We have a strong emphasis on documenting, monitoring, researching and evaluating our service design, activities and programmes to inform best practice and policy. We have a Research Advisory Group that provides advice and guidance on research at Let’s Grow Together. Team members and researchers from UCC are in the Group.
We encourage and support researchers to partner with us to conduct research. View our Researcher Roles & Responsibilities document to learn more about our research process. Contact our Information & Reporting Officer (Jessie at jessie@letsgrowtogether.ie or 086 031 6109) to learn more or to discuss a research project.
Research Partners
Dr. Shirley Martin
Senior Lecturer at the School of Applied Social Studies UCC
Dr. Martin's main research interest is in the well-being of children and the focus of her research relates to key areas in children's' lives such as early years care and education, educational disadvantage and partnership with parents in educational settings. She has conducted a number of research projects in the area of child and youth participation and developed a number of youth-led research projects.
Dr. Ciara O'Toole
Senior Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences UCC
Dr. O'Toole is a speech and language therapist and her research areas include early language development in bilingual and clinical populations. She is interested in the impact that interventions have on the outcomes for children and their families and how to improve the evidence base for communication interventions.
Dr. Margaret Curtin
Senior Lecturer on the Integrated Children's and General Nursing programme in the School of Nursing and Midwifery UCC
Dr. Curtin's research interests include early childhood development; childhood poverty and health; community-based approaches to addressing child health inequalities; integrated child health care and child public health
Publications & Conference Presentations
Kidscope Paediatric Clinic
Buckley L, Gibson L, Harford K, Cornally N, Curtin M (2024) Examining the implementation of a community paediatric clinic in a socially disadvantaged Irish community: A retrospective process evaluation. PLoS ONE 19(2): e0295521. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295521
Buckley et al. 2024 Examining the implementation of a community paediatric clinic
Buckley L, Gibson L, Harford K, Cornally N, Curtin M. Parent perspectives of engaging with a community paediatric clinic with linked child development supports in a disadvantaged area of Ireland. Journal of Child Health Care. 2023;0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/13674935231210947
Buckley et al. 2023_Parent perspectives of engaging with a community paediatric clinic
Buckley L, Gibson L, Harford K, Cornally N, Curtin M. Sustainable Development Goals in Ireland: How Public Health Nurses Are Contributing Through Engagement in an Interagency Community Pediatric Clinic. SAGE Open Nursing. 2023;9. doi:10.1177/23779608231207221
Buckley et al. 2023_PHN contribution to SDGs through the Kidscope Clinic
Buckley L, Gibson L, Harford K, Cornally N, Curtin M. Community paediatric clinics and their role in supporting developmental outcomes and services for children living in disadvantaged communities. Journal of Child Health Care. 2022;0(0). doi:10.1177/13674935221146008
Buckley, L., Gibson, L., Harford, K., Cornally, N., Curtin, M. (2022) The KidScope Study: An Analysis of a Community Paediatric Clinic Set in a Disadvantaged Area of Ireland. The Boolean 2022 | Volume 6 | DOI:10.33178/boolean.2022.1.19
The Kidscope Study – The Boolean – Buckley et al. 2022
Buckley, L., Curtin, M., Cornally, N., Harford, K., Gibson, L. (2022) Exploring Undergraduate Medical Student Experiences of Training Within a Community‑Based Paediatric Clinic. Medical Science Educator 2022. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-022-01699-3
Medical student training in the community_Buckley et al. 2022
Buckley L, Gibson L, Cornally N, Harford K, Curtin M. (2021) The impact of community based paediatric clinics on the developmental outcomes of children living in disadvantaged communities: A Systematic Review Protocol. PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021243889 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021243889
Buckley L (2022) Public Health Nurse involvement in a multi-stakeholder community paediatric clinic meeting UN SDGs in Ireland. Sigma 6 Biennial European Regional Conference June 2022. Sigma Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/10755/22698
Public Health Nurses meeting Sustainable Development Goals Presentation
[ABSTRACT] Buckley L (2022) Public Health Nurse involvement in a multi-stakeholder community paediatric clinic meeting UN SDGs in Ireland. Sigma 6 Biennial European Regional Conference June 2022. Sigma Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/10755/22698
Buckley L, Gibson L, Cornally N, Harford K, Curtin M. (2022) The impact of community paediatric clinics on the developmental outcomes of children living in disadvantage.
Buckley L, Gibson L, Cornally N, Harford K, Curtin M. The impact of community-based paediatric clinics on the developmental outcomes of children living in disadvantaged communities. Poster presentation at ‘Take Heart’, Zero to Three Annual Conference, Oct 25-29 2021.
Buckley L, Curtin M, Harford K, Cornally N, Gibson L. (2022) Learning in the community: Medical student’s experiences of training within a community paediatric clinic set in a low income neighbourhood. Poster presentation, UCC Future Medicines Conference: From Molecules to People, 22 Sept 2022
Early Years
(Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2019)
Martin, S. (2019)
Martin S, Harford K, Buckley L. (2021) Child and adult perspectives on implementing a quality improvement strategy in ECEC settings. An Leanbh Óg, Vol 14, 2021.
Buckley, L., Martin, S., Curtin, M. (2020) A multidisciplinary community level approach to improving quality in early years’ settings
Martin, S. & Buckley, L. (2019). Including children’s voices in a multiple stakeholder study on a community-wide approach to improving quality in early years setting. Early Child Development and Care.
https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2018.1538135
Russell, J., Martin, S., Buckley, L., 2018,
‘Including Children’s Voices in a Multiple Stakeholder Study on a Community Wide Approach to Improving Quality in Early Years Settings’, presented by Russell, J and Martin, S. 28th EECERA Conference, Budapest, Hungary 28th August – 31st August 2018
Curtin, M., Buckley, L. (2019). Translating the science of early childhood development into practice to support vulnerable families and children in a low-income Irish community
https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/104/Suppl_3/A206.2.full.pdf
9th Europaediatric Conference, Dublin, June 2019. Curtin, C., Buckley, L. (2019).
‘Addressing Quality in Childcare: A Case Study of A Community Wide Approach to Improve Outcomes for Children in a Disadvantaged Area’, presented by Russell, J. Early Childhood Education Beyond the Crisis: 27th Annual European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Conference, Bologna, Italy 29th August to 2nd September 2017
Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health
Presented by C. Maguire, 16th World Association of Infant Mental Health World Congress, Rome, May, 2018.
Maguire, C., Curtin, M., Buckley, L., Harford, K. (2018). An Infant Mental Health Interdisciplinary Training and Coaching Programme in an Irish Community Area Based Prevention and Early Intervention Programme.
Curtin, M., Maguire, C., Buckley, L., Harford, K. 2018. 16th WAIMH World Congress: New Challenges for a 3rd millenium Infant Mental Health, Rome, Italy 26th to 30th May 2018
‘Implementing a Standardised Model of Infant Mental Health Visiting in a Low-Income Irish Community’, presented by Curtin, M.
Walsh, G., Buckley, L., Martin, S., Harford, K., Looney, E., Let’s Grow Together Team (2023) Building Early Childhood Practitioner’ Capacity in Infant Mental Health, WAIMH World Congress, Dublin, Ireland
Martin, S. (2021) Supporting Relationships: Implementing Infant Mental Health training and capacity building for Early Years Practitioners
Martin, S., O’Hara, L., Curtin, M., Dennehy, J. & Let’s Grow Together Infant Mental Health and Well-being Team (2022) Infant Mental Health Training for Early Years Practitioners, Childhood Education, 98:3, 34-41, DOI: 10.1080/00094056.2022.2083389
Infant Mental Health Training for Early Years_Martin et al 2022
Dr Shirley Martin, Aoife Lynch, Eibhlin Looney and Lynn Buckley. School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork. August 2024. Evaluating the effectiveness of an Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health training programme on Early Years Practitioners’ skills and practice.
Presentation on IMH Evaluation and Monitoring UNESCO Conference June 2024
Speech & Language Therapy
Walsh, G., O’Sullivan, S., Maguire, C., Harford, K., Buckley, L., Curtin, M., 16th WAIMH World Congress: New Challenges for a 3rd millenium Infant Mental Health, Rome, Italy 26th to 30th May 2018
‘Babbling Babies: Moving from an Impairment Model towards Promotion and Prevention in the Pre-Birth to 3 Year Period of Development for Speech and Language Therapists in Ireland’, presented by Walsh, G
Walsh, G. and O’Sullivan, S (2021). A Population Level Study of the Language Profiles of Irish Children in Junior Infants in a Low Socio-Economic Area. “Celebrating our Profession: A Changing World of SLT”, Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists (IASLT) Biennial Conference 8th and 9th September 2021
The title of the poster presentation was “A Population Level Study of the Language Profiles of Irish Children in Junior Infants in a Low Socio-Economic Area” and it was authored by Grace Walsh, Sally O’Sullivan & Katherine Harford (Let’s Grow Together! Infant and Childhood Partnerships CLG) Emma Hallahan, Dr. Margaret Curtin & Dr. Ciara O’Toole (UCC). The poster shared results of speech and language assessments carried out with children in Junior Infant between 2016-2019. The results suggest that Irish children living in a low socio-economic area are at an increased risk of experiencing language difficulties at school entry than those in higher socio-economic areas and support the need for prevention and promotion services embedded within communities to support speech, language, literacy and communication development as early as possible.
COVID-19
COVID-19
The emergence of COVID-19 and the associated measures introduced to curb the spread of the virus had a significant impact on the lives of people in Ireland and across the world. While rates of serious illness in children and young people have been low, their lives have been significantly affected by restrictions imposed on society due to COVID-19.
Curtin, M., O’Shea, M and Hayes, C. (2021) Growing up during lockdown: The impact of Covid-19 on the children and families involved in Let’s Grow Together! Infant & Childhood Partnerships
Buckley, L. & Harford, K. (2022) Being creative, being responsive: Let’s Grow Together continue to provide high-quality prevention and early intervention services during Covid-19. Child in the City Conference, Dublin 2022.
Let's Grow Together
Buckley, L. (2021) The Many Voices of Let’s Grow Together! Informing the Let’s Grow Together! Infant & Childhood Partnerships CLG Strategic Plan 2021-25
Young Knocknaheeny
(Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2016)
Young Knocknaheeny, (2016).
Preparing for a Whole Community Prevention and Early Intervention Programme 2011-2015
(Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2016)
Young Knocknaheeny, (2016).
Buckley, L. and Curtin, M. 2018,
‘Learning Together Young Knocknaheeny Process Evaluation 2015 to 2017’, presented by Curtin, M
(Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2018)
Buckley, L. & Curtin, M. (2018).
(Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2016)
Young Knocknaheeny, (2016).
Other Research
, , & (2024). “You Go in Heavy and You Come Out Light”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Reflective Practice Experiences in an Irish Infant Mental Health Setting. Infant Mental Health Journal, 45, 411–437
Infant Mental Health in Ireland: Early Relationships Matter, 25 April 2024
Young Knocknaheeny ABC Programme: Cork, 2019. Born and Raised into Homelessness, Overcrowding and Substandard Housing: Experiences of Families Engaged with the Young Knocknaheeny Home Visiting Programme.
Archives of Disease in Childhood, 104:3. A1-A428. Buckley, L., Gibson, L., Curtin, M., Walsh, G., Maguire, C., Harford, K. (2019). Enhancing services for vulnerable children and families through Public Health Nurse participation in a workforce capacity building initiative and interagency and partnership in a low-income Irish community.
https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/104/Suppl_3/A65.1.full.pdf
9th Europaediatric Conference, Dublin, June 2019
Buckley, L., Gibson, L., Curtin, M., Walsh, G., Maguire, C., Harford, K. (2019).
Buckley L, Walsh G, Maguire C, Gibson L, Curtin M. (2019) Enhancing services for vulnerable children and families through Public Health Nurses participation in a workforce capacity building initiative and interagency partnerships in a low-income Irish community. Poster presentation at Europaediatrics Annual Conference Dublin 2019.
Curtin, M., Donald, B., Buckley, L., Harford, K. 2017. Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health Annual Conference, International Convention Centre Birmingham, UK 24th May to 26th May 2017.
‘Using a child-focused community profile as a catalyst for a multi-disciplinary child health partnership in a low-income Irish community’, presented by Curtin, M.
University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland has been a European leader in embedding civic and community engagement in it’s practices and policies. As part of the University’s strategic plan, the Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) has embarked on an ambitious plan to embed community engaged learning in programmes and modules across the University’s four colleges. One ongoing initiative is the DD-CEL project (Developing and Documenting Community Engaged Learning in UCC) whereby Ruth Hally (CIRTL) is working with 4 lecturers (representing the 4 colleges), their student partner, and their community partner to adapt existing modules to include a CEL design. This project also serves highlight best practice Education for Sustainable Development occurring in UCC.
Sharon Lambert (lecturer) and her student partner, Kelly Buckley (currently a 2nd year student), joined the DD-CEL project team and partnered with community-based organisation Let’s Grow Together.
In partnering with Katherine (Let’s Grow Together), Sharon wanted to adapt her module (AP2045 Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence) so that students could learn directly from the community and as a result develop their empathy and compassion. Sharon wanted to address what she identified as a perceived gap in the AP undergraduate degree, that is, the opportunity to hear from individuals/organisations situated in the community with valuable knowledge and expertise and subsequently for their professional practice to be shaped by this.
Sharon wanted her students gain insights from Let’s Grow Together’s multi-disciplinary team and to produce outputs that could be of direct use to the community in the North side of Cork city. In consultation with her student partner, Kelly, Sharon amended the module to embed inputs from LGT key personnel. She also altered the assessment and asked students to reflect on what they’ve learned from the community collaboration by creating posters that communicated key psychological theories related to childhood development. Students of the module were also invited to carry out this assessment in their native tongue. These posters were displayed in public buildings, schools, medical practices etc. The module adaptation also included the inclusion of a reflective essay which students found challenging but rewarding. Students had little to no experience of reflective writing prior to this module but quickly saw that value in reflective writing skills for their future careers.
