Reflecting on Children and Young People's Participation in the UK

AbstractThe article interrogates how children and young people's participation in public decision-making has been promoted in the UK. It considers critically the reasons typically (and persuasively) put forward for such participation, which can be categorized as: the promotion of children's rights; alignment with consumerism and service user involvement; enhancing democracy; and developing children's well-being and development. Each of these reasons can appeal to particular agendas of policy-makers, professionals and other influential adults, to provide room and support for participation. But inevitably each reason has certain advantages and disadvantages, acted out in current trends and accompanying dilemmas in children and young people's participation activities.

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A scoping review of the literature on the involvement of service users in personality disorder services

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/ipm.2014.46 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 233-243

Author(s):

L. Montgomery ◽

M. Donnelly

Keyword(s):

Health Policy ◽

Personality Disorder ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Service User ◽

Mental Health Policy ◽

User Involvement ◽

Service Users ◽

Service User Involvement ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Policy Makers

BackgroundService user involvement is receiving increasing support from mental health policy makers, service planners and research commissioners. However, we lack a good understanding of the nature and extent to which service users are involved in personality disorder (PD) services and the effects of involvement in these services.ObjectivesTo review and appraise published sources; increase understanding about service user involvement in PD services; and highlight knowledge gaps and related issues.MethodsA scoping review methodology was adopted. Data were ‘charted’ to illustrate the landscape of writings and views and a qualitative analysis synthesized the results in terms of key emergent themes.ResultsOnly a small amount of published work was identified with significant gaps in the literature. Effects were reported mostly in terms processes and emotional and practical benefits for service users. Emergent themes were wellness and health, recruitment and support for service users.ConclusionsThis scoping review uncovered a lack of published work despite service user involvement being a key strand of health policy. There is a need for outcomes-focused research regarding service user involvement. Successful user involvement in PD services requires attention to be focused on the context, recruitment, support and ‘wellness’ of service users.

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Involving Service Users in Professional Nurse Education in Wales

Journal of Learning Disabilities for Nursing Health and Social Care ◽

10.1177/174462959900300407 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 209-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Fisher ◽

D. Coyle

Keyword(s):

Service User ◽

User Involvement ◽

Nurse Education ◽

Small Scale ◽

Service User Involvement ◽

Professional Nurse ◽

History Of ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact ◽

Health Field

A small scale survey was conducted among nurse educationalists within Wales as part of the ongoing monitoring of Welsh Office targets for learning disability nursing. This survey showed that there has been very little service user involvement in professional nurse education in Wales. The authors discuss the possible reasons for such low level involvement. Examples of involvement of people with learning disabilities are compared to the much more favourable situation within the mental health field. Possible reasons for the barriers to progress in this area are discussed. The history of service user involvement and the development of advocacy both within the UK and other countries is also highlighted. The impact of various government initiatives on this situation is considered.

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