Completed Projects

 

Research projects completed at Playfield Institute include:

 
2009
   
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 A paper on the Institute model has been published in two journals. The paper outlines the structure, aims and achievements of the Institute. The full references are:

Wendy Simpson, Graham Buchanan, Graham Monteith (2008). Investing in the mental health of Fife: a sustainable model for increasing mental health workforce capacity to help children flourish. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice: Issues for workforce development, 3(4), 11-19.

Wendy Simpson, Graham Buchanan, Graham Monteith (2009). Investing in the mental health of Fife: The Playfield Institute. The Journal of Public Mental Health, 8(1), 11-18.
 
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 A pilot project investigating the feasibility of assessment and diagnosis of ASD in the community (WASP: West Fife Autism Spectrum Project) has been evaluated. The study involved 20 primary-age children and their parents, four schools and approximately 35 community-based mental health staff. Due to the success of the project, the scheme has been funded and rollout will begin in early 2010 across Fife. Click to see the full report or summary. A manual has also been written for the staff who will be involved in the scheme.
   
• Focus groups have been held on behalf of the Springfield Project to investigate foster carers’ opinions of current training provision and needs in terms of training and support. Click here to open the report.
 
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 A journal article based on work carried out by two 3rd year medical students, under supervision at the Institute in 2007, is currently in press. Their work involved investigating the assessment of the effectiveness of the Intensive Therapy Team in CAMHS using the HONOSCA (Health of the Nation Outcomes Scales for Children and Adolescents). The paper is being published in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and can be obtained from Wendy Simpson (w.simpson@nhs.net).
The full reference is:
Wendy Simpson, Lee Cowie, Lucy Wilkinson, Naomi Lock, Graham Monteith (in press). The Effectiveness of a Community Intensive Therapy Team on Young People’s Mental Health Outcomes. Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
 
• Supervision was provided in 2009 for the research projects of two 3rd year St Andrews medical students. The projects involved looking at multi-agency work on chronic fatigue syndrome.
   
   
2008
   
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 A study was carried out to evaluate the HandsOnScotland toolkit (www.handsonscotland.co.uk). The study involved over 60 frontline workers and assessed the effects of using the toolkit on their skills, confidence and practices. Click here to open the report.
 
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 A "7 Habits of Successful Families" pilot course was run and evaluated (following the study into the counselling needs of parents with children who have mental health problems - completed 2007). Click here to open the report of the pilot. Another course has also been run successfully as a result of the pilot.
   
• An evaluation of the Acorn project was carried out, by conducting telephone interviews with parents involved in the project. The Acorn project involves nursery nurses making home visits to help parents of pre-school children with possible behavioural difficulties.
   
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 Supervision was provided in 2008 for the research projects of two 3rd year St Andrews medical students. The projects involved looking at some of the data from the HandsOnScotland toolkit evaluation study.
 
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 A Mental Health First Aid Kit for children has been designed by the International Futures Forum. We helped in piloting the kit with frontline workers and families.
 
   
  2007
   
• The research component of Playfield Institute’s development of a national website (www.handsonscotland.co.uk) was carried out for HeadsUpScotland, the National project for children and young people’s mental health. This involved consulting with a wide range of frontline workers (N=100) to determine the type of problems they find troubling and the type of advice and techniques they require. Click here to open the report. We had a seconded post from Speech and Language Therapy (Libby Downie) assisting with this research.
   
• The HandsOnScotland website was piloted to check its usability and usefulness (N=16). Click here to open the report.
   
• The Institute supported the Centre for the Vulnerable Child in completing a research project on assessing specialist sexual abuse support workers’ views on the impact of the legal system on their clients.
 
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 A study of counselling needs of parents with children who have mental health problems has been completed and a report written. Partners in this study were Education, Clinical Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy and Public Health. Click here to open the report.
 
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 A survey of frontline workers’ needs from the Playfield Institute has been conducted. Over 300 workers from health, council and non-statutory agencies responded to the survey (31% response rate). The results are used to help plan the future training programme.

 

 

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