Living with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parental and professional views

The number of children diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is rising and is now thought to be as high as 1:100. While the debate about best treatment continues, the effects of having a child diagnosed with ASD on family life remain relatively unexplored. This article, by Karola Dillenburger of Queens University Belfast, Mickey Keenan of the University of Ulster, Alvin Doherty from the Health Service Executive Western Region, Tony Byrne of Parents’ Education as Autism Therapists (PEAT) and Stephen Gallagher of the University of Ulster, sets out to adjust that balance. Drawing upon data from a comprehensive study of parental needs, these authors argue that parental and professional views do not always concur; that families make extraordinary sacrifices; that siblings are affected; and that parents are under tremendous stress. Parents argue that educational and social service supports are not efficient and that they are forced to rely largely on support from within the family or from friends. In particular, some important differences between parental and professional perceptions became apparent in relation to interventions based on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). The authors of this article propose that these differences need to be taken seriously by teachers and other professionals as well as by policy-makers.

Research with children: methodological issues and innovative techniques

In the past few decades, a growing body of literature examining children’s perspectives on their own lives has developed within a variety of disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, anthropology and geography. This article provides a brief up-to-date examination of methodological and ethical issues that researchers may need to consider when designing research studies involving children; and a review of some of the methods and techniques used to elicit their views. The article aims to encourage researchers to critically reflect on these methodological issues and the techniques they choose to use, since they will have implications for the data produced.

Risks to home care workers: Professional perspectives

Care at home is fundamental to community care policy, but the simultaneous growth of health and safety regulation has implications for home care services because of the duty of employers towards home care workers. This grounded theory study set in Northern Ireland used data from 19 focus groups and nine semi-structured interviews with a range of health and social services professionals and managers to explore perspectives on planning long term care for older people. Home care workers faced a wide range of hazards in the homes of clients, who themselves were faced with adapting their living habits due to their changing health and care needs and 'risks.' Creative approaches were used to ensure the health and safety of home care workers and simultaneously to meet the choices of clients. Staff experienced feelings of conflict when they judged it necessary to impose their way of providing home care and thus impose their values on clients to create a safe working environment. There was variation between and within organizations in terms of the staff focus on client needs or on their employer responsibility towards home care workers. The planning of home care services must take account of both the choices of clients and the hazards facing home care staff.

Resilience, Risk and Protective Factors for British-Indian Children of Divorce

This paper considers resilience as a dynamic concept by looking at risk and protective factors for children of divorce in British-Indian Hindu and Sikh families using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model for human development. The paper draws from a qualitative study which is based on data collected on experiences of twentyone British-Indian Adult Children of Divorce to illustrate risk and protective factors within cultural ideology, community and macro contexts. The paper concludes that resilience in individuals and communities needs to be considered as a process that is influenced by the interaction of the ecological systems. Risk and protective factors cannot be categorically identified and dynamic processes need to be acknowledged within particular contexts. This is particularly important for practitioners working with minority ethnic children and families towards understanding diversity of experiences and perspectives within minority cultures.

Safeguarding children and public health: midwives' responsibilities

Using a healthy settings framework, this study aims to compare and contrast how midwives working in either hospital or community settings are currently responding to the co-occurrence of domestic and child abuse; their perceived role and willingness to identify abuse; record keeping; reporting of suspected or definite cases of child abuse; and training received. Methods: A survey questionnaire was sent to 861 hospital and community midwives throughout Northern Ireland, which resulted in 488 midwives completing the questionnaire, a 57% response rate. Comparisons were made using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation and the questionnaire was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Results: Community midwives reported receiving more training on domestic and child abuse. Although a high percentage of both hospital and community midwives acknowledged a link between domestic and child abuse, it was the community midwives who encountered more suspected and definite (p

Spatial Mobility, Workers and Jobs: Perspectives from the Northern Ireland Experience

Spatial mobility, workers and jobs: perspectives from the Northern Ireland experience,Regional Studies. How best to address local concentrations of worklessness is a key question for labour market, economic developmentand social inclusion policy. Historically, initiatives in Northern Ireland have focused on moving ‘jobs to workers’, butin changed political circumstances there is now greater emphasis on encouraging the movement of ‘workers to jobs’. A review of the Northern Ireland experience in the context of broader consideration of the geography and socio-institutional structure of local labour markets sheds light on the difficulties and successes in implementing both approaches. It is concluded that both have a role to play because labour market space is simultaneously ‘segmented’ and ‘seamless

The policy context of leaving care services: A case study of Northern Ireland

The transition of foster youth from state care to independent living has received increased research, practice, and policy attention in the United States and in many other countries. Most contributions to this literature have focused on documenting poor outcomes across various dimensions of need in the young people's lives whereas little attention has been given to the policy context in which the responses to those needs are being developed. In this article, we argue that there is a pressing need for better understanding of how the policy context can both promote and impede the development of appropriate services. To illustrate our argument, we use Northern Ireland as a policy case study both because of recent initiatives underway there in regard to youth transitions from state care and because of the heightened political sensibilities associated with it as a society. We draw attention to the socio-political historical context, a number of intersecting social policies, and the place of social work as a key occupation involved in delivering service improvements. We conclude by suggesting that this case study not only highlights the need to address similar aspects of the policy on youth transition frorn state care in the United States but also demonstrates the benefits of reflecting on policy development and implementation elsewhere in the world.

Revisioning assessment through a children’s rights approach: implications for policy, process and practice

The linkage between the impact of assessment and compliance with children’s rights is a connection, which although seemingly obvious, is nonetheless rarely made, particularly by governments, which, as signatories to the relevant human rights treaties, have the primary responsibility for ensuring that educational practice is compatible with international children’s rights standards. While some jurisdictions are explicit about an adherence to children’s rights frameworks in general policy documentation, such a commitment rarely features when the focus is on assessment and testing. Thus, in spite of significant public and academic attention given to the consequences of assessment for children and governments committed to working within children’s rights standards, the two are rarely considered together. This paper examines the implications for the policy, process and practice of assessment in light of international human rights standards. Three key children’s rights principles and standards are used as a critical lens to examine assessment policy and practice: (1) best interests; (2) non-discrimination; and (3) participation. The paper seeks new insights into the complexities of assessment practice from the critical perspective of children’s rights and argues that such standards not only provide a convenient benchmark for developing, implementing and evaluating assessment practices, but also acknowledge the significance of assessment in the delivery of children’s rights to, in and through education more generally.

To what extent do children with cerebral palsy participate in everyday life situations?

The aims of the study are to describe participation of children with cerebral palsy in everyday life situations, to investigate the relationship between participation (primary outcome variable) with child and parent characteristics (independent variables) and to compare the frequency of participation (secondary outcome variable) of children with cerebral palsy with children without disabilities. A cross-sectional survey of parents of children with cerebral palsy in Northern Ireland was undertaken in families’ homes using standard questionnaires. Children with cerebral palsy born between 31/8/1991 and 1/4/1997 were identified from a case register of people with the condition. A total of 102 parents opted in (51% response rate). Questionnaires included the Life Habits Questionnaire (Life-H) to measure difficulties in participation and The Frequency of Participation Questionnaire (FPQ), to measure frequency of participation with comparative data for children without disability. Overall, children with cerebral palsy participated less often than their non-disabled peers across a number of lifestyle and cultural pursuits. Among the 102 children with cerebral palsy, participation in ‘relationships’ was the least disrupted area of everyday life and aspects of ‘school’, ‘personal care’ and ‘mobility’ were the most disrupted. Children with cerebral palsy and severe co-impairments were significantly less likely to experience higher levels of participation in most areas of everyday life when compared to children with cerebral palsy and no severe co-impairments. Child physical and psychological well-being did not influence participation although higher parenting stress was significantly related to lower child participation in ‘community activities’. Participation is an important health outcome for children with cerebral palsy and should be incorporated in routine clinical practice. Professionals have a role to play both at the level of addressing individual child and family needs as well as influencing legislation and policy to ensure improved access to services and local communities.

Reflecting on outcomes for looked-after children: an ecological perspective

Despite huge investment over the past 10 years, improving outcomes for looked-after children remains elusive. A challenge for practitioners, researchers and policy-makers has been the absence of a shared conceptual framework for considering and responding to the needs of looked-after children. A second challenge relates to the measurement of outcomes. This article considers the measurement of outcomes and the multiple factors that contribute to outcomes for looked-after children. These include factors proximate to: the young person; birth family; placement; care system; children’s services; intra-agency dynamics; inter-agency dynamics; commissioning agents; and societal level. It then proposes an organising framework which provides the basis for reflecting on how multiple variables can interact to effect outcomes for looked-after children. The ecological perspective outlined in this article aims to facilitate reflection on the complex interplay between looked-after children and their environments and thereby to act as an aid to targeting interventions more effectively and efficiently.

Internet use and psychological wellbeing among 10 and 11 year old children

This paper uses data from the 2009 Kids’ Life and Times Survey, involving 3657 children aged 10 or 11 years old in Northern Ireland. The survey indicated high levels of use of Internet applications, including social-networking sites and online games. Using the KIDSCREEN-27 instrument, the data indicate that the use of social-networking sites and online games is related to poorer psychological well-being among girls, but not boys. Boys and girls who experience “cyberbullying” have poorer psychological well-being. This association between psychological well-being and some Internet applications merits more attention in future research and policy development.

Working with the 'System' and 'Lifeworld': Using Action Research to Enhance Resilience and Attachment in a Children's Home

Residential child care workers in the UK are caught betwen competing imperatives on a grand scale. On the one hand, they are required to implement an increasing raft of policy. On the other, they must proactively engage with the young people under their care.