29 November 2021
The ACJRD are delighted to present the upcoming webinar “The Garda Síochána and Child Mental Health: An investigation of pathways to crisis mental health care’.
The resident Carmichael organisation are working on this seminar with the Policing Authority, will take place online from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm on Wednesday, 1st December, 2021.
The seminar will be chaired by Helen Hall, CEO of the Policing Authority. Meanwhile, Dr. Louise Rooney from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the UCD School of Medicine, will present on the recent Policing Authority publication ‘The Garda Síochána and Child Mental Health: An investigation of pathways to crisis mental health care’.
Indeed, Dr. Rooney co-authored the recent policing report, along with Professor Fiona Mc’Nicholas, the Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in UCD, and Dr Deirdre Healy, from the UCD Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Sutherland School of Law.
This small scale qualitative study examines the current care pathways of children experiencing a crisis mental health event, from first contact with the Garda Síochána through to mental health assessment and care.
The research identifies the opportunities and challenges associated with the pathways to child and adolescent psychiatric care via the criminal justice system from the perspective of Garda members, medical staff and social workers.
Helen Hall is the inaugural Chief Executive of the Policing Authority, which was established in January 2016 to oversee the performance of the Garda Síochána in delivering policing services. She has over 30 years of experience in oversight and audit roles including with the UN and the World Bank in Malawi, as a partner with Deloitte Southern Africa, and with the UN World Food Programme in Rome.
Dr Louise Rooney is a mixed-methods researcher with experience in conducting evidence-based research in both the criminal justice and health sector. She currently works as a research coordinator at Jigsaw: The National Centre for Youth Mental Health.
The Principal Investigator, Prof Fiona Mc Nicholas, is Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in University College Dublin and Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist in Lucena CAMHS and CHI Crumlin. She is a seasoned clinician and researcher with a track record of successful grant applications and publications nationally and internationally.
She is passionate about ensuring equitable access to evidence based treatment and support for children and families with mental health difficulties. Over the years, she has worked with many support organisations, teachers, HSE and advocated for improved resources and dissemination of knowledge.
Dr Deirdre Healy is Director of the UCD Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Associate Professor at the Sutherland School of Law. Deirdre’s teaching and research interests include desistance from crime, community sanctions, criminological theory, and victimisation. She has published extensively in international and Irish journals, contributed book chapters to edited volumes, and authored a series of books.
As ever for ACJRD seminars, they are free for members, and €5 for non-members. Also worth noting that as usual the Chatham House Rules will be in effect for this seminar, in order to guarantee necessary privacy. For more information on the Chatham House Rules see here.
The ACJRD, a Carmichael resident organisation, are an organisation which seeks to promote reform, development and effective operation of the criminal justice system.
You can keep up to date with all news from ACJRD on their website here. Also, they’re on social media too; find their Twitter here, and LinkedIn here.
