Critical and Radical Social Work, 5(3), 2017, pp.319-334.
Publisher:
Policy Press
By examining children as symbols within a Norwegian context and, further, as icons in a larger Western context, the article shows how these ways of understanding children give the Norwegian child protection system both its strength and its potential to misuse power. It is clear that, today, there exist in Norway children whose experiences contravene hegemonic understandings of children. Many...
(Publisher abstract)
By examining children as symbols within a Norwegian context and, further, as icons in a larger Western context, the article shows how these ways of understanding children give the Norwegian child protection system both its strength and its potential to misuse power. It is clear that, today, there exist in Norway children whose experiences contravene hegemonic understandings of children. Many of these children encounter child protection professionals who seek to provide them with childhoods in keeping with the Norwegian consensus about how children should be and how childhood should be lived. The situations of such children are often interpreted with reference to two universal images: one involving the discourse of children's rights; and the other involving the discourse of psychosocial rehabilitation. These images need to be changed in order to fit the realities of children's own subjectivity, opportunities and material conditions of life.
(Publisher abstract)
Northern Ireland. Department of Health. Community Information Branch
Publication year:
2017
Pagination:
26
Place of publication:
Belfast
This bulletin details statistical information relating to children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during the year ending 31 March 2017, including a range of information about these children and their adopters, and durations between different stages in the adoption process. The bulletin is based on the Department of Health’s statistical return AD1 2016/17 1, collected from each...
(Edited publisher abstract)
This bulletin details statistical information relating to children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during the year ending 31 March 2017, including a range of information about these children and their adopters, and durations between different stages in the adoption process. The bulletin is based on the Department of Health’s statistical return AD1 2016/17 1, collected from each of the Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. Key findings include: one hundred and twenty children were adopted from care during the year ending 31 March 2017, the highest number in recent years; the average age of children at the time of adoption was 4 years 5 months, the same as the previous year; from the child’s last entry into care, the average length of time for a child to be adopted in 2016/17 was 3 years. This was 1 month longer than in 2015/16; for children adopted in 2016/17, the average duration from the Trust LAC Best Interest Proposal to Adoption Order was 2 years 4 months, one month longer than in 2015/16; children adopted by Concurrent Carers were substantially younger at the time of adoption (2 years 8 months compared with the national average of 4 years and 5 months). They also had a shorter last duration in care (2 years 3 months compared with 3 years).
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
adopted children, adoption, looked after children, children;
This article interrogates childhood politics through a case study of voluntary sector responses to benefit sanctions in the UK. This article explores the absent ‘voices’ of children in this resistance and considers, in contrast, the possibilities of engaging with children's perspectives in political endeavours. The authors argue for the importance of moving away from both simple platitudes about...
(Edited publisher abstract)
This article interrogates childhood politics through a case study of voluntary sector responses to benefit sanctions in the UK. This article explores the absent ‘voices’ of children in this resistance and considers, in contrast, the possibilities of engaging with children's perspectives in political endeavours. The authors argue for the importance of moving away from both simple platitudes about listening to ‘the voice of the child’ and the political retreatism that results from a sole focus on the impossibilities of representation. Whilst aware of inevitable power relations between children and adults, the authors suggest ‘solidarity’ as an animating concept, emphasising attention to the processes whereby people are differently impoverished.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This article draws on a study of the outcomes and impact of independent advocacy for children and young people to explore how the value of advocacy is understood by them and by professionals, and what differences advocacy can make to the lives of children and young people. Findings indicate that outcomes of advocacy can be significant and wide-ranging, including both direct effects on the child
(Publisher abstract)
This article draws on a study of the outcomes and impact of independent advocacy for children and young people to explore how the value of advocacy is understood by them and by professionals, and what differences advocacy can make to the lives of children and young people. Findings indicate that outcomes of advocacy can be significant and wide-ranging, including both direct effects on the child or young person and wider impact on services. This has implications for how to capture and report the outcomes of advocacy, for which this article offers a new conceptual framework.
(Publisher abstract)
Summary: Classifying the care provided to children with emotional and behavioural problems can provide empirical insights into the relationship between child characteristics, the care offered and outcomes after leaving care. The Taxonomy of Care for Youth (TOCFY) has recently been shown to validly classify this care in six domains covering all aspects of care. The aim of this study was to assess...
(Publisher abstract)
Summary: Classifying the care provided to children with emotional and behavioural problems can provide empirical insights into the relationship between child characteristics, the care offered and outcomes after leaving care. The Taxonomy of Care for Youth (TOCFY) has recently been shown to validly classify this care in six domains covering all aspects of care. The aim of this study was to assess the inter-rater reliability and feasibility of TOCFY. Two raters independently classified the care provided to 200 children (50 per organisation) from organisations in primary health care, child and youth care, and mental health care (two organisations), based on their care records. We assessed inter-rater reliability and the degree to which TOCFY categories could be applied anyhow, that is its feasibility.
Findings: Mean agreement was 89.8% between raters; excluding the cases scored as ‘unknown’, the mean agreement was 82.2%. TOCFY-categories could be applied for over 90% regarding each of the six domains.
Applications: TOCFY is a valid, reliable and feasible instrument to classify care within different types of care organisations. Give these promising findings, application and further evaluation of TOCFY is recommended.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, childrens social care, child care, social work;
Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 21(1), 2017, pp.40-52.
Publisher:
Sage
Place of publication:
London
The impact on full-time carers of children with intellectual disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviour has been well researched (e.g. Lach et al., 2009; Shah et al., 2010; Wodehouse and McGill, 2009), however, there is to date no published research into the impact of behaviour that challenges on seasonal carers. Five participants who had been employed in summer playschemes for children
(Publisher abstract)
The impact on full-time carers of children with intellectual disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviour has been well researched (e.g. Lach et al., 2009; Shah et al., 2010; Wodehouse and McGill, 2009), however, there is to date no published research into the impact of behaviour that challenges on seasonal carers. Five participants who had been employed in summer playschemes for children and young people (up to the age of 18) were interviewed about their experiences of behaviour that challenges. The transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, which revealed six superordinate themes: the belief in and sanctuary of temporary work, emotional impact, personality and gender, strength through knowledge, communication difficulties and the belief in integration. Seasonal workers discussed suppressing their emotions in order to stay in control of a challenging situation, using coping styles developed through experience or based on personal skills; it is suggested that formalized training, particularly regarding non-verbal communication, would support playscheme workers in the management of and adaption to challenging behaviour.
(Publisher abstract)
...for their child, often in the absence of comprehensive support services. Raising these matters privileges the experiences of severely disabled children and young people, who live with increasing muscle weakness, disablist attitudes and intensifying support needs. Their contributions build on understandings of life with a degenerative condition, highlighting the intersection of impairment and social issues
(Original abstract)
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with boys and young men who have Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe, degenerative condition that only affects boys. The main focus of the interviews was to explore how the participants thought they might make a decision to take part in medical research. To better understand this, aspects of the participants’ lives were discussed; they talked about the impact of discomfort and declining mobility, and the social issues they experienced, such as discrimination and a sense of difference. Their observations indicate that living with a degenerative condition has physical and social impacts, and that there are limited opportunities for them to talk about these issues. It was also apparent that parents are key figures who provide care for their child, often in the absence of comprehensive support services. Raising these matters privileges the experiences of severely disabled children and young people, who live with increasing muscle weakness, disablist attitudes and intensifying support needs. Their contributions build on understandings of life with a degenerative condition, highlighting the intersection of impairment and social issues in their lived experience.
(Original abstract)
Sixth in a series of annual reports about how children in the UK feel about their lives, produced in collaboration between The Children’s Society and the University of York. The report draws on the results of The Children's Society's household surveys, Understanding Society and the Millennium Cohort Study. The report reviews the latest figures and time trends in children’s self-reported wellbeing
(Edited publisher abstract)
Sixth in a series of annual reports about how children in the UK feel about their lives, produced in collaboration between The Children’s Society and the University of York. The report draws on the results of The Children's Society's household surveys, Understanding Society and the Millennium Cohort Study. The report reviews the latest figures and time trends in children’s self-reported wellbeing, and the gender differences that are evident for these. It also presents new analysis of factors related to family, friends and appearance to try to explain gender differences in children’s well-being. It also explores different measures of well-being and mental ill-health to see how these relate to behaviours such as self-harm, truancy and physical activity. Looking at trends, the report finds that between 1995 and 2016, there has been a significant increase in happiness with family and schoolwork and no significant change in happiness with life as a whole or friends and no significant change in happiness with appearance. The largest gender differences are for appearance (with which boys are happier) and schoolwork (with which girls are happier).
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, wellbeing, quality of life, poverty, gender;
Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 42(1), 2017, pp.61-73.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Background: Environments are important to children’s participation, but little is known about which environmental factors restrict their participation, particularly in children with moderate to severe developmental disability. Method: Parents of 64 children attending special schools completed the Environmental Restriction Questionnaire (ERQ). Two researchers classified the item contents...
(Publisher abstract)
Background: Environments are important to children’s participation, but little is known about which environmental factors restrict their participation, particularly in children with moderate to severe developmental disability. Method: Parents of 64 children attending special schools completed the Environmental Restriction Questionnaire (ERQ). Two researchers classified the item contents of the ERQ using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Children and Youth (ICF-CY) to provide uniform interpretation. Results: At home, the environmental restrictions related to Products and technology within the ICF-CY. The environmental restrictions in the community involved 3 areas: Products and technology, Support and relationships, and Services, systems, and policies. The environmental restrictions on children’s educational participation originated from Support and relationships and Attitudes of the parents. Conclusions: The findings offer insights into the critical environmental restrictions on the participation of children with developmental disability. Resources and support that target modifiable environmental factors may help to promote children’s participation.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
environmental factors, learning disabilities, children, activities of daily living, participation;
Children exposed to intimate partner violence are at increased risk for concomitant exposure to maltreatment of companion animals. There is emerging evidence that childhood exposure to maltreatment of companion animals is associated with psychopathology in childhood and adulthood. However, few studies have explored developmental factors that might help to explain pathways from animal maltreatment...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Children exposed to intimate partner violence are at increased risk for concomitant exposure to maltreatment of companion animals. There is emerging evidence that childhood exposure to maltreatment of companion animals is associated with psychopathology in childhood and adulthood. However, few studies have explored developmental factors that might help to explain pathways from animal maltreatment exposure to children’s maladjustment. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by examining relations between children’s exposure to animal maltreatment, callous/unemotional traits (i.e., callousness, uncaring traits, and unemotional traits), and externalizing and internalizing behaviour problems. A sample of 291 ethnically diverse children (55% Latino or Hispanic) between the ages of 7 and 12 was recruited from community-based domestic violence services. A meditational path model indicated that child exposure to animal maltreatment was associated with callousness, which in turn was associated with greater internalizing and externalizing problems. The effect of animal maltreatment exposure on externalizing problems was mediated through callousness. Results suggest that callous/unemotional traits are a potential mechanism through which childhood exposure to animal maltreatment influences subsequent behaviour problems. Future research is needed to evaluate the extent to which exposure to animal maltreatment affects children’s adjustment over time in the context of other co-occurring adverse childhood experiences.
(Edited publisher abstract)