Sharon Vincent

The health and well-being of children and young people who are looked after: Findings from a face-to-face survey in Glasgow

Evidence suggests children and young people who are looked after (LACYP) may have poorer health outcomes than children and young people in the general population, particularly in relation to mental health. This paper discusses findings from a survey of the health and well-being of LACYP in Glasgow. A structured questionnaire used in the 2010 Glasgow Schools Survey (GSS) was adapted and administered in face-to-face interviews with 130 young people aged 11-18 in 2014-2015 to investigate various aspects of health and well-being including physical activity, diet and sleep, smoking, alcohol and drugs, health feelings and worries, behaviours, attitudes and expectations. LACYP were more likely to report that they had tried drugs, slightly more likely to have scores indicating a high level of difficulties on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and less likely to report that they ate fruit and vegetables, used active transport methods to get to school and expected to go on to further or higher education; however, reported rates of physical activity, smoking and drinking were similar. LACYP were less likely to report that they had engaged in antisocial behaviour, truancy or bullying or been exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, less likely to worry or have low self-esteem, and more likely to rate their health positively. There were some variations according to placement type. The findings of this study present a more positive picture of the health and well-being of LACYP in Glasgow than might have been expected but should be treated with caution due to small sample size. Further research is needed to identify differences in relation to placement type and to determine whether being looked after might be associated with improved health and well-being outcomes for some children and young people.

Understanding child, family, environmental and agency risk factors: findings from an analysis of significant case reviews in Scotland

This paper presents the findings from an analysis of 56 significant case reviews (SCRs) in Scotland. In contrast to England and Wales where national analyses have been undertaken for many years, until this study was undertaken, the findings from SCRs had not previously been collated nationally. The paper discusses child, parent, environmental and agency factors that were identified in the SCRs and, whilst noting that the pathways to death or harm will be unique in individual cases, tries to further our understanding of the ways in which these different factors may interact to result in death or harm. A significant finding was the high number of SCRs that relate to the care and protection of children living in families whose lives are dominated by drug use and the associated issues this brings, including criminality and neighbourhood problems. Another challenging finding was the lack of suitable resources for the placement and support of troubled teenagers. Finally, a number of SCRs involved long-term neglect and/or sexual abuse of school or nursery age children who had been known to statutory services for many years.

Practice research relationships in social work, making a difference

With evidence-based practice gaining a high profile in recent years, social work practitioners have increasingly been required to become research minded so they can demonstrate that their practice is based on evidence of effectiveness, as well as value for money. Some have argued that research mindedness goes beyond an understanding of existing research and should be about providing practitioners with opportunities to use research skills within their practice, to enable them to become ‘reflective practitioner researchers’ (Orme & Shemmings, 2010, p. 174). There is increasing recognition of the strengths of ‘insider research’ carried out by practitioners. Practitioner researchers are in an enviable position in terms of undertaking research because they have a good understanding of the way their organisation works and already have welldeveloped relationships with service users and stakeholders. This volume demonstrates the need for practice research with an applied focus, which is of benefit to a practice context and outlines a range of strategies to develop partnerships to enable sets the foundation for the book by highlighting the importance of critical independent thought and an understanding of the impact of power relations upon people’s lives. Chapter 2 examines the politics of self-reflexivity and examines how self-reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity relate to the self, as well as how knowledge is generated and utilised by self and others as a political act. This chapter challenges social workers to ensure that their critical reflexivity has multiple dimensions that encompass the junctures between knowledge and power relations as well as the ethical and political subjective standpoints present in situations. In chapter 3, it is posited that social work and social workers are engaged in both the politics of knowledge and knowledge of politics. The author then proceeds to provide an excellent primer in the application of discourse analysis in critically reflexive social work and social work practice. Governmentality and technologies of power are the focus of the next chapter and it provides a clear example of the application of Foucault’s theorising on this area to issues such as poverty, the impact of neoliberalism, the practices of governing the unemployed and child protection tools. Chapter 5 highlights the political role of storytelling as a resistance strategy to rethink significant events or phenomena. This is most poignantly illustrated through the retelling of the effects of Northern Territory Emergency response action taken in 2007 upon the Aboriginal community and people. The final two chapters make the case for revaluing political action in social work using Arendt’s reframing of political action to one where we act in concert by engaging in deliberation, discussion and dialogue in and through relationships. The final chapter synthesises the concepts used in the book into a framework for critically reflective and politically active practice. Overall, the author has achieved a unique and thought provoking framework for ethical and political social work practice. This book is a ‘must read’ for social work students, practitioners and educators. It provides an excellent and concise explanation of political social work and a clear reminder that social work practice is a moral, practical and political activity. The book’s most significant message is that political action in social work practice involves the engagement with and understanding of people’s lived experience of the world and the ability to then act in concert with others towards more just outcomes.

Wie lässt sich das Resilienzkonzept bei gefährdeten Kindern einsetzen

Es besteht intensives Interesse an Resilienz als Konzept zur Interventionssteuerung bei Kindern, die durch sch wierige Lebensumstande gehen mussten oder bei denen erkennbar die Personlich keitsentwick lung gefahrdet ist. Luthars (1999) Ruck blick auf funf Jahrzehnte Resilienzforsch ung und ihre Synthese der Ergebnisse zeigen, dass heute weniger die Frage, was uberhaupt Resilienz ist, im Vordergrund steht, sondern eher die Sich erung inzwisch en gewonnener Erkenntnisse, die sich zum Nutzen missbrauch ter und vernach lassigter Kinder praktisch einsetzen lassen.