Excavating the Foundations of a Homogenous Primary School Teaching Force in Ireland.

The school teaching workforce in Ireland has been characterised as White, Heterosexual, Irish-born, Settled and Catholic or WHISCS (Tracy, 2000 cited in Bryan, 2010. See also Clarke, 2009; Coolahan, 2003; Devine, 2005; Heinz, 2011; Hyland, 2012; Schmidt and Mc Daid, 2015). Data on those entering undergraduate and post-graduate initial teacher education programmes in Ireland (Keane & Heinz, 2015) and those seeking to enter the profession from abroad (Schmidt & Mc Daid, 2015; Mc Daid & Walsh, forthcoming) provide little evidence that this situation will change in the immediate future. This situation is not unique. Nevertheless, while it is accurate to claim that homogeneity is relatively consistent internationally (see Cochran- Smith, 2004), there exist a particular set of historical underpinnings to the development and maintenance of this phenomenon in the Irish context. Commencing with a brief overview of emerging qualitative and quantitative data establishing a stubborn homogeneity within the primary teaching workforce in Ireland, and further work which situates the Irish context within the wider European experience, this paper moves quickly to explain how the two most entrenched controlling factors maintaining this situation, religion and language, have deep historical trajectories. Drawing on critical documentary analysis, situated within a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, the authors argue that even since before the establishment of the national system of education in 1831, power brokers at various points in Irish history (e.g., British government, Irish government and various church authorities) have worked hard to control inclusion and exclusion from the primary teaching workforce. Through an indepth interrogation of legislation, state policy documents and ecclesiastical publications, the paper excavates very clear antecedents of, at various times, government and church authorities exercising strict regulatory authority over those to be imbued with the right to perform the highly moral act of reproduction of Irish society. In the context of an international landscape within which calls for a more heterogeneous primary workforce gain traction (see, for example, Schmidt & Block, 2010), this work has particular importance. Certain analyses (see, for example, Santoro, 2015; Keane & Heinz, 2015) emphasise paying attention to the complexities of teacher identity within the context of this broader push for diversification. This paper seeks to add another lay of understanding to this debate through unearthing pertinent historical technologies which secure the status quo

Tears, teachers, tension and transformation?: minority language children reflect on the recognition of their first languages in Irish primary schools

This dissertation examines the feelings, experiences and understandings of minority language children in the Irish primary education system with regard to the nonrecognition of their first languages in school. Data was collected with 13 Romanian and Polish speaking children during a four day Trilingual Literacy Camp rooted in Emancipatory Participatory Action Research. Data sources include dual language texts, which were used as child-developed codifications, focus group contributions and participant observations. It is argued that these children are constructed as linguistic outsiders within their schools by pedagogues who prioritise the development of English language proficiency. Within this context, the children display a complex set of linguistic practices. They possess a strong belief in the transformative potential of learning English and make calculated investments in their immediate and long-term future through practices, which they feel will help them to learn English. In addition to this, however, they are also firmly committed to maintaining their own first languages, as exemplified through their continued use of these languages within their family and social arenas. The children also engage in low-level acts of resistance against the imposition of English as a dominant language through the continued use of their languages at strategic times in school. These findings highlight an issue of real importance for policy makers and pedagogues in relation to the inequalities experienced by minority language children in Irish school

A qualitative study of young people’s lived experiences of suicide and self-harm:Intentionality, rationality and authenticity

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death amongst young people and a major public health concern. Although increasing research has identified contributory and protective factors affecting youth suicide, less is known about how young people make sense of suicidal distress themselves. Methods: Using semi-structured interview methods and reflexive thematic analysis, this study explores how 24 young people aged 16–24 in Scotland, UK made sense of their lived experiences of suicidal thoughts and feelings, self-harm, and suicide attempts. Results: Intentionality, rationality, and authenticity formed our central themes. Suicidal thoughts were categorised by participants dependent on their intention to act on them; a distinction often used to downplay the significance of early suicidal thoughts. Escalating suicidal feelings were then described as almost rational responses to adversities; whereas suicide attempts appeared to be described as more impulsive. These narratives seemed to be somewhat shaped by dismissive attitudes participants experienced in response to their suicidal distress, both from professionals and within their close networks. This impacted how participants articulated distress and asked for support. Conclusion: Suicidal thoughts that participants articulated as lacking the intention to act could represent key opportunities for early clinical intervention to prevent suicide. In contrast, stigma, difficulties communicating suicidal distress and dismissive attitudes could serve as barriers to seeking help, and, therefore, additional efforts should be made to ensure young people feel comfortable seeking help

Systematic review of the evidence on orthotic devices for the management of knee instability related to neuromuscular and central nervous system disorders

Objectives To assess the effectiveness of orthotic devices for the management of instability of the knee in adults with a neuromuscular disorder or central nervous system disorder. Design A systematic review of primary studies. Setting Community. Participants Adults with a neuromuscular disorder or central nervous system disorder and impaired walking ability due to instability of the knee. Interventions Orthoses with the clinical aim of controlling knee instability, for example, knee-ankle-foot orthoses, ankle-foot orthoses and knee orthoses or mixed design with no restrictions in design or material. Primary and secondary outcome measures Conditionspecific or generic patient-reported outcome measures assessing function, disability, independence, activities of daily living, quality of life or psychosocial outcomes; pain; walking ability; functional assessments; biomechanical analysis; adverse effects; usage; patient satisfaction and the acceptability of a device; and resource utilisation data. Results Twenty-one studies including 478 patients were included. Orthotic devices were evaluated in patients with postpolio syndrome, poststroke syndrome, inclusion body myositis and spinal cord injury. The review included 2 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 3 non-randomised controlled studies and 16 case series. Most were small, single-centre studies with only 6 of 21 following patients for 1 year or longer. They met between one and five of nine quality criteria and reported methods and results poorly. They mainly assessed outcomes related to gait analysis and energy consumption with limited use of standardised, validated, patient-reported outcome measures. There was an absence of evidence on outcomes of direct importance to patients such as reduction in pain and falls. Conclusions There is a need for high-quality research, particularly RCTs, of orthotic devices for knee instability related to neuromuscular and central nervous system conditions. This research should address outcomes important to patients. There may also be value in developing a national registr

Orthotic management of instability of the knee related to neuromuscular and central nervous system disorders : qualitative interview study of patient perspectives

OBJECTIVES: Adults with knee instability related to neuromuscular disorders or central nervous conditions often experience mobility problems and rely on orthoses to improve function and mobility. Patient views of device effectiveness and acceptability are underexplored. Our study aimed to elicit device users' perspectives regarding fitting, acceptability, effectiveness and use of orthoses, and identify important treatment outcomes. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive study using in-depth semistructured interviews. Interview transcriptions were coded and thematically analysed, using 'Framework'. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample of 24 adult users of orthotic devices. Nineteen patients were recruited across three National Health Service sites, and five people through charities/patient support groups in England. Half of the participants had been diagnosed with poliomyelitis, and the remainder with multiple sclerosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spinal injury or spina bifida, and stroke. The median age of participants was 64.5 years (range 36-80 years). RESULTS: Patients' medical condition impacted significantly on daily life. Participants relied on orthotic devices to enable engagement in daily activities. Patient goals for mobility were linked to individual circumstances. Desired treatment outcomes included reduction in pain, trips and falls, with improved balance and stability. Effectiveness, reliability, comfort and durability were the most valued features of orthoses and associated with reported use. Obtaining suitable footwear alongside orthotic devices was a significant concern. Time pressures during device fitting were viewed negatively. CONCLUSIONS: Orthotic devices for knee instability play a crucial role in promoting, maintaining and enhancing physical and psychological health and well-being, enabling patients to work, engage in family life and enjoy social activities. Future research should consider how best to measure the impact of orthotic devices on patient quality of life and daily functioning outside the clinic setting, as well as device use and any adverse effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: This qualitative study was retrospectively registered as Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN65240228

Exploring synergistic interactions and catalysts in complex interventions: longitudinal, mixed methods case studies of an optimised multi-level suicide prevention intervention in four european countries (Ospi-Europe)

Background: The Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework for complex interventions highlights the need to explore interactions between components of complex interventions, but this has not yet been fully explored within complex, non-pharmacological interventions. This paper draws on the process evaluation data of a suicide prevention programme implemented in four European countries to illustrate the synergistic interactions between intervention levels in a complex programme, and to present our method for exploring these. Methods: A realist evaluation approach informed the process evaluation, which drew on mixed methods, longitudinal case studies. Data collection consisted of 47 semi-structured interviews, 12 focus groups, one workshop, fieldnoted observations of six programme meetings and 20 questionnaires (delivered at six month intervals to each of the four intervention sites). Analysis drew on the framework approach, facilitated by the use of QSR NVivo (v10). Our qualitative approach to exploring synergistic interactions (QuaSIC) also developed a matrix of hypothesised synergies that were explored within one workshop and two waves of data collection. Results: All four implementation countries provided examples of synergistic interactions that added value beyond the sum of individual intervention levels or components in isolation. For instance, the launch ceremony of the public health campaign (a level 3 intervention) in Ireland had an impact on the community-based professional training, increasing uptake and visibility of training for journalists in particular. In turn, this led to increased media reporting of OSPI activities (monitored as part of the public health campaign) and also led to wider dissemination of editorial guidelines for responsible reporting of suicidal acts. Analysis of the total process evaluation dataset also revealed the new phenomenon of the OSPI programme acting as a catalyst for externally generated (and funded) activity that shared the goals of suicide prevention. Conclusions: The QuaSIC approach enabled us to develop and refine our definition of synergistic interactions and add the innovative concept of catalytic effects. This represents a novel approach to the evaluation of complex interventions. By exploring synergies and catalytic interactions related to a complex intervention or programme, we reveal the added value to planned activities and how they might be maximised

Excavating the Foundations of a Homogenous Primary School Teaching Force in Ireland.

The school teaching workforce in Ireland has been characterised as White, Heterosexual, Irish-born, Settled and Catholic or WHISCS (Tracy, 2000 cited in Bryan, 2010. See also Clarke, 2009; Coolahan, 2003; Devine, 2005; Heinz, 2011; Hyland, 2012; Schmidt and Mc Daid, 2015). Data on those entering undergraduate and post-graduate initial teacher education programmes in Ireland (Keane & Heinz, 2015) and those seeking to enter the profession from abroad (Schmidt & Mc Daid, 2015; Mc Daid & Walsh, forthcoming) provide little evidence that this situation will change in the immediate future. This situation is not unique. Nevertheless, while it is accurate to claim that homogeneity is relatively consistent internationally (see Cochran- Smith, 2004), there exist a particular set of historical underpinnings to the development and maintenance of this phenomenon in the Irish context. Commencing with a brief overview of emerging qualitative and quantitative data establishing a stubborn homogeneity within the primary teaching workforce in Ireland, and further work which situates the Irish context within the wider European experience, this paper moves quickly to explain how the two most entrenched controlling factors maintaining this situation, religion and language, have deep historical trajectories. Drawing on critical documentary analysis, situated within a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, the authors argue that even since before the establishment of the national system of education in 1831, power brokers at various points in Irish history (e.g., British government, Irish government and various church authorities) have worked hard to control inclusion and exclusion from the primary teaching workforce. Through an indepth interrogation of legislation, state policy documents and ecclesiastical publications, the paper excavates very clear antecedents of, at various times, government and church authorities exercising strict regulatory authority over those to be imbued with the right to perform the highly moral act of reproduction of Irish society. In the context of an international landscape within which calls for a more heterogeneous primary workforce gain traction (see, for example, Schmidt & Block, 2010), this work has particular importance. Certain analyses (see, for example, Santoro, 2015; Keane & Heinz, 2015) emphasise paying attention to the complexities of teacher identity within the context of this broader push for diversification. This paper seeks to add another lay of understanding to this debate through unearthing pertinent historical technologies which secure the status quo

Excavating the Foundations of a Homogenous Primary School Teaching Force in Ireland.

The school teaching workforce in Ireland has been characterised as White, Heterosexual, Irish-born, Settled and Catholic or WHISCS (Tracy, 2000 cited in Bryan, 2010. See also Clarke, 2009; Coolahan, 2003; Devine, 2005; Heinz, 2011; Hyland, 2012; Schmidt and Mc Daid, 2015). Data on those entering undergraduate and post-graduate initial teacher education programmes in Ireland (Keane & Heinz, 2015) and those seeking to enter the profession from abroad (Schmidt & Mc Daid, 2015; Mc Daid & Walsh, forthcoming) provide little evidence that this situation will change in the immediate future. This situation is not unique. Nevertheless, while it is accurate to claim that homogeneity is relatively consistent internationally (see Cochran- Smith, 2004), there exist a particular set of historical underpinnings to the development and maintenance of this phenomenon in the Irish context. Commencing with a brief overview of emerging qualitative and quantitative data establishing a stubborn homogeneity within the primary teaching workforce in Ireland, and further work which situates the Irish context within the wider European experience, this paper moves quickly to explain how the two most entrenched controlling factors maintaining this situation, religion and language, have deep historical trajectories. Drawing on critical documentary analysis, situated within a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, the authors argue that even since before the establishment of the national system of education in 1831, power brokers at various points in Irish history (e.g., British government, Irish government and various church authorities) have worked hard to control inclusion and exclusion from the primary teaching workforce. Through an indepth interrogation of legislation, state policy documents and ecclesiastical publications, the paper excavates very clear antecedents of, at various times, government and church authorities exercising strict regulatory authority over those to be imbued with the right to perform the highly moral act of reproduction of Irish society. In the context of an international landscape within which calls for a more heterogeneous primary workforce gain traction (see, for example, Schmidt & Block, 2010), this work has particular importance. Certain analyses (see, for example, Santoro, 2015; Keane & Heinz, 2015) emphasise paying attention to the complexities of teacher identity within the context of this broader push for diversification. This paper seeks to add another lay of understanding to this debate through unearthing pertinent historical technologies which secure the status quo