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The NSPCC's Keeping Safe programme for primary schools,
developed in Northern Ireland, supports school staff and
parents to deliver keeping safe messages to children about
recognising abusive behaviours.
This report presents results and learning from a cluster randomised trial evaluation
on the impact of Keeping Safe. This is the first cluster randomised trial evaluation
in Europe of a comprehensive whole-school programme for
children aged 4-11 years that covers all types of abusive behaviours and bullying.
The trial was conducted in 64 primary schools in Northern Ireland, collecting data
from 3,551 children, 6,385 parents and 485 teachers between June 2016 and
2018.
A summary and a full report of the results of the randomised trial are attached and
are available at the following link https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/researchresources/2021/keeping-safe-cluster-randomised-trial-evaluation
There are 3 reports from the process evaluation: one with children's views and
experience of being taught the programme, one with the views and experience of
staff in special schools and another with the views and response of staff, parents
and carers in mainstream schools. These are available on
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2021/keeping-safe-processevaluation-views-experiences-children-parents-and-schools
Research Makes a Real Difference to young people's lives. Social Work
Research in practice - MOVE Forward
Update from Simon Darby - Outcomes from his Research Project at Ulster University as part of the
Research Methods programme
My research project Fitness4survivors back in 2017 became part of our charity's core services to
young people with cancer in NI due to the impact it had on young people. We have been going
from strength to strength and wanted to continue to share how research is making a difference on
the ground:
We now have 5 coaches who have a lived experience of cancer running our classes.
We have just piloted an 8 week exercise programme with 11-14 year olds from the Royal
Belfast Hospital for Sick Children which has shown significant improvements in fitness as well as
resilience.
We just secured 2 years funding from DoH/Communities Foundation NI to expand the programme
into 5 new gyms in NI as well as hire a clinical psychologist and research assistant to
appraise the evidence base and make the programme more trauma informed and evidence
based as we continue to support more and more families impacted by cancer.
What started as an idea way back in Jordanstown, shaped by all your guidance is now improving
the lives of so many people in Northern Ireland and as I reflect on where the programme has
come from, I am reminded that the R.E.M and E.I.P.O's goal was always to inform social work
practice for the betterment of the people we support.
So well done to the Research Methods Programme because our programme wouldn't be where it
is now without it and the support of management, tutors and practice assessors.
Simon Darby (Social Work Leader) Young Lives vs Cancer (CLIC Sargent)