Enhancing understandings of involvement in risky behaviours amongst children receiving social care

It is widely accepted that children looked after have poorer educational and health outcomes than the general population. However, low numbers and the tendency to treat children looked after as a homogenous group is problematic not least because it overlooks differences based on individual needs and circumstances. To understand the reasons for these inequalities, a… Read More

Would you like to know more about what the CASCADE partnership does?

Our annual report provides a great introduction to our work.  In 2020 CASCADE was delighted to receive infrastructure funding to develop our partnership with the Centres for Trials Research and Human Developmental Science at Cardiff University and Swansea University’s Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Centre. The funding allowed us to develop new ideas for research projects,… Read More

Leaving a pupil referral unit: Exploring the transitions and post-16 destinations of care experienced young people across Wales

As a qualified youth and community worker, I’ve always had an interest in working with young people who struggle with formal education, and who are marginalised or under-represented in research. It is widely known that, on average, many children in care find education to be difficult. What is less well understood is what happens to… Read More

New report published examining the impact of a Checklist intervention

What question does this study focus on? Our study examined the impact of a checklist intervention on social workers’ forecasting abilities (how well they could predict the likelihood of different events and outcomes) and confirmation bias (the extent to which respondents sought information to confirm, rather challenge, their current view). You can see a copy of the… Read More

New reports exploring and reviewing practice in youth violence prevention

CASCADE are delighted to have been commissioned by the Wales Violence Prevention Unit to undertake two evidence reviews: a mapping of the risk factors and interventions for the prevention of youth violence and implementing co-production in public services. These reports outline evidence-based approaches and interventions for working with young people and the prevention of youth… Read More

Replacing Child Protection Conferences with Family Group Conferences

Over the past two decades in the UK and elsewhere, the importance of involving children, young people and parents in social work decision-making has been increasingly recognised. When enabled and supported to take part, children, young people and parents can play an essential role in the planning and delivery of services. Improved engagement and participation… Read More

Welcome to Dr Heather Taussig

Heather Taussig, a children’s social care researcher  from the United States, has joined CASCADE for a 4-month Fulbright fellowship. Dr. Taussig is a Professor at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Workand an adjunct professor at the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. Taussig plans to conduct research in collaboration with CASCADE researchers to develop… Read More

Best article award for CASCADE researcher

Dr Martin Elliott, Research Associate in CASCADE Research Centre has won a prestigious national award for best article in the British Journal of Social Work in 2020. The British Association of Social Work (BASW) Kay McDougall Prize is awarded for breadth of scholarship, sophistication of theory, rigour of research, relevance to practice and international appeal. Martin’s paper… Read More