Mike Devenney, Principal, University of the Highlands and Islands, Moray College. Critical Skills for Critical Times conference and workshop organised by Moray Collaborative Learning Network, held at Moray College, 17th March 2011.

Dr Tony Evans is a national member of the SPRING steering group. He is an Associate Professor in the School of Health and Social Studies at the University of Warwick. He previously taught at Southampton, York and Oxford Brookes. Before this he worked as a social worker in mental health, and subsequently in forensic social work in the health service. Before training as a social worker he worked in policy development, and community representation in social services and the health service. His research interests focus on: practice research and professional knowledge; discretion, policy and professional practice; and community care and mental health. Tony's interests in practice research focus on: discretion and the impact of service organisation, policy and procedures on professional practice; and ethics and professional practice and service user rights, particularly in mental health. Alongside his membership of SPRING he is also involved with the Managerialism and Social Services Interest Group based at the University of Warwick.

Robin Sen currently works as a Lecturer in Child and Family Social Work at Sheffield. Prior to that he was a Teaching Fellow at the University of Strathclyde for three and a half years. His practice background is as a children and families practitioner in Glasgow, where he had a particular focus on working with looked after and accommodated children. He is also a qualified Practice Teacher in social work. Dr Pam Green Lister is Course Director of the Masters in Social Work Course. She mainly teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students on qualifying social work courses, but is also involved in research teaching on other masters courses. Her main areas of teaching are social work theory and practice and child protection. Her research interests are in the fields of social work education and child protection. She is currently involved in an evaluation of the social work degree in England, funded by the Department of Health, having previously undertaken research funded by Social Policy and Social Work Higher Education Academy and the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Janice McGhee teaches areas include social work and the law, psychology and human development. Current research interests are related to child welfare policy and law, the Children's Hearings system and the impact of recent child protection legislation. She has substantial practice experience in a range of settings. These include a local authority social work centre, an emergency duty team providing an out-of-hours service and as a senior social worker in a London teaching hospital.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Presentation title: "The Scottish context: scale, scope and potential" Fiona Mitchell is co-ordinator for the Scottish Child Care and Protection Network (SCCPN). The Scottish Child Care and Protection Network is a collaborative network of academics and key stakeholders in child care and protection. The network fosters connections, collaboration and the coordination of activities that promote the use of research evidence in child care and protection practice in Scotland.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Phil Raines is the Head of the Child Protection Policy Team in the Scottish Government and is leading the work around the change and updating of the Scottish Child Protection guidelines. Over his seven years in the Scottish civil service and prior to his current role, he has also held posts in European Structural Funds and economic strategy implementation. His presentation title is: "the Scottish context: gaps in understanding what’s effective in meeting children’s needs for care and protection"

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Paul is presently seconded from Glasgow social work where he works as a researcher in the child protection team. His work in Glasgow involves research and evaluation projects contributing to the development of evidence based practice in a variety of child protection areas in the city - these have included the use of computer assisted interviewing for gathering the views of children; the use of the Graded Care Profile as an assessment of neglect and the interface between child protection and criminal justice and addictions services. Paul is presently involved in the development of policy and research initiatives in relation to child trafficking in Glasgow. He has also worked in a research capacity in a Community Justice Authority and various local authorities designing and managing youth and criminal justice practice evaluations. Prior to entering the world of research Paul was a social worker and senior in a criminal justice team in Edinburgh, including a short secondment to the Scottish Executive criminal justice policy development. His presentation title is: Current data collection and linkage in Glasgow Child Protection Committee area.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Presentation title: Making use of routine date: lessons learned from the Getting It Right For Every Child pathfinder evaluation.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. David is Head of Performance Improvement & Consultancy for Action for children. David holds the strategic lead for safeguarding and demonstrating impact within Action for Children. He has developed an impact strategy and led the organisation’s research partnership around neglect of children. David has extensive project management experience and qualifications in delivering strategic and operational input around a variety of children’s services issues across the UK. His presentation title is: Developing outcomes framework for monitoring and evaluation

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Rikke Iversholt is a member of IRISS Innovation & Improvement team, she contributes to the development of tools, training and interventions that supports and enables the sustainable transformation of social services in Scotland. Rikke leads on the programme’s data visualization project, for which the objective is to provide new ways for social services staff to understand and gain insights into data that enables them to make better decisions about their service provision.

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Graeme Laurie is Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Research Centre for Studies in Intellectual Property and Technology Law. His research interests include the role of law in promoting and regulating science, medicine and technology. He was the Chair of the permanent Ethics and Governance Council of UK Biobank from 2006-2010 and currently the Chair of the Privacy Advisory Committee in Scotland. His presentation title is: "Good governance in data sharing and data linkage for research and evaluation purposes"

The evaluation of everyday multi-professional intervention to safeguard and promote the well-being of vulnerable children is limited and restricts both operational planning and professional intervention. The core aim of this programme are to contribute to the development of a platform that will support better understanding of the routes from intervention to outcomes for vulnerable children through utilising administrative datasets and longitudinal research. Phil Anderson is the head of the Data Linkage Unit facilitates the development and analysis of data in order to support whole-of-government and whole-of-life approaches to policy. The Unit achieves this by investigating data linkage and analytical methods, by undertaking data linkage and analyses of linked data sets, and by providing leadership and assistance to analyses undertaken elsewhere within the AIHW in close collaboration with subject matter staff. His presentation title is: "Assessing the feasibility of linking datasets".

Dr Arash Toosheh PhD Researcher in Psychotraumatology at Glasgow School of Social Work. Arash obtained his qualification in 2010. He was supervised by Dr Pam Green Lister and professor Andy Kendrick. Arash is originally from Iran and brings a unique multi-cultural perspective to social work.

What lessons can be learned by the police and partner agencies? A presentation on the recommendations of child abuse inquiries in respect of the police force. Dr. Pam Green Lister, senior lecturer, University of Strathclyde.

Professor Fergus McNeill, Glasgow School of Social Work. Explores the implications for criminal justice social work of the recent report of the Independent Prisons Commission, 'Scotland's Choice'. Examines whether the idea of offenders paying back in the community represents a necessary and sufficient underpinning rationale for the use of community penalties and, more generally, for the future development of criminal justice social work. Glasgow School of Social Work Research Seminar Series: 22nd March 2011.

Anxiety and child protection - implications for practice. Janice McGhee, Senior Lecture and Lorraine Waterhouse, Professor, University of Edinburgh.

Longitudinal research seminar took place The Scottish Universities Insight Institute, Glasgow, on the 20th and 21st of April 2011. The intention was to identify the core constituents of a robust longitudinal design that would be fit for the evaluation of the efficacy of everyday professional intervention aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children. The intention was also to explore the type and range of data that is required to capture fundamental aspects of everyday multi-professional intervention and child well-being. On the basis of this we identify the most appropriate measures to capture intervention and child well-being and develop a robust analytical package for capturing outcomes over the short, medium and longer term. Welcome and introduction from the chair. Brigid Daniel, University of Stirling

Longitudinal research seminar took place The Scottish Universities Insight Institute, Glasgow, on the 20th and 21st of April 2011. The intention was to identify the core constituents of a robust longitudinal design that would be fit for the evaluation of the efficacy of everyday professional intervention aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children. The intention was also to explore the type and range of data that is required to capture fundamental aspects of everyday multi-professional intervention and child well-being. On the basis of this we identify the most appropriate measures to capture intervention and child well-being and develop a robust analytical package for capturing outcomes over the short, medium and longer term. Key issues for longitudinal research: a view from overseas, the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (CNLSCY). Stephanie Lalonde, Chief, CNLSCY

Longitudinal research seminar took place The Scottish Universities Insight Institute, Glasgow, on the 20th and 21st of April 2011. The intention was to identify the core constituents of a robust longitudinal design that would be fit for the evaluation of the efficacy of everyday professional intervention aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children. The intention was also to explore the type and range of data that is required to capture fundamental aspects of everyday multi-professional intervention and child well-being. On the basis of this we identify the most appropriate measures to capture intervention and child well-being and develop a robust analytical package for capturing outcomes over the short, medium and longer term. Glasgow Parenting Support Framework Evaluation: school readiness and longitudinal trajectories using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and linked health data. Lucy Thompson, Public Health Resource Unit, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Longitudinal research seminar took place The Scottish Universities Insight Institute, Glasgow, on the 20th and 21st of April 2011. The intention was to identify the core constituents of a robust longitudinal design that would be fit for the evaluation of the efficacy of everyday professional intervention aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children. The intention was also to explore the type and range of data that is required to capture fundamental aspects of everyday multi-professional intervention and child well-being. On the basis of this we identify the most appropriate measures to capture intervention and child well-being and develop a robust analytical package for capturing outcomes over the short, medium and longer term. Social work perspective: a longitudinal study of children at risk of significant harm. Marian Brandon, University of East Anglia