UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre

02/03/2026

📣 Speaker Announcement

We are delighted to announce Professor Cath Larkins as a keynote speaker at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, 12th Biennial International Conference, University of Galway.

Cath Larkins is Professor of Childhood Studies at the University of Lancashire, Co Director of The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation and Co-Director of the Social Care Rapid Evaluation Team SOCRATES. Working primarily in Europe, she conducts co-research, with children and young people facing marginalisation and their communities, which is focused on challenging discrimination. Her scholarship develops theories for understanding participation, agency and citizenship, and methodologies for pursuing children and young people's impact in public decision-making and improving policy and practice.

We look forward to welcoming Professor Larkins to University of Galway for what promises to be an engaging and insightful keynote.

🔗For regular updates and registration visit the conference website 👉https://lnkd.in/dajm7BNr

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26/02/2026

Shifting Power: New Frontiers in Youth Participation |📣 Call for Abstracts

⏰ Final days to submit — don’t miss the abstract deadline on March 6th at 5:00pm!

We encourage submissions from the practice, policy, research and academic communities in relation to the conference themes:

🔹Adultism, power imbalances and resistance to youth participation.
🔹Barriers to participation (incl. structural, cultural, language and other challenges).
🔹Benefits and impact of meaningful youth participation.
🔹Ethical issues (incl. the risk of harm).
🔹The role of adult allies.
🔹Equity (incl. knowledge equity), access and inclusion.
🔹Proven methodologies and approaches to measuring youth participation.

Submit your abstract 👉 https://universityofgalwayunesco.clr.events/event/139307

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University of Galway

04/02/2026

📣 Speaker Announcement

We are pleased to announce Raphael Denis as a keynote speaker at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, 12th Biennial International Conference, University of Galway.

Raphael will deliver a keynote titled “Beyond Participation: Shifting Power by Positioning Young People as Co-Researchers and Co-Producers of Knowledge”

Raphael is a Tanzanian youth participation practitioner and Research Associate at Citizens for Change, where he contributes to youth-led and emancipatory research on child wellbeing and youth empowerment. He is currently pursuing an MSc in Social Development Practice at UCL’s Bartlett Development Planning Unit and serves as a UNICEF Youth Advocate and member of EU Youth Sounding Board.

We look forward to welcoming Raphael to University of Galway for what promises to be an inspiring and engaging keynote.

🔗For regular updates and registration visit the conference website 👉https://lnkd.in/dajm7BNr

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28/01/2026

📣 Speaker Announcement

We are delighted to announce Professor Laura Lundy as a keynote speaker at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, 12th Biennial International Conference, University of Galway.

Professor Lundy will deliver a keynote titled “Child and Youth Participation: What difference does it make and why does it matter?”

Laura Lundy is Honorary Professor of Education Law and Children’s Rights at Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Professor of Law at University College Cork and a barrister at law. She was Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Children’s Rights from 2018-2025. Her expertise is in law and human rights with a particular focus on children’s right to participate in decision-making and education rights. Her 2007 paper in the British Educational Research Journal, “’Voice’ is not enough” is one of the most highly cited academic papers on children’s rights. The model of children’s participation it proposes (based on four key concepts - Space, Voice, Audience and Influence) is used extensively in scholarship and practice. The “Lundy model” has been adopted by numerous national governments, including Ireland it its national strategy and framework on child and youth participation, as well as international organisations including the European Commission, Council of Europe, and UNICEF.

We look forward to welcoming Professor Lundy to University of Galway for what promises to be an inspiring and thought-provoking keynote.

🔗For regular updates and registration visit the conference website 👉https://lnkd.in/dajm7BNr

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07/01/2026

Shifting Power: New Frontiers in Youth Participation

📣 Call for Abstracts | Submission Deadline: March 6th, 2026 (5pm)

📝 Proposals are now welcome from delegates to present their work at the conference parallel sessions in presentation, poster or an interactive workshop format. Abstracts are invited from the practice, policy, research and academic communities in relation to the conference themes:

🔹Adultism, power imbalances and resistance to youth participation.

🔹Barriers to participation (incl. structural, cultural, language and other challenges).

🔹Benefits and impact of meaningful youth participation.

🔹Ethical issues (incl. the risk of harm).

🔹The role of adult allies.

🔹Equity (incl. knowledge equity), access and inclusion.

🔹Proven methodologies and approaches to measuring youth participation.

The active participation of young people in presenting your work is encouraged, where appropriate. Although we are calling for contributions under these sub-themes, other relevant topics are welcome, but all submissions must reflect the overarching theme of the conference. Abstracts must be submitted by March 6th, 2026, and will only be accepted if completed using the template provided 👉 https://universityofgalwayunesco.clr.events/attachment/695d12f9b30ae778267178. Further details on presentation types and the time allocated can be found on the submission template.

📄 Abstracts will undergo a peer-reviewed process with successful applicants notified by April 1st, 2026. Please note that all presenters are required to register for their attendance at the conference.

Submit your abstract 👉 https://universityofgalwayunesco.clr.events/event/139308

For regular updates and registration visit the conference website 👉https://universityofgalwayunesco.clr.events/event/139307

📅 Important Dates:

🔹Deadline Abstract Submission: March 6th, 2026, at 5pm

🔹Notification of Abstract Acceptance: April 1st, 2026

🔹End of registration at a reduced fee: April 30th, 2026

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University of Galway

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21/08/2025

Did you complete the Diploma in Foundation Studies Access Programme at the University of Galway (formerly NUIG) between 1999 and 2025?

We are inviting past participants to take part in a research study exploring the social impact of the programme. The study aims to understand the long-term effects the programme may have had on participants’ lives, including education, employment, personal development, and community involvement.

The research is being carried out by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the University of Galway as part of the Access Centre’s Widening Access and Participation Project, funded by the Higher Education Authority.

If you would like to share your experience, please complete the form by 31 July 2025:
https://forms.office.com/e/bBpVqWkBv7

All participants will be entered into a draw to win one of twelve €50 One4All vouchers.

01/07/2025

Dr Brendan Dolan, UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, University of Galway, was invited to speak at the University Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) annual conference hosted at University of Surrey. Dr Dolan (PI) presented on a new Research Ireland-funded project exploring researcher–policymaker interactions in Ireland through the micro-level lens of the individual researcher. 🔍 The Engaged Research for Policy Impact (ERPI) study 2025–27 is funded through Research Ireland’s Science Policy Research Programme. 💡

🎤 Keynote speaker for the was the UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Dame Angela McLean, who spoke on the importance of knowledge mobilisers in research–policy engagement.

14/04/2025

Listen back 🔊 A new report by researchers at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, in partnership with Rethink Ireland, calls for a fundamental rethinking of how young people’s wellbeing can be understood and supported through education—mainstream and alternative—and youth mental health projects across Ireland.

Lead researcher Dr Cormac Forkan joined RTÉ Radio 1’s Drivetime to discuss the findings of the report. Play from 2.10.36 👉 https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/drivetime/2025/0409/1506786-drivetime-wednesday-9-april-2025/

03/09/2024

Professor Caroline McGregor has been appointed as the new Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) at University of Galway.

Professor McGregor is Director of Social Work at the University and a Senior Research Fellow at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre where she led a number of projects with colleagues on themes of state care, past and present; child protection and family support; and youth civic and political engagement. She has also worked as a SFI investigator within CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices on projects including impact orientation.

Professor McGregor takes up the role in September for a four-year period, and her appointment follows the retirement of Professor Pat Dolan, who held the position from 2013-2023.

The Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) is a specially designated multidisciplinary research institute in applied social sciences which aims to contribute scientific and practical awareness of human capacity and potential from infancy to older age and to advance the lives of people who face issues with older age, living with disability, and for children, youth and parents who are vulnerable in social and other contexts.

Congratulations to Caroline 👏

Read more here: https://ow.ly/UUfY50Te4F9

11/07/2024

UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, Biennial Conference 2024 🌟 , watch highlights video and keynote presentations 📽️ https://tinyurl.com/kacr4us5 from a very engaging 2 days 🗓️ University of Galway 📍 attended by 200 delegates 👥, from policy, practice, and academic backgrounds.

Highlights

28/06/2024