Factors associated with the decision to investigate child protective services referrals: a systematic review

Background: Limited resources for child protection create challenging decision situations for child protective services (CPS) workers at the point of intake. A body of research has examined the factors associated with worker decisions and processes using a variety of methodological approaches to gain knowledge on decision-making. However, few attempts have been made to systematically review this literature. Objective: As part of a larger project on decision-making at intake, this systematic review addressed the question of the factors associated with worker decisions to investigate alleged maltreatment referrals. Methods: Quantitative studies that examined factors associated with screening decisions in CPS practice settings were included in the review. Database and other search methods were used to identify research published in English over a 35-year period (1980-2015). Findings: Of 1,147 identified sources, 18 studies were selected for full data extraction. The studies were conducted in the U.S., Canada, and Sweden and varied in methodological quality. Most studies examined case factors with few studies examining other domains. Conclusions: To inform CPS policy and practice, additional research is needed to examine the relationships between decision-making factors and case outcomes. Greater attention needs to be given to the organizational and external factors that influence decision-making

A review of the evidence on the use of ICT in the Early Years Foundation Stage

This report reviewed existing evidence on the potential of technology to support the development of educational policy and practice in the context of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Reference is made to the use of ICT by young children from aged birth to five years and its potential impacts, positive and negative on their cognitive, social, emotional educational, visual and physical development

Negotiating power dynamics through co-reflexivity in research with young children in disadvantaged communities

This paper addresses how unequal power dynamics in research with young children in disadvantaged communities can be negotiated through co-reflexivity. It explores this through two different projects, the “London Study” and the “Beirut Study”, which researched the play of young children from families living with disadvantage in two distinct cultures. First, we highlight similarities between both studies' methodological and ethical approaches that were designed to ‘listen’ to the children, ensure ‘ongoing consent’ and co-create knowledge through co-reflexivity. We then draw on data from each study to demonstrate how, in their unique contexts, co-reflexivity was crucial to address researcher–child power dynamics

Sometimes the Internet reads the question wrong: children’s search strategies & difficulties

When children search for information on a given topic, how do they go about searching for and retrieving information? What can their information seeking strategies tell us about the development of search interfaces for children's digital libraries, search engines and information repositories? We interviewed New Zealand (NZ) school children to seek insights into how they are conducting information searches during their education

Reading for pleasure matters: improving reading attitudes of disadvantage pupils

Research explains that as children get older, they read less and, as a result, have poorer attitudes to reading (Clark and Osborne 2008; Topping, 2010; Clark and Douglas, 2011). This poor attitude is especially pertinent to the context of Langston High (pseudonym) as its current Ofsted report outlined that most of the students who come from low socio-economic backgrounds are poor readers. This research sought to explore the impact of curated fiction excerpts on disadvantaged students to improve their attitude towards reading for pleasure. Research also clarifies that teachers are essential in improving students' attitudes to reading (Cremin et al., 2008). As a result, this research project also explored ways of supporting teachers to enhance their knowledge of children’s literature and their reading habits through CPD facilitated by the Open University. Findings show that although students found some of the curated fiction excerpts ‘boring’, most students felt that it had allowed them to explore texts they would not usually read, thus taking them out of their comfort zones which they identified as positives. This research also suggests that disadvantaged pupils' attitude towards reading for pleasure can be improved by providing a protected space within the curriculum to expose them to various texts by authors that celebrate diversity and explore pertinent themes. Furthermore, teachers expressed that their knowledge of young adult fiction had increased in evaluating the Reading for Pleasure CPD in conjunction with the Open University and UKLA. Subsequently, they felt more confident recommending texts to their pupils

TOWARDS A MODEL OF TECHNOLOGY USAGE AND DIGITAL MATURITY IN CHILDREN: A GROUNDED-THEORY APPROACH

Increased use of digital technologies by children has raised some concerns about how digital technologies may be influencing multiple aspects of children’ lives. The purpose of this study is to investigate on how children use digital technologies, aiming at identifying factors that indicate how mature children are in the use of digital technologies. We conducted a qualitative study by collecting data from five children focus groups in Spain, with a total of 20 participants. We generated 10 factors that indicate digital maturity, namely digital literacy and technology awareness, perceived benefits and risks, types and patters of technology usage, managing tensions, adult interaction and mediation, regulation of emotional responses, needs satisfaction, and digital civic behaviour. The article also develops a high-level model showing interrelations between socio-technical environment, technology usage and experiences, and reactions to technology usag

African American Parents’ Perceptions of How Their Digital Practices Affect the Parent-Child Relationship

This qualitative study aimed to understand African American parents’ perceptions, observations, and experiences concerning their digital practices and whether or not these practices have any impact on their communication with their children. The theories that guided this study are housed in the sociopsychological communication tradition (i.e., uses and gratification theory and the family communication patterns theory) and the sociocultural communication tradition (i.e., cultivation theory). Thirty-five in-depth interviews of African American parents who completed a qualifying survey were conducted. The interview transcripts underwent a thematic analysis to understand the interviewees’ perceptions, observations, and experiences related to the research questions, which addressed their digital practices. The insights from this study can benefit African American parents, caregivers of African American children, scholars, professionals (e.g., educators and social workers), and policymakers to create best practices that could help scholars and practitioners provide more data-informed and data-driven support to African Americans in various contexts (e.g., parenting, family planning, education, social services, etc.)

Contemporary Children’s Literature in Education Courses: Diverse, Complex, and Critical

Contemporary Children’s Literature in Education Courses: Diverse, Complex, and Critical While research has established the importance of children’s literature in classrooms, the inclusion of children’s literature courses in teacher preparation programs increasingly faces resistance. A team of children’s literature and literacy education scholars conducted a national survey of children’s literature courses in P-8 teacher certification programs to better understand the role these courses currently serve. Survey questions centered on course types, formats, descriptions, goals/objectives, readings, and assignments. Initial analysis focused on a comparison of undergraduate and dual-degree programs, and further analysis of a subset of undergraduate courses involved cross-data comparison between course descriptions, course objectives/goals, and course assignment descriptions. Cross-program analyses largely revealed many commonalities between undergraduate and dual-degree programs. In-depth cross-data comparison resulted in two key findings: (1) significant attention to diversity in courses, and (2) striking complexity and volume of assignments requiring students to understand, analyze, and integrate quality children’s literature into classrooms. Overall, the survey results offer a compelling argument for the centrality of children’s literature courses, particularly those that focus on cultural diversity, in teacher education programs

Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3