Risk factors associated with postpartum anxiety in Australia, Europe, and North America: A systematic review and narrative synthesis

Background Reducing the prevalence and consequences of anxiety following childbirth (postpartum anxiety) is a strategic priority in the UK and many similar nations; a comprehensive review of risk factors can support the development of interventions and guide further research. Methods This registered systematic review was guided by ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses’ (PRISMA) and analysed using ‘Synthesis Without Meta-analysis’ (SWiM) to answer the question; ‘What factors have been reported to increase the risk of maternal postpartum anxiety (PPA) in Australia, Europe, and North America?’. MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for relevant research from Australia, Europe, and North America, published up to July 2021. Results Screening yielded 39 reports (total N = 40,238). Seven risk categories were identified (Psychopathology and personality, Social, Socio-demographic, Health, Cognitive, Pregnancy and birth, and Infant characteristics and postpartum experiences). Historic and concurrent depression, historic anxiety, and low social support were the most frequently evidenced risk factors. Limitations The review was limited to three geographical regions with comparable health, political, and cultural contexts, and research pertaining only to special populations was excluded. Conclusions Findings synthesise new evidence of the risk factors associated with PPA, whilst the discussion highlights potentially modifiable factors as targets for intervention. Monitoring for risk factors during routine pregnancy and postpartum care would allow for additional surveillance and earlier intervention with those most at risk. Peer support should be offered to people with heightened vulnerability to PPA. Developing support strategies that address cognitive vulnerabilities (e.g., parenting-related confidence) could prove particularly beneficial

(Re)hearing and (re)seeing what happens in music education: Re-storying music education with Posthumanism

When we observe the world, in this case a music lesson through a story, we are influenced in what we attend to and see based on our backgrounds, experiences, knowledge, and beliefs. As Berger (1972) argues, seeing is never neutral, “we only see what we look at. To look is an act of choice” (Berger 1972, p.6). The same argument can be applied to what we hear. In educational contexts, as argued by Murris (2016), young people become very good at knowing what sounds (whether verbal or in our case musical) will be valued and paid attention to by teachers or by institutions, thereby developing what Kennedy calls a “form of ventriloquism” (in Murris 2016, p.106) where they reproduce what is expected of them. Therefore, what we see and hear are inextricably shaped by our socio-cultural understandings of what is valuable and valued in our contexts, in this case within music education as we know it. The question is therefore whether what we intrinsically value limits what we see and hear in music education settings? What do we value paying attention to? And what do we push aside? Are the experiences and values we have as teachers, or the socialisation we undergo into educational orthodoxy, bounding us and our ability to respond to all that is happening within music education contexts? This chapter introduces and explores posthumanism, as a different way of storying our practices and those of young people. In doing so it opens up opportunities to think, do, respond differently as music teachers

Optimal development for the children of prisoners? How children with a parent in prison are supported and why it matters

This article examines the need and types of support for children with a parent in prison, the measures in place to know who they are and the consequences of associated policies for their development. These are discussed within a cultural-historical child development framework and, within that, questions are raised about optimal development and children's rights. The article is grounded in a mixed-methods study of a support service for children of prisoners in Worcestershire. Parental imprisonment can impact negatively on societal, institutional and personal aspects of children's development. However, when children are supported through family centred, relationship-focused, strengths-based services, they can engage more fully in the institutions and social situations of their daily live

'It's good to talk': Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education

Professional conversations are significant in teacher education, yet policy makers and practitioners differ in their understanding of what these involve. The purpose of this study was to identify and understand the critical elements of successful professional conversations; the elements that effectively contribute to critical reflection and evaluation of teaching practice. Insight is provided by 10 participants who took part in a discussion group, in-depth interviews and written reflections. All participants are involved in professional conversations for a teacher education programme in Wales, in their capacity as either a student teacher, practice tutor or mentor. Findings highlight that some of the significant elements needed for an effective professional conversation include adequate preparation time for the conversation itself, knowledge of programme requirements and professional teaching standards, along with knowledge about the student teacher's school context – these can all be described as 'hard' inputs; whereas the 'soft' inputs include effective listening and questioning skills, and being able to offer challenge to the student teacher. Similarly, outputs of professional conversations can also be recognised as 'hard': effective reflections contributing to progress against the professional teaching standards; and 'soft': collaborative working relationships that are honest and positive with two-way learning for the mentor and the student. It is concluded that the softer skills of questioning and understanding the student teacher's expectations must be developed effectively for professional conversations in teacher education to have a positive impact on all those involved

A new approach to children’s work that prioritises resilience, well-being and agency: emerging findings from a ‘cash plus’ intervention in Bangladesh

Background Criticism of mainstream approaches to child labour is widespread and well-established. The Child Labour Action Research in South and Southeast Asia (CLARISSA) Cash Plus pilot sought to address these critiques through an innovative programme that prioritised the development of household resilience and well-being, and through increasing household capacity to make alternative choices around children’s work. Research Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, this pilot delivered unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) and needs-based case management and community mobilising across an entire slum neighbourhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Cash worth about 20% of household monthly income was delivered to all households for 7 months, with case work and community organising wrapped around for 21 months. The intended outcomes were that families would be able to increase their economic resilience and develop alternative capacities to meet their needs, with the intended goals of increasing well-being and the ability to make choices other than difficult or dangerous work for children. Research into impact was rooted in contribution analysis and combined bimonthly monitoring surveys administered by the community mobilisers; surveys at multiple time points; three rounds of targeted focus group discussions; three rounds of key informant interviews with case study households; community mobiliser diaries; and ethnographic observation. Results and conclusions The results strongly suggest that UCTs reduce poverty, increase economic resilience; improve well-being; and generate various household-level improvements that relate directly and indirectly to children’s work. They further suggest that case work and community organising act as a beneficial form of social protection and a tool for developing locally appropriate micro-responses to collective problems that commonly impact directly on well-being and indirectly on children’s work. These results point to the potential for this intervention to be scaled-up in efforts to achieve the eighth Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring decent work for all, including the elimination of child labour

Black student experience on an introductory STEM module: Closing the awarding gap by listening to our Black students

In the UK HE sector, including the Open University, White students tend to achieve better outcomes compared to their Black peers. This difference is the awarding gap between Black and White students’ outcomes. The module S112, Science Concepts and Practice, is a first year, interdisciplinary science module currently serving 24 qualifications. 2019 data revealed that the pass rate for Black students (35%) was low in comparison to White students (67%) and students of other ethnicities, despite comparable completion rates. The S112 awarding gap was wider than both Faculty and Institutional values. This report summarises the findings, conclusions, and recommendations from a completed project to investigate Black student experience on S112. The findings from an online focus group followed by interviews with Black students are presented, together with a concurrent intersectionality study investigating possible double disadvantages for S112 Black students. Thematic analysis identified a lack of representation of Black scientists and University staff, together with a lack of sense of belonging for the university’s Black students, as being the most impactful barriers to success. Other themes such as perceived hidden costs associated with study could be relevant to wider student communities. The report summarises recommendations to address issues likely to be faced by Black students and highlights the need for further research to investigate an apparent lack of trust in the University, to open two-way channels of communication with University staff

Clients' Preferences for Their Therapists' Relational Styles in Psychotherapy: A Consensual Qualitative Research Study

Background Accommodating clients' preferences is a cornerstone of evidence-based practice. However, little is known of clients' preferences for their therapists' relational styles. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis focused on identifying clients' preferences for their therapists' relational styles, using original data from Cooper et al.'s (2023) consensual qualitative research (CQR) study. Initial data collection involved conducting semi-structured interviews with a cohort of 13 clients who had completed up to 24 sessions of pluralistic psychotherapy. Of these participants, 10 identified as female and three identified as male. Findings Four themes and six sub-themes emerged: (1) Clients preferred their therapist to be active/not passively disengaged and to provide input, challenge and guidance (n = 10); (2) Clients preferred their therapist to display relatedness, warmth and validation (n = 8); (3) Clients preferred some flexibility, attunement and for their therapist to adapt the therapy to their unique needs (n = 5); (4) Clients preferred to be listened to, having a space to talk and to explore (n = 4). Implications for Practice The themes offer insights that can serve as a foundational framework for future research and contribute to the development of training programmes tailored to enhance counselling psychologists' preference work and relational styles

Energy from waste in the Global South and its role in achieving net zero

Recovering value from municipal wastes is becoming common practice in the Global North where legislation restricts landfills. Energy is recovered by combustion in energy from waste facilities (C-EfW) and anaerobic digestion (AD) is used to produce biogas from organic wastes. Some AD is carried out in the Global South, but C-EfW is generally not used. This is due to the high cost and the need for a well-established waste collection infrastructure. An assessment of data on waste composition has demonstrated that, in many countries in the Global South, household waste would not be suitable for C-EfW owing to its high moisture and low heat contents. A carbon footprint calculation shows that, if the waste is suitable for combustion, C-EfW results in the lowest carbon footprint. Where the mixed waste is not suitable for C-EfW, AD is the best option. How the non-digestible waste should be managed depends on its compositio