Peace IV Research Programme
We have commissioned a number of important pieces of research to inform decision-makers and service providers about the holistic needs of victims and survivors, the services required to help them, and the long-term impacts of the Troubles on their lives and in society.
SEUPB has been instrumental in funding much of this research, which is used to develop evidence-based policy interventions. It forms the basis of the Commission’s advice to Government, and is shared widely with decision-makers. An on-going programme of research is planned during the life of the Strategy, funded under the Peace Plus programme and from its programme budget.
Learn more about the Peace IV reports to date below:
Better Together
Better Together, Reviewing the Needs of Victims and Survivors (2021) was initiated following a request from the Executive Office and Department for Foreign Affairs to undertake a needs analysis relating to victims and survivors of the Troubles / conflict based in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
It sought a current understanding of the needs of victims and survivors in both jurisdictions, following the 2010 Comprehensive Needs Assessment.
Transgenerational Legacy
The Transgenerational Legacy and Young People research (2021) was designed to build on the previous research through direct engagement with children and young people and their parents to elicit their views on the nature and extent of continuing impacts of the conflict on their lives.
In the years following the initiation of the Strategy for Victims and Survivor 2009-19, a number of research studies highlighted how the Troubles legacy continues to affect the lives of children and young people growing up across Northern Ireland today.
Advocacy Services
The Advocacy Services Research Project (2021) was developed to enhance learning and understanding of the practical benefit of the PEACE IV funded network of Advocacy service providers to victims and survivors against the backdrop of the consultation on the legacy mechanisms and the possible establishment of new historical investigation and information recovery processes.
Equally, the study was initiated to provide a timely opportunity to consider the direct experiences of families involved in current legacy processes while informing the engagement with victims and survivors in future legacy arrangements.
Conflict, Trauma and Mental Health
This research project aimed to enhance knowledge amongst clinicians of the clinical impact of trauma-focused psychological therapy for victims and survivors. The project covered Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland and included a literature review and analyses of quantitative data and qualitative data.
The research aimed to determine optimal ways to organise mental health services for victims and survivors, inclusive of primary, community and hospital care systems.