What Works, funded under Dormant Accounts, is an initiative designed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, which aims to maximise the impact of prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children and young people living in Ireland. At the core of the initiative is a desire to foster persistent curiosity amongst those working to improve the lives of children and young people.
Four key strands have been identified to embed and enhance prevention and early intervention in children and young people’s policy, service provision and practice.
The four strands under What Works are:
- Data: The aim of this strand is to improve access and use of data and information relating to children, young people and their families by aligning and developing what currently exists in this area.
- Evidence: The aim of this strand is to harness the learning from prevention and early intervention initiatives and research, and actively support the use of this learning as a source and resource to inform planning, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvements.
- Professional development and capacity building: The aim of this strand is to enhance the capacity and skills development of policymakers, providers and practitioners in the appraisal and application of evidence informed approaches in prevention and early intervention for children and young people.
- Quality: The aim of this strand is to align, enhance and sustain quality in prevention and early intervention as it relates to the development and delivery of policy, provision and practice for children and young people.
