Risk and teenage parenthood: an early sexual health intervention

Purpose - This paper outlines the development of a resource designed to support practitioners, who were not sexual health specialists, but who worked with young people who may be at risk of teenage pregnancy or parenthood. Its aim was to enable practitioners to carry out an assessment using a screening tool, and to use educational interventions designed to reduce risk-taking behaviour or refer to a sexual health specialist. We report a research project to examine the perceptions of practitioners who had used the resource. Design/methodology/approach – The resource was based on a local needs assessment and developed by a multi-agency working group. The research utilised an on-line questionnaire and telephone interviews with practitioners. Findings - Practitioners reported using the screening tool with young people with an average age of 13.1 years. They thought the educational interventions provided knowledge and helped with communication, self-awareness, reflection, confidence, attitudes and values clarification. Research limitations/implications - The project was based in one county in England. A sample of seventeen per cent of the practitioners responded to the questionnaire, and they might be those who had engaged most, or most positively, with the resource. Three practitioners undertook interviews. The views and behaviours of young people are yet to be evaluated. Originality/value - Within a climate of limited resources, the findings suggest that the project was providing an acceptable proportionate universalist, early sexual health intervention for young people

Factors associated with high and low levels of school exclusions:Comparing the English and wider UK experience

This article draws on findings from the first cross-national study of school exclusions in the four jurisdictions of the UK. It sketches factors associated with the past research with reductions in exclusions. It then reports interview data gathered in England in 2018 from five specialist officers working in two Local Authorities and a senior officer working for a national voluntary organisation. The officers describe good practice but also national, local and school level developments contributing to a deteriorating situation. These developments include unhelpful government guidance and regulations; school accountability frameworks affecting curriculum and leading to the neglect of Special Educational Needs; loss of Local Authority powers and funding resulting in reductions in support services. Data gathered for this study in other UK jurisdictions suggests that in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and to a lesser extent in Wales, a practice that avoids school exclusions has persisted more than in England

Residential care and criminalisation: The impact of system abuse

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to present and explore the findings of part of the author's research study, an aim of which is to illuminate factors at policy, practice and procedural levels that contribute to the criminalisation of children in residential care in England. Design/methodology/approach-This study utilises semi-structured interviews with children, young people, and professional adults in the care system. Findings-Through analysis of the semi-structured interviews, the paper highlights how "system abuse" can contribute to poor outcomes, including involvement with the youth justice system. Originality/value-The paper concludes by arguing that in order to successfully decrease criminalisation, it is necessary to employ an approach which, while acknowledging individual culpability, both recognises and focuses on the contribution of wider systemic failings. © Emerald Publishing Limited

Evaluation of a training programme for foster carers in an independent fostering agency

The aim of this study was to evaluate a parenting programme designed for foster carers from an independent fostering agency. The programme (Park’s Parenting Approach) adapted existing parenting programmes to be more specific to the needs of looked-after children. Sixty-one carers consented to take part in the evaluation of the training, and 55 (90%) completed the programme. The training was delivered over 9 weeks, once a week for 2 h, and pre- and post-course evaluations were carried out at the first and last sessions of the course. The evaluation included carers’ ratings of their fosterchild’s most challenging problems, parenting style, carer efficacy and a survey of carer satisfaction with training. Results showed a decrease in foster children’s problem behaviours and an increase in carer confidence. Carers expressed a high level of satisfaction with the programme, and 100% felt that they would be able to retain the information and skills they had acquired on the course. The implications of providing training within an independent foster care context are discussed

Whole School SEND (WSS) Review: study protocol for a two-arm pragmatic parallel cluster randomised controlled trial in 160 English secondary schools

Background The trial will study the effects of the Whole School SEND Review on secondary school pupils in English mainstream education, to understand the impact of the intervention on academic attainment, wellbeing, and school attendance. The Review is designed to facilitate whole-school change through providing enhanced, intensive and sustained support and training in inclusive education for school special educational needs coordinators and leadership teams. The trial will have a specific focus on pupils designated as having special educational needs or disabilities. Methods We recruited 160 English secondary schools (approx. 58,000 pupils across two cohorts) to a two-arm pragmatic parallel cluster randomised controlled trial, with allocation at the school level. Randomisation will be stratified by school region. The primary outcome is attainment in English language (using standardised national test results at 16 years) for pupils designated as having a special educational need (approx. 4000 pupils). Secondary outcomes will be measured for pupils both with and without a special educational need designation and include pupil wellbeing (measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), absences and exclusions, and attainment in Mathematics and English language at 16 years. The intervention will be implemented from July 2021 and analysis of outcomes (for the year 9 cohort) will take place in September 2023, with further analysis (for the year 8 cohort) in September 2024 if the evaluation shows that acceptable implementation fidelity has been achieved. Discussion Pupils with special educational needs represent a significant and often vulnerable part of the secondary school population, are disproportionately likely to be excluded from school, eligible for free school meals, or supported by children’s social care. Despite these multiple important areas of need, school leaders report substantial challenges in making additional provision for this group. Previous research has highlighted the development of inclusive school cultures (rather focusing primarily on targeted individualised approaches) as being important. This trial will investigate how an intervention designed to drive whole school change may lead to outcomes for pupils with and without a special educational needs designation. As such, this trial is expected to make an important contribution to research evidence and to UK educational policy

Summative Clinical Competency Assessment: A Survey of Ultrasound Practitioners’ Views

Clinical competency and the assessment of core skills is a crucial element of any programme leading to an award with a clinical skills component. This has become a more prominent feature of current reports on quality health care provision. This project aimed to determine ultrasound practitioners’ opinions about how best to assess clinical competency. An on-line questionnaire was sent to contacts from the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education and details distributed at the British Medical Ultrasound Society conference in 2011. 116 responses were received from a range of clinical staff, with an interest in ultrasound assessment. The majority of respondents suggested that competency assessments should take place in the clinical departments with or without an element of assessment at the education centre. Moderation was an important area highlighted by respondents, with 84% of respondents suggesting two assessors were required and 66% of those stating some element of external moderation should be included. The findings suggest that respondents’ preference is for some clinical competency assessments to take place on routine lists within the clinical department, assessed by two people one of which would be an external assessor. In view of recent reports relating to training and assessment of health care professionals, the ultrasound profession needs to begin the debate about how best to assess clinical competence and ensure appropriate first post competency of anyone undertaking ultrasound examinations

Learning and digital inclusion: the ELAMP project

The Electronic Learning and Mobility Project (ELAMP) was a nationally funded project by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which ran from 2004 to 2010. The main aim of ELAMP was to improve the education of Traveller children, particularly highly mobile learners. ELAMP focussed upon the use of mobile technology and distance learning to support, enhance and extend young Travellers’ educational and vocational opportunities. This article will reflect upon the learning and technological experiences and opportunities that the ELAMP project provided for Traveller children, young people and their families. In doing so it will critically consider the value of information technology in working with Traveller communities and advancing their educational opportunities. Reviewing ELAMP work will also demonstrate how the use of mobile technology can improve educational outcomes and Traveller families’ digital inclusion. Now that the project has ended, this article will question why we are not using what we learnt from ELAMP to move forward

Reclaiming professional identity through postgraduate professional development: Career practitioners reclaiming their professional selves

Careers advisers in the UK have experienced significant change and upheaval within their professional practice. This research explores the role of postgraduate level professional development in contributing to professional identity. The research utilises a case study approach and adopts multiple tools to provide an in-depth examination of practitioners’ perceptions of themselves as professionals within their lived world experience. It presents a group of practitioners struggling to define themselves as professionals due to changing occupational nomenclature resulting from shifting government policy. Postgraduate professional development generated a perceived enhancement in professional identity through exposure to theory, policy and opportunities for reflection, thus contributing to more confident and empowered practitioners. Engagement with study facilitated development of confident, empowered practitioners with a strengthened sense of professional self