The Conference was devised intentionally in order to offer practitioners and other key stakeholders the space to listen, reflect and discuss these current challenges facing services for children. The central theme of the conference was how to develop family support interventions that are mindful of the child’s right to be protected and child protection (and related) interventions which are mindful of the child’s right to be supported within their family. The theme was explored through keynote presentations and practice workshops addressing Family Support in universal and preventative settings, through to ‘early in the problem’ targeted support services, and child protection and alternative care provision.

Pictured (L-R) are: Prof. Pat Dolan, Prof. Harry Ferguson, Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., Prof. Bob Lonne, Dr. John Canavan.

Key Note Speakers included:

• Dr. Susan Bissell, UNICEF HQ, New York
• Prof. Mary Daly, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Ms. Carmel Devaney, NUI, Galway, Ireland
• Prof. Brid Featherstone, NUI, Galway, Ireland
• Prof. Harry Ferguson, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
• Prof. Bob Lonne, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
• Ms. Helen Meintjes, University of Cape Town, South Africa
• Prof. John Pinkerton, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland

Special Guest this year was Róisín Ingle, an award winning features journalist with The Irish Times. 

Key Note Speaker Presentations and Video downloads available here:

Introduction and welcome

Official Opening

Intimate Practice in Working with Children and Families

Supporting Children's Rights to Protection: People, Programs, Realities and Reforms

Child Protection and Violence in a Globalizing World-reconciling norms with real lives

Home Truths: HIV, Residential Care and Family Support for Children in South Africa

A Family Support Approach to Protecting Children: Current Issues & Perspectives

Supporting Families through Universal Provision

Child Protection and Family Support: Moving Beyond a Tired and Problematic Binary

Special Guest - Róisín Ingle

Practice Seminar Presentations available here:

Adapting the Common Assessment Framework (CAF)…the Sligo / Leitrim and Limerick Experiences

Protecting and supporting young people in school and community settings

Supporting fathers to keep their children safe

Multidisciplinary Working to promote the protection and welfare of children

Protecting children and supporting families through quality early years

Irish Association of Young People In Care

The Family Welfare Conference

How Family Support and Child Protection meet in practice

Making Family Support accessible

Alternative Response Model (ARM)

Safety in Partnership! Nothing about families, without families

Child Inclusive Practice (CIP) in Counselling & Family Mediation

Supporting Families through Active Case Management

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Press Release available here.