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Goldstein, Keith; Vatalaro, Angela; Yair, Gad
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to refute See and Gorard’s paper published in this journal in 2015 which argues that parent-based interventions for school readiness are ineffective.Design/methodology/approachMethods and results from 107 studies that were cited in See and Gorard (2015a) and associated reports were reviewed. Evaluations were made based on comparing the original studies with the summaries of those studies in the publication.FindingsIn this rebuttal, the authors show how See and Gorard erred to correctly report methods, sample sizes, outcomes measured, and the actual results of prior research.Practical implicationsThe authors suggest that See and Gorard do not provide solid evidence within their article to back up their claims about parent intervention programs. This rigorous review of See and Gorard’s primary sources reveals that the empirical evidence stands contrary to the claims being made. See and Gorard inaccurately reviewed publications which contradict their conclusions, and they relied on a vast amount of unpublished papers by students to support their claims. Originality/valueThe authors demonstrate how See and Gorard misapplied their own standards of evaluation; the authors claim that their source materials contradict the “finding” they purport to present; and the authors argue that they chose lesser known studies when more reputable ones were available.
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a platform for young British Muslims in Tower Hamlets to share their perspectives on British values and identity, in light of the increased pressure schools are facing to actively promote “British values”.Design/methodology/approachThree focus groups were convened of 16-18 year olds, two all-male (one with five and one with six participants) and one all-female (five participants). Discussions were audio recorded with the data subjected to a form of thematic analysis that divided the raw data into three different categories: individual, group and group interaction data.FindingsAll but one of the participants defined themselves as British, largely due to a strong connection with British values. A minority felt this understanding was reflected back to them by society. However, the majority felt that, as ethnically Bengali and as Muslims, the opposite was the case. By judging the strength of an individual’s Britishness against the strength of their adherence to British values the government’s British values agenda is only serving to reinforce the isolation of those that feel excluded.Originality/valueWhile the identities of young people, British people, and Muslims have been widely explored, there is little research that looks at the intersection of all three.
Giuseppone, Kathryn R.; Brumariu, Laura E.
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposePrevious literature demonstrated low-to-moderate rates of agreement between children and mothers regarding child anxiety. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate factors related to differences between mother-child dyads who disagreed vs agreed in their reports of child anxiety symptoms.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 87 children aged 9-12 years old and their mothers completed questionnaires regarding maternal perceptions of child behavior, maternal separation anxiety about the child’s individuation, and mother-child relationship characteristics.FindingsThe results showed that mothers in mother-child dyads who disagreed on child anxiety symptoms, compared to those in dyads who agreed on child anxiety symptoms, perceived their children as showing higher affect intensity and behavioral problems. They also expressed greater anxiety about the children’s individuation process, characterized in part by children’s increased autonomy and decline of reliance on them. Further, children in dyads who disagreed, compared to those in dyads who agreed, reported lower mother-child attachment security.Originality/valueThe results extend the literature by identifying specific factors related to the discrepancy between mothers’ and children’s reports of childhood anxiety in early adolescence. The results highlight the need to consider both mothers’ and children’s views when assessing childhood anxiety. Importantly, the results also indicate that specific factors investigated in this study, including maternal perception of children’s behavioral problems and their affect intensity, maternal anxiety about child individuation, and mother-child attachment security, could be used to inform clinical decisions regarding informant discrepancies.
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess unit manager perspectives on the introduction of a group-based trauma-specific programme delivered across Scotland’s secure estate. As this was the first time such an estate-wide initiative had occurred, it was important to identify the benefits/challenges at a strategic level.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory qualitative case study was utilised involving semi-structured interviews with five senior unit managers in three secure units to discover their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of implementing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT). A quasi-qualitative analysis was used to quantify and give meaning to manager responses. Inter-rater reliability of analysis was assessed.FindingsUnit managers perceived gains in trauma-informed knowledge for themselves, and knowledge and skills gains for programme workers, care staff and adolescents. Challenges involved: managing a shift in paradigm to include a trauma-specific programme; the limiting context of competitive tendering; short duration placements; and the need for psychoeducation for staff, parents and agencies.Research limitations/implicationsLarge sample sizes are likely to identify further issues for unit managers. Manager perceptions need directly compared with staff and adolescent perceptions and included in randomised control trials of trauma-specific programmes.Practical implicationsManagers perceived that TRT needed to be delivered within trauma-informed organisations and identified the need for manager training in traumatisation, trauma recovery and organisational implications to guide strategic planning. Managers emphasised the need for psychoeducation for families, staff and agencies.Originality/valueThe current study is the first in Scotland to explore unit manager experience of introducing a trauma-specific programme across the secure estate.
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the complexity of children’s involvement in school bullying from the child’s perspective.Design/methodology/approachA Foucauldian perspective provides a more nuanced approach than traditional understandings for examining the fluidity of power which involves “grey” areas; struggles between pupils, and pupils and teachers; and takes into account systemic factors. Data are drawn from observations, focus groups and individual interviews with children aged 10-16.FindingsChildren explained how pupils, teachers and inequalities inherent in school contributed to their involvement. Children felt coerced into reinforcing societal inequalities whereby the “vulnerable” were susceptible to victimisation and pupils can achieve status through bullying. Several working-class males who had learning difficulties felt “picked on” by their peers and teachers, and subsequently retaliated aggressively.Research limitations/implicationsFindings from this relatively small sample provide insight into children’s unique experiences and how they are produced within wider systems of knowledge which differ from traditionally accepted discourses.Practical implicationsPupils should have an input into the development and implementation of institutional strategies to tackle bullying.Social implicationsTraditional ways of identifying “bullies” can be used to target those already marginalised whilst more sophisticated bullying is usually accepted and approved.Originality/valueThe complexity, fluidity and multi-faceted nature of children’s involvement is highlighted. Children discussed the maltreatment they experienced from pupils and teachers but did not realise how they may have subjected them to bullying.
Kerns, Suzanne E.U.; McCormick, Erin; Negrete, Andrea; Carey, Cathea; Haaland, Wren; Waller, Scott
2017 Journal of Children's Services
PurposeWhile evidence-based parenting interventions (EBPIs) are proven effective at addressing numerous emotional and behavioral health challenges for children and youth, and reduce rates of child maltreatment, they are often not well implemented in the real-world settings. Even with the state-of-the art training, many practitioners do not deliver the intervention, or do so at a reduced capacity. The purpose of this paper is to examine system-contextual implementation factors that predict timely initiation of use of an EBPI (i.e. within the first six months following training). A secondary purpose is to document additional impacts of training.Design/methodology/approachRepeated measures were used to collect predictors and the dependent variable. The relationship between participant characteristics and use of the Triple P program was estimated using exact logistic regression.FindingsThe results from 37 practitioners across three communities indicated approximately 54 percent delivered the intervention with at least one family within the first six months following training. Practitioner self-efficacy immediately following training and general attitudes toward evidence-based practices were the most significant predictors of timely use of the model. The vast majority of practitioners, regardless of implementation status, generalized learning from the training to other aspects of their work.Originality/valueProspective examination of the predictive value of implementation factors helps to refine targeted approaches to support implementation.