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Support for school-age children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) usually takes place within the school setting. Successful outcomes for children with SLCN rely on effective collaborative working between speech and language therapists (SLTs), school staff and families. We need to understand the current evidence regarding the joint working practices, relationships and collaboration experiences of SLT and teaching staff within mainstream primary schools, in order to identify whether sufficient research exists for a systematic review within this field, and to inform practice. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify what research currently exists regarding collaboration, roles and relationships of SLTs and teaching staff within mainstream UK primary schools, and clarify the nature, participants and concepts described within this literature. A scoping review framework was used, consisting of identification of the review objectives, identification of relevant studies, study selection and iterative searches, data charting and reporting of the results. Information regarding research question, participants, data collection and analysis and terms used for key concepts was extracted. This scoping review identified 14 papers, however, collaboration was the primary focus of only 5 of these. Clarity and perceptions of roles were key themes within six of the papers. Whilst facilitators and barriers to collaboration are discussed in all 14 papers, only 4 studies aimed to investigate barriers and facilitators. Teaching assistant (TA) views are underrepresented within the research. Drawing conclusions from the body of research is challenging due to the varied ways in which the key concept 'collaboration' is used. Currently, there is insufficient literature to carry out a systematic review. This scoping review highlights the need for research that considers collaboration within the complex social network of school staff (including TAs) and SLTs, in order to ensure that future guidance is rooted in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Those with severe and enduring mental ill health are at greater risk of long‐term physical health conditions and have a reduced life expectancy as a result. Multiple factors compound this health inequality, and the need for setting research priorities in this area is highlighted with physical and mental healthcare services being separate, and limited multimorbidity research. Methods: The aim of this exercise was to work in partnership with healthcare professionals and carers, family, friends and individuals with lived experience of both mental and physical health conditions, to set research priorities to help people with mental health conditions to look after their physical health. The exercise was guided by the James Lind Alliance approach. For this, a steering group was set up, two surveys were completed and a final priority workshop was conducted. Results: This priority setting exercise guided by people's needs and lived experience has produced a set of well‐defined research topics. Initially, 555 research questions were suggested in the first survey, which were refined to 54 questions for the second survey. A priority setting workshop was then conducted to get the final 10 priorities. Conclusions: Taking these topics forward to improve services and treatment for both mental and physical ill health may in turn improve physical health and lessen the reduced life expectancy of those living with mental ill health. Patient or Public Contribution: This work was completed in collaboration with people who have lived experience of mental ill health and physical health conditions, as well as carers, family and friends. Their contribution has been significant for this work from piloting surveys, amending language used and educating the researchers and contributing to this paper. The initial work was completed with a steering group and continued with surveys and workshops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family group conferences (FGCs) in child welfare share decision-making with family members by bringing the immediate and wider family together to make a plan to meet a child's needs. This paper reports survey findings on FGC provision in the UK in 2022 and explores whether in England the presence of an FGC service and the rate of FGC provision is associated with the rate of children in care, entering care, in kinship foster care and leaving care. Seventy-nine per cent (n  = 167) of local authorities in the UK provided FGCs to families, and 14 per cent (n  = 29) did not. Services that were more established offered a more diverse range of FGCs. The introduction of FGCs in English local authorities was associated with a higher rate of children in care, but also higher rates of kinship foster care, a key goal of FGCs where it is not possible for children to stay with their parents. Higher rates of FGCs were associated with more children leaving care, possibly due to reunification with birth families. To understand in more detail, the circumstances of children in and leaving care in local authorities with FGCs, individual data linkage studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth violence and knife crime is increasing dramatically, so much so it has been described as a global epidemic. The social, economic and political forces fuelling this rise mean that minority groups are particularly affected. Aim: This paper reviews the literature primarily from a UK perspective, and illustrates the disparate factors that are influencing the rise in youth violence and knife crime and illustrates the complexities of integrating the perspectives of different disciplines into coherent intervention strategies. Method: We conducted a systematic review of the literature that explores both the causes of increasing youth violence and knife crime as well as some of the interventions that have attempted to deal with the problem. Results: A complex interplay of social, economic, mental health and political factors underpin the increase in youth violence and knife crime. An uneasy tension exists between a traditional criminal justice system-based approach based upon deterrence and punishment, and a more liberal preventative model focusing on adolescent mental health. None of the interventions thus far have been particularly effective. Conclusion: Youth violence and knife crime is a global social issue that causes untold suffering to individuals, families and communities as well as fear that reverberates through society. Interventions have often been devised through the lens of particular disciplines or ideologies. Integrating these perspectives into a coherent approach that is actually effective demands greater co-operation, dialogue and mutual understanding between disciplines and agencies, as well as a robust framework for the evidence-based assessment of outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Evidence of overprescribing of psychotropic medicines to manage challenging behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities has led to national programmes within the UK to promote deprescribing, such as stopping the overprescribing of medication in people (with learning disabilities, autism or both). To successfully implement deprescribing initiatives, we need to understand how to engage stakeholders in the process. Design/methodology/approach: In a published systematic review, we reported evidence about the process of deprescribing psychotropic medicines for people of all ages with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour. As a part of the original review, we searched for evidence about stakeholders' experiences of the psychotropic deprescribing process, which was synthesised and reported within the current study. Findings: Six studies were identified. Involving carers and people with intellectual disabilities, providing ongoing support and improving access to non-pharmacological interventions, including positive behaviour support, may contribute to successful outcomes, including reducing or stopping psychotropic medicines and improving quality of life. Implementing psychotropic deprescribing requires a multidisciplinary collaborative care approach and education for stakeholders. Originality/value: There have been no previous reviews of stakeholder experiences of deprescribing psychotropic medications for people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour. The existing literature is scant, and further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews 26 reports into deaths and serious abuse of children in families who were subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) rule. Our analysis illustrates vulnerabilities caused by exclusionary policies, exacerbating social deprivation and isolation experienced by the children and families and making it more difficult for professionals to respond in ways which safeguarded children's welfare. Drawing upon a social model for protecting children that requires recognition of the social determinants of harm and the economic, social and cultural barriers faced by families, we examine the experiences of children and families with NRPF who were the subject of a serious case review, and the responses of agencies responsible for safeguarding child welfare. We conclude with recommendations for practices aimed at promoting the rights and well‐being of children and families subject to NRPF rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construct of pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is relatively new and contested. Clinical reports indicate a population who obsessively resist everyday demands and have an extreme need for control. Children and adolescents who might experience PDA, and their families, struggle significantly in their daily lives, creating a need for more research into the phenomenon. To assist the developing research field, this scoping review focuses on the methodologies used to study PDA in children and adolescents. A systematic search of six databases and grey literature uncovered 57 unique records after duplicates were removed. 21 documents containing 22 studies were retained for analysis. Of the 22 studies, 21 were from the UK and one was from the Faroe Islands. There were 18 quantitative analyses and 11 qualitative analyses. Half of the studies were cross-sectional and quantitative and almost half used mixed methods. Samples were non-representative and studies often used comparison groups of children with and without PDA. Researcher's conceptualizations of PDA were coded into categories of emotional, socio-cognitive, and neurological differences. Studies of PDA focused mostly on PDA symptoms, mechanisms, and precipitants, with fewer studies of PDA origins and problems resulting from PDA or possible supports for individuals. The EDA-Q and the DISCO were the main measures used to identify PDA. Quantitative data were often analyzed using inferential statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, content analysis, and narrative summaries. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article asks how well new developments in family life are reflected in law and policy, with a particular focus on donor conception. There has been an unprecedented 'opening up' of family life in recent decades; this increased diversity is, at least in part, linked to developments in reproductive technologies, including gamete donation. In family lives touched by donation, genetic relations with 'donor connections' take genetic connectedness beyond traditional notions of kinship. There is not yet an established social script for how to understand what constitutes meaningful connectedness in reproductive donation. Focussing on the UK context specifically, where assisted conception is highly regulated, this article examines on the one hand, how UK law and policy portray meaningful connectedness in the context of donation, and, on the other hand, how well this fits with connectedness as experienced within egg and sperm donor communities. Drawing on original data from UK law and policy analysis, and empirical interview data with egg and sperm donors and their kin, our analysis shows important disparities between law and policy, and the empirical evidence, suggesting a need for an overhaul of UK donor conception law and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Selection into UK-based GP training has used the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) and a face-to-face selection centre (SC). The MSRA comprises of a situational judgement test and clinical problem-solving test. The SC was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence is needed to guide national and international selection policy. Aim: To evaluate the validity of GP training selection. Design & setting: A retrospective cohort study using data from UK-based national recruitment to GP training, from 2015–2021. Method: Data were available for 32 215 GP training applicants. The ability of scores from the specialty selection process to predict subsequent performance in the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) of the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners examination was modelled using path analysis. The effect sizes for sex, professional family background, and world region of qualification were estimated. Results: All component scores of the selection process demonstrated statistically significant independent relationships with CSA performance (P<0.001), thus establishing their predictive validity. All were sensitive to demographic factors. The SC scores had the weakest relationship with future CSA performance. However, for candidates with MSRA scores below the lowest quartile, the relative contribution of the SC scores to predicting CSA performance was similar to that observed for MSRA components. Conclusion: The MSRA has predictive validity in this context. Re-instituting an SC for those with relatively low MSRA scores should be considered. However, the relative costs and potential advantages and disadvantages should be carefully weighed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Family group conferences (FGCs) in child welfare bring immediate and wider family members together to decide on the best way to meet a child's needs. Unlike professionally led meetings, the aim is for decisions to be made by or with family members. Qualitative and mixed-method research with FGC participants tends to show positive experiences: most participants feel their voices are heard; FGCs facilitate family-driven solutions and closer relationships—within families and with social workers. Although there is existing literature on FGCs, there is a paucity of robust comparative UK evaluations, i.e., randomised controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies. Comparative studies internationally have focused on a narrow range of outcomes, not recognised the importance of context, and paid little attention to the quality of delivery. Some qualitative studies have considered process and context but there is scant measurement of these. The aims of this study are, firstly, to establish how FGCs improve outcomes for families and what factors vary their quality, and, secondly, to assess longer-term outcomes in terms of service use and associated costs. Methods: Given the importance of process and context, evaluation informed by realist and complex systems approaches is needed. This multi-method evaluation includes a survey of FGC services in all UK local authorities (n = 212) to map service provision; co-design of programme theory and evaluation measures with family members who have experienced an FGC (n = 16–24) and practitioners (n = 16–24) in two sites; a prospective single-arm study of FGC variability and outcomes after six months; and comparison of service use and costs in FGC participants (n≥300 families) and a control group (n≥1000) after two years using a quasi-experiment. Discussion: This is a pragmatic evaluation of an existing intervention, to identify what mechanisms and contexts influence effective process and longer-term outcomes. The study is registered with Research Registry (ref. 7432). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertility rates among individuals in their 20s have fallen sharply across Europe over the past 50 years. The implications of delayed first births for fertility levels in modern family regimes remain little understood. Using microsimulation models of childbearing and partnership for the 1970–1979 birth cohorts in Italy, Great Britain, Sweden, and Norway, we implement fictive scenarios that reduce the risk of having a first child before age 30 and examine fertility recovery mechanisms for aggregate fertility indicators (the proportion of women with at least one, two, three, or four children; cohort completed fertility rate). Exposure to a first birth increases systematically in the ages following the simulated reduction in first-birth risks, leading to a structural recovery in childbearing that varies across countries according to their fertility and partnership regimes. Full recovery requires an increase in late first-birth risks, with greater increases in countries where late family formation is uncommon and average family sizes are larger: in scenarios where early fertility declines substantially (a linear decline from 50% at age 15 to 0% at age 30), first-birth risks above age 30 would have to increase by 54% in Great Britain, 40% in Norway and Sweden, and 20% in Italy to keep completed fertility constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Telephone advice lines have been recommended internationally to support around-the-clock care for people living at home with advanced illness. While they undoubtedly support care, there is little evidence about what elements are needed for success. A national picture is needed to understand, improve and standardise service delivery/care. Aim: To explore telephone advice lines for people living at home with advanced illness across the four UK nations, and to construct a practical framework to improve services. Design: A cross-national evaluation of telephone advice lines using structured qualitative interviews. A patient and public involvement workshop was conducted to refine the framework. Setting/participants: Professionals with responsibilities for how palliative care services are delivered and/or funded at a local or regional level, were purposively sampled. Results: Seventy-one interviews were conducted, covering 60 geographical areas. Five themes were identified. Availability : Ten advice line models were described. Variation led to confusion about who to call and when. Accessibility, awareness and promotion : It was assumed that patients/carers know who to call out-of-hours, but often they did not. Practicalities : Call handlers skills/expertise varied, which influenced how calls were managed. Possible responses ranged from signposting to organising home visits. Integration/continuity of care : Integration between care providers was limited by electronic medical records access/information sharing. Service structure/commissioning : Sustained funding was often an issue for charitably funded organisations. Conclusions: Our novel evidence-based practical framework could be transformative for service design/delivery, as it presents key considerations relating to the various elements of advice lines that may impact on the patient/carer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the production, working and impact of the UK's hostile environment on migrant families with precarious legal status. Our approach is informed by two bodies of scholarly work: critical border studies and research on migrant families. We bridge these literatures to show how the hostile environment is neither a singular, neatly bounded space, nor limited to a set of interactions between immigration enforcement and a clear-cut group of people (so-called 'illegal immigrants'). It affects the lives of a wider segment of the UK population, in particular racialised migrants and citizens, by making their legal status more insecure and precarious, and percolates in multiple and intersecting domains in the lives of families, such as education, housing and welfare, making them ambivalent sites of protection and safety as well as control and enforcement. Drawing on ethnographic engagement with families with insecure immigration statuses, we explore how the hostile environment manifests in the everyday lives of families; how the hostile environment circulates and is re-enacted within the micro-politics of families; and how families negotiate the continuous work of protecting children from the effects of the hostile environment. In conclusion we argue that dramatic and rapid shifts in immigration rules and regulations undermine the capacity of mothers to navigate the policy environment and welfare for their children and to shield them from the consequences of state-driven hostility towards immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept 'performance expectancy' is used to theorize about older people's day-to-day use of technology mediated communication (telephone, text/emails and video calls) in family relationships and the impact on social isolation and loneliness. Using theoretical and methodological triangulation six mediation models are conceptualized, followed by empirical validation using a nationally representative dataset of older people (≥ 65 years) living in Wales, UK (N = 2,099). The results reveal that frequency of telephone and video calls mediate the relationship between proximity of family and social isolation, and telephone calls mediate the relationship with loneliness. Text/emails have no significant mediating effect. Qualitative data analysis provides a deeper understanding of conditions that facilitate technology mediated communication. Demonstrating the impact of lifecourse habits, social context and environment on technology mediated communication shifts the focus from individual deficits to other reasons for non-adoption. Understanding the link between the individual, the social-cultural and social structural environment, social interaction, and loneliness requires an understanding of what is important to older people. For example, knowledge concerning the role of embodied presence in alleviating loneliness can be used to better understand the likelihood of implementing successful interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The FROM-16 is a generic family quality of life (QoL) instrument that measures the QoL impact of patients' disease on their family members/partners. The study aimed to assess the responsiveness of FROM-16 to change and determine Minimal Important Change (MIC). Methods: Responsiveness and MIC for FROM-16 were assessed prospectively with patients and their family members recruited from outpatient departments of the University Hospital Wales and University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Patients completed the EQ-5D-3L and a global severity question (GSQ) online at baseline and at 3-month follow-up. Family members completed FROM-16 at baseline and a Global Rating of Change (GRC) in addition to FROM-16 at follow-up. Responsiveness was assessed using the distribution-based (effect size-ES, standardized response mean -SRM) and anchor-based (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve ROC-AUC) approaches and by testing hypotheses on expected correlation strength between FROM-16 change score and patient assessment tools (GSQ and EQ-5D). Cohen's criteria were used for assessing ES. The AUC ≥ 0.7 was considered a good measure of responsiveness. MIC was calculated using anchor-based (ROC analysis and adjusted predictive modelling) and distribution methods based on standard deviation (SD) and standard error of the measurement (SEM). Results: Eighty-three patients with 15 different health conditions and their relatives completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires and were included in the responsiveness analysis. The mean FROM-16 change over 3 months = 1.43 (SD = 4.98). The mean patient EQ-5D change over 3 months = −0.059 (SD = 0.14). The responsiveness analysis showed that the FROM-16 was responsive to change (ES = 0.2, SRM = 0.3; p < 0.01). The ES and SRM of FROM-16 change score ranged from small (ES = 0.2; SRM = 0.3) for the distribution-based method to large (ES = 0.8, SRM = 0.85) for anchor-based methods. The AUC value was above 0.7, indicating good responsiveness. There was a significant positive correlation between the FROM-16 change scores and the patient's disease severity change scores (p < 0.001). The MIC analysis was based on data from 100 family members of 100 patients. The MIC value of 4 was suggested for FROM-16. Conclusions: The results of this study confirm the longitudinal validity of FROM-16 which refers to the degree to which an instrument is able to measure change in the construct to be measured. The results yield a MIC value of 4 for FROM-16. These psychometric attributes of the FROM-16 instrument are useful in both clinical research as well as clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 16p11.2 proximal deletion and duplication syndromes (Break points 4–5) (593KB, Chr16; 29.6-30.2mb - HG38) are observed to have highly varied phenotypes, with a known propensity for lifelong psychiatric problems. This study aimed to contribute to a research gap by qualitatively exploring the challenges families with 16p11.2 deletion and duplication face by answering three research questions: (1) What are parents' perceptions of the ongoing support needs of families with children who have 16p11.2 living in the UK?; (2) What are their experiences in trying to access support?; (3) In these regards, do the experiences of parents of children with duplication converge or vary from those of parents of children with 16p11.2 deletion? Methods: 33 parents with children (aged 7–17 years) with 16p11.2 deletion or duplication participated in structured interviews, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview– Revised (ADI-R). Their answers to the ADI-R question 'what are your current concerns' were transcribed and subsequently analysed using Braun and Clarke's six step reflexive thematic analysis framework. Results: Three themes were identified: (1) Child is Behind Peers (subthemes: developmentally; academically; socially; emotionally); (2) Metabolism and Eating Patterns and; (3) Support (subthemes: insufficient support available; parent has to fight to access support; COVID-19 was a barrier to accessing support; 16p11.2 diagnosis can be a barrier to support, child is well-supported). Conclusions: Parents of children with either 16p11.2 deletion or duplication shared similar experiences. However, metabolism concerns were specific to parents of children with 16p11.2 deletion. The theme Child is Behind Peers echoed concerns raised in previous Neurodevelopmental Copy Number Variant research. However, there were some key subthemes relating to research question (2) which were specific to this study. This included parents' descriptions of diagnostic overshadowing and the impact of a lack of eponymous name and scant awareness of 16p11.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the following account, the author reflects on her experiences with individuals and families who have used Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR) in order to create their families. The article covers some of the history of this constantly developing field, the legislation and regulations in the UK, and some of the inherent complexities. She suggests that Clinical Psychologists need to know more about this area, in order to respond appropriately to those they assess and treat, as in all specialties, issues relating to conception may have a relevance to the issues to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article casts light on informal caregiving, an essential aspect of the international postgraduate researcher (PGR) experience, but which is often invisible in literature and discourses on international education. Drawing from qualitative semi-structured interviews with international PGRs in a British university, it highlights their dual role as care recipients and lesser known caregivers across transnational and local spaces. It gives insights into the forms and dynamics of care that they give to and receive from family, friends and others, uncovering the emotional and affective aspects of undertaking a postgraduate research degree overseas which impact on their mental wellbeing. The findings have implications for the improvement of university support for international PGRs which has relevance for the wider international student community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based and person-centred care requires the measurement of treatment outcomes that matter to youth and mental health practitioners. Priorities, however, may vary not just between but also within stakeholder groups. This study used Q-methodology to explore differences in outcome priorities among mental health practitioners from two countries in relation to youth depression. Practitioners from the United Kingdom (UK) (n = 27) and Chile (n = 15) sorted 35 outcome descriptions by importance and completed brief semi-structured interviews about their sorting rationale. By-person principal component analysis (PCA) served to identify distinct priority profiles within each country sample; second-order PCA examined whether these profiles could be further reduced into cross-cultural "super profiles". We identified three UK outcome priority profiles (Reduced symptoms and enhanced well-being; improved individual coping and self-management; improved family coping and support), and two Chilean profiles (Strengthened identity and enhanced insight; symptom reduction and self-management). These could be further reduced into two cross-cultural super profiles: one prioritized outcomes related to reduced depressive symptoms and enhanced well-being; the other prioritized outcomes related to improved resilience resources within youth and families. A practitioner focus on symptom reduction aligns with a long-standing focus on symptomatic change in youth depression treatment studies, and with recent measurement recommendations. Less data and guidance are available to those practitioners who prioritize resilience outcomes. To raise the chances that such practitioners will engage in evidence-based practice and measurement-based care, measurement guidance for a broader set of outcomes may be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]