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Bernadine Brady has been employed by the Child and

Family Research Centre since 2003 and has over 10 years experience as a social researcher.  She is currently lead researcher on a major evaluation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Programme in Ireland as well as undertaking studies in relation to family welfare conferencing and young carers and contributing to other research in the CFRC.  Bernadine lectures on the MA in Family Support Studies, MA in Social Work and MA in Community Development and undergraduate programmes.   Her recent publications and conference presentations have been in the areas of youth mentoring, family welfare conferencing, children’s participation and good practice in child and family services. 

Bernadine holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree from UCD, an MA in Community Development from NUI, Galway and is currently undertaking a Phd at NUI, Galway.  Prior to joining the CFRC, her work experience included research, evaluation, community development work and strategic planning in a range of local development settings. 

Contact Details:

Address: School of Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway
Phone: 091 495759
Email: bernadine.brady@nuigalway.ie

Selected Journal articles:  

• Moran, M. & Brady, B. (forthcoming, December 2010) Improving self-efficacy?  Reflections on the use of life coaching techniques among family support clients.  Practice.
• Brady, B. (2010) A Universal Child, Roger Smith, Book Review, Child & Family Social Work. Vol.15(3) 381-382.
• Brady, B and O’Regan, C. (2009) Meeting the challenge of doing an RCT evaluation of youth mentoring in Ireland:  a journey in mixed methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research.  Vol. 3, No. 3, July 2009. Brady, B. and Dolan, P. (2009) Youth mentoring as a tool for community and civic engagement:  reflections on findings of an Irish research study. Community Development. Vol. 40, Issue 4, 359.  Dolan, P., Canavan, J. Brady, B. (2008) Youth mentoring and the parent-young person relationship:  Considerations for Research and Practice.  Youth & Policy, No. 99, Spring 2008.  Brady, B. (2007) Developing Children's Participation: Lessons from a Participatory IT Project, Children and Society, Vol. 21, pp31-41. Brady, B. and Dolan, P. (2007) Exploring Good Practice in Irish Child and Family Services: Reflections and Considerations. Practice. Vol. 19, No. 1. Taylor and Francis.Brady, B., Dolan, P.  (2007) Youth Mentoring in Ireland: Weighing up the Benefits and Challenges, Youth Studies Ireland. Vol. 2, No. 1. Irish Youth Work Press.   
• Dolan, P., Canavan, J. Brady, B. (2006) Connecting with Practice in the Changing Landscape of Family Support Training, Child Care in Practice, Vol. 12, No. 1, Jan 2006.

 Selected Reports:

• Fives, A., Kennan, D., Canavan, J., Brady, B., Cairns, D., (2010) Report on Study of Young Carers in the Irish Population. Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
• Forkan, C., Canavan, J., Dolan, P., Bradley, C., Brady, B., Carty, C., Coen, L., Devaney, C., Kearns, N., Kenny, A., Merriman, B. and O’Regan, C. (2010)  Youth Cafés in Ireland - A Best Practice Guide.  Dublin: Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
• Brady, B. (2009) Barnardos Family Welfare Conference Project, South Tipperary: Evaluation Report. Galway: Child & Family Research Centre.
• Brady, B., Merriman, B., Canavan, J. (2008) A Formative Evaluation of the Community Based Family Support Programme. Galway: Child & Family Research Centre.
• Brady, B. (2006) Facilitating Family Decision-Making: A Study of the Family Welfare Conference Service in the HSE Western Area, Galway: Child & Family Research and Policy Unit. Brady, B., Dolan, P. (2005) Big Brothers Big Sisters, Youth Mentoring Programme, Evaluation Report.  Galway:  Child & Family Research and Policy Unit. Brady, B., Dolan, P. Canavan. J. (2004) Working for Children and Families: Exploring Good Practice, Dublin, Department of Health and Children. Brady, B.  (2004) Understanding and Developing Children’s Participation: A Short Guide, Dublin, Barnardos. Brady, B. (2004) Computer Characters’ Barnardos Participatory IT Project for Children:  Evaluation Report.  Galway:  Barnardos.Brady, B. (2002) Strategies to Promote the Inclusion of Refugees and Asylum Seekers.  Dublin:  Area Development Management. 
• Brady, B. 2005. Developing Children’s Participation:  Lessons from the Computer Characters Project, Child Links, Issue 1, 2005.  pp. 20-23.

 Selected Presentations 

• Policy transfer in youth work: learning from Big Brothers Big Sisters Meeting Youth needs in the 21st Century, International Conference, University College Cork, May 12th 2010
• Youth mentoring and social policy: Child of our time? - All Change for Young People?”  International Youth Studies Conference, NUI Maynooth (25-28 June 2009).
• Promoting resilience:  Children and young people’s participation.

in family welfare conferences - Closing the gap in child and adolescent health: the settings approach.  Health Promotion Research Centre Conference, NUI, Galway (June 12th 2009).

• Presentation of findings – Launch of Barnardos FWC Service Evaluation Report, Clonmel (11th June 2009).
• Using qualitative and quantitative methods in evaluation design, Barnardos Tomorrow’s Child Conference, Dublin with Claire Hickey (5-6 November 2008).

• Squaring the circle or circling the square?: The Challenges of integrating impact and meaning in conducting a randomised control trial using a mixed methods design.  4th Mixed Methods Conference, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge with Connie O’Regan (July 2008).Learning to Walk – the Evaluation of the BBBS Programme in Ireland - Mentoring for Children from Disadvantaged Environments International Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania with Pat Dolan (September, 2005). Working for Children and Families: Exploring Good Practice - Presentation at report launch by Minister for Children, Brian Lenihan, Galway (November, 2004).
• Family Welfare Conferencing:  International and Local Experiences, HSE Western Area Conference for practitioners of child and family services, Galway, (February 2006)