Children and Society, 26(1), January 2012, pp.51-62.
Publisher:
Wiley
... with both biological parents reported higher levels of life satisfaction than children living with a single parent or parent–step-parent. Children in joint physical custody reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction than their counterparts in other types of non-intact families. Difficulties in communicating with parents were strongly associated with less life satisfaction but did
Children living in less fortunate economic circumstances can be expected to be less satisfied with life and the association between single parenthood and reduced life satisfaction may be partly due to economic hardship. This paper examines differences in life satisfaction among 184,496 children in different family structures in 36 western countries. Findings revealed that children living with both biological parents reported higher levels of life satisfaction than children living with a single parent or parent–step-parent. Children in joint physical custody reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction than their counterparts in other types of non-intact families. Difficulties in communicating with parents were strongly associated with less life satisfaction but did not mediate the relation between family structure and life satisfaction. Children in the Nordic countries characterised by strong welfare systems reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction in all living arrangements except in single father households. While such life events as divorce or single motherhood may be heavily stigmatised in some countries and certain segments within countries, they may well be relatively meaningless in other social contexts. This may be a major source of the considerable variation in life satisfaction among children in living with single mothers or step-parents in different countries.
Subject terms:
mental health, poverty, quality of life, children, families;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
Bulgaria, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, Turkey, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States
This paper summarises the key issues and messages from a collective report of four case studies of inspiring practice presented at the Peer Review Seminar in Belfast. These case studies provided examples of practice from Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Poland and Wales. Particular attention was drawn to their journey towards developing a strong evidence base which demonstrated improved outcomes for children. The challenges, strengths and limitations they had experienced in this area provided a good base for shared learning and debate at the Peer Review Seminar in Belfast. The presentation of the case studies, the collective report and contributions from social policy experts at the Peer Review generated proposals in the following areas: defining early intervention and prevention in family support; common principles that underpin effective family support; links with European commission social policy agenda; innovation, effectiveness and replication; exploration of what constitutes a strong evidence base; shared use of language in outcomes focused practice; and developing a framework for evaluating good practice.
This paper summarises the key issues and messages from a collective report of four case studies of inspiring practice presented at the Peer Review Seminar in Belfast. These case studies provided examples of practice from Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Poland and Wales. Particular attention was drawn to their journey towards developing a strong evidence base which demonstrated improved outcomes for children. The challenges, strengths and limitations they had experienced in this area provided a good base for shared learning and debate at the Peer Review Seminar in Belfast. The presentation of the case studies, the collective report and contributions from social policy experts at the Peer Review generated proposals in the following areas: defining early intervention and prevention in family support; common principles that underpin effective family support; links with European commission social policy agenda; innovation, effectiveness and replication; exploration of what constitutes a strong evidence base; shared use of language in outcomes focused practice; and developing a framework for evaluating good practice.
Subject terms:
outcomes, social policy, children, families, family support, evidence-based practice;
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 12(4), November 2010, pp.27-36.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
This article discusses the European initiative Work Package 5 (WP5), a part of the CAMHEE programme, which was designed to bring children and families with parental mental illness onto the European agenda. Parental mental health problems are a major risk for children’s adverse development. Intergenerational mental health issues often leads to social marginalisation and exclusion, which constitutes a serious social problem. WP5 participants included Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Lithuania, Norway and Romania. The WP5 emphasised that it is important for every country to learn what the legal, human rights, and service and life situation is for these children and families and to take preventive and promotion action. The paper suggests that, to avoid further stigmatisation, awareness campaigns
This article discusses the European initiative Work Package 5 (WP5), a part of the CAMHEE programme, which was designed to bring children and families with parental mental illness onto the European agenda. Parental mental health problems are a major risk for children’s adverse development. Intergenerational mental health issues often leads to social marginalisation and exclusion, which constitutes a serious social problem. WP5 participants included Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Lithuania, Norway and Romania. The WP5 emphasised that it is important for every country to learn what the legal, human rights, and service and life situation is for these children and families and to take preventive and promotion action. The paper suggests that, to avoid further stigmatisation, awareness campaigns and training of professionals should capitalise on resilience and support for children and parenting rather than on risks. Psychiatric services for adults should respond to the needs for care and support of the patients' children. Finally, changes in society are needed, including redirecting legislation from restrictive measures towards promotion and prevention.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, parents, prevention, social exclusion, adults, families, parental mental health;
Location(s):
Bulgaria, Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Norway, Romania
International Journal of Social Welfare, 18(1), January 2009, pp.65-75.
Publisher:
Wiley
This article evaluates how evolving social policies for very young children and their families affect the marginalisation of Roma children from mainstream Bulgarian society. The Roma (or 'gypsies') have long been ostracised by various societies and since the fall of communism in 1989 have become increasingly vulnerable to income poverty and social exclusion. The exclusion of Roma threatens
This article evaluates how evolving social policies for very young children and their families affect the marginalisation of Roma children from mainstream Bulgarian society. The Roma (or 'gypsies') have long been ostracised by various societies and since the fall of communism in 1989 have become increasingly vulnerable to income poverty and social exclusion. The exclusion of Roma threatens Bulgaria's economic and political growth because the Roma constitute an increasing proportion of the population. The article compares the effects of current child and family policies on modifying the social and economic differences between very young Roma children under the age of three and those of majority Bulgarian children. It demonstrates how both universal social policies directed at helping all children and policies targeted on helping the most deprived children in a population, can, because of previous employment and other factors, further marginalise the most disadvantaged children in a population.
Subject terms:
social exclusion, social policy, social welfare, benefits, children, families, Gypsies;
Journal of Children and Poverty, 13(1), March 2007, pp.37-55.
Publisher:
Routledge, part of the Taylor and Francis Group
... such strategies need to be developed in consultation with children, their families, and communities.
Entry to institutional care is being used as an ineffective and expensive response to child and family poverty in a number of countries. In this paper, the practice of using institutional care for children in poverty is examined, drawing on case studies from three countries-the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, and Sri Lanka. Research findings reveal that poverty is a major underlying cause of children being received into institutional care and that such reception into care is a costly, inappropriate, and often harmful response to adverse economic circumstances. The authors suggest that alternatives to care may be funded from resources currently committed to institutions by developing a policy of gatekeeping. However, alternative strategies must be responsive to local conditions, and all such strategies need to be developed in consultation with children, their families, and communities.
Subject terms:
looked after children, poverty, residential child care, admission to care, case studies, families;
Describes Bulgarian legislation of the family and the child which is based on three principles: firstly, that children must be brought up in the family of their own parents; secondly, that the state and society in general must provide assistance to parents in bringing up children. The third principle gives parents certain guarantees that their parental rights and obligations in respect of the first two principles will be observed and respected.
Describes Bulgarian legislation of the family and the child which is based on three principles: firstly, that children must be brought up in the family of their own parents; secondly, that the state and society in general must provide assistance to parents in bringing up children. The third principle gives parents certain guarantees that their parental rights and obligations in respect of the first two principles will be observed and respected.
British Medical Journal, 5.11.94, 1994, pp.1218-1221.
Publisher:
British Medical Association
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Despite legislation to harmonise mental health practice throughout Europe and convergence in systems of training there remains an extraordinary diversity of psychiatric practice in Europe. Approaches to tackling substance misuse vary among nations; statistics on psychiatric morbidity are affected by different approaches to diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders; attitudes towards mental illness show definite international differences. Everywhere, though, mental health care for patients with psychotic illness is a "cinderella service", and there is a general move towards care falling increasingly on the family and the community.
Subject terms:
law, mental health, mental health problems, mental health services, psychiatry, social care provision, treatment, therapy and treatment, training, attitudes, community care, diagnosis, families;