Research and Evaluation in Jigsaw

Our Foundation: Ethics, Integrity, and Rigour

We recognise that integrity, ethics and trust are the foundations of meaningful research. All research and evaluation activities at Jigsaw are underpinned by a strong framework of governance, ethics, and transparency:

• Our work is guided by a Research and Evaluation Board Sub-Committee, chaired by Professor Emer Smyth.
• At Jigsaw, we’re one of the few non-profits in Ireland with an independent Research Ethics Committee. This helps ensure every study we support meets the highest ethical standards.
• We follow the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, always putting the dignity, rights, and wellbeing of participants first.
• We fully comply with GDPR and strong data protection standards, with clear safeguards in place to protect personal information.
• We support open science, sharing our methods, findings, and anonymised data wherever we can to encourage learning and collaboration.
• We actively involve young people in ethical decisions, valuing their unique views on dignity, respect, and participation.
• Our work is guided by Ireland’s National Mental Health Research Strategy and international standards for responsible research.

Our Research and Partnerships

At Jigsaw, we are proud to contribute to high-impact research that advances youth mental health services both in Ireland and internationally.

We have delivered landmark national studies, including the My World Survey series in partnership with University College Dublin, providing the largest and most comprehensive insights into youth mental health in Ireland.

We are currently a partner in a major European-wide study on access to mental health support for vulnerable populations (EQUICARES), working alongside academic and community partners to better understand and address barriers to care.

In addition to these initiatives, we continually assess the safety, accessibility, and efficacy of Jigsaw’s own services through rigorous evaluation and real-world health research. These efforts ensure that our services remain grounded in evidence, informed by the experiences of young people, and aligned with international best practice.

Commitment to Evidence

Since our establishment, Jigsaw has been committed to evidenced and evidenced based practice.

Our clinical work is underpinned by a world class electronic health record – Iaptus cyp. The system supports real time analysis help maintain safely and quality of our primary care mental health services.  A lot of time and expertise goes into ensuring the data in this system is good quality and in line with best practice in terms of digital health. A national data governance committee over–sees all decisions relating to the Jigsaw national clinical dataset and this system. We are committed to working towards national information management standards and our data confirms with SNOMED CT.

Research Shaped by Young People

Young people’s voices are central to our work. We involve young people in shaping research questions, advising on study design, and interpreting findings, ensuring that our research remains grounded in the real-world experiences of those we serve. Our Youth Research Council advises us our all research and evaluation projects.

Our Partners and Funders

We are proud to work alongside national and international partners to strengthen youth mental health research and service innovation. We are proud to work with leading academic and research institutions, national health services, and European collaborators, including:

Academic and Research Partners:

• University College Dublin (Youth Mental Health Lab)
• University of Limerick
• Dublin City University
• University of Galway
• Maynooth University
• KOS University
• Erasmus University Rotterdam.

 Funders: 

• Irish Research Council
• Health Service Executive (HSE)
• European Research Programmes.

Together, our partnerships and funding relationships support impactful research that advances youth mental health services in Ireland and beyond.