Understanding Systems Change in Child Protection and Welfare

This text explores systems change in an Irish statutory Child Protection and Welfare system through a comprehensive programme of Partnership, Prevention and Family Support (PPFS). A four-year in-depth research and evaluation study of the PPFS programme carried out by aresearch teamworkinginthe UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre(UCFRC) at the National University of Galway (NUI, Galway) is described with an overview from the initial plans to the reality of implementation and dissemination of the findings. The study and the Child Protection and Welfare (CPW) system are contextualised in the broader national and international literature on orientations in CPW systems, prevention, partnership and Family Support. The potential and limits of university-agency partnerships in the child protection and welfare field are also discussed.