Rethinking empirical research into Children in Care and Contact

Current literature in relation to contact for Children in Care reveals that there have been a number of theories that have informed the current notion of contact and these are underpinned by psychological and psychosocial assumptions about identity development (Winter and Cohen, 2005). These have included the maintenance of the ‘mother-child’ bond (Clarke and Clarke, 1976); the need to maintain contact to avoid ‘genealogical bewilderment’ (Sants, 1964) and the importance of continuing socio-genealogical connectedness (Owusu-Bempah and Howitt, 1997) and most importantly Bowlby’s (1960) theory of attachment. These psychological and psychosocial assumptions have informed not only the type of research undertaken but also the methodology used (see Cleaver, 2000; Macaskill, 2002; Selwyn, 2003 and McWey and Mullis, 2004). A further theoretical notion that has informed the current understanding of contact is the family which Smart (2007) has described as the optimal expression of kinship and relatedness. Yet this notion in and of itself is socially constructed, and has the irony of not just being built upon by personal experience but also wider societal expectations that are communicated via the taken for granted prioritisation of family, which is illustrated in everyday language, images and ideas (Gillis, 1996 and Morgan, 1996:238). This paper will highlight that the empirical research methods that have been used to understand and explain the phenomenon of contact have been dominated not only by socially constructed notions in relation to the family and children, but also by a positivist approach where scientific techniques are used to explain and understand the dynamic of contact which can be described as a complex interaction where there are a range of agendas, interpretations and expectations that take place. An argument will be made for the use alternative methodological approaches that place the child or young person at the centre of the research project. In particular attention will be given to tools such as Hart’s ladder of participation (2008) which actively promotes empowerment and respect of children and their role in research. Additionally, the methodological approach of triadic interviews will be posited because it allows researchers the opportunity to gain a “more holistic and multi-dimensional understanding of the problem” (Brownhill and Hickey, 2012 p.370), thereby capturing the complexities of contact which can be interpreted as an interactional process built upon the foundation of existing relationships, and which is aimed at maintaining or possibly enhancing what is already present

The Application of Risk Based Inspection to Pressure Vessels and Aboveground Storage Tanks in Petroleum Fuel Refineries

Plant reliability and profitability are important performance indicators for oil refineries. The amount of inspection and maintenance resources that is devoted to process equipment effects the overall plant performance. Dedicating the same level of resources to inspecting and maintaining each piece of equipment is not cost effective and can lead to oversight of high risk equipment. Although in an operating plant, the number of high risk items usually exists in lower percentages than low risk items, an oversight in the inspection and maintenance of high risk equipment may produce catastrophic results. Risk based inspection (RBI) provides a methodology for prudent assignment of resources to assess and maintain equipment integrity based on their risk levels. The application of RBI to pressure vessels and aboveground storage tanks are demonstrated through two examples related to a crude distillation column and a crude storage tank

Whose risk? The mobile phone, risk and the looked after child

Mobile phones have become an indispensable mode of communication that allows for anytime anywhere contact. Mobile phones can be said to represent a form of technology that has evolved to become not only an expression of our social networks but also the means by which we acquire news and information. Through the theoretical deconstruction of a real case this presentation explores the dual functionality of mobile phones in terms of their being tools for security thereby lessening the sense of risk for adolescents and those who have responsibility for their care, whilst at the same time being instruments that enable negotiation and avoidance of spatial control by caregivers. Attention is also given to the perception and interpretation of risk as mediated through the possession and use of mobile phones. The final section of the presentation is given over to how social work practitioners can use existing research on mobile phones and their use by adolescents to complement their daily practice when seeking to effectively manage risk

Vulnerability and safeguarding: the social work 'trump cards' for the digital age

Contemporary social work with young people and their families is facing major challenges with the advent of mobile technology, the internet and social media particularly in the spheres of adoption and fostering. The article, which uses a transcript from a social work practitioner, explores the challenges of safeguarding a vulnerable young person. Consideration is given to the way in which the social work practitioner uses the young person’s vulnerability and the duty to safeguard as ‘trump cards’ to override privacy and autonomy. The article continues by calling into the question the use of such ‘trump cards’ by highlighting current empirical research and the children’s rights agenda

Twenty-first century contact in care: a response by foster carers

In this post, Jenny Simpson shares her research into how foster carers manage young people's use of digital devices. The study involved young people in care aged 14-18 in England, as well as their foster carers and social workers, and considered how they used such devices to contact family members. It found that monitoring of young people’s use of such devices was a continuous part of the foster carers’ role but they often lacked adequate skills, training and support

Twenty-first century contact: the use of mobile communication devices and the internet by young people in care

This article contributes to the growing area of research appertaining to the use of mobile communication devices and the internet by children in care in order to maintain contact with family and friends. It is based on a triadic method of semi-structured interviews with 12 young people and their foster carers and social work practitioners. The study found that the young people were not passive recipients of their familial and friendship networks and did not deem their interactions as ‘contact’, perceiving them more as ‘staying in touch’. The opportunities provided for this by the new technology enabled immediacy, reach and communication in real time and duration – all features that allowed them to control the ‘who, how and when’ of their relationships. But despite the potential of the new communication methods to bring cohesion between young people and their relatives, it was not utilised or supported by their foster carers or social work practitioners who tended to view this new channel of communication as a risk or a nuisance

Addressing the needs of the children’s integrated workforce: A method for developing collaborative practice through joint learning

The delivery of welfare, health and educational provision to the majority of children aged 0–18 in England is primarily led by local authorities via their children’s integrated service. In 2004 the children’s integrated service model was launched and it promised the benefits of an integrated and collaborative system of working, regarding flexibility and responsiveness to national policy, local development and capacity building (Robinson et al, 2008). However, the implementation and emergence of this model has been characterised by competing local and national agendas, practitioner misunderstanding and lack of trust, a lack of strong leadership and also financial restrictions. It can therefore be contended that conceptually children’s integrated services are not operating fully with a collaborative and integrated workforce. As a possible solution to the current situation, it is proposed that joint learning, along with a combined continual professional development (CPD) framework, be made available as a valuable starting point for such organisations. Learning and working together has benefits for children and practitioners, and especially, as this article will argue, for playwork practitioners

An exploration of ego impairment in Bipolar Mood Disorder using the Ego Impairment Index-2

The study was exploratory in nature, with 62 adult participants participating in this research. The aim of the study was to determine the level of ego impairment, if any, among a group of patients diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. The data obtained from this sample was subjected to the Rorschach-based Ego Impairment Index-2 (EII-2). An in-depth analysis of the composite variables of this index was performed, allowing a comprehensive grasp of the implications of ego impairment in everyday functioning. The study was conducted in order to ascertain the nature of the psychological dynamics at play amongst this population group. The value of using the EII-2 is seen in its ability to establish various strengths and weaknesses in areas of ego functioning that are a core component of the personality, rather than behavioural manifestations that are sporadic and subject to change. Thus the results will reflect traits that are enduring and fundamental when considering the personality. In addition, the areas of psychological functioning that were determined were linked to the current conceptualisation of Bipolar Disorder, which, at present, is primarily conceived of as a biological disorder. The results of the EII-2 yielded from this sample indicated an overall moderate ego impairment falling within the moderate range, indicating that for this population, an impairment of ego was evident. Particularly, the domains of reality testing, cognitive functioning and object relatedness seemed to be most impaired.Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010.PsychologyUnrestricte

Time-averaged copper concentrations from continuous exposures predicts pulsed exposure toxicity to the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum: importance of uptake and elimination

Intermittent, fluctuating and pulsed contaminant discharges result in organisms receiving highly variable contaminant exposures. Current water quality guidelines are predominantly derived using data from continuous exposure toxicity tests, and most frequently applied by regulators with the assumption that concentrations from a single sampling event will provide a meaningful approach to assessing potential effects. This study investigated the effect of single and multiple (daily) dissolved copper pulses on the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, including measurements of copper uptake and elimination to investigate the toxic mechanism. Copper pulses of between 0.5 and 24 h and continuous exposures with equivalent 72-h time-averaged concentrations (TACs) resulted in similar biomass inhibition of P. tricornutum, with continuous exposures often being marginally more toxic. Rates of cell division generally recovered to control levels within 24 h of the copper pulse removal. Upon resuspension in clean seawater, the extracellular copper per cell decreased rapidly, whereas the intracellular copper per cell decreased slowly. Negligible loss of copper from the total algal biomass indicated that P. tricornutum did not have an effective mechanism for eliminating copper from cells, rather the intracellular copper decreased as a result of dilution by cellular division as the algal growth rate recovered. The measurement of copper uptake after 72-h exposure and kinetics of elimination thereafter suggest that continuous exposures are marginally more toxic to P. tricornutum than pulsed copper exposures with equivalent TACs because slow internalization and saturation of algal membrane transport sites results in less copper uptake into pulse-exposed cells than continuously-exposed cells coupled with dilution of internalized copper via cellular division in the post-exposure period. In the case of P. tricornutum, the results indicate that water quality guidelines for copper based on continuous exposure will be conservative when applied to short-term discharges

Health promotion in an Australian Aboriginal community: the Growing Strong Brains ® toolkit

AIM: The aim of this paper is to describe the implementation and evaluation of the Growing Strong Brains® (GSB) toolkit in a remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia (WA) over a 2-year period, 2018-2019. BACKGROUND: Ngala, a community service organisation in WA, developed the GSB toolkit in 2014, a culturally appropriate and interactive resource to build knowledge of early childhood development within Aboriginal communities. This was in response to evidence that a higher percentage of children in Aboriginal communities were developmentally vulnerable compared to the rest of the population. The GSB toolkit promotes awareness and understanding of early brain development pre-birth and in the early years of a child\u27s life. METHODS: The project was underpinned by participatory action research (PAR). Reflective PAR review cycles (n = 5) monitored local community engagement, navigated challenges and utilised community strengths. Fifty-nine local service providers attended a 2-day formal training. Data were collected by using various methods throughout the project, including feedback following training, focus groups, surveys, one-on-one interviews using yarning techniques and reflective feedback from the Project Lead. FINDINGS: Establishing local Aboriginal project staff was pivotal to the success of the project. When delivering services for and with Aboriginal people, it is essential that cultural competence, safety and decision-making is carried through from planning to implementation and evaluation, and involves genuine, respectful and authentic relationships. Sufficient time allocation directed towards building relationships with other service providers and local community members needs to be considered and built into future projects.The Growing Strong Brains® project is embedded within the local community, and anticipated implementation outcomes were achieved. The support of the local people and service providers was beyond expectation, enabling the building of local capacity, and the development of a common understanding of the key messages from the GSB toolkit to allow integration throughout all levels of the community. This project has been important to build on the strategies necessary to introduce, implement and evaluate the GSB toolkit in other remote Aboriginal communities