Journal of Children s Services

Vallejos, Elvira Perez; Ball, Mark John; Brown, Poppy; Crepaz-Keay, David; Haslam-Jones, Emily; Crawford, Paul

2016 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-11-2015-0034

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test whether incorporating a 20-week Kundalini yoga programme into a residential home for children improves well-being outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThis is a mixed methods feasibility study. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment and retention rates as well as participants’ self-report perceptions on social inclusion, mental health and well-being and through semi-structured interviews on the benefits of the study. Mutual recovery entailed that children in care (CIC), youth practitioners and management participated together in the Kundalini yoga sessions.FindingsThe study initially enrolled 100 per cent of CIC and 97 per cent (29/30) of eligible staff. Attendance was low with an average rate of four sessions per participant (SD=3.7, range 0-13). All the participants reported that the study was personally meaningful and experienced both individual (e.g. feeling more relaxed) and social benefits (e.g. feeling more open and positive). Pre- and post-yoga questionnaires did not show any significant effects. Low attendance was associated with the challenges faced by the children’s workforce (e.g. high levels of stress, low status, profile and pay) and insufficient consultation and early involvement of stakeholders on the study implementation process.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach (i.e. feasibility study) and low attendance rate, the research results may lack generalisability. Therefore, further research with larger samples including a control or comparison group to pilot similar research questions is mandatory.Practical implicationsThis study has generated a number of valuable guiding principles and recommendations that might underpin the development of any future intervention for CIC and staff working in children’s homes.Social implicationsThe concept of togetherness and mutuality within residential spaces is discussed in the paper.Originality/valueThe effects of Kundalini yoga have not been reported before in any peer-review publications. This paper fulfils an identified need (i.e. poor outcomes among CIC and residential staff) and shows how movement and creative practices can support the concept of mutual recovery.

Vohra, Jyoti; Soni, Pavleen

2016 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-02-2016-0004

PurposeThe undesirable effects of TV advertisements and general parenting responsibility propel mothers to monitor and control the eating habits of children through meal time actions and feeding practices. The purpose of this paper is to identify feeding practices used by Indian mothers through the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) developed by Musher-Eizenman and Holub (2007) and to investigate differences in the use of feeding practices across demographic variables.Design/methodology/approachUsing a cross-sectional design, a structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 473 mothers of children aged four to 11 years from Punjab (India). Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and ANOVA.FindingsThe present study confirms the validity and reliability of the nine-factor model through CFA with 28 items in the Indian context than original CFPQ. Further, significant differences exist in the responses of mothers for feeding practices followed with children across age and gender of child, mother’s education status and monthly family income.Practical implicationsParents may understand the nature of feeding practices to mediate unhealthy food consumption habits of children. The government should formulate codes or regulations to sufficiently monitor food marketing activities directed at children. The food marketing companies should also act responsibly to protect well-being of children.Originality/valueThis piece of research is important as no such study (to the best of researchers’ knowledge) has already been conducted in India even though dietary patterns of children are transforming tremendously.

Moreno, Almudena; Lara Montero, Alfonso

2016 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-03-2016-0005

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to map the current organisation and implementation of children’s services in three regions of Spain, to identify strengths and gaps and to suggest proposals for improvement in line with European recommendations.Design/methodology/approachSpain features a decentralised approach when it comes to the organisation of children’s services. This means that relevant themes for children’s services refer to decentralised policies, which diverge within the regions in the country and therefore to illustrate this the authors focus on three specific regions. The study used an exploratory case study design and relied on qualitative methods, including the answers to open questionnaires provided by senior civil servants at key regional child welfare agencies, children’s services directors and service providers.FindingsThe main finding from the review of the legislation and the answers to the questionnaires is that public social services still follow an assistance logic rather than a social investment approach in regards to children’s services. Although a significant development of laws and policies has taken place, ensuring the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and services for children remains a challenge.Research limitations/implicationsThe answers provided by the respondents may be subject to limitations imposed by the agencies for which they work. A general disadvantage of qualitative research is the use of subjective criteria to interpret the relevance of the results. The study was further challenged by differences across regions when it comes to their legal and policy frameworks, development of provisions and implementation and outcomes’ evaluation.Practical implicationsThe findings could be used to assess the state of play in regards to children’s services across the regions studied and beyond with a focus on children being placed at the centre of public services’ intervention, using a comprehensive approach and promoting critical thinking and reflective practice.Social implicationsThe three selected case studies provide additional insight into policy and legal developments, implementation and evaluation of activities and efforts to improve policy and practice in children’s services.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the evaluation of the current situation of children’s services in Spain from a decentralised perspective with the aim to facilitate changes to improve planning, implementation and evaluation of children’s services and secure better outcomes for children.

Davies, Laura

2016 Journal of Children's Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-03-2016-0007

PurposeThis paper explores service provision for young fathers through analysis of data from the three-year ESRC funded project Following Young Fathers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the idea that young fathers are a “hard to reach” group. It begins with a discussion of literature and research evidence on this theme. The empirical discussion draws on data collected in interviews and focus groups with practitioners, service managers and those working to develop and deliver family support services.Design/methodology/approachThe ESRC Following Young Fathers study used qualitative longitudinal methods to research the perspectives of fathers under the age of 25, mapping the availability of services to support them and investigating professional and policy responses to their needs. The strand reported on here focussed on the perspectives of a range of practitioners, service managers and those involved in developing and commissioning services.FindingsThe research findings, and those of other projects discussed in the paper, challenge the idea that young fathers are “hard to reach”, suggesting that we should, conversely, consider that many services are actually hard to access. Thus, increasing young fathers’ engagement requires better understanding of their often complex needs and a reshaping of service design and delivery to account for them. The paper highlights how the configuration, funding and delivery of services can inhibit young fathers’ use of them, and identifies ways in which they could be made more accessible.Originality/valueThe ESRC Following Young Fathers Study filled an important gap in knowledge about the lives of young fathers, developing understandings of their experiences and support needs. The strand reported on here draws on research with practitioners to provide an in-depth discussion of how services currently support young fathers, and how they could be better configured to address their often complex and diverse needs.

Blackburn, Carolyn

2016 Journal of Children's Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-04-2016-0008

PurposeA case study is reported of a relationship-based early intervention (EI) service for children with complex needs in New Zealand. The purpose of this paper is to explore parent and professional views and perceptions about the key characteristics of a relationship-based EI service.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study involved interviews and observations with 39 participants (10 children, 11 parents and 18 professionals).FindingsParents appreciated the knowledgeable, well-trained professionals who invested time in getting to know (and love) children and families and family practices, worked together in harmony and valued the contribution that parents made to their child’s progress and achievement. Professionals described the key characteristics of the service in terms of the range of therapies offered by the service, the focus on a strengths-based and family-focussed approach, play-based assessments, acceptance and value of family practices (including responsiveness to Maori and bi-culturalism), appropriate and respectful places to meet and greet families and work with children, and recruitment and retention of humble professionals who identified with the ethos of the model. Observable social processes and structures within the delivery of the model include respectful professional interactions and relationships with children and families, integrated professional working, effective and timely communication between professionals and families, pedagogy of listening, waiting and personalisation, engaged families and actively participating children.Originality/valueThis case study emphasises the significance of professional love and relational pedagogy to EI services and the value of this to improving parent-child relationships and children’s long-term outcomes.

Green, Amy E.; Cafri, Guy; Aarons, Gregory

2016 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-07-2016-0013

PurposeThe concerns that implementing a new structured innovation with increased oversight may lead to reduced job autonomy and poorer work attitudes. These concerns have been cited as a barrier to evidence-based treatment (EBT) implementation. However, previous research found lower turnover among child welfare providers implementing an EBT with fidelity monitoring compared to those administering services as usual (SAU). The authors hypothesized that changes in job autonomy, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment would be no worse among providers in EBT conditions and fidelity monitoring conditions compared to SAU and no monitoring conditions.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 208 service providers over four waves at six month intervals as part of a 2 (EBT vs SAU) by 2 (fidelity monitoring vs no monitoring) hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. Superiority testing was conducted to determine whether there were significant differences over time on the outcomes as a function of experimental condition. Non-inferiority testing examined whether the EBT condition is not inferior to SAU and monitoring not inferior to no monitoring on the outcomes.FindingsNo evidence of superiority was found for any conditions over time on the outcomes. Non-inferiority testing indicates EBT is not inferior to SAU and monitoring is not inferior to no monitoring on the outcomes.Originality/valueThis study provide empirical quantitative data regarding job attitudes and job autonomy perceptions over time following EBT implementation. In light of the current findings, concerns regarding the impact of EBT implementation on provider job perceptions should be minimized.

2016 Journal of Children's Services

doi: 10.1108/JCS-12-2016-053