1. Infrastructure – Outreach - Embed
Tusla National Research Tusla National Research Office Research Seminar March 24th 2017 Research Seminar March 24th 2017
Building Research Empowerment in Tusla Child and Family Agency
Infrastructure – Outreach - Embed

2. What is Research Empowerment?
The personal and collective capability and responsibility of all Tusla staff to ask basic research questions as an established component of their professional practice. All Tusla staff working within and contributing to such a culture see research as an activity which empowers themselves, empowers their colleagues and empowers all those they practice with leading to a cycle of reflection and knowledge creation.

3. Infrastructure
Establishment of the National Research Office within the Policy and Strategy Directorate
Underpinned by the Child and Family Act 2013
Tusla’s Research Strategy
Establishment of Tusla’s Research Ethics Committee
Establishment of Tusla’s Research Advisory Group
Establishment of Tusla’s Research Policy Working Group
Establishment of Tusla’s Electronic Research Centre

4. Outreach Research Promotion Research and Information Mentor Strategy
Research skills training
Research Needs Analysis
Research commissioning
Research resources

5. Embed Research metrics
Demonstration of Tusla staff being empowered in their practice
Dissemination of research findings into Tusla policy and practice
Understanding of research, information, data and evidence

6. Take aways
Tusla’s Research Strategy is being implemented, with few actions outstanding. It has laid the foundations for on-going learning opportunities.
The Research Office is building capacity and seeks to promote research activity both internal and external to the Agency on themes of relevance.
Research empowerment is central to Tusla’s commitment to become a learning organisation.
Good, quality research is key to supporting and adding value to Tusla’s Transformation Programme goals.
Research collaboration is key to creating evidence-informed service delivery.  The Office will continue to develop the appropriate communication structures to encourage collaborative research behaviour.
Tusla’s research needs have been aligned to Tusla’s corporate objectives.  This will inform Tusla’s research programmes into the future and guide students’ academic research activity.
Looking to the future, the Research Strategy will be renewed in line with Tusla’s Corporate Plan We will continue to seek out opportunities for collaboration with our research partners.

7. Contacts
Marian Brattman Interim National Manager for Research
Bernard Barrett National Research & Information Specialist
Angela Feeney National Research Officer
 Nerilee Ceatha
Social Work Team Leader
National Research Office