'Social media on trial': using technology to enhance inter-disciplinarity and practice experience in Higher Education

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'Not behaving as a grieving mother should'

This chapter explores the ethical pitfalls inherent in the identity construction of 'grieving mothers' within a qualitative study of sudden, unexpected child death. Sudden, unexpected child death remains a taboo within western society and therefore parents, particularly mothers may be constructed within stereotypes of good and bad. The chapter draws on original research to explore the complexities of this, as well as advising on the process of institutional ethical review, where 'sensitive ' subjects and 'vulnerability' are involved

Perspectives on the experience of sudden, unexpected child death: the very worst thing?

This book combines autobiography and innovative narrative research to create an original psychosocial perspective on the often taboo subject of sudden, unexpected child death. Beginning with the author's own experience, the book investigates manifold aspects of sudden, unexpected child death, including the professional rapid response; contemporary cultural reactions to death; theories of grieving; child death inquiries and popular media reporting. At the heart of the book are intimate personal stories, drawn from unprecedented psychosocial research on this topic, which combine to create a unique record of parent's experiences following the sudden, unexpected death of a child. Additionally, the book offers original guidance on the Biographic Narrative Interpretive methodology which extends knowledge of group data analysis

Evaluating the feasibility of a weight management program for overweight and obese cancer survivors

Background: Obesity and low physical activity (PA) contribute to cancer survivors’ poorer disease and health outcomes. Guidelines for survivors are (1) remain physically active; (2) high fruit and vegetable diet; (3) maintain healthy weight. Despite these recommendations, access to lifestyle programs are not integrated into survivorship care. This study evaluated the feasibility of a weight management program (WMP) for overweight/obese cancer survivors at Sydney Survivorship Centre. Method: Overweight (BMI ≥25kg/m2) adult patients with localised cancer reviewed at Survivorship Clinic who had completed a 6-week lifestyle intervention, were eligible. The 6 month intervention comprised (1) clinic assessment and behaviour counselling consultation; (2) supervised exercise sessions (2/week); and (3) dietary sessions (n=12). Outcome measures were assessed at 0, 3 and 6 months. Primary outcome was attendance. Secondary outcomes included body composition, PA levels, nutritional quality, patient reported outcomes, blood biomarkers, and a qualitative interview. Results: All 12 participants were female; median age 56 (range 45-71). Tumour groups represented: breast 67%, colorectal 25%, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 8%. At baseline, 3 participants were overweight, 9 obese (≥30kg/m2), and 9 >1 comorbidity. Participants attended 97% clinics, 71% exercise, and 81% dietary sessions. Post-intervention, mean weight change was -4.9kg (range 0.1 to -19.6), 5% initial weight. Waist circumference reduced 3.8cm (range -13.2 to 4.8), 3% body fat mass reduced and 2% lean body mass increased. Participants improved aerobic fitness, maximal strength, and fruit and vegetable intake. No changes in fatigue, quality of life, depression, anxiety or stress were reported. There was no change in blood markers (fasting glucose, IGF-1, cholesterol, C-reactive protein). Program tailoring and support from facilitators and co-participants, were enablers of intervention attendance. Conclusion: This study confirms overweight cancer survivors are willing to attend a WMP. The program enabled positive changes to weight, body composition, fitness and nutritional quality despite impact of stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Longer follow up will determine if weight loss and healthy lifestyle behaviours are sustained

Telling the story: what can be learned from parents’ experience of the professional response following the sudden, unexpected death of a child

My research takes a psychosocial approach to exploring parents’ experiences of professional intervention in the aftermath of sudden, unexpected child death. In the UK all deaths of this nature are immediately subject to a Rapid Response, which includes forensic investigation, followed by a series of subsequent meetings and the obligation on professionals is to treat parents as guilty whilst also maintaining their innocence. These requirements were part of a number of recommendations arising from the Report, ‘Sudden, Unexpected Death in Childhood’ (2004) known colloquially as the Kennedy Report, which was a response to the release on Appeal of three mothers, all wrongfully imprisoned for killing their children. One of the explicit purposes of the Kennedy Report is to avoid similar cases and it therefore attempts to address the complexity of balancing every parent’s right to have their child’s death properly investigated with the requirement to protect children who may be at risk. As a part of achieving this, the Report identifies a need for appropriate training to assist professionals in becoming sensitised to emotions being experienced by parents, in order that culpability or otherwise may be easier to discern. Despite this, the Working Party for the Kennedy Report did not include parents and this lack of direct access to their experiences is reflected in the wider field. Parents are not allowed to participate in any of the multidisciplinary meetings which follow sudden, unexpected, child death and their narratives are largely absent from literature and training material. This makes achieving the form of emotional understanding between parents and professionals advocated by the Kennedy Report difficult and thereby increases the risk of potential errors of professional judgement. This study aims to restore the voices of parents to the field of sudden unexpected child death, by engaging directly with the emotional complexity and trauma of the experience and thereby improving practice. The research is based on eight in-depth interviews with parents who have experienced the sudden, unexpected death of their child, together with investigation, but no accompanying charges. The research was prompted both by my previous role as a social worker, but primarily by my experience of investigation following the sudden unexpected death of my son Joe. My account of his death and the experiences which led me to undertake this research are offered within Chapter One and thereafter run as a thread throughout. Drawing on Hollway (2009) I have used a psychosocial approach within this thesis, to combine both the workings of the psyche and the social without diminishing or conflating either. This has enabled me to locate my experience and that of the parents within the thesis, as part of a wider exploration of how parents may be positioned and perceived following a sudden, unexpected child death. The research uses a narrative, interpretive methodology which draws from the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (Wengraf, 2011) and the Listening Guide (Doucet & Mauthner, 2008). Data analysis panels were used as part of the interpretive process and they are discussed and critiqued. The unexpected results produced by the panels forms a significant contribution to knowledge which is also identified. The thesis concludes that current cultural debates around ‘good death’, together with heightened anxieties about safeguarding children, may lead to the construction of sudden unexpected child death as dangerous knowledge (Cooper & Lousada, 2005). Returning to the emotional understanding advocated by the Kennedy Report, I make a number of recommendations including changing the language of investigation and developing opportunities for open dialogue between professionals and parents. I also identify several original contributions made by this work, both methodologically and more substantively, which are partly evidenced by the attention it has already received within academic and wider audiences. Amongst these, the research has formed the basis of a number of Conferences presentations, a journal paper, national newspaper article and a guest appearance on BBC Radio 4. As a conclusion to the thesis I identify a need for additional in-depth research in this area, together with a re-visiting of the recommendations arising from the Kennedy Report, aimed at further policy change and improving the experiences of all those involved with sudden, unexpected child deaths

COVID-19 and the impact on the student delivery of exercise physiology services: a mixed method study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the face-to-face delivery of exercise with social distancing restrictions preventing close contact between client and exercise professional. Additionally, exercise physiology students have had to adapt to these changes and use telehealth to achieve their learning outcomes. This study aimed to explore client and student perspectives of their experience with face-to-face exercise delivery prior to COVID-19 restrictions and telehealth during restrictions. Methods: Clients and students were invited to complete an online survey exploring their experience with student-led exercise services prior to COVID-19 restrictions and during restrictions. Likert-scale questions were compared using a Wilcoxon test and open-ended responses were thematically analysed. Results: Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, all students (n = 7) reported that providing face-to-face exercise physiology services resulted in positive learning experiences and clients (n = 12) were satisfied with their experience. During the restrictions, the client satisfaction with exercise delivery via telehealth remained high, however, students’ learning experience was hindered by the restrictions. Discussion and conclusion: For clients, satisfaction with the exercise delivery remained high and the convenience of telehealth were useful during a pandemic. For students, their exercise prescription and ability to assess and monitor their clients were impacted by using telehealth

Mutual ‘App’reciation: Co-production as a model for delivering digital capability within social work education

A major national project, commissioned by Health Education England and delivered by the Social Care Institute for Excellence, in partnership with the British Association of Social Workers is currently studying digital capabilities across the social work profession. The project aims to chart the existing landscape and produce ethical guidance, together with a set of digital capabilities, which will map to existing frameworks. The initial Stakeholders’ Report, has important implications for social work education at all levels, as well as emphasising relationship and co-production as crucial values for digital design and delivery This article responds to the initial outputs of this project, by describing the design and delivery of a mobile app created within a UK University Social Work Department, using a co-production model. The completed mobile app is cited as a key example within the Digital Capabilities for Social Work initial Stakeholder Report, which also emphasises the values which underpinned the app creation. The article is linked to a previous paper, describing original app development within social work education and forms part of a rapidly growing body of work, which attempts to address issues highlighted within the national Digital Capabilities project