Constructing ‘normal childhoods’: young people talk about young carers

There has been a great deal of attention paid to young carers in recent research, social policy and service provision. In this paper we report on a survey and interview study of 46 young people aged 15 to 18, nine of whom had experience as young carers, to explore the ways in which young people construct the young carer and their disabled parent. A key theme arising from the interview data analysis is the construction of a series of normative assumptions about ‘normal’ childhood through which young carers and their disabled parent are viewed as non‐normative and deficient. The predominantly negative construction of both parent and child/carer is critically analyzed and alternatives suggested in the discussion of these findings.     

Carer perspectives of factors affecting placement trajectories of children in out-of-home care

Carers are at the frontline working with children in the care of the child protection system. This paper reports carer's views about key factors influencing the placement trajectories of children and young people living in out-of-home care in Queensland, Australia. The study sample included 21 foster and kinship carers with a minimum two-year experience in the carer role. Study data were from semi-structured telephone interviews in which carers shared their experiences of the factors impacting upon placement stability and placement movement. Carers' responses were analysed thematically. Data analysis yielded an overarching theme regarding placement trajectory: Carer engagement, and its three sub-themes; with the child; with the child protection system; and, with the caring role. Findings suggested that carer engagement and ‘fit’ are complex constructs that play critical influential roles in placement outcomes (stability or movement) for individual children in out-of-home care. It is argued that practice needs to be better grounded in these relational dynamics, and better aligned concerning the power differentials that exist.     

One million and counting: the hidden army of young carers in Canada

The term ‘young carer’ refers to those youth under the age of 25 years who provide substantial unpaid support to a family member due to factors including, but not limited to, familial or parental absence, disability, mental health issue(s) or problems with alcohol and/or other drugs. In the UK, national statistics have been integral to tracking the prevalence of young carers while serving as an important tool towards the development of (and justification for) a national legislative framework supporting these youth. In Canada, research and awareness for young carers remains in its infancy and available national datasets have yet to be examined in relation to youths providing unpaid caregiving. As a result, this research provides the first trend analysis of youth-based caregiving in Canada using census data for the 1996–2006 time-period. Methodological limitations of official statistics are also discussed in terms of conceptual and operational constraints limiting the full identification of all those potential young carers.     

Foster carer stress and satisfaction: An investigation of organisational,psychological and placement factors

The unique demands of the foster carer role are associated with high levels of self-reported stress among foster carers. The current study examines the amount of carer stress that can be attributed to certain role specific challenges and how stress from these challenges varies between carers and placements. As a secondary aim the study examines carer perceptions on current organisational support and training. Participants were sourced from a national fostering agency with branches in the local area. Carers were eligible to participate in the study if they were caring full time for at least one foster child. Eligible carers completed an identical online or paper survey including measures of general stress and parenting stress as well as study specific measures regarding satisfaction with organisational training and support. Results demonstrated that challenging behaviours are the most stressful unique role demand for foster carers and the largest predictor of carer stress levels. Overwhelmingly carers reported a desire for additional training in order to support them in their role. The results support previous research outlining the difficulties faced by foster carers and the need to improve support and training to ensure good placement outcomes including placement stability and reduced carer attrition.     

The Letterbox Club book gifting intervention: Findings from a qualitative evaluation accompanying a randomised controlled trial

It is now widely accepted that reporting the results of randomised controlled trials should encompass a complimentary focus on both outcome measures and process measures. Reflective of the current thinking, this article reports on the findings from a qualitative evaluation that accompanied a randomised controlled trial of the Letterbox Club; a book gifting intervention for children in foster care. Outcome measures used in the trial have recently been reported on (Mooney, Winter, & Connolly, 2016). Findings showed no significant effects in terms of improvements to children's literacy skills and/or enjoyment of reading. Through in-depth interviews with 20 foster children, their carers and the programme developer, the qualitative evaluation focused on how and why the intervention did not achieve greater impact. Findings illustrate differences between the ‘hoped for’ outcomes of the intervention, and carer/child levels of engagement with and experiences of the programme. In order to move the programme forward and begin to explore the findings, a logic model is suggested which accounts for the current findings regarding the use and lived experiences which carers had with the packs. Wider implications for the conduct of these types of randomised controlled trials are discussed.     

Effects of a book gifting programme on literacy outcomes for foster children: A randomised controlled trial evaluation of the Letterbox Club in Northern Ireland

The poor educational outcomes of children in care are a significant concern internationally. Whilst there have been many interventions developed to address this problem, very few of these have been rigorously evaluated. This article presents the findings of a randomised controlled trial that sought to measure the effectiveness of a book gifting programme (the Letterbox Club) that aims to improve literacy skills amongst children aged 7–11 years in foster care. The programme involves children receiving six parcels of books sent through the post over a six-month period. The trial, which ran between April 2013 and June 2014, involved a sample of 116 children in Northern Ireland (56 randomly allocated to the intervention group and 60 to a waiting list control group). Outcome measures focused on reading skills (reading accuracy, comprehension and rate) and attitudes to reading and school. The trial found no evidence that the book-gifting programme had any effect on any of the outcomes measured. Drawing upon some of the emergent themes from the accompanying qualitative process evaluation that sought to determine foster carer/child attitude towards and engagement with the parcels, it is suggested that one plausible reason for the ineffectiveness of the Letterbox Club, as intimated by carers and children (rather than explicitly explored with them), is the lack of support provided to the carers/children in relation to the packs received. Reflective of an ecological model of children's development, it is recommended that for book-gifting programmes to be effective they need to include a focus on encouraging the direct involvement of foster carers in shared literacy activities with the children using the books that are gifted.     

Empowered inclusion: theorizing global justice for children and youth

ABSTRACT

This paper argues that contemporary child and youth experiences of globalization call for retheorizing global justice around a new concept of empowered inclusion. The first part of the paper examines three case studies in globalization – child labour movements, child and youth migration, and young people’s organization around climate change – and shows how, in each case, young people, through their struggles against injustice, are simultaneously disempowered and empowered by their deep global interdependency. The second part proposes new theoretical advances in global justice that better respond to child and youth experiences through a childist concept of the empowered inclusion of both children and other marginalized groups. And the third part advances some preliminary suggestions about how a more child-responsive conception of global power and justice might be operationalized in practice across global policies, institutions, and culture.     

Child Protection Workers’ Perceptions of Foster Carers and the Foster Care System: A Study in Queensland

Abstract

Child protection workers are key players in the statutory system for the protection of children and young people. For this reason, their perceptions of the operation of the system are important. This study, conducted in Queensland, Australia, explored the views of child protection workers regarding foster carers and the foster care system. The present study revealed the difficulties the child protection workers encountered in engaging with foster carers. These difficulties were due to the structure of the child protection system and the conflicts experienced by workers in balancing the needs of children and young people, their primary clients and the carers of those children and young people. Several recommendations for policy and practice are made.     

The Role of Carers and Caseworkers in the School-to-work Transition of Young People in Care

Abstract

How young people in State care decide upon future careers, and the support offered for this process by carers and child protection caseworkers, has received little research attention. This qualitative study sought the views of young people in care, foster and kinship carers, and child protection caseworkers about career development for in-care youth. We found young people were thinking about career options but encountered a safety driven, acute casework approach, which sidelined education and work planning. Career development was not viewed as a caseworker responsibility, and, by default, was primarily developed by carers. The study highlights the need for a greater focus on the transition to adulthood and the inclusion of career development in policy and practice development.     

‘Just being selfish for my own sake . . .’: balancing the views of young adults with intellectual disabilities and their carers in transition planning

In contrast to other forms of family caregiving, becoming the parent or carer of a child with an intellectual disability (ID) implies an ongoing responsibility beyond the attainment of chronological adulthood ( Meyers et al., 1985 ; Todd and Shearn, 1996 ). At the same time, a discourse of self‐determination pervades policy around transition to adult services in ID in England ( Valuing People, 2001 ). In this paper we present a subset of data from a project which aimed to examine how the process of transition from child to adult services in ID is managed. Using data from 8 tape‐recorded meetings in which transitions were planned and discussed, we examine what happens when the views of the parent/carer and the young adult are in apparent conflict. Drawing on the growing body of interactional work in the field (eg Rapley, 2004 ; Finlay, Antaki and Walton, 2008 ), we use conversation analysis to examine how professionals manage and negotiate this conflict and how some points of view or courses of action ultimately prevail over others. While the discourse of self‐determination may prevail in English policy terms, we show how the fact that parents or carers ultimately have a key role in enabling the choices of the young person has a significant impact on these interactions.     

The intersection of employment and care: evidence from a UK case study

Working carers are a key focus of UK policies on health and social care and employment. Complementing national and European evidence, this paper presents a local case study of working carers. It draws on data from a county-wide survey containing a module on caring. Data were primarily categorical and were analysed using SPSS. Three quarters of all carers who responded to the survey were of working age: two thirds were employed and one third had been employed previously. The majority of working carers were mid-life extra-resident women. Over half of cared for relatives were elderly parents/in law; ‘physical illness’ was the primary cause of dependency. A tenth provided intensive care and half reported that caring adversely affected their health. Both were triggers for leaving employment. Two thirds of households received input from services and/or friends/family; being a co-resident carer appeared to mitigate against service allocation. Four issues were identified as pivotal to facilitating employment: access to advice and information, the availability of a matrix of affordable good-quality social-care services, ‘joined up’ needs assessment of the carer and cared for person, and employers identifying carers in their workforce. Europe's ageing profile underscores the study's timeliness.     

Social and Health Factors Affecting Community Service Use by Vulnerable Older People

Abstract

This article reports on Outcomes for older people with complex or chronic care needs, a study undertaken by the Brotherhood of St Laurence and La Trobe University, examining older Victorians’ use of community services following Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS) recommendations that they remain living at home. The paper reports on interviews with older people and carers undertaken at three-monthly intervals, over 12 months. This paper contributes to understanding the factors that impede or facilitate uptake of community aged care services that are critical to meeting the needs of older people and their carers. The study found that among other factors social isolation, high carer burden, and the older person reporting low mood were important barriers to service uptake. Cost, waiting lists, and service satisfaction were also identified in qualitative data as influencing factors. The study concludes there is a need for better means of identifying and supporting older people and carers at risk to improve community service uptake.     

Antecedents of Young Women’s Sexual Risk Taking in Tourist Experiences

The purpose of this phenomenological exploration was to shed light on the constellation of factors anteceding young women’s sexual risk taking during their tourist experiences. A total of 15 in-depth interviews (1.5 to 2.5 hours each) with 13 women were conducted and analyzed through the lens of transcendental phenomenology. An analysis of antecedent factors revealed a confluence of sociopersonal characteristics (e.g., sexual definitions, attitudes, double standards, and age) and touristic attributes (e.g., the sense of temporariness/ephemerality, anonymity, and fun-oriented mentality depending on length, destination, and type of tourist experience) that underlie women’s proclivity for and perceptions of sexual risk taking in certain travel scenarios. These result in myriad effects on physical, sexual health, sociocultural, mental, and emotional aspects of women’s health and well-being. While the sociopersonal antecedents highlight the cross-pollination between sex-related perceptions in everyday life and touristic environments, the touristic antecedents emphasize the uniqueness of tourist experiences as the contexts for sexual risk taking. The findings address an underresearched topic in sex and tourism scholarship and offer implications for health education and intervention programs, pointing to the value of constructing the context-specific and gender-sensitive sexual health messages underpinned by the ideas of women’s empowerment and sexual agency.     

Grassroots Networks: A Model for Promoting the Influence of Service Users and Carers in Social Work Education

We examine a process for involving service users and carers in a social work programme in Scotland and include the perspective of a service user involved in the development. We note the extent of service user and carer involvement within Scottish social work education. The Dundee system involves a regulated process of academics liaising with service user and carer groups in the locality, so that the expertise of service users and carers informs and influences social work qualifying training. The model is built on current ideas surrounding communication networks that work in non‐hierarchical ways. The paper emphasises the importance of basing a system on shared values and overcoming tokenistic approaches to involvement.     

The Reunification Partnership: Engaging Birth Parents and Foster Carers as Collaborators in Restoration Casework

Collaboration is recognised as a key factor influencing the success of efforts to reunite children with their family following a protective intervention and a period in out-of-home care. Until now, little research has explored the possibilities of collaboration in this context, especially between parents and foster carers. This qualitative, interpretive study asked child protection caseworkers involved in restoration cases about their perceptions, perspectives, and experiences of collaboration between parents and carers. In-depth interviews were conducted with six caseworkers from five locations in New South Wales. The study found that caseworkers identified factors that influence the development of collaboration. These factors include trust, motivation and willingness, knowledge, and agreement. They also described strategies for promoting these factors in their casework. The research highlighted that a collaborative relationship between parents and carers can be facilitated through casework practice that considers certain factors and that strategically addresses the barriers to collaboration.     

Assessment as the Site of Power: A Bourdieusian Interrogation of Service User and Carer Involvement in the Assessments of Social Work Students

The centrality of service user and carer involvement in social work education in England is now well established, both in policy and practice. However, research evidence suggests their involvement in student assessments is underdeveloped and under researched. This study focused on the positioning of service users and carers in relation to other stakeholders involved in the assessments of social work students in England. Using narrative research methodology, 21 participants, including service users, carers, social work students, social work employers and social work educators, were offered a semi-structured individual interview. Participants’ narratives revealed different power relations among those involved in social work students’ assessments and a lack of confidence among service users and carers in making failed assessment recommendations. The paper concludes by arguing the case for social work educators and service user organisations to provide joint training to support service users and carers in their role as assessors of social work students.     

Editorial

In recent years the imperative to involve service users and carers at every level of care, service and policy development has been extended to include involving users and carers in the training of health and social care professionals. Guidance on how this is to be achieved in practice is, however, limited. This paper describes work undertaken to explore how an Approved Social Work Programme in the north of England could involve service users and carers more fully and develop an integrated approach to service user and carer involvement in this and other social work programmes. Following a review of the literature in this area, the results of a series of meetings with individual and groups of service users and carers are presented, together with a survey of ASW programmes. It then goes on to consider the implications for service user and carer involvement in the new social work degree.     

Supporting families: Outcomes of placement in voluntary out-of-home care for children and young people with disabilities and their families

Parents caring for children and young people with disabilities typically have extensive additional demands on their time and resources. This added pressure can significantly impact well-being and mental health. In extreme circumstances, parents may seek an out-of-home placement for their child. Previous research has looked into factors that influence decisions for families to place their child into out-of-home care but little is known about outcomes for these young people and their families. The Supporting Families study aimed to explore the impact of a voluntary out-of-home placement on young people with disabilities, and consequences for their families. Fourteen parents/carers, twenty six case managers, six accommodation services' managers, and four young people with disabilities participated in face-to-face and telephone interviews and focus groups. Participants reported a range of outcomes for young people in care. Positive outcomes included increased levels of respect for themselves and others, an improvement in independent living skills, and reductions in challenging behaviours. Negative outcomes centred on their experiences of grief, loss and rejection, as well as behavioural problems. Positive and negative outcomes were also found for families. For many parents/carers there was a reduction in perceived stress and caring load, as well as improved mental health and wellbeing for them and the child's siblings. However, parents/carers often experienced ongoing feelings of guilt, grief and loss. The study adds to knowledge about outcomes of being in voluntary out-of-home care for this small but vulnerable group of young people in care and their families.     

Mental Health Consumer and Carer Participation in Professional Education: ‘Getting There Together’ for Children of Parents with Mental Illness and Their Families

Abstract

‘Getting There Together’ is a professional education seminar developed as a collaborative project by professionals, mental health consumers and carers aimed at service providers who work with children of parents with mental illness and their families. The need for such professional education concerning this group is well recognised and the project reported herein was initiated by a reference group of professionals, consumers and carers focusing on children of parents with mental illness in the Eastern region of Melbourne (Victoria, Australia). The project began and continued as a collaborative effort during development and implementation, which ensured the experience, point of view and voice of consumers and carers was central to the material prepared, and at the time of seminar presentations. Seminar participants were from the family welfare, child care and supported housing sectors. Seminar participants found the first person accounts of consumers and carers the most helpful aspects of the seminars because they gave new insights into the experiences of carers and of mental health consumers as parents, as well as an understanding of ‘… the whole family, and how the child fits into the picture’.     

Parent—Child Interaction in the Context of a Chronic Disease

The parent—child relationship plays a crucial role in every chronic disease and especially in the course of childhood diabetes type 1. The present study explores the characteristics of parent—child interaction in Greek families in which one child suffers from diabetes, and the way that this relationship has affected the family's capacity to deal with the psychosocial aspects of the disease. Our extended research employed qualitative methods (observation and in‐depth interview), using criteria based on the structural model of the ‘psychosomatic family’. We provide a typology of the parent—child relationship in these families: enmeshment, mother—patient coalition, parental splitting, over‐protectiveness, lack of limits, the patient's involvement in marital crisis, parentification of a non‐symptomatic child, and ambiguity of roles and rules. These characteristics seem to typify the parent—child relationship in various chronic diseases.