Residential care for children and young people: priority areas for change

Abuse in residential childcare has been of concern to the public and the profession for a number of years. This article highlights a Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care's (SIRCC) response to the Scottish Government which was requested following allegations of abuse in Glasgow City Council's Kerelaw residential school and secure unit. It offers priority actions to address the challenges of residential childcare and ensure the safety of children and young people as far as is practicably possible. It contextualises the residential childcare task, and explores four interrelated areas in which change is strongly recommended: (1) organisations' cultures; (2) workforce challenges including the status of the sector, staff selection standards, the role of residential childcare workers in relation to their level of autonomy and their education levels; (3) abuse allegations, in particular the sector's growing fearfulness of false allegations, support for practitioners' anonymity when accused of abuse and a reconsideration of criminal record certificate information; and (4) service delivery related to behaviour management and advocacy support. The intersection between the SIRCC and the subsequent Kerelaw Inquiry reports is outlined. Finally, it concludes with a scan of the immediate strategic policy horizon which indicates an unprecedented momentum for change. While based in the Scottish context, it reflects lessons which are applicable internationally. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Permanence for disabled children and young people through foster care and adoption: A selective review of international literature

Children who have been removed from their parents need stability and permanence; this is as true for disabled children as it is for others. Yet many children are subject to extended periods of uncertainty and instability. Growing attention has been paid to the need to achieve permanence within a timescale which meets children's needs. As disabled children are over-represented in looked after (in care) populations it is especially important that their needs are considered when formulating policy and practice in this area.This review of literature covers international material related to stability and permanence for disabled children, in particular permanence achieved through fostering and adoption. A scoping method was used to identify and analyse a broad range of material. Ninety texts were included in the review, including material from the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, China and the Netherlands. Empirical research included quantitative, mixed methods and qualitative studies. Other sources included literature reviews and a small number of research-based ‘think pieces’ and briefings.Disabled children often have permanence outcomes and experiences which differ from those of other children; most often they are disadvantaged by systematic features of services and by the latent disablism of decision-makers, professionals, carers and potential carers. The findings also show that disabled children are not a homogenous group and that characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity and impairment type show complex relationships with permanence through adoption and foster care.Important gaps in current knowledge are identified, including disabled children's views and experiences in relation to achieving permanence. Several areas of policy and practice are highlighted where effort to improve permanence needs to be made. These range from tackling negative professional attitudes about the prospects of placing disabled children to further development of non-traditional approaches to the recruitment of foster carers and adopters.     

The acceptability of educational Interventions: Qualitative evidence from children and young people in care

There has been a proliferation of educational interventions that aim to address the disadvantage experienced by children and young people in care. However, the existing evidence-base has been limited by a dearth of theoretically-driven approaches and the inadequate involvement of the target population in developing interventions' theory of change or delivery mechanisms. The present study reports data from focus groups with care-experienced young people (n = 26) aged 16–27 regarding the acceptability of educational interventions that have already been developed and subjected to evaluation via a randomized controlled trial. Although participants highlighted the merit of interventions that address social and emotional competencies, and have a clear relational component, they primarily felt that existing approaches fail to address the structural barriers to academic attainment. These include placement instability, inadequate resources, and lack of time and skills amongst carers. Participants indicated a preference for interventions delivered by carers. They equally suggested a preference for approaches that are universal rather than indicated. The variation in acceptability across interventions, both in terms of theory of change and delivery mechanisms, indicates the need to involve children and young people in the development of interventions intended to address their educational outcomes. Further theoretical, methodological and substantive research needs to be conducted in order to further enhance this process of involvement.     

Thoughts and acts of self-harm,and suicidal ideation,in online gamblers

Gambling problems have been linked to suicidal ideation and enhanced risk of suicide attempts. However, we know very little about the factors associated with either thoughts or acts of self-harm amongst people who gamble. A web-based study of 4125 online gamblers (79% males; mean age 35.5 years), analysed using hierarchical multiple regression, revealed that self-reported non-gambling-related self-harm was negatively related to age and marital status, and positively related to problematic alcohol use. Self-reported acts of self-harm both related and unrelated to gambling were associated with drug misuse. Thoughts and acts of gambling-related self-harm were associated with problem gambling, gambling involvement and parental problem gambling. All types of self-harm were associated with mood disorder symptoms, unemployment and certain gambling motivations. When tailoring assessment and interventions for individuals at risk for gambling-related deliberate self-harm, it is important to recognize that contributory factors may include some that differ from those for deliberate self-harm in general, and that there is potential value in evaluating gambling involvement and motivations, and history of parental gambling.     

Setting the agenda: social inclusion,children and young people

This paper was prepared collectively by participants of the third seminar in a series with the title Challenging ‘Social Inclusion’: Perspectives for and from Children and Young People. Three 3‐day seminars took place at the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling in 2002–3 attended by academics, professionals from voluntary sector children's agencies, young people, representatives from central government and postgraduate students. Funding was provided by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Children's Society.     

Conceptualising social capital in relation to the well-being of children and young people: a critical review

This exploratory article forms the background for an empirical study for the Health Education Authority on children, young people, health, well-being and social capital. In terms of morbidity, children tend not to exhibit clear health problems, but obviously engage in activities that have important implications for their health and well-being (West & Sweeting, 1996), and these activities may be influenced by, as well as impact upon, children's social capital. Social capital is an elusive concept and has been defined in various ways, and refers to sociability, social networks and social support, trust, reciprocity, and community and civic engagement. The paper contrasts three interpretations of the concept, by Coleman (1988, 1990), Putnam (1993, 1995) and Bourdieu (1986). It concludes that the concept is currently poorly specified as it relates to children, and that the use of the term is inherently problematic, and needs to be carefully critiqued and empirically grounded before it can usefully be applied in social policy formulations. One possible way forward might be to conceptualise social capital not so much as a measurable ‘thing’, rather as a set of processes and practices that are integral to the acquisition of other forms of ‘capital’ such as human capital and cultural capital (ie qualifications, skills, group memberships, etc).     

Changes in parenting behaviors, attachment, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation in attachment-based family therapy for depressive and suicidal adolescents

This study examined whether Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT) was associated with decreases in maternal psychological control and increases in maternal psychological autonomy granting, and whether such changes were associated with changes in adolescents' attachment schema and psychological symptoms. Eighteen suicidal adolescents and their mothers received 12 weeks of ABFT. Maternal psychological control and autonomy granting behaviors were observationally coded at sessions 1 and 4. Adolescents' reports of perceived maternal care and control, attachment-related anxiety and avoidance, and depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were collected at baseline, 6, 12 weeks (posttreatment), and 36 weeks. Results indicated that from session 1 to session 4, maternal psychological control decreased and maternal psychological autonomy granting increased. Increases in maternal autonomy granting were associated with increases in adolescents' perceived parental care from pre to mid-treatment and decreases in attachment-related anxiety and avoidance from pre to 3 months posttreatment. Finally, decreases in adolescents' perceived parental control during the treatment were associated with reductions in adolescents' depressive symptoms from pretreatment to 12 weeks posttreatment. This is the first study examining the putative change mechanisms in ABFT.     

Commercial and sexual exploitation of children and young people in the UK—a review

This paper reviews recent information and data relevant to the commercial sexual exploitation of children and young people in the UK. Three main aspects of exploitation are addressed: abuse through prostitution; abuse through pornography; and the trafficking of children and young people to and through the UK for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation. Most published research in this area relates to young people exploited through prostitution. The review explores the range of vulnerability factors, the processes used to engage young people in prostitution and the types of support strategies for those being exploited. Rather less information is currently available on the scale of child pornography, or the links between the use of pornography and other forms of sexual abuse. The internet as a modern technology for proliferating child pornography is discussed, alongside its role in providing opportunities for paedophiles to access and ‘groom’ children for sexual purposes. Finally, the review provides a summary of research on trafficking of children to and through the UK for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and demonstrates the limited knowledge about this topic. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Testing a path model of relationships between gender,age, and bullying victimization and violent behavior,substance abuse,depression, suicidal ideation,and suicide attempts in adolescents

The goal of this study was to test a path model for the relationships between age, gender, traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization, and violent behavior, substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents. A hypothesized path model was fit to data from the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) on a nationally representative sample of 15,425 high-school students from across the United States. Results suggested that the effects of traditional and cyberbullying victimization on suicidal thinking, suicide planning, and suicide attempts were mediated by violent behavior, substance abuse, and depression. Results also suggested reciprocal paths between substance abuse and violent behavior. There were statistically significant indirect paths from both traditional and cyberbullying victimization to suicide attempts without the involvement of depression, suicidal thinking, or suicide planning, findings suggesting a model for spontaneous, unplanned adolescent suicides. Results suggested that female adolescents who reported cyberbullying victimization also reported higher rates of depression and suicidal behaviors compared to their male counterparts, and that as adolescents got older, depression and substance abuse tended to increase, while violent behavior and suicidal thinking tended to decrease. The implications of these findings for social workers, school counselors, and others who work with adolescents are considered.     

Burnout,coping and suicidal ideation: An application and extension of the job demand-control-support model

Suicidal tendencies are typically considered related to individual traits or predispositions, but some occupations have significantly higher rates than other occupations and the general population. This article proposes that stressful work conditions may be important in understanding occupational variations in suicidal tendencies. It explores the links between work-related factors and burnout, and suicidal thoughts among veterinarians. Burnout appears to be an important mediator in understanding veterinarians’ suicidal tendencies; work conditions that are emotionally exhausting for veterinarians may foster suicidal thoughts. Individual coping strategies are also explored. Emotion-focused strategies of avoidance and alcohol consumption not only exacerbate burnout and suicidal thoughts but also amplify the harmful effects of some job demands. Active problem solving is not as beneficial as expected, but a supportive work environment is a valuable coping resource. Organizational interventions and coping resources effective in reducing burnout may also reduce the risk of suicide for those in service occupations.     

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.     

Sticking with us through it all: The importance of trustworthy relationships for children and young people in residential care

Both historical and contemporary residential care for children have been found to present risks to their safety and security. Views about the characteristics of workers that helped them to feel safe in the placement were obtained from 27 children and young people who were placed in residential care in Australia. Competent and trustworthy staff were considered essential. These workers were characterised as caring, proactive, tenacious in building relationships, and available. Importantly, they listened and ensured young people had a voice. The study affirms the central role of the worker-client alliance in ensuring residential care is a positive and safe experience for children and young people, and identifies structural factors that children and young people believe are barriers to them feeling safe.     

Prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation,plan, and attempts,in first-year college students with ADHD

Abstract

Objective. The present study evaluated the prevalence of past suicidal ideation (SI), plan, and attempt in college students with ADHD (N?=?102) compared to a matched control (N?=?102). Predictors of SI, plan, and attempts, were examined. Participants. Study participants were first year college students at a large Southeastern university who completed measures during August or September of 2014 or January of 2015. Methods. Measures were completed by first year students via an online survey. Results. Prevalence rates for SI and related behaviors were higher among the ADHD group than the matched control, with suicide attempts rates four times higher in the ADHD group (13.7% vs. 2.9%). Results showed that ADHD predicted rates of SI and suicide attempt accounting for depression and key demographic variables. Conclusions. Findings have implications for suicide risk assessments conducted with college students with ADHD.     

The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of elder abuse and neglect in Iran.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO by the end of 2017. The prevalence was calculated based on the percentage or the amount reported in the studies. Heterogeneity was assessed by the I² statistic, and the data were combined using random effects model. The results were reported as the pooled estimates and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017070744).

Results: A total of 16 studies involving 6,461 participants aged 60 years and over were included. The pooled prevalence for overall elder abuse was 45.7% (95% CI: 27.3–64.1, p < .001).

Discussion: The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect is substantial in the Iranian population aged 60 years and over. More research is needed to investigate the actual prevalence of elder abuse at the national level.     

The role of communities in safeguarding children and young people

Historically, children's safeguarding policy and practice in the UK have focused on individual and family‐level explanations of abuse and neglect, with relatively little attention given to children's overall well‐being or the role played by neighbourhood conditions in shaping it. As a result, community‐oriented practice, designed to improve the neighbourhood conditions in which many of the families who come to the attention of child welfare agencies live, has largely remained on the margins of mainstream provision for safeguarding children and young people. However, more recent policy developments, including Every Child Matters and the Children's Plan, do highlight the influence of children's wider circumstances on their well‐being, providing the foundations for more holistic approaches to service provision. Nevertheless, it is argued that these policy developments are unlikely to be successful unless they are accompanied by fundamental changes within the culture of many agencies and professions. Using a combination of ecological theory and practice examples, some of the main strands of the changes required (developing a culture of listening to children and adults; recognising and supporting the safeguarding activities of local people; and promoting partnership approaches to extending local provision) are critically examined. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.