Leading multi-professional teams in the children’s workforce: an action research project

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> The 200<a name="_GoBack"></a>4 Children Act in the UK saw the introduction of integrated working in children's services. A raft of change followed with processes designed to make joint working easier, and models and theories to support the development of integrated work. This paper explores the links between key concepts and practice.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: A practitioner action research approach is taken using an autoethnographic account kept over six months. The research question was, to what extent is this group collaborating?</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> When the architecture of practice was revealed, differences between espoused and real practice could be seen. Whilst understanding and displaying the outward signs of an effective multi professional group, the individuals did not trust one another. This was exhibited by covert interprofessional issues. As a result, collaborative inertia was achieved. This realisation prompted them to participate in further developmental and participative action research.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: The paper concludes that trust and relational agency are central to effective leadership of multi professional teams.</p

A critique of ‘Early School Leaving’, ‘Drop Out’ and ‘NEET’ from the UK, Denmark and Norway: marginalisation and co-created education research project

The European Marginalisation and Co-created Education (MaCE) project co-created proposals for an equitable education system through participative action research with students and young people. Academics and university students co-researched between one and five young people’s educational experiences each using an ‘Indirect Approach’ (Bunting and Moshuus, 2017) This paper presents a critical contextual overview of ‘Early School Leaving’, introduces the Indirect Approach, and presents the findings from the first year of research across three countries in the light of the Equalities Literacy Framework. Conclusions are drawn from suggestions made by young people and researchers

Activity theory as a reflective and analytic tool for action research on multi-professional collaborative practice

This paper outlines the use of activity theory and the third spaces created in developmental workshop research as appropriate methodologies for reflection and change. A single case is presented of the use of physical mapping, narratives and activity theory to promote collaborative reflection and learning on collaborative practice in a group of managers in a multi-agency group in the children’s workforce in the UK. The paper concludes that active reflection is stimulated by activity theory allowing the development of collaborative practice in the group

Building a therapeutic community around children experiencing poverty: a systems perspective

This keynote presentation offers a context of poverty and deprivation for children living in West Cumbria, exacerbated by Covid-19, depicts the system of inequity which perpetuates poverty and deprivation and suggests there are practical actions which can be taken by everyone at every level of the system

Achieving impact from real world research: the rise of the scholar activist

We live in challenging times with many things that worry, upset and anger us. Many of these issues motivate researchers to investigate what is and what might be, this is certainly true for me. There are many requirements of researchers. They must plan and conduct high quality, robust, credible research and advance knowledge. We disseminate and more recently attempt to evidence the real world impact of these research efforts. But is this enough? Research is not the answer to issues of injustice, but it is a support for social justice. Researchers then, in positions of power and privileged to conduct investigations, have responsibilities to do as much as they can with their findings. Disseminating in an academic journal may be a goal for the REF aspirant academic, but arguably, does nothing for the people whose voices we represent. This seminar will argue for researchers to become scholar activists, tracing a brief overview of activism, epistemological injustices, and more importantly, examples of successful scholar activism and practical (baby) steps to take to be bolder as a researcher in the world

Narratives and activity theory as reflective tools in action research

Narratives and activity theory are useful as socially constructed data collection tools that allow a researcher access to the social, cultural and historical meanings that research participants place on events in their lives. This case study shows how these tools were used to promote reflection within a cultural–historical activity theoretically shaped research project on multi-professional collaborative practice. The tools are shown to individually and jointly aid insight, understanding and action. The participants generated data through narratives and analysed the data with an activity theoretical framework. These were then interpreted as cultural historical artefacts by the researcher. The socially constructed paradigm within which they are situated, their participative use, and their creation of insight, understanding and action make them ideal as action research tools

Rebalancing the scales: from asset-based to asset-balanced practice

This article is a think piece presenting a balanced approach between deficits and assets to ensure no babies are thrown out with any bathwater! Strengths-based and asset-based practice has been a popular concept for practice across health care, youth work, community work and social care. Asset-based approaches grew in popularity to counter the dominant deficit based approaches epitomised by focussing on ‘need’, ‘issues’ and ‘deficits’. The danger of this approach is two-fold. On the one hand it communicates to clients that they are ‘useless’, ‘broken’ and in need of help perpetuating issues.1 This has been described by some as perpetuating and even cultivating vulnerability.2 On the other hand practitioners can unintentionally ‘rescue’ by helping too much which is disempowering, further reinforcing the helpless position of the client. A response to counter this deficit approach has been to adopt an asset-based or strength-based approach. This focuses on the capabilities, qualities, strengths and assets of the client and on their ability to sort things out for themselves.3 Whilst this might at first seem a sensible counter-hegemonic position, it too is prone to issues. On the one hand clients may find it hard to talk purely about their strengths when they feel at their wits ends, they may feel that no one is listening to them or empathising with how they feel, and practitioners may unintentionally place all the onus on the individual leaving them to feel responsible or ‘to blame’ for their situations and issues. This is such a significantly different way of thinking that some have called it a ‘paradigm shift.2 1. Mc Cashen W. The Strengths Approach. Australia: ST Luke’s Innovative Resources; 2005. p. 189–193. 2. Pulla. What are Strengths Based Practices About? Australia: Papers in Strengths Based Practice; 1979. p. 1–18. 3. Mathie A, Cunningham G. Who is Driving Development? The Transformative Potential of Asset–based Community Development. Canadian Journal of Development Studies. 2005;26(1):175–186

Storytelling and cycles of development in higher education

This chapter describes an inter-professional learning workshop that I used when teaching a Masters programme in Leading Integrated Children’s Services. The workshop is creative in its use of storytelling and the cycle of development. When used together, and structured around the experiential learning cycle, the stories promoted reflection and metaphors for change, and the cycle of development offered self-awareness and clear developmental tasks to complete. This chapter will explain some of the context and go on to explain theoretical choices for each tool before going on to describe the pedagogical approach

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor: Social Determinants of Wellbeing

The counting game ‘tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor’ suggests to children that their future destiny is down to chance. But is this really the case? This lecture will explore some of the well-known and lesser known determinants of outcomes for children and young people and the relationships between them. Examples of innovative practice will be used to illustrate ways to achieve alternative outcomes. Ten simple attitudinal changes that have potential for profound societal change will be outlined as challenges for the audience to achieve