. Prevention and early intervention is identified as a key action in Young Ireland, Ireland’s policy framework for children and young people covering the period 2023-2028.
Prevention and early intervention was first chosen as a cross-sectoral priority in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, Young Ireland’s predecessor, in order to enable Departments to collaborate on cross-cutting issues relating to prevention and early intervention. The What Works initiative was launched in 2019 to take a coordinated approach to enhancing capacity, knowledge and quality in this area for children, young people and their families.
What Works is funded by Dormant Accounts and administered by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Since 2019, What Works has funded projects, events, funding schemes and training initiatives focused on prevention and early intervention. More information on What Works-funded projects, and current funding schemes, can be found here.
Harnessing the significant learning in this area and adopting a more preventative approach has the greatest potential for improving outcomes for children and young people. The What Works initiative builds on the development of implementation structures and learning harnessed from over a decade of investment in prevention and early intervention in order to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.
