A guide to using the discussion forum

About the forum

The research in practice for adults discussion forum is an online message board supported by an email group feature. It is ONLY open to staff in our Partner organisations, and allows Link Officers and other staff to access information or shared experience around any given issue. It’s a great way of taking advantage of the network aspect of being a Partner.

Members of the discussion forum can post messages straight to the online message board via the research in practice for adults website, or they can email them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Either way, messages are distributed out to all members via email, as well as appearing on the online message board.

Link Officer Role – the discussion forum

When you are first appointed as Link Officer for your organisation, you will become your organisation’s lead user for the discussion forum. research in practice for adults will provide you with a username and password, which you can then make available to all staff in your agency. Anyone who has been given the username and password can access the online messageboard, and read and post messages.  However, as lead user, you will also receive forum queries in your email inbox, and will be able to send queries to the forum via email. Please check that the topic has not already been posted and replied to before posting a question. As Link Officer, if you are aware that a query may be particularly relevant to another member of staff in your organisation, we ask that you forward it on to them if possible.

Please note that:

• You can choose to opt out of the email feature, but if you do so, we ask that you visit the forum online on a regular basis to ensure you remain aware of current discussions. To opt out please contact either This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Other staff in your organisation are entitled to register as individual users, but some Link Officers choose to be the sole user for their agency, and to field all discussion forum queries and forward them on to the relevant individuals – let us know if this is your preference.