Thanks to all who have helped to make visitors feel at home
The number of people asking to visit the Centre and see local services in action is growing all the time, so we would like to thank all of you that have allowed our visitors into your services. Expect us to be making many more requests for people to come along and learn from you.
 

November 2011: Presentation on the KiVa Ant-bullying Programme by Prof. Christina Salmivalli.

June 2011: Judy is awarded an OBE, for services to children and fmilies, in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

November 2010: A larger group of visitors from Denmark also spent a week here with a similar schedule to September Finnish group, however they were also fortunate enough to have their visit coincide with one from Huw Maguire – WAG’s Family Support Team Manager.

We held a knowledge exchange day whereby the IY team presented their research, the Danish visitors presented their research and thoughts regarding service delivery, and Huw presented the Government’s latest Strategy called “Families First”.

September 2010: We again received overseas visitors to the Centre – a group of visitors from Finland spent a week with us to learn about the Incredible Years programmes and implementation issues, and as part of their study tour visited local schools and Centres who were delivering the programmes.

June 2010: Judy receives the Institute for Welsh Affairs Inspire Wales Educator Award.

Welsh Assembly Government Minister: Huw Lewis, Deputy Minister for Children, National Assembly for Wales visited the Centre in May 2010 to discuss the WAG child poverty strategy and to invite the Centre to submit comments. The strategy is out for consultation until mid August 2010.

Norway: In January, 2010 two delegates from Norway visited the Centre and attended a Consultation day.

Finland: Twelve delegates from Finland, organised by Mette Kontio, visited the Centre in Summer 2010. The group included two managers and ten therapists. The delegates attended Toddler, School Age and Advance programme add-on training days and also attended a Consultation day.

Michigan State University:  John S. Carlson, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training, School Psychology Program, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, College of Education, Michigan State University, visited the School of Psychology and the Incredible Years Wales Centre in October, 2010 as a part of a one semester sabbatical from MSU. Dr. Carlson gave a presentation on; Interdisciplinary leadership training in the transportability of evidence-based interventions to diverse populations: Addressing behavioral problems in early childhood.

Also several doctoral students on the training grant and one of Dr. Carlson's Co-PIs, Dr. Evelyn Oka also joined him at Bangor University for eight days to examine issues of global dissemination, implementation, and research being done on the Incredible Years. The Incredible Years Centre held a mini conference for the PhD students both from MSU and Bangor to present their research topics.

Other world-wide links in 2009: During 2009 we have also welcomed people from Denmark, Sweden, The Philipines, Yeamen and New Zealand as well as Ireland and the home countries to our training courses.

Jamaica 2008: Judy is following up on the visit by Helen Henningham, originally from North Wales but now living in Jamaica, (see 2008 Newsletter) with a visit to see how the Teacher programme is being received there. Congratulations to Helen who was awarded her Welcome Fellowship, and subsequently spent three months working with us.

Incredible Years in Finland: January 2007 saw a visitor from Finland, Mikko Kampman, from the Research Centre, Tampere. Having undertaken Parent leader training in October with Judy in Helsinki, he came to train as a Teacher programme leader. During his visit he also met with Rhiain Gwyn and with the IY research team. There is growing interest in Finland who are hosting Judy for further training and consultation in May, again in Helsinki.

Developing links with Australia: January 2007 saw the arrival of two CAMHS staff from Flinders, Adelaide, South Australia, Andy Lawrence, Consultant Nurse Specialist and Dorothy Abbott, Education Liaison Officer. Having been trained in Adelaide by Judy last May to run the parent programme, they came to Bangor to visit services and to take part in the ADVANCED parenting and the Therapeutic Small Group Dino training. Thanks to all who have welcomed them into their services.
Andy and Dorothy are being followed by Jenny Makros and a colleague from Victoria, Australia, who will be with us in early June to see services. So, with the visit by Anwen Williams from Perth earlier last year things are really moving down under. Anwen has funds to develop and research the parent programme with aboriginal families in Western Australia

Manchester Education Service: In December 2006 we were visited by Jenny Andrew the Assistant Chief Education Officer for Manchester along with Educational Psychologist Maria Heffernan who was trained by Judy to deliver the Teacher Classroom Management programme. During their visit they got a chance to talk with Rhiain Gwyn, the seconded headmistress that undertakes most of the IY Teacher Classroom Management and Dino School training in Gwynedd (see newsletter) and enjoyed a visit to Ysgol Abercaseg, Bethesda, to see Classroom Dino in action.

Judy receives award: In 2004 Judy was voted as Welsh Woman Educator of the year.