Evaluation of the Early Intervention Support Service in NI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Evaluation of the Early Intervention Support Service in Northern Ireland.
IRAS ID
216763
Contact name
Karen Winter
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 22 days
Research summary
This evaluation seeks to address whether the Early Intervention Support Service (EISS) programme in Northern Ireland is effective in improving parenting skills and through this, outcomes for children and families. The EISS programme is structurally aligned to Family Support Hubs that exist in each of the Trusts in Northern Ireland.
The common aspects of the EISS are that they all receive their own referrals directly from a number of sources including: self-referrals; education; health; and social services. They also all employ Project Workers, from different professional backgrounds, who have all been trained to engage in holistic assessments of need using a number of Outcomes Stars.
Following assessment, the Project Workers who have been trained, deliver a number of short term interventions (which can last up to 16 weeks) that include a range of evidence-informed therapeutic and brief interventions namely: the Solihull Approach; Motivational Interviewing; Solution Focused Brief Therapy; parenting programmes (Strengthening Families and Incredible Years); and family group conferencing (both accessed by project worker referral).
The evaluation will address the following questions: How reliable and valid is the Outcomes Star as a measure of key outcomes among parents and their children? How well does EISS, and its component elements, fit to the local geographical and stakeholder context? What is the experience of parents taking part in EISS, in other words their journey travelled? What is the experience of delivering the EISS? What elements of EISS are most valued, and regarded as most beneficial, by the service providers and the parents participating in the programme? And do aspects of EISS need to be modified to enhance its effectiveness and fit before a scaled roll-out across Northern Ireland is attempted? If so, which elements require modification and in what ways?
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
17/NI/0007
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion