1. The Learning to Innovate with Families (LIFE) project will seek to develop new skills, competencies, training products and methodologies to enable social workers and related professionals to innovate and adopt more effective interventions in working with families experiencing multiple and complex difficulties. 2. The need for the project was identified through a major research study undertaken jointly by 2 of the partners, the R&D Centre Linkoping in Sweden and the NTNU, Trondheim Child Welfare Research and Innovation Centre which involved 900 families and concluded that despite interventions by a range of professionals, there was often little change in the situation of these families over time due to a lack of innovation skills at practice level and the need for a more holistic approach. The project has a strong partnership which also includes the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, the APCC, an NGO in Portugal specialising in disability issues, and the Municipality of Cervia in Emilia Romagna in Italy. 3. The objectives of the project are; (i) to undertake a Baseline Study/Needs Analysis to map the competency and skills needs required by social workers/other professionals involved in this work and develop a Competency Framework (ii) To develop a 'Knowledge Triangle' learning model which will use abductive learning to strengthen links between researchers, educators and practitioners working with vulnerable families (iii) To develop a transferable Innovation Skills Development Programme together with a 'toolkit' of supporting learning materials (iv) To test these products through a pilot programme involving professionals from each partner region who will each work with a small number of families during the course of the programme (v) To review the results of the piloting including impact on work with the families and to amend the products (vi) To produce a project report and organise national and transnational mainstreaming and dissemination, including through the use of ECVET. 4. The impact and long term benefits will be to support the development of new and improved practice, in particular through the use of innovation skills in working with vulnerable families and in addressing the disadvantage faced by the families, enhancing their social inclusion. The common skills gaps identified within the partner countries reinforces the need for a European dimension.
1. The context and background of the project was extensive collaborative research undertaken in recent years by the partners into the needs of marginalized families & the effectiveness of professional services provided to them. A major research study by the R&D Centre Linkoping in Sweden and the NTNU, Trondheim Child Welfare Research & Innovation Centre which involved 900 families concluded that despite interventions by a range of professionals, there was often little change in the situation of these families over time due to a lack of innovation skills at practice level and the need for a more collaborative & holistic approach to service delivery. The R & D Centre Linkoping led a related practice based research project, the 'Family Pilot' which found that greater impact could be achieved by placing more emphasis on the family's point of view in identifying & implementing solutions & by a more coordinated case management approach which reduced & prioritized service interventions. The Faculty of Social Work at the University of Ljubljana also led a transnational research programme , ' Helping Families in the Community' which showed that the co creation of solutions between professionals & families & a more multi disciplinary approach could produce better outcomes. 2. The LIFE project sought to build on the findings of this research by developing the methodologies & tools required to enable social workers & related professionals to innovate & adopt more effective interventions in working with families with complex needs & challenges. The specific objectives of the project were; (i) To undertake a Baseline Study/Needs Analysis to map the competency and skills needs required by social workers/other professionals involved in this work and develop a Competency Framework (ii) To develop a 'Knowledge Triangle' learning model which will use abductive learning to strengthen links between researchers, educators and practitioners working with vulnerable families (iii) To develop a transferable Innovation Skills Development Programme together with a 'toolkit' of supporting learning materials (iv) To test these products through a pilot programme involving professionals from each partner region who will each work with a small number of families during the course of the programme (v) To review the results of the piloting including impact on work with the families and to amend the products (vi) To produce an Innovation Toolkit and Final Innovation Report project report & organise national and transnational mainstreaming and dissemination, including through the use of ECVET & other tools. 3. The 5 partner organisations in the project all had extensive experience of working with the target group & of successfully delivering transnational including EU funded projects. The R & D Centre Linkoping is a collaboration of 9 municipalities in the region of Ostgotland and the University of Linkoping & has led over 100 projects in the welfare field based on a close interaction between research & practice. The NTNU Trondheim Child Welfare Research & Innovation Centre & the Faculty of Social Work ,University of Ljubljana are both research & professional training organisations specialising in this field. APCC in Coimbra is an NGO specialising in the provision of services to people with disabilities & their families, while the Municipality of Cervia directly manages & delivers social work services to families. 4. The main activities of the project included; (I) The preparation of a Baseline Study/Needs Analysis which pulled together the findings of previous partner research & mapped the partners perceptions of the needs of multichallenged families, services currently available & gaps in existing provision & trining programmes. (ii) Using the study findings to develop the content the main intellectual outputs I.e. the Competency Framework, the Knowledge Triangle & the Innovation Skills Development Programme. The partners developed an additional product, the 'Work Assessment Tool' to assist social workers in their initial assessment of the needs of the individual family & prioritization of interventions. (iii) Piloting these products through a 12 month training programme with 27 practitioners participating ( minimum 5 from each partner country)..This included both transnational & national components. (iv) Amending the products & developing 2 further intellectual outputs, the Innovation Toolkit & the Final Innovation Report. (v) Dissemination & exploitation of the outputs & results which have been continuous throughout the project culminating in multiplier events in each country. 5. The results & impact have been considerable; * The 5 original intellectual outputs have been developed & finalised following piloting plus an additional output * 27 practitioners have participated with 85% reporting that the training had a direct impact on their practice. * Mainstreaming & dissemination has had a major impact in all regions.