Making meaningful connections: Using insights from social pedagogy in statutory child and family social work practice

Reports into incidents of child death and serious injury have highlighted consistently concern about the capacity of social workers to communicate skilfully with children. Drawing on data collected as part of an Economic and Social Research Council funded UK-wide research project exploring social workers’ communicative practices with children, this paper explores how approaches informed by social pedagogy can assist social workers in connecting and communicating children. The qualitative research included data generated from 82 observations of social workers’ everyday encounters with children. Social pedagogical concepts of ‘haltung’ (attitude), ‘head, heart and hands’ and ‘the common third’ are outlined as potentially helpful approaches for facilitating the intimacies of inter-personal connections and enhancing social workers’ capacity to establish and sustain meaningful communication and relationships with children in the face of austere social, political and organisational contexts.

The iceberg of suicide and self-harm in Irish adolescents: a population-based study

PURPOSE Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents. Self-harm is the most important risk factor for suicide, yet the majority of self-harm does not come to the attention of health services. The purpose of this study was to establish the relative incidence of adolescent suicide, hospital-treated self-harm and self-harm in the community. METHODS Annual suicide rates were calculated for 15-17 year-old in the Cork and Kerry region in Ireland based on data from the Central Statistics Office. Rates of hospital-treated self-harm were collected by the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self-Harm. Rates of self-harm in the community were assessed using a survey of 3,881 adolescents, the Child and Adolescent Self-harm in Europe study. RESULTS The annual suicide rate was 10/100,000. Suicide was six times more common among boys than girls. The annual incidence rate of hospital-treated self-harm was approximately 344/100,000, with the female rate almost twice the male rate. The rate of self-harm in the community was 5,551/100,000, and girls were almost four times more likely to report self-harm. For every boy who died by suicide, 16 presented to hospital with self-harm and 146 reported self-harm in the community. For every female suicide, 162 girls presented to hospital with self-harm and 3,296 reported self-harm. CONCLUSIONS Gender differences in relative rates of self-harm and suicide are very large, with boys who have harmed themselves at particularly high risk of suicide. Knowledge of the relative incidence of self-harm and suicide in adolescents can inform prevention programmes and services.

An Investigation into the Implementation of CYP-IAPT Routine Outcome Measures in their First Year of Integration into Child Psychotherapy Practice

This thesis examines the impact on child and adolescent psychotherapists within CAMHS of the introduction of routine outcome measures (ROMs) associated with the Children and Young People’s Improving access to Psychological Therapies programme (CYP-IAPT). All CAMHS therapists working within a particular NHS mental health Trust1 were required to trial CYP-IAPT ROMs as part of their everyday clinical practice from October 2013-September 2014. During this period considerable freedom was allowed as to which of the measures each therapist used and at what frequency. In order to assess the impact of CYP-IAPT ROMs on child psychotherapy, I conducted semi-structured interviews with eight psychotherapists within a particular CAMHS partnership within one NHS Trust. Each statement was coded and grouped according to whether it related to initial (generic) assessment, goal setting / monitoring, monitoring on-going progress, therapeutic alliance, or to issues concerning how data might be used or interpreted by managers and commissioners. Analysis of interviews revealed greatest concern about session-by session ROMs, as these are felt to impact most significantly on psychotherapy; therapists felt that session-by-session ROMs do not take account of negative transference relationships, they are overly repetitive and used to reward / punish the therapist. Measures used at assessment and review were viewed as most compatible with psychotherapy, although often experienced as excessively time consuming. The Goal Based Outcome Measure was generally experienced as compatible with psychotherapy so long as goals are formed collaboratively between therapist and young person. There was considerable anxiety about how data may be (mis)used and (mis)interpreted by managers and commissioners, for example to end treatment prematurely, trigger change of therapist in the face of negative ROMs data, or to damage psychotherapy. Use of ROMs for short term and generic work was experienced as less intrusive and contentious.

Live Work: The Impact of Direct Encounters in Statutory Child and Family Social Wor

The aim of this research project was to examine the impact of direct work on practitioners in the field of statutory child protection. The author’s premise was that this work was anything but straightforward and that surprisingly, given the intense scrutiny on Children’s Services following a child death, there was little research into the day-to-day practice of front line staff. The aim was to explore whether psychoanalytic theory could be useful in understanding and making sense of the social work task. Data was collected through observation and semi-structured interviews in one Local Authority Child in Need team over a period of six months. The findings indicated that practitioners experienced direct work with some individuals and families as profoundly disturbing and that this affected them physiologically as well as psychologically. These effects persisted over time and appeared very difficult for the workers to process or articulate. This could be expressed through embodied or non-verbal communication in the interview. Practitioners appeared to be ‘inhabited’ by particular clients, suggesting phenomena such as projective identification were in operation. The intensity and persistence of the impact on the practitioners appears to be directly related to the quality, nature and intensity of the psychic defences functioning for the particular client. Significantly, the research indicated that when practitioners were dealing with the negative and disturbing projections from the (adult) clients it seemed from the data that the focus on the child would slip so that the child appeared to recede from view. Symptoms experienced by the practitioners were akin to trauma and research and theory on primary and secondary trauma were considered. Other issues raised included shame, which affects the clients, practitioners and the organisation and the meaning and implications of this are explored. Links between neuroscience and projective identification are addressed as well as the role of the organisation, particularly as a container for these toxic and disturbing encounters.

The Impact of Friends on Newly Immigrant Children’s Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment

Immigration disrupts an individual’s support network; however, the stresses of the immigration process increase the need for social support. The presence of social support becomes essential for immigrant children and adolescents to cope with these important transitional circumstances. Friends are both sources of social support and models for behavior. Furthermore, friendship networks are known to have a significant influence on youths’ functioning. Literature suggests that peer relations become more important in adolescence and friend support is related to child and adolescent well-being. Thus, friend relationships may be particularly important for immigrant youths who experience disruption in their friendship networks during the process of migration to another country. In addition to friendship networks and support, friend characteristics also need to be taken into consideration as important factors for immigrant youth adjustment. My study involved analyses of the effects of friend support and friend problem behaviors on emotional and behavioral functioning for elementary, middle, and high school age newly immigrant children and adolescents. Immigrant children and adolescents (N = 503) were interviewed at schools by interviewers fluent in participants’ languages. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses revealed that friend support and friend problem behaviors were related to children’s self-esteem and externalizing behaviors. In addition, friend problem behavior alone predicted children’s psychological symptoms and depression scores. Furthermore, age/grade was found to be a moderator for the relation between friend problem behavior and immigrant youth behavioral adjustment such that compared to elementary and high school cohorts, middle school youths showed more externalizing behaviors when they had friends performing problem behaviors. Results supported the idea that both friend support and friend behavior are related to newly immigrant youths’ emotional and behavioral adjustment. This study informs further research and interventions concerning the development of programs to facilitate immigrant youths’ adjustment by revealing friendship factors related to their adaptation.

Children with Special Health Care Needs: Comparison of the Effects of Home Care Setting, Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Setting, and Long-Term Care Setting on Child and Family Health Outcomes and Health Care Service Use

Technological advances during the past 30 years have dramatically improved survival rates for children with life-threatening conditions (preterm births, congenital anomalies, disease, or injury) resulting in children with special health care needs (CSHCN), children who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who require health and related services beyond that required by children generally. There are approximately 10.2 million of these children in the United States or one in five households with a child with special health care needs. Care for these children is limited to home care, medical day care (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care; P-PEC) or a long term care (LTC) facility. There is very limited research examining health outcomes of CSHCN and their families. The purpose of this research was to compare the effects of home care settings, P-PEC settings, and LTC settings on child health and functioning, family health and function, and health care service use of families with CSHCN. Eighty four CSHCN ages 2 to 21 years having a medically fragile or complex medical condition that required continual monitoring were enrolled with their parents/guardians. Interviews were conducted monthly for five months using the PedsQL TM Generic Core Module for child health and functioning, PedsQL TM Family Impact Module for family health and functioning, and Access to Care from the NS-CSHCN survey for health care services. Descriptive statistics, chi square, and ANCOVA were conducted to determine differences across care settings. Children in the P-PEC settings had a highest health care quality of life (HRQL) overall including physical and psychosocial functioning. Parents/guardians with CSHCN in LTC had the highest HRQL including having time and energy for a social life and employment. Parents/guardians with CSHCN in home care settings had the poorest HRQL including physical and psychosocial functioning with cognitive difficulties, difficulties with worry, communication, and daily activities. They had the fewest hours of employment and the most hours providing direct care for their children. Overall health care service use was the same across the care settings.

Bullying Involvement and Adolescent Substance Use: A Study of Multilevel Risk and Protective Factors

Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-08-02 13:18:40.65

Imaginarios sociales de adolescentes y docentes en torno al cuerpo, la corporalidad y la actividad física. Estudio cualitativo en un colegio de Bogotá, 2014-2015.

Problema. Esta investigación se aproxima al entorno escolar con el propósito de avanzar en la comprensión de los imaginarios de los adolescentes y docentes en torno al cuerpo, la corporalidad y la AF, como un elemento relevante en el diseño de programas y planes efectivos para fomento de la práctica de AF. Objetivo. Analizar los imaginarios sociales de docentes y adolescentes en torno a los conceptos de cuerpo, corporalidad y AF. Métodos. Investigación de corte cualitativo, descriptivo e interpretativo. Se realizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas a docentes y a estudiantes entre los 12 y 18 años de un colegio público de Bogotá. Se realizó análisis de contenido. Se compararon los resultados de estudiantes por grupos de edades y género. Resultados. Docentes y estudiantes definen el cuerpo a partir de las características biológicas, las diferencias sexuales y las funciones vitales. La definición de corporalidad en los estudiantes se encuentra ligada con la imagen y la apariencia física; los docentes la entienden como la posibilidad de interactuar con el entorno y como la materialización de la existencia. La AF en los estudiantes se asocia con la práctica de ejercicio y deporte, en los docentes se comprende como una práctica de autocuidado que permite el mantenimiento de la salud. Conclusiones. Para promover la AF tempranamente como una experiencia vital es necesario intervenir los espacios escolares. Hay que vincular al cuerpo a los procesos formativos con el propósito de desarrollar la autonomía corporal, este aspecto implica cambios en los currículos.

Etapas de cambio comportamental frente al consumo de drogas ilegales, tabaco y alcohol en escolares de 9 a 17 años de Bogotá – Colombia

Objetivo: El propósito del estudio fue describir estadísticamente las etapas de cambio comportamental frente al consumo de sustancias psicoactivas –SPA– (alcohol, tabaco y drogas ilegales) en escolares entre 9 y 17 años de Bogotá- Colombia, pertenecientes al estudio FUPRECOL. Método: Se trata de un estudio descriptivo y transversal en 6.965 niños y adolescentes entre 9 y 17 años, pertenecientes a 24 instituciones educativas oficiales de Bogotá - Colombia. La medición de los procesos de cambio propuestos por el Modelo Transteórico (MTT), aplicados al consumo de drogas, tabaco y alcohol se aplicaron de manera auto-diligenciada mediante un cuestionario estructurado. Resultados: De la muestra evaluada, el 58,4% fueron mujeres con un promedio de edad 12,74 ± 2.38 años. En la población en general, frente al consumo de drogas, el 6% de los escolares se encontraban en etapa de pre-contemplación, 44 % en contemplación; 30% en preparación/acción, 20% en mantenimiento. Con relación al consumo de alcohol, el 5% de los niños y adolescentes se encontraban en etapa de pre-contemplación, 36 % en contemplación; 12% en preparación/acción, 46% en mantenimiento. Frente al tabaco, el 4% de los niños y adolescentes se encontraban en etapa de pre-contemplación, 33 % en contemplación; 12% en preparación/acción, 51% en mantenimiento. Conclusiones: En los escolares evaluados, un importante porcentaje se ubica en la etapa de mantenimiento frente a la intención de consumo de tabaco y alcohol. Frente al consumo de drogas ilegales los niños y adolescentes están en la etapa de contemplación. Se requieren esfuerzos mayores para fomentar programas preventivos que enseñen sobre el riesgo del abuso/dependencia de este tipo de sustancias psicoactiva sobre la salud; dándole prioridad en las agendas y políticas públicas dentro del ámbito escolar.

Children living in HIV families : a review

This review article summarizes the current knowledge about children born or living in families affected by HIV, a topic of recent interest in the HIV field. It also presents a case study of a child's narrative about the implications of living with a HIV parent. The case study is part of a larger study involving both parents and children living with HIV in Bangladesh. The paper discusses the implications of HIV for children, their families, and social services to gain a better understanding of some of the social issues, such as stigma, associated with this illness. The paper recommends that the development of effective social and service interventions using appropriate language, information, and access to social support services are urgently needed to reduce the concerns and increases the life opportunities of children living in HIV families.

Defining a developmental subtype of bipolar disorder in a sample of nonreferred adults by age at onset

Objective To test the hypothesis that the age at onset of bipolar disorder would identify a developmental subtype of bipolar disorder in adults characterized by increased levels of irritability, chronic course, rapid cycling, and comorbidity with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Methods Forty-four adult subjects diagnosed with bipolar disorder were selected from large family studies of youth with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These subjects were stratified by the age at onset in childhood (younger than 13 years; n = 8, 18%), adolescence (13–18 years; n = 12, 27%, or adulthood (older than 19 years; n = 24, 55%). All subjects were administered structure diagnostic interviews and a brief cognitive battery. Results In contrast with adult-onset bipolar disorder, child-onset bipolar disorder was associated with a longer duration of illness, more irritability than euphoria, a mixed presentation, a more chronic or rapid-cycling course, and increased comorbidity with childhood disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders. Conclusion Stratification by age at onset of bipolar disorder identified subgroups of adult subjects with differing clinical correlates. This pattern of correlates is consistent with findings documented in children with pediatric bipolar disorder and supports the hypothesis that child-onset bipolar disorder may represent a developmental subtype of the disorder.

Interfaces e lacunas na assistência prestada ao adolescente soropositivo

O objetivo desta dissertação foi estudar as várias interfaces e possíveis insuficiências no atendimento prestado aos adolescentes que vivem com HIV / AIDS. Assim, a área de pesquisa concentrou-se em algumas unidades de saúde da área do Rio de Janeiro - Programa municipal 2.2. O primeiro capítulo descreve um esboço histórico da formação do Estado moderno e as bases para a política social sustentável do Estado capitalista contemporâneo culminando com a análise da construção de um modelo de proteção social no Brasil, depois dos anos trinta. Desta forma, o Estado é visto como uma área atravessada por paradoxal interesses conflitantes e as políticas sociais, administradas no interior do estado, sendo fruto de processos históricos, econômicos e políticos. No segundo capítulo, os problemas da política de saúde no Brasil são discutidos, enfocando as orientações das políticas sobre a AIDS e a adolescência. Em primeiro lugar, os aspectos históricos sobre as políticas de AIDS são analisados e, em seguida, há uma investigação do conceito de adolescência e os princípios norteadores do Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente e do Programa Saúde do Adolescente. No terceiro capítulo o material coletado na pesquisa por profissionais de saúde é analisado e relacionado com o estudo documental com a crítica das políticas destinadas. A conclusão mostra que, apesar de todo o progresso clínico e / ou farmacológico para o tratamento de pessoas vivendo com AIDS e na formulação de políticas públicas para garantir os direitos, os adolescentes precisam de espaços de boas-vindas nas relações sociais, onde nem a família, a religião, a escola e seus pares estão preparados para essa proximidade. Outra questão importante é a incapacidade dos profissionais de saúde para lidar com os vários aspectos da doença. Contas de contenção e abuso são comuns, revelando que as unidades de saúde nem sempre desenvolvem o seu potencial para cuidar.

Medidas socioeducativas em meio aberto: reflexões acerca do processo de municipalização

A presente dissertação, apresentada ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia Social da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, teve como proposta pesquisar a municipalização das medidas socioeducativas em meio aberto. O objetivo da pesquisa foi o de retratar como esse processo estrutura-se no estado do Rio de Janeiro, especificamente no município de Niterói. A fim de compreender a dimensão estrutural da municipalização, foi realizada pesquisa de campo junto ao Departamento Geral de Ações Socioeducativas (DEGASE), órgão de referência estadual, e junto ao Centro de Referência Especializado de Assistência Social (CREAS) do município de Niterói. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas com representante da Assessoria às Medidas Socioeducativas e ao Egresso, vinculada ao DEGASE, e com o coordenador e os profissionais da equipe de referência socioeducativa do CREAS/Niterói. A categorização e análise dos dados foram empreendidas por meio da Análise de Conteúdo das entrevistas e das anotações feitas em diário de campo. Os resultados da pesquisa forneceram subsídios para uma reflexão acerca da execução das medidas socioeducativas de Liberdade Assistida e de Prestação de Serviço à Comunidade no processo de municipalização, além de um panorama a respeito da assessoria prestada aos municípios. Constatou-se, no estudo, a fragilidade do processo de municipalização, em especial pela precarização das condições de trabalho neste campo. Ao mesmo tempo, foi evidenciado que a escassez de um trabalho em rede com as instituições municipais e com o Sistema de Garantia de Direitos da criança e do adolescente dificulta que se siga o que dispõem o Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, o Sistema Nacional de Atendimento Socioeducativo e a Tipificação Nacional de Serviços Socioassistenciais no que diz respeito à execução das medidas em meio aberto. Os resultados da pesquisa indicam que o caráter social e educativo das medidas em meio aberto ainda está por ser assegurado aos adolescentes em cumprimento de medidas.

De menor a criança, de criança a filho: discursos de adoção

A presente tese teve como objetivo primordial cartografar e analisar algumas instituições e mitos que potencializaram, no contexto do estado do Rio de Janeiro, a emergência e a legitimação da prática da adoção-pronta. Por adoção-pronta, entendemos as solicitações de adoções que aportam nos Juizados da Infância e da Juventude como fato consumado, isto é, a criança a ser adotada já se encontra, concretamente, com os requerentes que pretendem regularizar uma situação instituída. Essa medida, via de regra, sustenta-se num tripé: uma mãe que entrega, um casal que acolhe e discursos de especialistas, dentre eles, psicólogos e assistentes sociais, que ratificam tal relação. A amostragem da pesquisa foi composta por dez processos de adoção-pronta, sendo cinco na vigência do Código de Menores e cinco sob a ótica do Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente. A genealogia histórica de Foucault, as ferramentas da Análise Institucional bem como a Análise e a Ordem do Discurso de Orlandi e Foucault foram, nesse percurso, os recortes metodológicos priorizados. As análises permitiram constatar que são pobres, jovens, solteiras e empregadas domésticas as mulheres-mães que entregam seus filhos em adoção. Os que acolhem, em sua maioria, são legalmente casados, economicamente ativos, possuem filhos e, não mantém com a mãe biológica, laços de parentalidade. Os laudos técnicos, via de regra, têm colocado, na mãe pobre, a responsabilidade e a autonomia pelo ato de entrega e, portanto, vêm funcionando como instrumentos de produção e sustentação de subjetividades, tais como a de mãe desnaturada. Em síntese, as análises nos possibilitaram concluir que os discursos dos especialistas longe de afirmarem a ineficácia das políticas públicas como co-autoras dos processos de destituição do poder familiar, vêm afirmando a adoção-pronta como prática de repercussão pública, isto é, enquanto uma solução-alternativa ao quadro de pobreza de cidadania.