CIRcUL has partnered with the Max/BF project which is being led by University College Cork (UCC).
The Max/BF , which aims to prioritise breastfeeding as a public health issue, has been awarded €2.5 million in funding from the Health Research Board (HRB). The first-of-its-kind study is investigating and influencing a cultural shift towards valuing breastfeeding as one of the most effective ways to ensure child and maternal health. The study aims to elevate the importance of breastfeeding as a public health issue and influence sustainable changes to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Led by Professor Patricia Leahy-Warren, Head of School of Nursing & Midwifery UCC, it is investigating the barriers - practical, societal and cultural – that prevent women from breastfeeding.
CIRcUL has partnered on a separate but related Knowledge Transfer grant from the HRB for the Max/BF project. This unique project aims to build knowledge and capacity for knowledge translation within the Max/BF study team. Knowledge transfer is central to implementation science as it focuses on moving research findings and evidence into real-world practice to improve outcomes. It is the "how" of bridging the gap between what is known from research and how it is applied by practitioners, involving the dissemination of information and making sure evidence-based tools are usable, sustainable, and meet the needs of end-users.
As part of this project, CIRcUL has delivered capacity building sessions and peer support sessions on knowledge transfer and is conducting an evaluation of the impact of the knowledge transfer project.