One member of the study tour reflects on how to transport a proven model such as PATHS across the Atlantic to Northern Ireland.

Mark Greenberg explains the importance of not tinkering with the logic at the heart of effective programs.

PATHS is a program that draws on evidence about how children's brains develop to help improve emotional self-regulation.

Getting the day off school is a happy event for most children, but teachers are worried about the consequences for their students' health and education.

Yesterday we visited a rural elementary school and observed teachers delivering the PATHS programme (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies). PATHS was designed by a team at Penn State University to help children behave more prosocially and learn to deal with situations of conflict by recognising their own emotions and the emotions of those around them.

Starting on 10th February a group of policy makers and practitioners from Northern Ireland and Birmingham, UK, participated in a study tour facilitated by Dartington Social Research Unit, UK and the Prevention Research Center at Penn State University. It took in Baltimore, Harrisburg and State College. The focus was the implementation of models proven to have a beneficial impact on children's health and development such as PATHS, Good Behavior Game and Nurse Family Partnership. Some study tour participants contributed to this blog.