Connecting with Practice in the Changing Landscape of Family Support Training

Abstract

In order to effectively meet the needs of families, this paper argues that there is a need for people working in the arena of family support to incorporate theory and research into their practice and to engage in a process of reflective practice. An inter-disciplinary cyclical model of training for experienced family support practitioners is described, which involves identification and implementation of a practice task and subsequent reflection on the task one year later. The value of the model lies in the fact that it connects theory to practice in “real world” contexts, allows busy practitioners the time and space to reflect, facilitates the practitioners' agency to engage in service development, and, most importantly, supports services to examine how they can best meet the needs of children and families.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pat Dolan

Pat Dolan is Course Director of the Higher Diploma/Masters Degree in Family Support Studies at the Department of Political Science and Sociology National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway and Joint Manager of the HSE/NUI, Galway Child and Family Research and Policy Unit. John Canavan is a module contributor to the Higher Diploma/Masters Degree in Family Support Studies at the Department of Political Science and Sociology NUI, Galway and Joint Manager of the HSE/NUI, Galway Child and Family Research and Policy Unit. Bernadine Brady is a module contributor to the Higher Diploma/Masters Degree in Family Support Studies at the Department of Political Science and Sociology NUI, Galway and Researcher with the HSE/NUI, Galway Child and Family Research and Policy Unit