It has been reported that adult adoptees with histories of maltreatment face particular challenges when they become parents. Here we explore this issue using a qualitative analysis of the views of 14 adoptee mothers, who suffered severe institutional deprivation in the Romanian orphanages of the late 1980s before being adopted into the UK, and their adoptive parents. Following a thematic analysis, we report several perceived benefits of becoming a parent, as well as co-occurring difficulties and challenges. Benefits included a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment, feeling more motivated personally and professionally and the positive experience of having a relationship with a biological relative. Challenges related, in particular, to some adoptee parents’ abilities to appraise risk relating to their children and to difficulties in organising day-to-day activities. Practical and emotional support from adoptive grandparents was very often crucial for adoptee parents’ success and wellbeing. Implications for research and practice are discussed, emphasising that deprivation-related difficulties expand into adulthood and for some can impact their ability to parent.
The voices of autistic children and their families are routinely underestimated and overlooked in research and practice. Research is challenged methodologically in accessing the views of autistic people who, by definition, are characterised by social and communication difficulties. Consequently, many voices remain unheard and experiences undocumented. This has important implications for the validity of research that is interested in improving the life experiences of marginalised groups since the representation of those experiences is partial and dominated by research perspectives that prioritise particular kinds of evidence. This situation matters because there remains a substantial gap between research and practice such that the longer-term outcomes for autistic people across social, educational and economic indices remain poor. We argue that research can only make an impact on practice if there is a genuine commitment to gathering and understanding these different sources of evidence in ways that connect research and practice from the start. This protocol describes a methodological project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council in the UK. The ‘Our Stories’ project applies and extends a participatory Digital Stories methodology to explore the research challenge of gathering a range of views from autistic children, families, and practice in authentic ways and at points of transition. Digital Stories is an accessible and inclusive methodology that supports the sharing of views and experiences in visual, video form. We describe the rationale for, and design, of the project across four pilot studies in different contexts as well as our approach to analysis and ethics. While our project focuses on autism, the knowledge we gain is applicable to research and practice much more widely and to any voices or groups who are marginalised from the traditional ways of doing research and to any contexts of practice.
(STEPS) is a digital application (app) designed to help parents manage behaviour of their children who are referred to mental health services and are waiting for an assessment or treatment. STEPS is currently being evaluated in the Online Parent Training for the Initial Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder randomised controlled trial. Alongside the examination of STEPS' clinical and cost-effectiveness, we are conducting a process evaluation to better understand the contextual factors that may influence study outcomes. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the aims, objectives and methodology of the process evaluation prior to it taking place to add to the fidelity and rigour of the trial process and outcomes. Our goal is to adapt STEPS to optimise its benefits in future applications.
The knowledge of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families, is essential for informing educational transition planning and decision-making. However, often their views are marginalised through formalised processes and assessments which underestimate children's capabilities and prioritise professional knowledge. We draw upon a project in an early years setting that involved five young autistic children, their families, and practitioners in the creation of Digital Stories as the children prepared for the transition to school. Parents and practitioners contributed exemplary (practical) knowledge and children contributed embodied knowledge about the things that mattered to them. We analysed the Stories to find out what we learned about the children through taking these different perspectives. Children's embodied knowledge revealed their voices, interests and capabilities, with a focus on the spaces where they liked to be and who they chose to spend time with (including themselves). Parents and practitioners shared knowledge about the objects and interests of the child, the choices they make, and where support is needed. Taken together, the Stories provide a holistic view of the child that moves beyond difficulties and challenges. The Stories could be an important tool for professionals and families for supporting children's transitions.
Abstract Inclusive education for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presents challenges for school staff and professional development is lacking. Training is not always available when needed, strategies suggested by external experts can be impractical and staff lack autonomy in choosing the best way of being resourced. Additionally, the experience and knowledge of the range of school staff is not utilised. A collaborative working group of school staff and a researcher explored an alternative method of ADHD resourcing. Co‐construction of knowledge defines how the group discursively identified actionable knowledge from the different perspectives and knowledge brought by individual group members. A systemic framework was used to critically reflect on the collaboration. The framework enabled reflection on four areas to understand how and why the collaboration led to a published web‐based school staff ADHD resource. Firstly, starting conditions and assumptions were considered to identify and articulate the rationale for the resource. Secondly, the context and system dynamics enabled consideration of the socio‐cultural and political landscape of the project and the impact of COVID‐19. Thirdly, the different voices of participants and power dynamics were reflected on. Finally, emergence was a frame in which to elucidate knowledge production and changes in practice. The collaborative working group addressed the research–practice gap and the need for diversity of voices to be heard across the school. Knowledge co‐construction positions staff as knowledge bearers and, together with different forms of knowledge, they can be empowered to create new, contextualised evidence‐based knowledge.
Abstract Empirical evidence shows that asylum seekers experience a range of stressors in a post-migration context that can contribute to poor mental health. Few studies have considered how post-migration stressors affect the family unit, specifically with a focus on parenting and child outcomes. In 2018 and 2019, interviews were conducted with asylum seeking parents (27 families) in a small community in Sweden. A grounded theory research design approach found an overarching category of lack of agency amongst parents which linked with three subcategories; a new normal, managing official processes and poor physical and mental health. Within each subcategory, the role of parenting was examined. Parents living through the asylum seeking process reported experiencing few rights, concerns about housing and money, as well as a constant fear of being repatriated, and these factors contributed to a deterioration in both their own as well as their children’s mental health. Implications and suggestions for future studies are included.
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