Evaluation of the parental advocacy and information service

Powell, Shane, Evans, Lilly, Preter, Emilia and Diaz, Clive ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5681-9056 2025. Evaluation of the parental advocacy and information service. [Online]. Barnardos Ireland. Available at: https://www.barnardos.ie/learning-development/rese... Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This evaluation examines the Parental Advocacy and Information Service (PAIS) delivered by Barnardos, a pilot initiative established in 2022 to support parents navigating child care proceedings across three Irish locations: Dublin North City, Waterford, and Wexford. The PAIS provides professional advocacy grounded in trauma-informed and rights-based principles to amplify parents' voices in decision-making about their children's welfare. A realist-informed mixed-methods evaluation was conducted between June 2022 and October 2024, incorporating service delivery statistics, 28 semi-structured interviews, surveys (n=37), and seven case studies. The evaluation explored PAIS's key components, mechanisms of impact, and effects on parents' and professionals' experiences. Findings demonstrate significant positive impact. Between January and October 2024, PAIS worked with 93 parents, conducted 1,226 support sessions, and attended 195 court hearings. Parents consistently reported increased confidence, knowledge, and meaningful participation in child protection processes. Professionals unanimously endorsed the service (100% rating advocates as extremely/very helpful), noting improved communication and more collaborative relationships. The evaluation developed a logic model capturing PAIS's core mechanisms: trust-building, knowledge transfer, system navigation support, and facilitation of constructive parent-professional interactions. However, challenges remain including resource constraints, waiting lists, and systemic barriers to participation. Seven recommendations emerged: sustaining and expanding the service nationally; maintaining operational independence; providing comprehensive advocate training; establishing transparent referral pathways; fostering strategic collaboration; addressing systemic barriers; and conducting further longitudinal research. This evaluation provides compelling evidence of PAIS's transformative potential in promoting participatory, rights-based child protection practice, while highlighting the need for wider systemic change to fully realise benefits for vulnerable families in Ireland.

Item Type:	Website Content
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education) Schools > Psychology Research Institutes & Centres > Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) Research Institutes & Centres > Centre for Trials Research (CNTRR)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Parental advocacy Child protection Child care proceedings Child welfare Parent participation Rights-based practice Trauma-informed practice Family advocacy Social work Ireland Barnardos PAIS Empowerment Decision-making Vulnerable families Realist evaluation
Publisher:	Barnardos Ireland
Funders:	Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (under service level agreement with Barnardos Ireland, with contract oversight delegated to the Children's Rights Alliance).
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 November 2025
Last Modified:	18 Nov 2025 11:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182425

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