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Young people's voices detailing how they experienced engagement with the criminal justice system following child sexual abuse, what was helpful or unhelpful and how services can be improved to minimise secondary victimisation and maximise the potential for healing are largely absent from the research literature. This paper draws on semi‐structured interviews with a culturally diverse sample (n = 47) of young people aged 14 to 25 across Ireland and Canada about their experiences of disclosure and engagement with systems. Data were collected pertaining to experiences engaging with law enforcement personnel using thematic analysis with a trauma‐informed lens. The research identified three key themes: the importance of feeling safe through kindness, transparency and being believed; the importance of having a say; and the importance of timely court processes. The study builds on the small body of qualitative research illustrating young people's lived experiences of engaging with the criminal justice system and provides empirical support for promoting a trauma‐informed approach in how police engage with young people. Guidance is offered for police professionals on how to engage with adolescents following sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research demonstrates that relationships are key when working to support young people affected by sexual violence. Within these relationships, young people show a preference for non‐judgemental, flexible, consistent and informal support. Peer support – defined here as support provided by those with similar experiences – is however an uncharted area for assisting young people affected by sexual violence. This paper draws on interviews with 25 respondents with knowledge and experience of setting up, supervising and/or participating in peer support initiatives for young people impacted by different forms of sexual violence in Europe and North America. The article highlights how one form of peer support, peer or 'survivor' mentoring, can provide emotional and social support; create space for 'normality'; and give choices to young people. It outlines three unique dimensions to the support provided by peers more generally: relatability, credibility and translatability. The discussion reflects on what this might mean for traditional support provided by professionals. It also draws attention to the significance of recognising both the variety of experience and identity of young survivors of sexual trauma and the impact this may have on promoting relatability within relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children continue to be sexually abused worldwide. In Ghana, relatively high figures of child sexual abuse (CSA) are reported by the police daily. Although there are laws that seek to protect children from sexual abuse, in reality, there is a wide gulf between legislation and practice. This paper explores why this is so by examining the measures adopted in sanctioning perpetrators of CSA in the Ga community in Ghana. The study uses a qualitative approach to collect data from parents and guardians through in‐depth interviews. The study revealed that, generally, traditional rather than legal sanctions are adopted in handling CSA cases. This paper thus interrogates the consequences of the obvious contraventions of the law as traditional interventions are resorted to. We posit that CSA can be minimised only when child protection laws are enforced by the police and victims are reoriented to appreciate the benefits of seeking legal redress. Key Practitioner Messages: Conscious efforts must be made to destigmatise child sexual abuse.Sensitisation programmes should be organised periodically by stakeholders to educate community members on child sexual abuse.The police in partnership with the media must also lead the campaign to educate the populace that choosing traditional options of redress and non‐disclosure of incestuous acts against children is a clear violation of the law and the rights of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental attachment refers to the protective and comforting role of parents toward their children. This role has been violated in cases of maltreatment. Understanding the attachment of parents who endanger their children can illuminate the psychological processes behind the harmful behaviour of parents. This paper proposes assessing parental attachment with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), classified according to the Dynamic‐Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM). We discuss meta‐analyses of the 'gold standard' Berkeley method for extracting AAI information. AAIs of maltreating adults classified with the Berkeley method have an improbably high rate of secure attachment, making it inadequate for family forensic applications. In contrast, the DMM uses a theory‐based, developmental expansion of Ainsworth's infant categories to describe a wide array of dimensionally related protective strategies for coping with danger across the lifespan. DMM‐AAIs, classified by trained, reliable professionals and integrated with data from other sources to create an individualised family formulation, meet evidentiary requirements. We call for a programme of research of court‐involved families comparing DMM‐AAI formulations to outcomes of usual methods for determining family services. 'This paper proposes assessing parental attachment with the Adult Attachment Interview, classified according to the Dynamic‐Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM)' Key Practitioner Messages: Childhood exposure to danger is crucial to understanding maltreating parents' behaviour.Adult Attachment Interviews, classified with the DMM method by authorised experts, can reveal motivating psychological processes that are not apparent in parental behaviour.Information about parents' attachment, together with other information, can help child protection personnel gauge the risk that parents pose to their children and organise personalised treatment plans to reduce that risk.ABCD Berkeley AAI classifications are not suitable for forensic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores perceptions of child abuse and child protection matters involving staff working in the out‐of‐school‐hours care (OSHC) sector. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey, focus group and interviews with staff and managers employed by one organisation that provided OSHC services in Sydney, Australia. This paper reports on their perceptions about implementing mandatory reporting requirements associated with the concepts of 'significant harm' and 'reportable conduct'. The aim of this paper is to engage OSHC stakeholders, including government, in reviewing child protection policies and practices to support educators in their work with children. Key findings indicate the inadequacy of available training, and the importance of relationships and communication between stakeholders, especially OSHC and school staff. This requires systemic change including raising the status of OSHC and the critical role that these educators have in supporting children's development, learning and wellbeing during the early years of school. Key Practitioner Messages: It is important that leadership supports educators to engage in respectful partnerships with families and schools to ensure child protection, and thereby child wellbeing and learning outcomesTraining in supporting children's safety and wellbeing in OSHC is critical.There is a need for a systems approach to OSHC services which places children's development, learning and wellbeing at the forefront of professional practice. 'Explores perceptions of child abuse and child protection matters involving staff working in the out‐of‐school‐hours care (OSHC) sector' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whatever the circumstances, the separation of infants from their mothers at birth is a traumatic experience for all concerned. The paper reports on a study designed to improve practice in this highly sensitive area. An analysis of data collected through semi‐structured interviews with 38 mothers who had experienced removal at birth identified four common themes: isolation and unacknowledged support needs; shame, stigma and the failure of others to acknowledge their maternal identity; acute trauma, immediate downturn and disenfranchised grief following infant removal; and strategies to mitigate their pain and grief. These last themes included the use of artefacts both as transitional objects to help mothers come to terms with the permanent loss of a baby, and as a means of keeping maternal identity alive and connecting with an infant who might eventually return home. In response to these findings, and in collaboration with a group of women with lived experience, HOPE boxes were designed to ameliorate the trauma and psychological burden borne by women in this situation. The contents of the boxes have been chosen to reflect the changing experiences of the women's journeys but also the range of possible potential outcomes. The intervention has considerable potential to minimise the trauma of this painful experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a parent of their own children, balancing home and work for child protection workers (CPWs) can be difficult. This may contribute to the sustainability of the CPW role for those workers who are also parents, and to the complexity of establishing viable child protection services (CPSs). This paper explores CPWs experiences of being both a parent and a CPW. Findings, drawn from a larger case study which aimed to investigate CPW work practices and the challenges caused by them for workers, will be used to explicate this issue for workers and the organisation. Fifteen CPWs employed by a busy, moderate- to high-risk CPS participated in the larger case study with 14 participants undertaking qualitative semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Data pertaining to the dual roles of being a parent and a CPW were categorised into categories, minor categories and sub-categories. The two sub categories represented in this paper are: 'CPWs: Life as a Parent' and 'CPWs: Parent as a Worker'. Being a parent and a CPW impacted on both professional practices and personal parenting experiences. Strategies by the organisation that supported parent workers in maintaining family-work balance assisted CPWs to be able to maintain stability in their role. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Balancing child protection roles with parenting roles is difficult., CPW roles impact on parenting and parenting roles impact on child protection work., Family-friendly workplace policy for CPWs is required to benefit CPW health and promote sustainability in this role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents selected findings from a research-based evaluation of a men's domestic violence intervention programme, which aims to assist men to develop alternative ways of relating to their partners, children and others. The qualitative component of this evaluation involved conducting interviews with 21 group participants after their completion of the course. These interviews investigated several issues, including participants' perceptions of their relationships with their children. The main theme underpinning all discussions of children was an expression of love, in that love for their children served as a motivation to stop using violence and to develop alternative ways of relating to all family members. The paper concludes by discussing the potential of men's relationships with their children as powerful contexts, or points of leverage, through which the impact of their violent behaviour can be realised and confronted. By realising the impact that violent behaviour can have on children's wellbeing and fathers' interpersonal relationships with them, it is argued that intervention programmes can support men to develop more appropriate ways of relating to their children, and thus safeguard children from potential long-term consequences of domestic abuse. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Men attending domestic violence intervention programmes demonstrate a wide range of attitudes towards their partners and former partners, but unanimously report a desire to maintain meaningful relationships with their children., Men who have used violence in their family relationships can be challenged and motivated to change through realising the impact of their behaviour on their children's wellbeing and their father-child relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports upon the learning that emerged from a development project which aimed to facilitate improvements in multiagency work in domestic abuse and safeguarding children. The two-year project (2011-13), funded by the Department for Education and led by WomenCentre, a specialist voluntary sector organisation based in West Yorkshire, was undertaken in nine local authorities in the north of England. Activities undertaken during the project included case mapping, service user and professional engagement exercises, observation of local multiagency meetings and provision of training. An evaluative research study examined the work of the project and the learning that emerged. Drawing upon data from telephone interviews with project participants, analysis of case mapping and project reports, this paper discusses some critical issues which emerged from this project. The paper draws attention to the different understandings and priorities which shape interprofessional practice in relation to safeguarding children and domestic abuse, and the complexities of the wider interagency environment including coordination, resources and expertise. Recommendations for improving multiagency work to achieve better outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic abuse are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Multiagency working in domestic abuse and safeguarding children is complex and could be improved., The impact of professional differences in how cases are understood and managed, particularly in relation to 'risk', as well as different professional priorities and approaches to working with families should be recognised and considered within the multiagency context., Practitioners may want to consider whether 'case mapping' is pertinent to their own safeguarding practices and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study completed with 16 designated liaison persons (DLPs) for child protection in Ireland. The care practices and systems in place in Irish primary schools that support child protection work are the particular focus of this paper. Recent changes in legislation, following the publication of the Children First Act 2015 (Government of Ireland, Irish Statute Book; Office of the Attorney General), are considered. The Act recognises all teachers registered with the Teaching Council as mandated persons. Mandated persons are recognised as persons who work with children and young people and are required to report child abuse, above a defined threshold, which comes to their attention in the course of their professional or employment duties. Semi‐structured interviews were completed with the DLPs, and an exploratory approach using interpretative phenomenologial analysis was deemed the most suitable method of analysis for the study. Five superordinate themes emerged from the findings, alongside a number of subordinate themes; the theme 'The School Story' which focuses on the care practices that are undertaken in schools daily is illuminated throughout this paper. The findings highlight the need for formal acknowledgement of this work in schools and also for greater interagency communication and collaboration in the area of child protection. 'This paper presents the results of a qualitative study completed with 16 designated liaison persons (DLPs) for child protection in Ireland' Key Practitioner Messages: Teachers, in their day‐to‐day work in schools and through the care structures in place in schools, contribute in a significant way to the safety and protection of children.There is a need for greater communication and collaboration between schools and the Child and Family Agency to support children at risk of abuse effectively.There should be formal recognition in the evaluations undertaken by the Department of Education of the care practices that exist in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on three studies conducted in Australia, Canada and Ireland which explore the factors influencing research utilisation in the child protection sector in each country. The paper recognises that research uptake is complicated by a number of factors. It also acknowledges critiques which cite the equally significant influence of ideologies, context, unpredictability, time constraints and political expediency. However, all three studies recognised the increasing importance of evidence-based practice. The methods used in the three studies were not identical but the frameworks used were sufficiently similar to enable the classification of both common and dissimilar barriers and facilitators to research use. Those which they identified were categorised into four types: individual, organisational, environmental and characteristics relating to the nature of research material. Implications were identified for policy makers, service providers and research producers. The point was made that we now live in a period where unprecedented means of knowledge transfer and exchange provide unique opportunities to improve the lives of children and families. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Avail of opportunities to attend learning events., Draw on research findings when conducting assessments, writing reports, devising intervention plans, evaluating programmes and tendering for funding., Establish links with research centres., Become involved in the conduct of research., Support colleagues (champions) who display particular interest and motivation in the use of research evidence by recognising and/or rewarding effort., Avail of opportunities to undertake further study that includes a research component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognised that, in a child protection context, practitioners tend to focus on working with mothers more than fathers. This may undermine risk management and limit the resources available for the care of children. This paper discusses the process of developing and running a training intervention for child protection social workers, designed to improve father engagement (with 'fathers' defined inclusively). A short course was provided, consisting of one day of awareness-raising about the importance of work with fathers and one day of motivational interviewing skills training. The emphasis in the paper is on insights from the qualitative elements of the mixed-method process evaluation, namely, observation and pre- and post-course interviews. In particular, there is discussion of the potential benefits and challenges of this kind of training, with consideration given to the general issue of father engagement and more specifically the potential for using motivational interviewing in child protection practice. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages The pilot of the Cardiff University Fathers and Child Protection course resulted in improved engagement of fathers, according to social workers self-report., Motivational interviewing has potential for developing practitioners' skills in working with fathers when children are at risk., There are some inherent challenges in attempting to improve the engagement of fathers in a child protection context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public inquiries have become a standard governmental response to managing matters of public interest and concern, including child abuse, in a number of countries, but questions have been raised over whether they are worth the time, money and resources. This paper examines experts' perceptions of the aims and outcomes of public inquiries, before moving on to consider whether there are more effective and efficient ways of investigating national scandals. Based on findings from a thematic analysis of the proceedings of a four‐day expert summit, and semi‐structured interviews with 16 participants who have been involved in child abuse inquiries in the UK and elsewhere, it concludes that public inquiries are not fulfilling all of their competing objectives. While a limited number of inquiries into the care and protection of children have had a positive impact on policy or practice, or successfully raised public awareness overall, there is little evidence of effectiveness. There is a need to: rethink the purpose, scope, methodology and impact of such inquiries to ensure that they are more effective and cost‐efficient; place children, victims and survivors at the centre; and use a wider range of professional expertise and skills. 'Examines experts' perceptions of the aims and outcomes of public inquiries... [and] consider[s] whether there are more effective and efficient ways of investigating national scandals' Key Practitioner Messages: Victims should be at the centre of any process to investigate serious cases of child abuse.Serious cases should be investigated by multidisciplinary teams comprising individuals with a range of different skill sets and capabilities.Cases where things have gone wrong should be considered alongside evidence from cases where children are well protected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with negative mental and physical health consequences. Neighbourhood police officers (NPOs) are thought to be well placed to identify and support children experiencing ACEs. Within this paper, we describe a qualitative exploration of an initiative deployed by a large UK police force which aimed to aid early identification of young people with ACEs using police data and provide subsequent support given by NPOs. A thematic analysis was conducted using transcripts from three focus groups of NPOs, supplemented by questionnaires. Key themes identified in both sets of data offer reflections for policing and other public service provision seeking to target on the basis of ACEs, including: limitations in the usefulness of police data to identify childhood adversity; challenges using the ACEs framework as a means to target such 'early intervention'; and debates regarding the appropriate role of the police in supporting young people in adversity. Prior to replication of this intervention elsewhere, there are several points to consider: whether police data alone are sufficient in identifying ACEs; ensuring clarity regarding the role of the public sector agencies in such intervention; and determining an apt measure of success for the scheme. Key practitioner messages: Modelling using only police data can provide insight into the population of children who may have suffered from ACEs but may not provide significant opportunities for early interventionThere is a clear need for defining the role of UK police forces in the delivery of early interventionIt is evident that multi‐agency working/data sharing is crucial to preventing the duplication of referrals and interventions conducted with young people who have experienced ACEs 'There is a clear need for defining the role of UK police forces in the delivery of early intervention' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practitioners' preconceived ideas about service users can lead to prejudice and labelling, and ultimately may result in biased services. This paper reports on a UK‐based qualitative research study exploring the views and experiences of practitioners working with adult victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. It examines whether or not practitioners believe that childhood experiences of witnessing domestic violence indicate the likelihood of domestic violence in adulthood. It further explores practitioners' perceptions of factors contributing to the experiences of domestic violence amongst their service users. Twelve semi‐structured interviews were conducted with practitioners working in the domestic violence field, and thematic analysis was used to analyse their responses. The data did not indicate a general consensus on the matter of children becoming victims or perpetrators based on their childhood experiences of domestic violence. Participants' responses indicated that they thought the issue was more complex. Common themes that participants consider important to children's development of healthy/unhealthy relationships in this context were identified in the data. These included: an awareness of service users' individuality; the importance of meaningful support networks; and an understanding of the risk amongst their service users to normalise abusive behaviour. '[Explores] the views and experiences of practitioners working with adult victims and perpetrators of domestic violence' Key Practitioner Messages: Not all children witnessing domestic violence will inevitably become victims or perpetrators of abuse in adulthood.Perpetrating domestic violence in adulthood is often associated with a combination of various factors and circumstances, and can rarely be attributed to just one past experience.Assessments and holistic and judgement‐free services provided by practitioners are vital for children to develop positive and healthy future relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into maternal protectiveness in domestic violence has focused either on women's experiences of mothering or children's experiences of growing up in domestic violence. This paper reports on a qualitative research study with both mothers and individuals who grew up in domestic violence that sought to explore perspectives on, and experiences of, maternal protectiveness in the two groups. The study used a feminist social constructionist theoretical perspective and a relational empowerment methodology, and involved interviews with nine mothers and 16 individuals who grew up in domestic violence. Thematic analysis revealed the different ways that mothers and children approached the question of so-called 'failure to protect'. Analysis revealed that themes of self-blame by the mothers and mother-blame by those who grew up in domestic violence were common, with three main thematic categories capturing the ways in which blame was constructed: (1) centring feminine traits; (2) self-blame and guilt; and (3) the double bind of protection. The paper explores the gendered discourses about mothering and femininity that frame practices of self-blame and mother-blame, elaborating the double bind of protection that women face. The paper also explores the implications for practitioners who work with domestic violence in balancing the need to strengthen connections between mothers and children and, at the same time, safeguard children. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Mothers commonly blame themselves for so-called 'failure to protect' their children in domestic violence., Individuals who grew up in violence often blame their mothers for 'failure to protect'., Mother-blame draws on a range of femininity and victim-blaming discourses that can entangle women and children further in violence., Practitioners can encourage communication between mothers and children to repair relationships after violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on doctoral research carried out in the UK into the experience of complexity in child protection work. The study explored what complexity meant for practitioners, and examined its significance for interprofessional working. A qualitative, case-based approach was adopted, drawing on the experiences of 17 practitioners working on two separate child protection cases. Participants were from a range of agencies, including children's social care, education, youth offending and child/adolescent mental health. Two rounds of semi-structured interviews were carried out over a period of four months. Interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, a research methodology derived from qualitative psychology. The findings revealed complexity to be a multifaceted phenomenon, driven by the dynamics of cause and effect in open social systems. Practitioners' perception of unpredictability and volatility in these cases fed into various aspects of collaborative work: the experience of relationships, the process of assessment, efforts at intervention and concerns about risk. The paper concludes by exploring some implications for policy and practice in terms of how interprofessional networks are set up to manage the needs of vulnerable children and families. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Complexity makes it hard for practitioners to understand cause and effect, predict outcomes and control the course of events., To manage complexity, the team around the child may need to operate as a strategic unit rather than a collection of tactical interventions., When complex cases become 'stuck', professional networks may need additional support and consultation from specialist agencies., 'Complexity makes it hard for practitioners to understand cause and effect, predict outcomes and control the course of events' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationally, there are few studies that have trialled structured intervention programmes designed to prevent excessive weight gain or combat existing overweight/obesity for young people living in out-of-home care. The Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) programme was designed to address this limitation and is, to our knowledge, the first programme that simultaneously encourages young people and their carers to engage in a healthy lifestyle. This is the second of two papers presenting the HEAL evaluation. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to explore the experiences and opinions of key stakeholders regarding the intervention programme; and second, to understand the key enablers and barriers to successful implementation of the HEAL programme in residential care. Seventeen carers and ten programme coordinators participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings demonstrated that HEAL was considered a valuable adjunct to the residential care programme, and was successful in raising awareness about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Positive behaviour change among the young people and carers' dietary, physical activity and sleeping habits, and the development of independent living skills were described. Barriers to implementation included leadership support and professional development of carers. Recommendations are made to improve implementation, particularly around the importance of increasing stakeholder 'buy-in'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment where there are concerns that an unborn child is likely to suffer significant harm is one of the most difficult tasks that social workers undertake; the legal and ethical context makes the process of assessment and intervention during this period complex. This paper explores pre-birth assessment guidance and practice in England. Local safeguarding guidance in 147 English localities was accessed and analysed, and interviews were conducted with 22 practitioners involved in pre-birth assessments. The findings showed that while most local safeguarding guidance was more detailed and explicit than the national guidance, legal and ethical issues were rarely addressed. Interview data showed that, in general, guidance to support social work assessments during the pre-birth period was insufficient, and that few practitioners used standardised tools to aid assessment. Some practitioners regarded pre-birth assessments as less urgent than cases involving infants/older children, thereby increasing delays in decision-making. It is concluded that existing guidance and practice with regard to pre-birth assessment are inadequate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, midwives' experiences of working with vulnerable pregnant women who were subject to child protection orders in New South Wales, Australia, and faced the possible removal of their baby at birth, known as 'assumption of care', are described. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to explore the experiences of ten midwives who had been involved in some 91 episodes of assumption of care. In-depth interviews were undertaken and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data-set. Four themes were elicited that demonstrated how midwives worked with vulnerable women and Community Services during the antenatal period. These were labelled: Reporting - Taking the first step; The woman-midwife relationship remains a priority; Jumping through the 'community service' hoops; and Crunch time: The decision... sometimes justifiable sometimes not? Even though the three-way relationship between the woman-midwife-Community Services could be confrontational, it was essential that midwives worked in a positive way with Community Services to improve outcomes for the woman and her unborn child. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Working effectively with Community Services is essential. Sharing information and developing multidisciplinary approaches and pathways will produce the best outcomes for vulnerable newborns and their mothers whilst at the same time supporting health and community workers to work in a cohesive manner to provide quality care., Midwives need to be supported to stay 'woman centred'. Keeping the woman engaged in the system will help ensure the health of the foetus (baby)., Further research is needed to explore the perspectives of all those involved in assumption of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how survivors of complex trauma navigate towards resources can inform the design of interventions and health promotion strategies. However, there are little data on the resilience and help-seeking experiences of this group or others who have experienced institutional abuse in childhood. This empirical study sets out to illustrate the help-seeking experiences of Irish emigrant survivors of institutional childhood abuse (ICA). Twenty-two survivors of ICA were purposefully recruited from community organisations in the UK and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. As a result of negative initial help-seeking experiences in Ireland, most participants engaged in long periods of self-management and disclosed information about their childhood as part of a redress scheme in later life. Outside of this scheme, turning points, such as illness or family problems, and the needs of children were influential in seeking help. Peer support networks played an important role as a trusted signposting pathway towards formal interventions. Participants identified interpersonal barriers to formal help-seeking as helping professionals' failure to share control, insensitivity to identity loss and literacy issues, and the lack of explicit boundaries. The paper concludes with a discussion about the implications for research and future practice. Key Practitioner Messages: Turning points, such as illness and bereavement, and the desire to provide for children, influence the help-seeking of survivors of ICA., Irish emigrant survivors of ICA cite failure to share control, insensitivity to identity loss, literacy issues and the lack of explicit boundaries as barriers to help-seeking., General awareness of ICA can help practitioners in low-threshold services prevent against culturally insensitive practice., Peer support networks can provide uniquely trusted signposting towards formal interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children are exposed to intimate partner violence against their mothers. Countering assumptions that abused women 'fail to protect' their children, this paper presents the results of a Canadian qualitative study that examined the protective strategies of 18 abused mothers, most of whom are Aboriginal. Half of these women were living in a large city and half were living in remote, northern communities. Despite geographic location, abused mothers engage in acts and behaviours to not only protect their children from immediate physical violence but also to mitigate the potential emotional harms of exposure to violence and to prevent their children from continuing the violence in their own future relationships. Relying on informal supports, such as family, was especially important for mothers living in northern, remote communities, and is not surprising given the few services available. Professionals must be aware of the range of strategies and approaches that mothers use, including those that do not involve formal systems (i.e. the police or shelter). Focusing on their strengths and protective capacities will help to empower abused mothers and limit unnecessary, inappropriate, or intrusive interventions. Recognising mothers' capacities will also lead to better outcomes for children, who fare best when their mothers are appropriately supported. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Abused mothers engage in acts and behaviours to protect their children from the harms of exposure to violence, and these may differ for mothers living in remote, isolated communities., Mothers' protective acts extend beyond calling the police or going to shelter, and include informal supports., Professionals must inquire about mothers' protective strategies and incorporate into case plans., Professionals must support abused mothers so that they can help strengthen the mother-child relationship and help children recover from violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore negative peer interactions in foster care. Looked after children and young people have highlighted the impact of negative peer interactions, and especially peer violence and intimidation, on their care experiences. However, to date, no specific fostering research has addressed this important issue. In response to this gap, we undertook focus groups with 32 foster carers in the South West of England. Group discussions were semi-structured based around the issue of negative peer interactions in foster care. The analysis revealed five main associated themes: the impact on the carers' birth children; a lack of placement planning; inadequate referral information; a negative view of social work support; and insufficient external interventions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Negative peer interactions, particularly violence, were a major concern for foster carers, especially if they negatively impacted on the welfare of carers' birth children., An absence of pre-placement referral information on negative peer interactions was commonly reported and placed all children in the fostering household at risk., Associated social work support and external interventions were often perceived as lacking and inadequate., Fostering procedures, review and decisions need to recognise the impact of peer violence on all members of the fostering household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a study commissioned by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland. It addresses the topic of recommendations emanating from child death inquiries and reviews; it looks at the factors which privilege some recommendations over others when it comes to implementation and explores whether a more collaborative approach to development might be more beneficial. As part of the study, the researchers to propose a new model for developing recommendations which will address the complexity of child protection practice, reflect its core principles and promote learning. The study found that recommendations were generally implemented when they fitted with social norms and aspiration of the time and particularly when they synchronised with policy developments that had already been initiated and required increased investment and public support to reach completion. The research drew a distinction between addressing and implementing recommendations, and overall found that a type of 'recommendation fatigue' had evolved following the succession if inquiries. It proposed that in the future, recommendations should be drafted in collaboration with key stakeholders which would provide the team with a range of expert knowledge strengthen the methodological rigour of the process and promote the likelihood that they would be feasible and realistic. The study proposed a new model of CLEAR recommendations (Case for change; Learning orientated: Evidence based; Assigning responsibility and easy to Review). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages When inquiry or review recommendations are too numerous, impractical, expensive, lack relevance and are too far out of step with social norms, they are unlikely to be implemented, A collaborative approach can ensure that recommendations are informed by relevant sources of information, knowledge and expertise., Recommendations should be framed in a way that illustrates the rationale for change, promotes learning, cites evidence and identifies the organisations responsible for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many domestic violence perpetrator programmes have incorporated the issue of children's safety and the harmful parenting of domestically violent fathers within their programme content. However, little attention has been paid to the services offered to, and possible outcomes for, the children of men on such programmes. This paper draws on a survey of 44 domestic violence services and 73 interviews with men who were on, or had completed, a programme, ex/partners, programme workers and programme funders/commissioners, to explore how a positive outcome for children might be conceptualised. Despite a desire to improve the situation of children, very few organisations provided a direct support service to the children of men on programmes. Work with men and support for their ex/partners operated as some form of proxy service to children. Many men had not told their children they were attending a perpetrator programme, and we suggest that more encouragement to do so would improve perpetrator accountability and respect for children. A positive outcome for children from their father's involvement on the programme is identified as having three dimensions: changes in the father that would benefit children; changes in the father-child relationship; and changes in the child's functioning. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages: A positive outcome for children whose father has participated on a domestic violence perpetrator programme has a range of dimensions., Men on domestic violence perpetrator programmes should be actively encouraged and supported to tell their children about their attendance., There is a need for more direct support services for the children of men on domestic violence perpetrator programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the key findings of an NSPCC study estimating need, in the UK, for therapeutic services for children who have experienced sexual abuse. This is based upon current estimates of the prevalence and impact of sexual abuse towards children and young people against the availability of therapeutic services in the UK. Data were collected on service location, availability, scope and coverage across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Researchers: (1) mapped 508 services; (2) collected data from 195 services via a structured questionnaire; (3) followed up 21 service managers and 11 service commissioners with a semi-structured interview; and (4) carried out two focus groups with young people. The overall level of specialist provision is low, with less than one service available per 10 000 children and young people in the UK. Calculations of need indicate that 57 156 children across the UK in the last year may have been unable to access a service. Findings from services support the view that need outstrips availability; that referral routes are limited, leaving few options for young people who have been raped or seriously sexually assaulted to directly access support; that significant waiting lists mean services must focus on reactive, rather than preventive, work; and that services are less accessible for certain groups, especially sexually abused teenagers, children with disabilities and those from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee backgrounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Relevant professionals must be adequately trained to talk to children about sexual abuse and to identify those vulnerable in order to identify need., Expert specialist services are well placed to share learning on early help and identification with broader children's service providers., Active steps need to be taken by commissioners in consultation with young people, voluntary sector and adult sexual violence service providers to meet the shortfall at the level of local authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research illustrates the lack of services and provision for the needs of migrant children; assessments of needs in the early stage of their arrival into the UK have previously been advocated. This paper reports on a qualitative study with officials in agencies working with children at a UK port of entry. Along with a sense of isolation and fragmentation between those agencies involved in this work, there were clear tensions between the safeguarding agendas and practices of the agencies involved. Analysis of interviews with social workers and police officers suggests that there was a lack of confidence and trust between agencies and in multi-agency approaches to safeguarding children entering the UK. Assessment approaches tend to be risk orientated at the expense of being culturally attuned and children's rights focused. These findings are discussed together with recommendations for further research. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message Initial assessment work with asylum-seeking/refugee children should be conducted in the child's first language., Culturally attuned social work practice with children newly arrived into the UK promotes children's rights, this should be the norm, not the exception., Professionals working with asylum-seeking/refugee children at ports of entry should assess risk and need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men's intersecting identities as fathers and as perpetrators of domestic violence are increasingly acknowledged in research and practice and children's social services are referring such men to perpetrator programmes. This paper draws on the evaluation of a newly established voluntary programme for male perpetrators of domestic violence in north-east England to consider how men's involvement with children's social services and fathering roles shaped motivation to engage with a process of change. The evaluation drew on project throughput data and background information on programme participants as well as interviews undertaken with men and their partners. Men who were currently involved with children's social services were found to be more likely than other programme participants to engage with the programme for more than five sessions. The desire to secure or regain access to their children or to avoid care proceedings was an extrinsic form of motivation that appeared effective in securing men's initial engagement with the programme. However, children could also function as a form of intrinsic motivation with men developing their awareness of the impact of abusive behaviour on children and viewing their participation in the programme as a means of becoming a 'better father'. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Most men who contacted Strength to Change (STC), a voluntary programme for perpetrators of domestic violence in north-east England, were parents., Involvement with children's services and regarding the programme as a means of acquiring access to children or avoiding care proceedings facilitated rather than hindered men's engagement with the programme., Men's identity as fathers functioned as a source of intrinsic motivation with men describing the programme as enabling them to become a 'better father'., Although the STC programme did not have a specific remit to address fathering, it enabled men to use the image of themselves as fathers and awareness of the impact of domestic violence on children as a means of achieving change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common with the rest of the UK, child care and protection practice in Scotland has undergone unprecedented change over the last ten years, including a wide-ranging three-year Child Protection Reform Programme. In 2006, The University of Dundee's Centre for Child Care and Protection and Barnardo's Scotland Research and Development team were commissioned by the then Scottish Executive to undertake a process review of the Child Protection Reform Programme (Daniel et al., ). Drawing on findings from the process review, this article considers the impact of the Child Protection Reform Programme. The process review concluded that, in the view of the respondents, the Child Protection Reform Programme made a substantive contribution towards the improvement and delivery of child protection services in Scotland, particularly in terms of raising awareness and increased multi-agency working. It was beyond the scope of the review to measure outcomes for children as a result of the reforms. Since the completion of the Child Protection Reform Programme, national policy emphasis has broadened from 'child protection' towards integrated support for children under the Getting it Right for Every Child reforms of children's services. The paper concludes with a discussion around where 'child protection' now fits within this context of universal support for children and argues that there is a need to ensure that the valuable work which was done to improve child protection services in Scotland under the Child Protection Reform Programme is not lost. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little research on social workers' views and experiences of managing contact for children in public care, and none focused in Scotland, where different institutional and legal features provide contrast with the rest of the UK. This study explored the views of 19 social work practitioners and managers and three Reporters to the Children's Hearing system regarding the management of contact for children in non-permanent placements, using semi-structured interviews and a focus group. The paper focuses on the themes of the supervision and assessment of contact, risks associated with contact and contact via ICT-e-mail and the internet. It suggests improvements in assessing contact are needed and concludes that while there are strengths in practitioners' current awareness of risks, a risk-based conception of contact, as exemplified by most respondents' views about the use of new technology, is in tension with the thrust of current legislation; conceptions of contact need to be flexible enough to embrace the variety of purposes contact might serve. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framed within the European project ECLIPS (Enhancing the Capacity to combat chiLd abuse through an Integral training and Protocol for childcare professionalS), this study aims at understanding the needs related to the screening and referral of child maltreatment by childcare professionals working with children aged 0–3 in daycare settings of four European countries (Belgium, Hungary, Italy and Latvia). While children in this age group display the highest risk of abuse compared to older children, research and practice are less focused on them. Given their daily exposure, childcare professionals are in a unique position to identify and refer child maltreatment of infants and toddlers. However, data from desk research and focus groups held in the four countries revealed significant gaps in both processes. Screening for abuse is not mandatory for childcare professionals, and many barriers limit its effectiveness, such as the lack of training and the absence of standardised practices. Referral is mainly undermined by psychological barriers, namely fear and lack of self‐efficacy. This is a fundamental first step to developing strategies to face underreporting and filling knowledge gaps while supporting the fundamental competencies necessary to safeguard the young child's best interest, which is the final goal of the ECLIPS project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All over the world, poor and illiterate girls living in rural areas are at higher risk of becoming underage marriage than well‐educated girls living in cities. Early marriages exacerbate inequalities between females and males in society and violate children's and women's rights. This study aimed to demonstrate temporal changes in the prevalence of child marriage and underage childbearing in Turkey by exploring the causes of regional variations in the schooling rate. Our retrospective, descriptive and register‐based study obtained input data on childbirth, marriage, population and schooling from official statistics published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of National Education. Based on official statistics, underage childbearing rates decreased from 2002 to 2019 in Turkey. This study outlined significant regional variations in the ratio of childbearing female under 18 to the population that were higher in the northeastern, central eastern, and southeastern Anatolia regions of Turkey than in other regions. During the same period, there were downward trends in the number of legal marriages of female aged 16–17 and the number of underage females who gave birth in contrast with an increasing population of girls living in Turkey. In terms of welfare, education and healthcare, developments in Turkey were considered to have contributed to the downward tendency of childbearing and marriages of underage females. However, an increase in the schooling rate of girls was the critical determinant of the observed tendency. Therefore, officially setting the compulsory education age to 18 can help to prevent underage marriage and childbearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantification of childhood adversity has typically involved a cumulative risk approach in which total number of discrete adversities serves as an index of overall risk. However, this approach fails to account for the growing evidence of differential outcomes following exposure to childhood adversities. An alternative approach adopts a dimensional perspective, with growing evidence for distinct developmental impacts associated with exposure to threat (violence/abuse) and deprivation (neglect). This study developed a framework for the classification of these dimensions through a thematic analysis of health practitioners' views and accounts of different forms of childhood adversity. Ten health practitioners experienced in working with children with challenging behaviours and neurodevelopmental disorders participated in semi‐structured interviews regarding definitions and examples of six categories of adversity: physical/emotional/sexual abuse, physical/emotional neglect, and domestic and family violence. The qualitative analysis identified 23 themes across the six categories of adversity, along with two overarching themes regarding ambiguity of classifying exposures and non‐specific outcomes of exposures. Themes were integrated to provide a framework and checklist for classifying indicators of exposure to threat and deprivation. The findings offer a framework and checklist for the assessment of threat and deprivation that will allow for further testing of the dimensional risk model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high turnover of staff at the Queensland statutory child protection agency, combined with a lack of experienced prospective employees, means that the agency is increasingly relying on new university graduates. However, the availability of resources is a risk to the continued engagement of child protection workers because they do not feel that they are able to adequately service the clients who they work with, and is one reason why they may choose to leave the agency. In order to gain a greater understanding of how graduate child protection workers perceive both organisational and community resourcing, this study interviewed 20 child protection workers who were still in their first 12 months of employment in the agency. The results suggest that insufficient staffing within the agency affected the work of the child protection workers. Participants identified that additional organisational resources which would improve the capacity of child protection workers to fulfil their role in a more efficient and safe manner included motor vehicles and administrative support. Participants expressed the view that resources external to the organisation were necessary to promote practice and improve outcomes for children and families. In the absence of additional resources being made available, effectively allocating resources within child protection offices, as well as encouraging the workers to develop their knowledge of available resources, should help address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While child welfare scholars and caseworkers have acquired a better understanding of risk factors associated with occurrences of child fatalities due to maltreatment over the past 20 years, little is known about the organisational and system‐level characteristics that impact efforts to prevent or intervene in these cases. As part of a collaborative agreement between a university‐affiliated centre and a state child welfare agency, we conducted interviews by phone with 19 case managers, middle managers and regional leaders who were assigned to manage or oversee a near fatality or fatality case. They illuminated five major themes: 1) their perceived stressors and sources of support; 2) client and perpetrator risk factors; 3) system‐level risk and protective factors; 4) case descriptions; and 5) lessons learned. Relying upon their lived experiences, we offer practice and policy recommendations to Child Abuse Review to support their efforts to prevent and respond to child fatality cases. Efforts should be devoted to evaluating strategies to reduce risk for all families before the child welfare system is involved, supporting workers when they are assigned to fatality cases by reducing caseloads and preparing them for the fatality review process, and embracing a culture of collaboration across and within child‐serving systems. Key Practitioner Messages: To respond effectively to child fatality and near fatality cases, child welfare caseworkers and leaders should be assigned fewer cases in the interim, and receive guidance, consultation, and time to prepare for the fatality review process.Embracing a culture of collaboration across and within child‐serving systems may also prevent fatalities and facilitate an efficient investigative process if/when they do occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Including statistical models in assessment of referrals about children at risk holds promising aspects. This article presents results from an empirical pilot study developing and testing a statistical decision support system in the form of a predictive risk model.The study involved mixed methods and included 208 referrals assessed by 13 social workers in two municipalities in Denmark. The research design involved comparing risk scores provided by the social workers before and after they received a score generated by the model. Social workers' perception of the model was studied through qualitative interviews before, during and after the test. The quantitative results of the study show that presenting a statistical risk score to social workers only marginally changes their initial assessment of a referral. In contrast, the qualitative findings appeared to show that social workers are ready to include statistics in the decision‐making process, but that some elements need to be considered. These include the definition of risk being used and the linking of this definition with the available data as well as the needs of the social workers. It is important to remember that a statistical model can support – not define – the assessment. Statistical decision support systems based on predictive risk models might prove rewarding in providing more accurate and homogeneous assessments in child protection. Important issues to consider when developing a model are the definition of risk, the data available to the model and communication of the risk calculated. Risk assessments are based on uncertainties and while statistics might limit the uncertainty, data do not eliminate ambiguity of risk assessment. Social workers should engage in the development of statistical tools, but it is important to acknowledge that decisions should always be made by the professional, not the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite consensus that the forensic medical examination is an integral component to a comprehensive response to child sexual abuse (CSA), concerns have been expressed about the impact of these examinations on children and young people. A small‐scale survey was conducted with a group of CSA professionals (n = 19), followed by semi‐structured interviews with six adolescents, accessed through CSA specialist units in Ireland. While concerns were expressed about the examination, overall, professionals were in favour of it as part of a holistic therapeutic response to CSA. Five themes were identified from the interviews with adolescents: the experience of the examination as an imposition, the unknown nature of the examination, the focus on the body itself, feeling exposed and having a say. Findings highlight how a trauma‐informed approach, with emphasis on information sharing and supporting the autonomy of the young person's voice and choice throughout the process, could provide a transformative experience for young people, helping them integrate their psychological and physical sense of themselves. The forensic medical examination can facilitate the healing and recovery process by bringing into awareness many of the anxieties that, due to shame or inability to tolerate associated emotional pain, remain unspoken and unspeakable following CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forced marriage is recognised as a form of child abuse in the UK. Despite evidence that this is a growing problem, there is little current research concerning the responses of child protection practitioners. This article is based on a study that explored the views and experiences of a range of practitioners who had been involved with safeguarding children with respect to forced marriage. Ten semi‐structured interviews were carried out, followed by two focus groups (n = 13); these explored the challenges and best practice related to working with children at risk of or in forced marriage situations. The findings highlighted the complex nature of the work and the particular vulnerability of children affected by forced marriage. The study found that practitioners struggled to respond effectively when guidance was unclear or when they had limited knowledge and experience of forced marriage. Effective practice was associated with a high standard of interagency work locally and with practitioners who had confidence and experience and were able to work proactively and assertively. Key Practitioner Messages: Effective practice responses to forced marriage require clearer national and local policy and guidance.Knowledgeable, confident and proactive staff enable good‐quality risk assessments and service responses.Practitioner training and development should include enhancing cultural competence and confidence when working with marginalised/BME families.Forced marriage is a nuanced, complex and diverse issue affected by high levels of vulnerability in children and young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual abuse is a frequent phenomenon in Chile, but it is not often disclosed by its victims. The lack of disclosure is more common in the male population, presumably owing to cultural factors. The objective of this study was to deepen understanding of child sexual abuse disclosure in the Chilean population, focusing particularly on the role of gender. The study combined data extraction from the internal database of child sexual abuse specialist care centres with a small number of in‐depth interviews. In the initial quantitative phase, data on 210 adolescents between ten and 18 years of age were reviewed, and in the qualitative phase, ten young people between 18 and 20 years participated; all the participants had suffered sexual abuse. The results of the quantitative phase show that boys actively disclose less frequently than girls. The results of the qualitative analysis revealed some obstacles to disclosure both in boys and in girls (guilt and shame, or the lack of family support), but they suggested that the disclosure process would be particularly difficult for boys owing to cultural factors (e.g. questioning the masculinity of male victims and the feminisation of sexual abuse). The discussion addresses the implications of these results for promoting disclosure in adolescents of both genders. 'Child sexual abuse is a frequent phenomenon in Chile, but it is not often disclosed by its victims' Key Practitioner Messages: In Chile, disclosure of sexual abuse is difficult for male and female adolescents owing to guilt and shame, or the lack of family support.In macho cultures, male adolescents would have greater difficulty with disclosure given the associated stigmatisation and gender stereotypes.All practitioners who work with children and adolescents in Chile should be attentive to the gender factors that hinder the disclosure of sexual abuse in male and female adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Practitioner Messages: Closed, often tight‐knit army communities can potentially provide protective factors for children; however, this environment can make it difficult to seek help or to speak out when there are concerns about children's safety or wellbeing.The needs and experiences of non‐serving parents (often female partners) can be overlooked unless, or until, child protection concerns are serious.Army‐connected children benefit from accessing army and civilian health, education and welfare services; however, transitions and communication between these services need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early help or early intervention is increasingly recommended for safeguarding children living with domestic violence, but little is known about what is effective. This article discusses findings from an evaluation of a pioneering early help service in North West England. This new service aimed to improve the safety and wellbeing of families (mothers and children) who were assessed as below the level of 'high risk' domestic violence and below the threshold for a child protection order. Between January 2014 and March 2015, families (473 mothers and 541 children) were identified within multiagency safeguarding hubs and referred to the early help service. The service that emerged was somewhat different to the service expected. This article discusses findings from qualitative data gathered from 39 participants (mothers, children and service providers) involved in the programme. Three main issues emerged as themes from the interviews: the benefits of having any service at all for children living with domestic violence who slip off the agendas of professionals working with child protection and high‐risk domestic violence; the importance of flexibility of key worker‐led service delivery; and the suitability of current group work and therapeutic models for meeting the varied needs of families affected by domestic violence. Key Practitioner Messages: Children, mothers and service providers reported both a perceived need for early help and a positive impact from domestic violence early help services on child health and emotional wellbeing.The ability of services to flex their delivery model in response to the needs of families is important for supporting engagement of, and fostering a sense of control for, families receiving support.Confidentiality, reliability, respect and trust are key factors in developing an effective key worker‐family relationship. 'Discusses findings from an evaluation of a pioneering early help service in North West England' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brook Traffic Light Tool intends to support professionals in responding to developmentally inappropriate behaviours in children and young people. This is important as the number of reported harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people is rising. This study is a realistic evaluation of Brook Traffic Light Tool training implemented across a southern locality, using the Kirkpatrick model of evaluating training. Data were collected in a three‐phase mixed methods approach comprising 436 initial questionnaires, 60 additional detailed questionnaires and 13 interviews. The results show that confidence among professionals was raised and multiagency responses to risk were enhanced. The Traffic Light Tool training also increased awareness of sexual development. Direct impact upon the behaviour of children and young people was difficult to ascertain, and categorisation anomalies were found when behaviours were not explicitly outlined in the Traffic Light Tool. A range of professionals with little previous training had encountered both harmful and healthy sexual behaviours in children and young people. Comparison of the numbers of sexual behaviours observed to national figures proved problematic as no baseline or national strategy currently exists. 'This study is a realistic evaluation of Brook Traffic Light Tool training... using the Kirkpatrick model of evaluating training' Key Practitioner Messages: The Traffic Light Tool enhances practitioner confidence in the area of sexual behaviours in children and young people and can impact positively on risk assessments but only when all agencies have been trained.The Traffic Light Tool can remove the context into which the behaviours are situated, making assessment one dimensional.Using the Traffic Light Tool when a behaviour is not explicitly listed may result in subjective judgements being made.It is difficult to assess the direct impact of the Traffic Light Tool on the behaviour of children and young people [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the influence of children, birth parents and foster carers on the matching decision in the foster care process in Netherlands. Topics discussed include involvement of stakeholders in the matching process, appointment of practitioners by foster care organizations to match children with foster carers and the use of paternalistic view by practitioners.

Survivors of clerical institutional childhood abuse (ICA) experience poor mental health outcomes in adulthood. Resilience research with this group has focused on psychological adjustment and we know less about the factors across the social ecology that support positive adaptation, including the impact of migration. This study explores the influence of resilience‐enhancing factors across the social ecology on the mental wellbeing (MWB) of Irish emigrant survivors of ICA and how this compares with non‐migrant survivors. Fifty‐six survivors based in the UK and 46 based in Ireland completed a quantitative survey that assessed resilience‐potentiating resources and associations with MWB. A further nine participants, resident in the UK, engaged in a structured interview which aimed to further explain these quantitative data. Results indicate more resilience‐enhancing resources across the ecology of emigrant survivors of ICA. Personal skills and competencies, such as problem‐focused coping, altruism and defiance, and social inclusion were associated with MWB regardless of country of residence. For the migrant group, social identity not defined by institutional care facilitated social inclusion. Migration to the UK and informal instrumental support in the aftermath of institutional care were identified as key turning points towards resilience. Key Practitioner Messages: Multiple factors across the ecology influence the resilience of survivors of institutional childhood abuse (ICA).Resilience strategies for survivors of ICA are contextual and may appear maladaptive to practitioners unfamiliar with the cultural context of this abuse.For Irish emigrant survivors of ICA, problem‐focused coping, defiance, altruism, social inclusion, instrumental support and a social identity not defined by childhood abuse enhanced resilience.Resilience is dynamic and emerges over time for adult survivors of chronic childhood abuse. 'Explores the influence of resilience‐enhancing factors across the social ecology on the mental wellbeing... of Irish emigrant survivors of institutional childhood abuse' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined police officers' and social workers' experiences of investigating child sexual exploitation (CSE) cases and the impact on their welfare. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with frontline social workers and law enforcement professionals. Practitioners reported that they seldom reacted emotionally during forensic interviews because they were attending entirely to the victims while gathering evidence. Although some practitioners employed post-interview stress management techniques, anticipatory coping strategies were seldom adopted, and most coping methods were employed outside of the workplace (e.g., spending time with family). Practitioners focused on the needs of young people, almost to the exclusion of their own. Many did not consider the negative emotional impact of CSE cases on their welfare. These findings have important implications for practitioner wellbeing. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Practitioners rarely considered the emotional effects that CSE cases might have on them or ways to psychologically prepare themselves before meeting with young people., Practitioners reported a variety of ways they managed the impact of working with CSE which most often occurred outside of the workplace; a number of these ways could be actively promoted and developed within police forces and local authorities, especially preventative coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional rearing and structural neglect represent a primary caregiver deprivation experience and fall outside the range of the average expected typical childhood environment. Research indicates that variables related to proximal processes, such as the quality of care, rather than only distal variables, such as the duration of institutionalisation, may affect the adjustment of institutionalised children. The present study involved 100 Ukrainian children aged four- to eight-years old (39 institution reared and 61 family reared) and investigated children's adjustment as a function of two distal variables and one proximal variable: age at admission and the duration of institutionalisation; and the current quality of care, as represented by favourite caregivers' perceived helplessness in the caring task. Attachment shortcomings and cognitive impairments were reported for institutionalised children, independently of the duration of institutionalisation. Low scores for professional caregivers' helplessness were associated with better scores for indiscriminate friendliness and non-verbal reasoning in children. We conclude that caregiving variables matter and attention needs to be paid to them in order to improve the wellbeing of children in potentially neglectful contexts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Institutionalisation is a structural neglect condition, increasing the risk for children's social-emotional and cognitive impairment., Professional caregivers often lack information on how to support children and are faced with challenging working conditions, resulting in an emotionally distant caregiving., The study showed that institutionalised children's attachment and cognitive development are two compromised domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how digital technology is being used to provide innovative family support services (FSS), and the challenges and opportunities that this holds for practitioners in delivering the service. Online services hold the possibility of accessing increasing numbers of parents, and providing support that fits with their own needs and availability. Using the parenting website Netmums as a case study, this article explores how staff who engage with parents online understand their role in both supporting parents and safeguarding children. This exploratory study involved in-depth semi-structured online interviews with Netmums′ staff (n = 13). A thematic analysis identified a number of key themes, the most frequently occurring being in relation to: identifying and responding to child safeguarding concerns; and the false impression by parents of anonymity in the online environment. This exploratory research raises more questions than it can answer, especially in relation to managing child safeguarding concerns while maintaining a 'mum friendly' approach. Online interventions show promise but there is a need for further evaluation of these forms of intervention. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Online FSS provide an alternative, cost-effective service that can be accessed from anywhere, increasing opportunities for parents to become agents in their own support., Online FSS meet a much broader and largely unfiltered range of needs compared to offline services but they raise unique challenges in identifying and managing child safeguarding concerns., In-depth research into innovative online FSS adds to the wider discussion on the future development of family support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Openness in adoption practice now often includes post-adoption contact with the adopted child's birth family. Traditionally, indirect and direct contact has been supported and mediated by professionals following the adoption of children from the public care system in the UK. However, more recently, the widespread growth in the use of digital technologies has made it possible for both adopted children and birth relatives to search and contact one another through the use of sites such as Facebook without professional support. This practice has been called 'virtual contact'. Using data from interviews with 11 adoptive parents and six adopted young people, who had experienced virtual contact, it is suggested that virtual contact works well when it is successfully integrated with the maintenance of more traditional methods of contact but can present risks when introduced without prior contact. Implications for practice are discussed in terms of how virtual contact can become a positive addition to adoption practices by utilising integrated methods of openness through which adoptive relationships can be maintained. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Technology, used to supplement existing relationships with birth relatives, can be successful within a climate of integrated openness where traditional and technological methods of contact are used., Prior 'traditional' contact can assist in the development of relationships and boundaries before moving to virtual contact., 'Out of the blue' virtual contact, without prior connections, can be challenging and present risks., Integrated openness may not work well for all individuals and it is necessary to assess the appropriateness and value of all relationships irrespective of the methods of contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in Australia has examined factors associated with filicide in order to more accurately instigate points of intervention. Factors include parental separation/divorce, depression in the perpetrator and domestic violence. Therefore, services that facilitate men's behaviour change programmes provide one such point of intervention. Relationships Australia NSW offers 'Taking Responsibility': an 18-week programme that addresses men's use of violence and abuse in their intimate relationships, through group work and individual support. Fundamental to this programme is the whole family's safety, which is managed through initial screening, ongoing contact and access to additional therapeutic services. Programme evaluation has revealed that men's change factors are influenced by varying levels of motivation, at intake and throughout. These accounts have indicated that the relationship status with their partner affects their motivation, which in turn has the potential to affect their investment in the programme. This relates to both increased and diminished motivation. Partners and former partners, however, expressed ambivalence towards their continuing relationships. Given the risk factors for filicide associated with domestic violence and separation, these interviews contribute to what is known about men's motivation to change violent and abusive behaviours, and in turn the clinical objectives for professionals working on these programmes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages: The client's relationship status often changes throughout the course of a men's behaviour change programme., A separation can negatively affect motivation and behaviour change processes., Professionals working with men who use violence are advised to raise the topic of the client's relationship status, to prevent attrition, and work with them to broaden their motivations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious Case Reviews (SCRs), undertaken when a child has died or been seriously harmed, are an important feature of child protection in England. They are substantial exercises, but little research has examined the everyday work processes associated with their production. This study, undertaken during 2011, explored the views and experiences of NHS Named and Designated Nurses and Doctors for Safeguarding Children about their involvement in SCRs. Nineteen telephone interviews were undertaken and the data thematically analysed. The study found that doing SCRs involved additional work and staff did not always feel fully supported or prepared. Doing SCRs is a rigid and bureaucratic process which sometimes detracted from the case itself. The study also found mixed views about the value of SCRs and the extent to which they promote learning and child-centred practice. The findings contribute to overall understanding of how this process is undertaken, and help open up to scrutiny the work required and the challenges generated for those involved in SCRs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message: SCRs are substantial exercises; little previous research has examined their production., Undertaking SCRs requires considerable time, effort and can be emotionally difficult; NHS staff involved in their production face challenges in doing this work., Producing SCRs may distract from the value of the outcomes and the extent to which they promote learning and child-centred practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]