Catherine Flynn

Research with children of prisoners: Methodological considerations for bringing youth in from the margins

To determine whether obesity concurrent with sarcopenia (low muscle mass) or dynapenia (low muscle strength) is associated with increased falls risk in middle‐aged and older adults.

Supporting imprisoned mothers and their children: A call for evidence

Maternal imprisonment can disrupt the mother–child relationship, resulting in social, emotional and physical consequences for both mothers and their children. There are a number of programmes that seek to foster this relationship during imprisonment. However, research to date can only comment on any short term impact of these programmes. On the basis of a review of the existing research, this article argues that a much stronger evidence base is needed, particularly in relation to the longer term impact of prison programmes that support the mother–child relationship. With many mothers typically resuming their parenting responsibilities post-release, we must be clear that these programmes provide women with the foundation, knowledge and skills to support and strengthen their family relationships upon release.

‘It’s not just a pap-smear’: Women speak of their experiences of hospital treatment after miscarriage:

This exploratory study sought to investigate how a small sample of self-selected women attending hospital for a miscarriage in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy experienced the treatment they received. Six women who had a miscarriage between June 2006 and December 2007, and sought treatment at six Melbourne metropolitan hospitals, participated in semi-structured interviews during August–September 2008. Thematic analysis revealed that participants perceived hospital responses to miscarriage to be inadequate. Findings suggested that there was no consistent response, there was little compassion or acknowledgement of the miscarriage and that information provision was largely absent; social workers were rarely involved. Participants indicated that they wanted a more consistent and specialized hospital response, with timely access to diagnostic testing equipment as necessary, the offer of social work, information provision and staff to be compassionate in their care and to acknowledge their pregnancy loss.

Getting there and being there Visits to prisons in Victoria − the experiences of women prisoners and their children

Maintaining mother−child contact when a parent is imprisoned is accepted as important; the benefits of visiting are seen to extend beyond that relationship, to other members of the family and to the prison itself. This article discusses research findings about the extent and nature of visiting engaged in by adolescent children while their mothers were in prison, in Victoria, Australia, from the perspectives of the children and their mothers. In the current study, while findings confirm much of what is already known about barriers to prison visiting, the study extends this knowledge. Findings support the need to engage children’s views on this topic; to examine the current methodologies used to measure prison visitation; and to more fully understand the impact of arrest and imprisonment circumstances on arranging children’s care, including plans for visitation.

Trafficking in women for sexual exploitation: Building Australian knowledge

This article examines the current knowledge shaping our understanding of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation in Australia, a major destination country in a poorly researched region (Oceania). Challenges to developing accurate and useful knowledge: varied and poorly understood definitions, difficulties in gathering accurate data about a hidden problem, and narrowly focused research are explored. The article describes Australia’s current responses to sex trafficking and critiques current knowledge development strategies, concluding with recommendations for ways forward in researching this challenging and globally significant problem.

Developing an international social work education collaboration: A partnership approach between Monash University, Australia and University of Papua New Guinea

In late 2009 staff from the Department of Social Work at Monash University in Australia responded to a call for expression of interest in becoming volunteers in a program sponsored by the Australian Group of Eight Universities that sought to strengthen teaching and curriculum development activities with the University of Papua New Guinea. The presenting request was for volunteers to conduct short teaching stints in Papua New Guinea. The discussion that follows considers some of the issues, challenges and opportunities involved in forging this international collaboration in social work education.

Responding to the needs of children of parents arrested in Victoria, Australia. The role of the adult criminal justice system

The prison population in most jurisdictions is escalating. As many prisoners are also parents, more children will inevitably be affected by the experience of having a parent incarcerated. Police and the lower courts are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system and make urgent and vital decisions about arrest, remand and sentencing which have critical consequences for the children of those arrested, remanded and sentenced. To better understand how these children are responded to by this adult system, this paper draws on data collected from a purposive sample (N = 16) of Victorian magistrates, legal representatives and police, as part of a broader ARC funded study. Findings indicate that the consideration of these children by police and magistrates is largely ad hoc and depends on good will and the exercise of discretion. The balancing of justice issues and the interests of children is also complex and currently under-researched and under-informed. The authors argue that until the agencies dealing with adults incorporate child-focused practices, children, who have a primary carer in prison, will continue to be disadvantaged by a system which considers them only as collateral damage in the exercise of justice.

‘We didn’t bring the treasure of Pharaoh’: Skilled migrants’ experiences of employment seeking and settling in Australia

Australia has an established history of migration from the Middle East. In recent years, however, the emergence of international terrorism has defined those from that area as the new enemy; yet we do not fully understand the impact of this on the settlement experiences of migrants from that region. Given Australia’s migration pattern is dominated by skilled migration, this exploratory study sought to investigate how a small sample of self-selected skilled migrants from the Middle East experienced job seeking and settlement in Melbourne, Australia. Seven individuals participated in semi-structured interviews during July–August 2009. Thematic analysis revealed that participants had high, but ultimately unfulfilled, expectations for life and employment in Australia. Those immigrating with families experienced initial difficulties securing stable and suitable housing. The majority of participants struggled to find equivalent employment. This was seen to be influenced by their lack of both local qualifications and experience; differing cultural expectations about behaviour in job interviews was also an issue raised as influential. These challenges, combined with lack of government support, led to social isolation, psychological vulnerability and financial hardship.

Expert Companions? Constructing a Pedagogy for Supervising Honours Students

There is a substantial body of knowledge that describes and analyses supervision of higher degree research students. However, the literature is relatively silent on the question of appropriate pedagogy for the supervision of honours students. Using a sample of social work students who completed their studies during the period 2005–2010, the authors set out to gain some preliminary knowledge of the appropriate pedagogy for the supervision of honours students. The findings reveal that most honours students constructed their supervisors as being expert companions, and provide some support for a social work model of academic supervision.

Research with Children of Prisoners

This chapter draws from the authors’ independent experiences of two research projects1 with Australian children whose parents had experienced incarceration.2 The chapter is grounded in a discussion of current thinking and prevailing methodological approaches to research with children. Current approaches to research with children of imprisoned parents are critiqued and examined in relation to current suggested practices.