The Campbell Social Welfare Coordinating Group (SWCG) Editorial Board has created an awards programme to encourage production of rigorous systematic reviews that can inform social welfare policy and practice. The first of these awards is named in honour of Leonard E. Gibbs.
Dr Leonard E. Gibbs (1943 to 2008), Professor Emeritus of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, was an internationally recognised expert in the field of evidence-based practice (EBP) and a fervent proponent of EBP in the helping professions. As part of his legacy, Len’s widow, Betsy McDougall-Gibbs, established the Leonard E. Gibbs Award for Outstanding Contribution to Evidence-Based Practice, through the Campbell Social Welfare Coordinating Group (SWCG).
The Leonard E. Gibbs Award will be given to the authors of a completed Campbell systematic review that contributes to evidence-informed practice in social welfare. Eligible reviews include all those published within the Campbell Social Welfare Group in the previous year.
- The Co-chairs of the SWCG will appoint a panel of no fewer than three qualified judges, drawing from the members of the SWCG Editorial Board and other voting members of the SWCG who have no conflict of interest.
- Judges’ identities will be kept confidential until the recipient of the award is announced.
- Judges will independently rate nominations based solely on scientific merit, quality of written documents, and applicability to policy/practice.
- Judges will submit their rankings to the Co-chairs.
- The Co-chairs will tally the results and announce the winner.
- In the event that no new review has been approved in any calendar year, or if in the opinion of the judges no review is deemed of sufficient merit, an award may be deferred for that year.
The award consists of the following forms of recognition:
- a commemorative plaque, presented to the authors of the winning review
- public announcements posted on the Campbell website and via other outlets, as suitable and available.
Award recipients over the years
2025
Elizabeth Eggins, David B. Wilson, Sara Roetman, Joseph Betts, Ned Chandler‑Mather, Bronwyn Theroux, and Sharon Dawe, for the systematic review: “Psychosocial, pharmacological, and legal interventions for improving the psychosocial outcomes of children with substance misusing parents.”
2024
Elizabeth Shaw, Michael Nunns, Stuart G Spicer, Hassanat Lawal, Simon Briscoe, G J Melendez-Torres, Ruth Garside, Kristin Liabo, Jo Thompson Coon for “What is the volume, quality and characteristics of evidence relating to the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of multi-disciplinary occupational health interventions aiming to improve work-related outcomes for employed adults? An evidence and gap map of systematic reviews”
2023
Chuka Emezue, Jo-Ana D. Chase, Tipparat Udmuangpia, Tina L. Bloom for “Technology-based and digital interventions for intimate partner violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis”
and
Alison L. Weightman, Mark J. Kelson, Ian Thomas, Mala K. Mann, Lydia Searchfield, Simone Willis, Ben Hannigan, Robin J. Smith, Rhiannon Cordiner for “Exploring the effect of case management in homelessness per components: A systematic review of effectiveness and implementation, with meta-analysis and thematic synthesis”
and
William Philbrick, Jacob Milnor, Madhu Deshmukh, Patricia Mechael for “Information and communications technology use to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map”
2022
Julia Littell, Therese Pigott, Karianne Nilsen, Stacy Green, Olga Montgomery for “Multisystemic Therapy® for social, emotional, and behavioural problems in youth aged 10 to 17”
2021
Trine Filges, Anu Siren, Torben Fridberg and Bjørn C. V. Nielsen for “Voluntary work for the physical and mental health of older volunteers: A systematic review”
and
Meghan Finch, Rebecca Featherston, Sangita Chakraborty, Ludvig Bjørndal, Robyn Mildon, Bianca Albers, Caroline Fiennes, David J. A. Taylor, Rebecca Schachtman, Taoran Yang and Aron Shlonsky for “Interventions that address institutional child maltreatment: An evidence and gap map”
2020
Tony McGinn, Paul Best, Jason Wilson, Admire Chereni, Mphatso Kamndaya and Aron Shlonsky for “Family group decision making for children at risk of abuse and neglect”
2018
Michael de Vibe, Arild Bjørndal, Sabina Fattah, Gunvor M Dyrdal, Even Halland, Emily E Tanner-Smith for “Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving health, quality of life and social functioning in adults”
2016
Brandy R. Maynard, Michael R. Solis, Veronica L. Miller and Kristen E. Brendel for “Mindfulness-based interventions for improving cognition, academic achievement, behavior, and socioemotional functioning of Primary and Secondary School students”
2015
Marc Winokur, Amy Holtan and Keri Batchelder for “Kinship care for the safety, permanency, and well-being of children removed from the home for maltreatment”
2014
Cheryl Regehr, Ramona Alaggia, Jane Dennis, Annabel Pitts, Michael Saini for “Interventions to reduce distress in adult victims of sexual violence and rape”
2013
Geraldine Macdonald, Julian Higgins, Paul Ramchandani, Jeff Valentine, Latricia P. Bronger, Paul Klein, Roland O’Daniel, Mark Pickering, Ben Rademaker, George Richardson, Matthew Taylor for “Cognitive-behavioural interventions for children who have been sexually abused” (review update)
2012
Jane Barlow, Nadja Smailagic, Cathy Bennett, Nick Huband, Hannah Jones and Esther Coren for “Individual and group based parenting programmes for improving psychosocial outcomes for teenage parents and their children”
2008-2009
Geraldine Macdonald and William Turner for “Treatment Foster Care for improving outcomes in children and young people”