What strikes a policy maker from the UK coming to the Blueprints conference for the first time is that the US is undoubtably years ahead of the UK in terms of the scientific development of evidence-based programmes.

The history of political violence in Northern Ireland has little in common with conflict in the Basque country of northern Spain, but when it comes to deciding how to guarantee young people a peaceful future and what use to make of prevention programs, might Spain benefit from Ireland’s recent experience?

The population of Tooele puts on an impressive flagship display of Communities that Care – faithful to the last detail.

Solid evidence base, inspirational trainers, excellent manuals and materials – it all makes me want know more about what happens when Communities that Care doesn’t work?

A trip to a Bristol primary school that has become a beacon of enthusiasm for the UK Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning program overturns some of my prejudices.

Somewhere in mid-Atlantic, I imagine what it will be like to stop being a trainer in the Dartington Common Language method, and, for a change, to be on the receiving end of another, older, well respected operating system: Communities That Care.

I found the Nottingham meeting frustrating. It reminded me of a conference on violence prevention I attended years ago which ended in a fist fight between two of the presenters.

Children in the UK and US are heading back to school this month. But what makes for a good school and a good teacher?

Fellow of the Centre for Social Policy at Dartington Michael Power describes an attempt to evaluate a treatment program for violent men in circumstances in which a randomized controlled trial was ethically impossible.

I recently participated on a study tour to Washington State with a group of policy makers, practitioners and investors in children from England, Ireland and the US. Each day I tried to summarize two or three lessons that might be helpful to me and to colleagues as we go about the task of improving outcomes for children.