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Brokering knowledge in a policy world

This presentation explores the role of evidence in policy-making and the challenges of turning research into knowledge. It highlights the responsibilities of the Department of Health and Children in supporting evidence-based decision making. The presentation also introduces the Growing Up in Ireland research program and the State of the Nation's Children reports as valuable sources of evidence.

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Brokering knowledge in a policy world

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  1. Brokering knowledge in a policy world Sinéad Hanafin PhD Head of Research Department of Health and Children HSE 11th February 2011

  2. Presentation Policy context What counts as evidence ? What makes for good research evidence? What works in a policy environment or, how does research become knowledge?

  3. Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Responsibility for harmonising policy issues that affect children in: • early childhood care and education, • youth justice, • child welfare and protection, • children and young people's participation, • research on children and young people • Youth affairs; and • cross-cutting initiatives for children

  4. Role of Department of Health and Children • To support the Minister and the Government by: • advising on the strategic development of the health system including policy and legislation; • supporting their parliamentary, statutory and international functions; • evaluating the performance of the health and social services; and • working with other sectors to enhance people’s health and well-being.

  5. What is evidence The Oxford dictionary defines evidence as: “The available facts, circumstances etc. supporting or otherwise a belief, proposition etc. or indicating whether or not a thing is true or valid”

  6. Shaxton (2003)

  7. Things that don’t help • The issue is problelmatised, or a whole new range of issues identified, but solutions are not offered • There are as many views as there are experts – conflicting results • Solutions proposed cost excessive amounts of money or are simply not implementable • The Study concludes that in order to reach a definitive position, even more research is needed.

  8. What are policy relevant questions • Why is this issue important? • Why does the Government / HSE need to do something? • What will happen if you don’t do anything? • If you change what is being done now what are the ramifications? • Will there be unintended collateral damage?

  9. Things that do help • Generation of appropriate, relevant material – asking the right question • Raise awareness about the availability of material • Support access to material • Build capacity across all areas • Make material more accessible • Support the integration of evidence into people’s day to day work

  10. Generate appropriate material • Children’s research programme which includes: • Growing up in Ireland • 2004 programme of research • 2006 programme of research • 2010 programme with IRCHSS

  11. Growing up in Ireland www.growingup.ie Largest study ever undertaken in Ireland on children Longitudinal design Approx 11,000 infants and 8,500 nine year old children Quantitative and qualitative data Driven by policy

  12. Health measures • Child’s Health • Child’s Use of Health Services • Child’s Diet and Exercise • Caregiver health and lifestyle • Child’s Activities • Child’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing

  13. Some Policy Areas Emerging • Level of alcohol use among pregnant women: 20% of mothers had consumed alcohol at some stage in the pregnancy and was highest for mothers with degree-level education (26%). • 10% of mothers reported that when they became pregnant they had no intention of ever becoming pregnant • 11% children aged nine year reported having a chronic illness – respiratory illnesses the most common

  14. Reports and data • Reports available from: www.growingup.ie • Quantitative Data available from: http ://www.ucd.ie/issda/ • Qualitative data will be available from: www.iqda.ie/

  15. Raise awareness about the availability of data State of the Nation’s Children Reports • Based on a national set of child wellbeing indicators • Draws on data from 22 different sources • Reports published in 2006, 2008, 2010

  16. Headline findings in 2010 Report • There has been a decrease in the number of children who have died or have been hospitalised due to accidents and poisoning • The percentage of mothers who breastfeed their infant on discharge from hospital has been slowly increasing over the last decade and is now just over 50%. • In 2008, 16% of children aged 7 years were overweight and a further 7% were obese.

  17. Assist personnel in understanding key messages from research Capacity building in research skills Better use of research evidence Library & awareness services Assist integration of research into daily work Components of Knowledge Brookering Approach

  18. Library and awareness services Online Resources Reading Room TCD Library 1,000s of full-text papers Free evidence resources Unit developed guides Physical presence Hard copies of key journals Unit guides and assistance Corporate membership Extensive library Best use of resources Awareness Service: EOLAS, Updates Newsletter

  19. Assisting personnel in understanding key messages from research • Development of research briefing notes • Issue guidance on ‘Good practice guides on research commissioning and governance’ • Development of tailored resources • e.g. monitoring indicators, evaluation with PEU • Provide Research Reviews/Synthesis ofexisting research material on key issues for DoHC. This is being provided with the assistance of the Evidence Centre HRB

  20. Building capacity in identifying and using research evidence Short modules across the topics of: • identifying and accessing research resources • getting key messages from research evidence • Seminars planned: • Tips for searching Google and Google scholar • PubMed, finding medical/life science research • Good practice for research commissioning and governance

  21. Assisting the integration of research into the daily work of personnel Provide technical assistance upon request • information retrieval advice and assistance • commissioning/governance of research/evaluations • on-request research input and perspective to policy units in the Department and its agencies • online consultation

  22. CEIST Lead out on the development of an enhanced analytic approach in a selected area • Focus on a range of evidence and methods • Involves a Unit with policy responsibility working very closely on a selected project with input around Performance Evaluation, Statistics, Research, Finance and Evidence Centre, Health Research Board.

  23. Research Division Department of Health and Children Tel: 01 - 6743213 Email: research@health.gov.ie

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