Exploring vulnerability among children and young people who experience online sexual victimisation

Online grooming and sexual exploitation of children and young people is an increasing concern for parents, internet providers as well as professionals involved in safeguarding children and detecting offenders. The existing literature has reported online grooming processes as well as risk factors that are associated with victimisation and perpetration (O’Connell, 2003; Webster et al., 2012). However, there is little theoretical understanding of risk factors associated with children and young people being vulnerable to online sexual exploitation. The first part of the PhD programme included synthesising and critically appraising literature on: 1) factors that relate to adolescents engaging in risky internet use, 2) victim risk, resilience and protective factors, 3) online groomer characteristics, and 4) the process involved in an adult grooming an adolescent. These systematic reviews identified methodological and theoretical gaps in the literature and influenced the design of the subsequent empirical studies. The first empirical study explored the influence psychological, interpersonal, developmental and behavioural factors had on online sexual soliciation and exploitation. This study used a quantiative approach and collected data from university students using an online survey. The second empirical study adopted a qualitative approach and interviewed law enforcement personnel and professionals who had encountered at least one victim of online sexual exploitation. In addition, 2 victims of online grooming and sexual exploitation were also interviewed. The results highlighted that behavioural (i.e., online and offline risky behaviours), social, interpersonal and psychological factors increased the likelihood of online sexual soliciation and exploitation. This PhD also developed a typology of victims of online sexual exploitation and this includes ‘naïve / curious’, ‘chaotic’ and ‘situational vulnerability’ victims

Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of self-harm and suicide in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2021-06-01, epub 2021-06-22Publication status: PublishedIntroductionOver 800 000 people die due to suicide each year and suicide presents a huge psychological, economic and social burden for individuals, communities and countries as a whole. Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by suicide. The strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt, and other types of self-harm have been found to be robust predictors of suicidal behaviour. An approach that brings together multiple sectors, including education, labour, business, law, politics and the media is crucial to tackling suicide and self-harm. The WHO highlights that evaluations of the knowledge and attitudes that priority groups, not only healthcare staff, have of mental health and suicidal behaviour are key to suicide prevention strategies. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the knowledge, attitudes and experiences different stakeholders in LMICs have of self-harm and suicide.Methods and analysisMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, BNI, Social Sciences and Cochrane Library will be searched. Reviewers working independently of each other will screen search results, select studies for inclusion, extract and check extracted data, and rate the quality of the studies using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology and Critical Appraisals Skills Programme checklists. In anticipation of heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis of quantitative studies will be provided and metaethnography will be used to synthesise qualitative studies.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required. A report will be provided for the funding body, and the systematic review will be submitted for publication in a high-impact, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Results will also be disseminated at conferences, seminars, congresses and symposia, and to relevant stakeholders.Prospero registration numberCRD42019135323

Perceptions of the social worker role in adult community mental health teams in England

From SAGE Publishing via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: epub 2020-05-09Publication status: PublishedFunder: National Institute for Health Research School for Social Care; Grant(s): C088/CM/UMDC-P112There is a growing recognition of the importance of the social work contribution within community mental health services. However, although many texts describe what the mental health social work contribution should be, little empirical evidence exists about their role in practice and the difference it might make to service users. This qualitative study sought to articulate this contribution through the voices of social workers and their multidisciplinary colleagues via focus group discussions across four English Mental Health Trusts. These considered the impact of the social worker on the service user. Thematic analysis resulted in the identification of three over-arching themes: social workers own perceptions of their contribution situated within the social model; the high value their colleagues placed on social work support and leadership in a range of situations and the concerns for service users if social workers were withdrawn from teams. Key findings were that social workers are the only professional group to lead on the social model; that this model enhances the whole teams’ practice and is required if service users are to be offered support that promotes long-term recovery and that without social workers, the community mental health team offer would be more transactional, less timely, with the potential for the loss of the service users’ voice. If social work is to make a full contribution to community mental health team practice, it must be clearly understood and provided with the support to enable social workers to operate to their full potential

What do service users want from mental health social work? : A best-worst scaling analysis

Despite being a profession dedicated to the empowerment of service users, empirical study of mental health social work appears dominated by the perspectives of social workers themselves. What service users value is less often reported. This study, authored by a mix of academics and service users/carers, reports a Best–Worst Scaling analysis of ten social worker ‘qualities’, representing both those highly specialist to social work and those generic to other mental health professionals. Fieldwork was undertaken during 2018 with 144 working-age service users, living at home, in five regions of England. Of specialist social work qualities, service users rated ‘[the social worker] thinks about my whole life, not just my illness’ particularly highly, indicating that person-centred approaches drawing on the social model of mental health are crucial to defining social work. However, service users did not value help accessing other community resources, particularly those who had spent the longest time within mental health services. Continuity of care was the most highly valued of all, although this is arguably a system-level feature of support. The research can assist the profession to promote the added value of their work, focusing on their expertise in person-centred care and the social model of mental health

Longitudinal realist evaluation of the dementia PersonAlised care team (D-PACT) intervention: protocol

BACKGROUND: Different dementia support roles exist but evidence is lacking on which aspects are best, for whom and in what circumstance, and on their associated costs and benefits. Phase 1 of the Dementia PersonAlised Care Team programme (D-PACT), developed a post-diagnostic primary care-based intervention for people with dementia and their carers and assessed the feasibility of a trial. AIM: Phase 2 of the programme aims to 1) refine our programme theory on how, when and for whom the intervention works and 2) evaluate its value and impact. DESIGN & SETTING: A realist longitudinal mixed-methods evaluation will be conducted in urban, rural, and coastal areas across Southwest and Northwest England where low-income groups or ethnic minorities (eg, South Asian) are represented. Design was informed by patient, public and professional stakeholder input and Phase one findings. METHOD: High volume qualitative and quantitative data will be collected longitudinally from people with dementia, carers and practitioners. Analyses will comprise: 1) realist longitudinal case studies; 2) conversation analysis of recorded interactions; 3) statistical analyses of outcome and experience questionnaires; 4 a) health economic analysis examining costs of delivery; 4b) realist economic analysis of high-cost events and 'near misses'. All findings will be synthesised using a joint display table, evidence appraisal tool, triangulation and stakeholder co-analysis. CONCLUSION: Our realist evaluation will describe how, why and for whom the intervention leads (or not) to change over time; it also demonstrates how a non-randomised design can be more appropriate for complex interventions with similar questions or populations

Social care support for south Asian domestic violence victims in the United Kingdom: a scoping review protocol

Objective: This scoping review aims to synthesise the literature on social care needs of south Asian domestic abuse victims and barriers and facilitators relating to 1) victims seeking help and engaging with professionals and services and 2) professionals supporting and safeguarding these individuals. Introduction: In the United Kingdom, there is an emphasis on services to prevent domestic abuse and support victims. The south Asian community encounter complexities that prevent services from providing appropriate support and victims from seeking help. Inclusion criteria: Studies that explore psychological, physical, sexual, emotional and/or financial abuse perpetrated by a family member will be included. Also, studies that include samples of male and female adult south Asian domestic abuse victims and survivors and professionals who have had direct experience of supporting these individuals will be included. Studies that include samples of services outside of the United Kingdom, not related to a domestic setting (e.g., institutional abuse) and not published in English will be excluded. Methods: The search strategy involved searching several databases including Web of Science, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) for literature. The titles and abstracts of identified references will be screened using the inclusion criteria in the first instance followed by full text papers. Data will be extracted using a pre-determined data extraction form and analysed using narrative summary. Results will be presented in a table

The social worker in community mental health teams:Findings from a national survey

Summary Social workers have been members of community mental health teams (CMHTs) for many years. However, a combination of factors has resulted in their removal from CMHTs in some areas in recent years. This study presents findings from a 2018 national survey of CMHT team managers (44% response rate), to ascertain the current position of the social worker within CMHTs in England. Analyses focussed on membership, roles and tasks, and change within the previous 12 months. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data and content analysis to interpret free text comments. Findings Social workers were found to undertake a variety of generic roles and tasks but were reported to do so proportionally less often than nurses. A large minority were involved in non-traditional social work tasks such as monitoring medication. In one-fifth of teams, managers thought they had too few social workers. Free text comments suggested that managers valued social workers for their social perspective and expressed concern regarding their removal or the curtailment of their role, perceiving this as having a negative effect on overall CMHT service delivery. Applications The findings provide evidence of some instability in the position of social workers within CMHTs in relation to both their membership and their involvement in traditional and non-traditional roles and tasks. Free text comments suggest that if a biopsychosocial model of mental health support, now recognised as essential to long-term wellbeing, is to be achieved, a social work presence in CMHTs is required