‘This is not just about history…’ Addressing the disconnect in historic (non-recent) child abuse investigations

Key Practitioner Messages •Historic (non recent) child abuse investigations need to consider the effects of investigative processes on victims and survivors •Such investigations include those undertaken by the police and by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) •Victim and survivor accounts need to be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly in order for them not to feel let down by, and disconnected from, criminal justice and IICSA processe

Introduction to the issue: promoting children's participation in research, policy and practice

It is more than twenty years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gave governments and states an international mandate to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to promote their participation in decisions that affect their lives. Considerable advances have been made since that time that have, in some but not all instances, seen transformations in the status, roles and responsibilities of children and young people and in the ways in which they are perceived and treated. These advances have included greater inclusion of children’s voices in research, policy and practice underpinned by children’s rights to participation and ‘best interests of the child’ decision-making. Bringing together a unique collection of international articles from authors with considerable expertise in researching and working with children and young people, this thematic issue explores some of the ways in which facilitating constructive dialogues with children and young people, and engaging them more directly in consultation about their lives, has led to genuine improvements in the way they are treated and understood. It also considers some of the barriers that exist to prevent children and young people from full participation in public life, some of which occur as a result of structural or systemic factors, while others are the result of the decisions adults make on their behalf

Introduction to the Issue: “Promoting Children’s Participation in Research, Policy and Practice”

This editorial is part of the issue “Promoting Children’s Participation in Research, Policy and Practice”, edited by Jo Aldridge (Loughborough University, UK). © 2017 by the author; licensee Cogitatio (Lisbon, Portugal). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY).It is more than twenty years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gave governments and states an international mandate to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to promote their participation in decisions that affect their lives. Considerable advances have been made since that time that have, in some but not all instances, seen transformations in the status, roles and responsibilities of children and young people and in the ways in which they are perceived and treated. These advances have included greater inclusion of children’s voices in research, policy and practice underpinned by children’s rights to participation and ‘best interests of the child’ decision-making. Bringing together a unique collection of international articles from authors with considerable expertise in researching and working with children and young people, this thematic issue explores some of the ways in which facilitating constructive dialogues with children and young people, and engaging them more directly in consultation about their lives, has led to genuine improvements in the way they are treated and understood. It also considers some of the barriers that exist to prevent children and young people from full participation in public life, some of which occur as a result of structural or systemic factors, while others are the result of the decisions adults make on their behalf

Identifying the Barriers to Women's Agency in Domestic Violence: The Tensions between Women's Personal Experiences and Systemic Responses

Despite advances in knowledge and understanding about the impacts of domestic violence on women's lives, global research on violence against women shows there is a need for research that not only places women centre stage in research praxis, but also that involves them more collaboratively in genuine dialogue about their experiences, including their agentic stances. This is especially the case for marginalised and socially excluded women victims of domestic violence, such as those who are not known or do not present to services and who survive abusive relationships alone or with little outside support. Evidence from two studies reported here—secondary analysis of women with severe and enduring mental health problems and a collaborative narrative project with unsupported women victims of domestic violence—suggest that women's capacity for agency are compromised by a number of critical factors, and that these are also reflected in the tensions between micro–macro analyses and understanding of the impact of domestic violence on women. This article considers the barriers to women's agency from the women's perspective and in the context of broader, systemic dynamics, including the denial or obscuring of abuse by governments and states and the consequences of stringent fiscal retrenchment that put women at increased risk of domestic violence

Social and therapeutic horticulture: evidence and messages from research

A summary of the main findings of a review of the literature on social and therapeutic horticulture – the use of horticulture and gardening to promote health, well-being and social inclusion among vulnerable people

Introduction to the Issue: “Promoting Children’s Participation in Research, Policy and Practice”

It is more than twenty years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child gave governments and states an international mandate to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and to promote their participation in decisions that affect their lives. Considerable advances have been made since that time that have, in some but not all instances, seen transformations in the status, roles and responsibilities of children and young people and in the ways in which they are perceived and treated. These advances have included greater inclusion of children’s voices in research, policy and practice underpinned by children’s rights to participation and ‘best interests of the child’ decision-making. Bringing together a unique collection of international articles from authors with considerable expertise in researching and working with children and young people, this thematic issue explores some of the ways in which facilitating constructive dialogues with children and young people, and engaging them more directly in consultation about their lives, has led to genuine improvements in the way they are treated and understood. It also considers some of the barriers that exist to prevent children and young people from full participation in public life, some of which occur as a result of structural or systemic factors, while others are the result of the decisions adults make on their behalf

Consulting with young people : informing guidelines for children's palliative care

Objective Increasingly the views of young people are sought when improving healthcare; however, it is unclear how they shape policy or practice. This paper presents a consultation with young people commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to inform clinical guidelines for paediatric palliative care (end-of-life care for infants, children and young people). Methods The consultation involved qualitative thematic analysis of data from 14 young people (aged 12–18 years) with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition who took part in focus groups or interviews. The topics explored were predefined by NICE: information and communication; care planning; place of care; and psychological care. Data collection consisted of discussion points and activities using visual cues and was informed by a pilot consultation group with five young adults (aged 19–24 years). Findings were shared with participants, and feedback helped to interpret the findings. Results Four overarching themes were identified, cutting across the predetermined topic areas: being treated as individuals with individual needs and preferences; quality of care more important than place; emotional well-being; and living as a young person. Importantly, care planning was viewed as a tool to support living well and facilitate good care, and the young people were concerned less about where care happens but who provides this. Conclusion Young people’s priorities differ from those of parents and other involved adults. Incorporating their priorities within policy and practice can help to ensure their needs and preferences are met and relevant research topics identified

Drivers of Roma migration: Understanding migration in politically uncertain times

This report discusses some of the current drivers and challenges of Roma migration to the UK. Roma migration is a contested topic. The pages of the UK and European tabloids often portray Roma people as the shameful face of European freedom of movement. Roma people are frequently described as “welfare tourists” and abusing free movement rights. In this context, Roma’s own aspirations to mobility and freedom of movement are construed as anomalous