Mission Statement

Our core shared interests, which led to formation of the network, are:

• Evaluation of existing practice and of innovations;
• Promoting the influence of practitioners, service users and other staff in social work agencies on the research agenda and the design of research;
• Encouraging and evaluating research involving partnerships between researchers, practitioners and service users;
• Supporting and developing practice based on the best available research evidence.

The network aims to facilitate:

• Exchange of information internationally about the results of work related to our core interests;
• Sharing of information about problem-solving approaches in our fields of activity;
• Development of international comparative studies in areas of common interest;
• Dissemination of members' work to international audiences.

Network activities are:

• Regular annual workshops attended by representatives from each Centre;
• Occasional publication of collections of papers from workshops;
• Exchange of Information between Centres about current research and completed projects;
• Regular formal and informal contacts between network members related to specific interests and project development.

Future possibilities/intentions to develop:

• Extended visits, exchanges or placements for staff members in different centres;
• Organisation of (self-funding) open international conferences on topics of mutual interest;
• Planning and seeking funding for joint research.

Membership, operation and future intentions

• Members are autonomous research units attached to government or universities, mainly in Europe, but also with a North American perspective. Individuals outside member units may also be invited to attend the workshops by agreement.
• Activities are coordinated by a small steering group elected at the annual workshop
• The network aims to remain limited in size. New members are admitted only by agreement of present members.
• The network aims to keep attendance at the annual workshop to around 25, with some flexibility for the local organisers to add key people from the host country on each occasion.

Revised after discussion at the Network meeting in Utrecht, October 2000