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Project changes

The project has gone through some changes since the last blog and we are delighted to be back.

The Care Pathways and Outcomes Study has moved institutions as Dr Dominic McSherry, the Principal Investigator, moved to the School of Psychology at Ulster University to take up a position as Reader in Psychology.

Change Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

Project Staff

Staff on the project have also changed, the esteemed Dr Montserrat Fargas has moved on from the study and is replaced by myself, Dr Grainne McAnee. We would like to thank Dr Fargas for the immense contributions she has made to the project and wish her well in all her future projects.

Of course, like everyone else we have had the pandemic to navigate with all the challenges it has brought for all of us. The project funding from ESRC has been extended until December 2022 due to the effects of the pandemic.

Stay Safe Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Current phase

We are currently in Phase 4 of the study in which we have been speaking to the young people and/or their parents/carers.

The young people are now aged between 18-25 years old so are now transitioning through the late teens and into young adulthood with all the new challenges and issues that transition can bring.

How to adult Photo by Jamie O’Sullivan on Unsplash

The power of longitudinal data

In this latest phase of the project as the project enters an impressive twenty plus years of collecting data, we are particularly interested in harnessing the longitudinal power of the Care Pathways and Outcomes Study.

To this end we are working on a paper which we are very excited about.

The first of many which aim to utilise this powerful aspect of the study. It will be part of a special edition of the Child Abuse & Neglect journal which is focused on the relationship between adoption and trauma.

20 Years Photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash

Upcoming paper alert!

We are using data from the first three phases of our study as the basis for our paper.

The paper is currently under review and we will do a blog directly related to the paper when it has been published.

We don’t want to give anyway any spoilers just yet! In a planned follow up paper we will then look to include the transition for the young people into adulthood from the perspective of this relationship between adoption and trauma.

Lots to look forward to, so thank you for visiting and keep an eye for updates.