scholarly journals An inter-disciplinary perspective on evaluation of innovation to support care leavers’ transition

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Lynch ◽  
Hayley Alderson ◽  
Gary Kerridge ◽  
Rebecca Johnson ◽  
Ruth McGovern ◽  
...  

Purpose Young people who are looked after by the state face challenges as they make the transition from care to adulthood, with variation in support available. In the past decade, funding has been directed towards organisations to pilot innovations to support transition, with accompanying evaluations often conducted with a single disciplinary focus, in a context of short timescales and small budgets. Recognising the value and weight of the challenge involved in evaluation of innovations that aim to support the transitions of young people leaving care, this paper aims to provide a review of evaluation approaches and suggestions regarding how these might be developed. Design/methodology/approach As part of a wider research programme to improve understanding of the innovation process for young people leaving care, the authors conducted a scoping review of grey literature (publications which are not peer reviewed) focusing on evaluation of innovations in the UK over the past 10 years. The authors critiqued the evaluation approaches in each of the 22 reports they identified with an inter-disciplinary perspective, representing social care, public health and organisation science. Findings The authors identified challenges and opportunities for the development of evaluation approaches in three areas. Firstly, informed by social care, the authors suggest increased priority should be granted to participatory approaches to evaluation, within which involvement of young people leaving care should be central. Secondly, drawing on public health, there is potential for developing a common outcomes’ framework, including methods of data collection, analysis and reporting, which aid comparative analysis. Thirdly, application of theoretical frameworks from organisation science regarding the process of innovation can drive transferable lessons from local innovations to aid its spread. Originality/value By adopting the unique perspective of their multiple positions, the authors’ goal is to contribute to the development of evaluation approaches. Further, the authors hope to help identify innovations that work, enhance their spread, leverage resources and influence policy to support care leavers in their transitions to adulthood.

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Bailey

Violence by and towards young people has become a major public health issue. Increased lethality, more random violence and fewer safe places largely account for the high levels of fear experienced by both children and adults. In the field of child protection and domestic violence, where traditionally the child is referred as the victim not the perpetrator, child psychiatrists are well versed, practised and skilled in the assessment of children and families. However, young people are increasingly being referred to child and adolescent mental health teams for assessment because of violent acts that they have carried out. This is reflected in heavy case-loads of children with conduct disorder who have multi-morbidity and complex need. In England and Wales, health (including mental health), social care and education services are mandated to assist youth offending teams.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-258
Author(s):  
Mandi MacDonald ◽  
Andrew Dellis ◽  
Shanaaz Mathews ◽  
Jenna-Lee Marco

Purpose This paper aims to describe the challenges and potential benefits of moving a mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers to an online mode of delivery in response to the South African Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive account incorporating reflections from staff responsible for the move to e-mentoring and from South African and UK researchers undertaking an exploratory study of mentoring vulnerable youth at the time when COVID-19 restrictions were imposed. Findings E-mentoring can provide an effective means to maintaining the essential elements of a well-established mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers under government enforced “lock-down”. E-mentoring presents particular challenges and benefits in the South African context. Youth in care and care leavers have unequal access to a digital infrastructure, but this can be overcome by investment in resourcing, equipping and training carers, mentors and mentees. The geographical reach offered by online platforms gives young people access to a more diverse pool of mentors. Originality/value Both care leaving services and the use of e-mentoring to meet the needs of vulnerable young people are emerging areas of practice and research interest. This paper brings the two areas together in the context of South Africa under COVID-19 “lock-down” through describing the response of one mentoring programme and highlighting the benefits and challenges.


Subject Proposed amendments to divorce laws. Significance The past 20 years have seen a dramatic rise in divorce rates in Egypt, from 1.2 per 1,000 marriages in 1999 to 2.2 in 2015. To reduce the number of divorces, the Ministry of Social Solidary launched a new compulsory programme on college campuses in September 2019, under the name of Mawadda -- which means affection -- to advise young people on how to choose their partners, and introduce them to the legal rights and duties of spouses in Egypt. In addition, new legislation is being drafted to amend the legal framework governing marriage, maintenance and child custody. Impacts Legislation in Egypt put forward by top religous authority Al Azhar could influence other Sunni countries. Attempts to restrict polygamy will face wide resistance. Banning common law marriage will penalise poorer men who cannot afford high bride prices.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Liabo

Introduction Reporting data from a case study of a collaborative systematic review, this paper discusses the impact service user involvement might have on research, and how research might benefit from this. Methods This was a qualitative case study. The researcher analysed process data on the collaboration in the form of meeting transcripts and minutes, reflective interviews and the researchers’ own field diary. The review was also compared with two systematic reviews on a similar topic, using the AMSTAR checklist. Results The young people had influence at all stages of the review, but most importantly shifted its focus from healthcare to education, emphasising education as an important determinant of health. Conclusion Young people involved in this review influenced the researcher’s reviewing as well as the review, which shows that involving service users in research is important in order to reduce researcher bias in social care research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-112
Author(s):  
Bruce Prideaux

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to briefly review the development of drive tourism in the past 75 years, highlight contemporary issues that will shape the structure of drive tourism in the near future and speculate on how drive tourism may develop in future decades. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a range of academic and grey literature to identify the major trends that are now emerging in the drive tourism sector. These trends form the basis for observations on how new and emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles may offer new drive tourism opportunities in coming decades. Findings Recent and near-future advances in automobile technologies, including propulsion and control, are likely to radically alter the structure and operation of drive tourism, offering new opportunities for participation in this form of tourism. The paper observes that the tourism industry must act in a proactive rather than reactive manner if it is to maximise the opportunities that will emerge “from” the coming period of climate change and technology-generated disruption. Social implications Drive tourism has opened many previously remote areas for tourism bringing benefits such as employment and business opportunities. However, the growth of drive tourism may also have social costs including disruption to local social norms as people migrate into and out of these areas in search of new economic opportunities. Future developments in drive tourism may create similar disruptions. Originality/value Despite the size and value of the global drive tourism market, academic investigation has been limited. The value of this paper lies in its identification of a range of issues that need further research, including the need to rethink the structure of drive tourism and how new technologies and future responses to climate change may affect this sector.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-220
Author(s):  
Jill Manthorpe ◽  
Stephanie Bramley

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to review evidence about the barriers and facilitators to ex-service personnel obtaining employment within social care roles. Social care has long-standing, well-recognised problems of staff recruitment and retention. Policymakers and employers are exploring if there are untapped sources of potential employees. Some ex-service personnel may be interested in exploring a move to social care work with older people but may face barriers to such a move which may need to be addressed. Design/methodology/approach Databases and grey literature were searched systematically to provide an overview of evidence on this topic. In total, 23 articles were included in the review. Findings A narrative analysis revealed barriers to ex-service personnel obtaining employment within social care not only related to their previous occupation, health status and identity but also facilitators related to the sector’s severe recruitment challenges and the transferable skills of ex-service personnel. Evidence suggests that learning from health services may be highly relevant and transferable. Research limitations/implications This review was confined to English language studies published between 2008 and 2018. Few mentioned specific user or client groups. Originality/value This review identified evidence suggesting that learning from health services may be highly relevant and transferable to the social care sector so as to facilitate the transition of more ex-service personnel into social care work with older people.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill Manthorpe ◽  
Stephanie Bramley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review evidence about the role of education in supporting ex-service personnel to move to social care work with older people. Social care has long-standing, well-recognised problems of staff recruitment and retention in many jurisdictions. Within ageing societies, the need for more social care staff is predicted to rise. Therefore, policy makers and employers are exploring if there are untapped sources of potential employees. Some ex-service personnel may be interested in exploring a move to social care work with older people but may need to gain additional qualifications. Design/methodology/approach Databases and grey literature were searched systematically to provide an overview of the evidence on this topic. Six articles were included in the review. Findings A narrative analysis revealed two themes: preparing ex-service personnel for enrolment onto health and social care programmes, and supporting ex-service personnel during health and social care programmes. Research limitations/implications This review was confined to English language studies published between 2008 and 2018. Few mentioned specific user or client groups. Originality/value This review identified evidence gaps relating to whether the skills, education, training and experience gained in the armed services are transferable to civilian social care work with older people; the types of support which are offered to ex-service personnel who are interested in completing qualifications necessary for social care roles and the views of ex-service personnel about their experiences of completing educational courses to facilitate a transition into social care work with older people.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (S4) ◽  
pp. 72-75
Author(s):  
Gabriela Viorela NIȚESCU ◽  
◽  
Dora Andreea BOGHIȚOIU ◽  
Anca Angela SIMIONESCU ◽  
Coriolan Emil ULMEANU ◽  
...  

The children’s use of e-cigarettes has increased as many view them as a safer alternative to smoking during the past few years. In e-cigarettes, tobacco combustion is replaced by e-liquid heating, but the heating process can lead to new decomposition compounds of questionable toxicity. In addition, children exposure to e-cigarette liquids, whether intentional or accidental, may lead to specific adverse events of various types and severity from acute nicotine poisoning to an e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI), a severe pulmonary disease with public health implications. Therefore ongoing surveillance of poisoning exposure cases involving e-cigarettes and informing and educating the receptive population, especially adolescents and young people, on the risks they are exposed to by using these alternative smoking methods acquires special importance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Mendes ◽  
Rachel Standfield ◽  
Bernadette Saunders ◽  
Samone McCurdy ◽  
Jacinta Walsh ◽  
...  

Purpose This paper aims to report on the findings of a qualitative study that explored the views of 53 service providers assisting Indigenous young people (known in Australia as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth) transitioning from out-of-home care (OOHC) in Australia. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 53 representatives of state and territory government departments, non-government organisation service providers and Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) across Australia. The project was designed to gain the perspectives of those working within the system and their views on how it interacts with Indigenous care leavers. Interview questions aimed to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the leaving care support systems available to this cohort, as well as the key challenges facing service providers in supporting them. Finally, the study aimed to make recommendations for policy development in this area and identify potential best practice service responses. Findings The study found that the OOHC service systems continue to fail Indigenous care leavers, their families and communities. Study findings revealed that Indigenous care-leavers face substantial challenges and that the support systems for those leaving OOHC are often culturally insensitive and ineffective. Many Indigenous OOHC leavers lacked the supports they needed to develop safe and ongoing relationships with their traditional Country, family and communities. To promote more positive transitions and outcomes, effective practice responses were identified, including culturally safe programmes and proportional funding for ACCOs to advance greater self-determination. Originality/value This research is the first national study in Australia to examine the specific transition from care pathways and experiences of Indigenous young people. The findings add to the limited existing knowledge on Indigenous care leavers globally and should inform practice and policy innovations with this cohort in Australia and beyond.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Bowden

Purpose Management history has in the past 15 years witnessed growing enthusiasm for “critical” research methodologies associated with the so-called “historic turn”. This paper aims to argue, however, that the “historic turn” has proved to an “historic wrong turn”, typically associated with confused and contradictory positions. In consequence, Foucault’s belief that knowledge is rooted in discourse, and that both are rooted in external structures of power, is used while simultaneously professing advocacy of White’s understanding that history is fictive, the product of the historian’s imagination. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores the intellectual roots of the historic (wrong) turn in the idealist philosophies of Nietzsche, Croce, Foucault, White and Latour as well as the critiques that have been made of those theories from within “critical” or “Left” theoretical frameworks. Findings Failing to properly acknowledge the historical origin of their ideas and/or the critiques of those ideas – and misrepresenting all contrary opinion as “positivist” – those associated with the historic (wrong) turn replicate the errors of their theoretical champions. The author thus witnesses a confusion of ontology (the nature of being) and epistemology (the nature of knowledge) and, consequently, of “facts” (things that exist independently of our fancy), “evidence” (how ascertain knowledge of a fact) and “interpretation” (how I connect evidence to explain an historical outcome). Originality/value Directed toward an examination of the conceptual errors that mark the so-called “historic turn” in management studies, this article argues that the holding contradictory positions is not an accidental by-product of the “historic turn”. Rather, it is a defining characteristic of the genre.


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