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This article examines UK newspaper coverage during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic March-August 2020. A qualitative framing analysis of public messaging on age in five high circulation newspapers provides a detailed account of who is deemed to be at risk of dying from COVID-19. Newspapers represent older people as most at risk, with disability as a secondary factor. Reports on who is responsible, who is at risk, and who is to blame for deaths from COVID-19 are framed as issues of public health and generational fairness, with individual responsibility occupying a prominent role. We also find two counter-frames. First, in letters to the editor, older people’s pleas for freedom are framed as a fight for their civil liberties. Second, newspapers praise 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore and frame his behaviour as a source of national pride. We identify this as positive ageism. We conclude that reporting across progressive and conservative newspapers reflects age-based stereotypes and paternalism towards older people. Public figures are represented as scapegoats or heroes, offering distraction from the less newsworthy fact that long-term under-investment in social care increased the risk of dying amongst the old and disabled during the pandemic.

By June 2021, children and young people had experienced two periods of lockdown and home learning in Northern Ireland. The detrimental impact of these periods of indefinite confinement is wider reaching than reported educational stagnation, with the fundamental rights of childhood: play; rest; and leisure; all adversely implicated. Autistic children's experiences of Covid-19 have been largely absent from current crisis and recovery discourse. This is the first published study to directly and specifically involve autistic children both as research advisors and as research participants in a rights-based participatory study relating to the pandemic. Drawing on concepts of ableist childism and epistemic injustice, this article presents, through Photovoice, the emotional, social and educational experiences of post- primary aged autistic young people in Northern Ireland during the first 2020 lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic. The project was grounded in a child rights-based approach and was guided by a group of four autistic young advisors aged 11–15. The paper concludes by arguing that government responses to the pandemic, as experienced by autistic young people, act as forms of oppression that prioritises and further embeds normative non-autistic structures and responses under the guise of public health necessity.

Children have a right to have their views sought and given due weight on all matters affecting them, including at times of emergency and crisis. This article describes the process and findings of the ground-breaking CovidUnder19 survey (“Life Under Coronavirus”) which was co-designed with children for children, capturing the experiences of over 26,000 children in 137 countries as to the realisation of their human rights during the first six months of the covid-19 pandemic. Key findings are discussed through the lens of the crc’ s four general principles, read alongside children’s rights, inter alia, to education, play and to be protected from harm. It argues that governments and public bodies should have sought children’s views – not just because they were under an obligation to do so – but because such engagement, now and in crises to come, provides an early warning system that enables decision-makers to mitigate some of the adverse consequences of their responses for children and their rights.

© 2019, © 2019 The Child Care in Practice Group.A body of research indicates the importance of interventions for promoting the development and progress of children with visual impairments. However, the research available on suitable interventions for this population is relatively sparse. The purpose of this review is to identify, collate and appraise the available research evidence on implementation barriers and facilitators of interventions for children with visual impairments, their parents/guardians or educators. A systematic scoping search of peer-reviewed literature (including grey literature) was conducted from 15 June 2016 to 7 August 2016 and 2 May 2019 to 5 May 2019. Initial searches identified 6802 papers with 15 meeting the inclusion criteria. Three additional articles were identified through hand searching giving a final total of 18 included studies. The methodological quality score of the studies was variable with 61% scored in the average quality range. Sensory strategies, a family-centred approach, in-service training and routines-based activities were identified as implementation facilitators. Barriers were a lack of adaptive equipment and training for parents and professionals, complicating factors associated with the child's disability and an absence of specialists in interventions. Effective intervention strategies differ for this targeted population which requires individualised applications associated with teacher and parent/guardian training. For health or education professionals who work with children with visual impairments, the outcomes of this review suggest that a detailed assessment and identification of the individualised needs of children and their families, coupled with carefully designed and tested support practices to meet their individualised needs as well as promoting integrated working between health and care services, can optimise the positive implications for future practice. Along with this, future consideration should be given to the identification of the needs of children with visual impairments and additional disabilities in order to facilitate the adjustment of intervention strategies for this group.

Across jurisdictions, what does and what does not constitute inclusive education varies. The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006 provides a critical opportunity to untangle the elasticity of ‘inclusive education’. Using Article 24 CRPD as the normative framework for inclusive education and drawing on a content and critical policy analysis of the Concluding Observations of all countries examined by the CRPD Committee to date, this article systematically explores the emerging trends and foci of the right to inclusive education across the globe and examines their implications for discourse and practice. It will be argued that while the right to inclusive education has become more focused, persistent concerns abound that must be addressed for Article 24 to be effectively realised. In particular, voice must be given to children with the most complex and profound disabilities and for whom the practicalities of inclusive education are more difficult to achieve. Greater focus is also required in achieving a rights-compliant transition from segregated to inclusive education settings that does not, in the process of doing so, rescind the rights of the minority of children with the most profound disabilities currently in segregated schools. These issues need to be explicitly confronted so that the international disability rights framework promotes inclusive education for all children with disabilities and not only for those with the ‘right’ kinds of disabilities.

While public policies increasingly reference the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and consultations with children and young people are becoming routine, there is as yet no agre...

The possibilities of digital technology for inclusion have been heralded as a panacea; a way of overcoming environmental and structural barriers that can make it difficult for disabled people globa...

This chapter is based on the experiences of two deaf academics; one a profoundly deaf, oral lip-reader and hearing aid user based in the United Kingdom and the other a culturally Deaf sign language user based in the United States. The form of academic discourse adopted within a study carries with it particular consequences for thinking about theoretical and methodological issues. Byrne also has experience in conducting interviews and focus groups with young deaf people and young people with visual impairments who are students. Recording of interviews and focus groups are critically important for deaf researchers. Both authors are unable to decipher audio material. Consent for recording data must be routinely sought. While this is generally unproblematic, particularly when explained, there is always a risk in any project of a voluntary nature that consent may not be provided. Qualitative research methodologies are resoundingly ‘deaf’ to the needs of their users, rendering silent the limitations of existing research tools.

Purpose:The aim of this study was to investigate patient experiences of living with monoclonal gammopathy of undermined significance (MGUS). Living with a premalignant condition such as MGUS may elicit negative psychosocial effects including increased anxiety and fear of progression to cancer. To date, no study utilising qualitative methodology has explored the lived experiences of MGUS patients.Methods:Data was collected via two focus groups and six telephone interviews. MGUS patients (n=14) were recruited via nurse-led hematology telephone-clinics in Northern Ireland. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and the data subjected to thematic analysis.Outcome:Thematic analysis identified 3 overarching themes; (1) The psychosocial impact of an MGUS diagnosis, (2) Knowledge of MGUS and (3) Experiences of MGUS health services. Patients with MGUS reported experiencing poor psychological adjustment to their condition particularly at the point of diagnosis and approaching follow-up appointments. Feelings of isolation, poor information-provision, increased uncertainty and limited psychosocial support for MGUS patients were also reported. Patients did however reflect positively on their experience of being followed up via nurse-led telephone clinics. Conclusions:Provision of patient friendly information guides at diagnosis, and additional psychosocial support services such as nurse-led telephone clinics and coordinated patient groups may help MGUS patients adjust better to their diagnosis and in doing so improve quality of life in this patient population.

Background Communication between young people (YP) with life-limiting conditions and healthcare professionals (HCPs) can be challenging, particularly during transition from children to adult services.1 Personal-health records (PHRs) have the potential to increase YP’s selfadvocacy2 yet have not been evaluated thoroughly with this population. Aim Use realist evaluation to test and refine a programme theory on how PHRs are thought to work with YP with a life-limiting condition. Methods Qualitative study informed by realist evaluation. YP aged 16–24 years old living in Northern Ireland with a life-limiting condition were invited to use a PHR; semi-structured interviews conducted at three, six and nine months to examine acceptability and use. Framework method used for analysis. Results Eight YP and two parents (on behalf of child) participated. 4/10 used the PHR; reasons included: (i) to help organise their care, (ii) feel more confident with communication, (iii) reduce the need to repeat details about condition(s)/medications, and (iv) manage health care when aspects of their lives were changing. PHR use depended on the level of need, desire for autonomy/self-management, and whether it brought benefits over how they currently managed their condition. Two additional contextual considerations which influenced PHR use were identified (i) YPs previous experiences in communication with HCPs, and (ii) the timing of the introduction of the PHR. Conclusion PHRs may be useful for YP who wish to become more independent over management of their healthcare but should be targeted towards those who identify a need, and their usage supported by HCPs. Funder Marie Curie.

This paper provides an introduction to issues surrounding the participation rights of young people in research and the implications of their growing involvement in research as well as providing a discourse on the ethical implications related to consent. The unique contribution of this paper is that it considers children’s rights in respect to the increasing opportunities for young people to take part in evaluation research. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to acknowledge the growing involvement for young people in research and the implications of ensuring that their rights of participation are respected. Secondly we will consider the children’s rights legislation and our obligations as researchers to implement this. Finally we will explore consent as an issue in its own right as well as the practicalities of accessing participants. This paper will postulate that any research about young people should involve and prioritise at all stages of the research process; including participation in decision-making. We conclude by identifying five key principles, which we believe can help to facilitate the fulfilment of post-primary pupils’ ability to consent to participate in trials and evaluative research.

The work of children’s liberationists have been long been critiqued for pushing the parameters of rights discourse too far; specifically, by suggesting that there are no significant differences between children and adults, including their ability for self-determination. John Holt’s 1974 text, Escape from Childhood, is one such work which was deemed highly controversial for its time. This article uses Holt’s Escape from Childhood as an overarching framework against which to examine the current state of play on children’s rights as explicated through the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It suggests that whilst Holt has often been critiqued for being too radical, in the context of current children’s rights discourse, Holt’s visioning is not as radical as it might first appear.

The present study used propensity score analysis to compare the economic well-being of people with and without hearing impairment in the UK. Using nationally representative 2009/10 Life Opportunities Survey, our study found that economic well-being was significantly worse for people with hearing impairment than people without hearing impairment. Hearing impaired people (1) had lower household income, (2) experienced greater difficulties making ends meets, (3) were unable to pay for unexpected but necessary expenses of ₤500, and (4) were less likely to work in paid jobs even after accounting for other demographic characteristics. The findings underscore the barriers and discrimination against people with hearing impairment in the UK. Policy measures to increase access and engagement of hearing impaired people should be considered, including increasing investment in better employment opportunities, sign interpretation, and disability benefits.

We are pleased to present our second special edition of the Child Care in Practice journal focused on childhood disability issues. Our first special edition was published in January 2015 and focuse...

One of the best known and most-cited features of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is a concept that is, in fact, entirely extra-Conventional. This chapter reviews the four principles, how and why they were identified and their intended use and value. The four principles individually and collectively have received an enormous amount of attention since they appeared in the 1991 guidelines. The chapter traces their development and reception from the perspective of some key stakeholders: the states parties and other duty bearers who are charged with implementation; the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society who advocate for change; and the academics whose scholarship critiques and reflects on them and their impact in the furtherance of children's rights. The CRC marked a qualitative departure in human rights treaty drafting, the effects of the conversation between states and civil society imprinted in its lengthy text.

The nature of education that children with disabilities should receive has been subject to much debate. This article critically assesses the ways in which the international human rights framework has conceptualised ‘inclusive education’. It argues that the right to education for children with disabilities in international law is constitutive of hidden contradictions and conditionality. This is most evident with respect to conceptualisations of ‘inclusion’ and ‘support’, and their respective emphases upon the extent of individual impairment or ‘deficit’ rather than upon the extent of institutional or structural deficit. It is vital that the new Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities pays close attention to the utilisation of these concepts lest the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities further legitimises the ‘special needs’ educational discourse to which children with disabilities have been subject.

Research Findings: Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children have the right to express their views on all matters affecting them and to have those views given due weight. This right applies in the context of research; however, examples of young children being engaged as co-researchers remain rare. Practice or Policy: This article examines the implications of adopting an explicit UNCRC-informed approach to engaging children as co-researchers. It draws on a research project that sought to ascertain young children's views on after-school programs and that involved a university-based research team working along with 2 groups of co-researchers; each composed of 4 children aged 4 to 5. The article discusses the contribution made by children to the development of the research questions and choice of methods and their involvement in the interpretation of the data and dissemination of the findings. It suggests that, although there are limits to what young children can and wil...

IntroductionPatient-held records (PHRs) are proposed to improve communication and coordination of care amongst young people with life-limiting conditions their families and health professionals. However implementation of PHRs has proved difficult due to technical organisational and professional barriers.1AimsTo identify the factors which help or hinder the use of PHRs by young people with life-limiting conditions.MethodSystematic realist review. Literature was sourced from six databases: Medline Embase CINAHL PsychInfo The Cochrane Library Science Direct (from 1946 to December Week 1 2016). The web was searched to identify grey literature. Articles were sourced from reference lists of included studies. Data were extracted using a standardised data extraction form. Two reviewers completed data extraction and synthesis. Methodological rigor was assessed using the relevant Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool.ResultsNine articles were included each reporting on a different PHR. Young people (and/or parents/carers) with conditions of higher severity requiring ongoing care more medications and frequent appointments with multiple providers were more engaged with the PHR. Service providers need sufficient knowledge about the PHR and organisations need to ensure staff can see the benefits of using the PHR for implementation success. Mechanisms triggered by the PHR included improved self-advocacy and young people becoming empowered to self-manage their condition.ConclusionClear definitions of which young people would benefit from using a PHR must be established in order to direct resources accordingly. These definitions will help inform which organisations and service providers would see the most reward from PHR implementation.Reference. Archer N, Fevrier-Thomas U, Lokker C, McKibbon KA, Straus SE. Personal health records: A scoping review. Journal of American Medical Information Association2011;18(4):515–522.

Countries which have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, have committed to implementing its principles in law and policy. This article explores the challenges for securing children's rights through policy, drawing on a research project conducted for the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, which sought to identify barriers to effective government delivery for children and young people from the perspective of key stakeholders. The research concluded that, while some barriers (such as delay and availability of data) are not child-specific, they can be accentuated when children and young people are the main focus of policy development and more so when seeking to adopt a child rights-compliant approach to policy development and implementation.

Young disabled people continue to be under-represented throughout further and higher education settings. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s social theory of habitus, capital and field, this paper explores the practices of domination and oppression that have made it difficult for young people with visual impairments and hearing impairments to participate in third-level education on the same basis as non-disabled people. Twenty young people with hearing impairments and visual impairments were interviewed about their educational experiences. In addition, 31 interviews were conducted with third-level education providers, policy-makers and non-governmental organisations. This article has two aims: firstly, to critically examine the experiences of young people with hearing impairments and visual impairments in accessing and engaging with support provisions in further and higher education settings; and secondly, to identify and explore the diversity of ways in which these young people have managed and responded to the practices they have encountered. This article emphasises the journey from ability to dis-ability that young people with hearing and visual impairments experience in their quest for educational achievement. The ambiguities of “inclusion”, “widening participation” and “support” are highlighted and critiqued for their extensive failure to challenge taken-for-granted discourses.

Incorporation in law is recognised as key to the implementation of the UNCRC. This article considers the ways in which a variety of countries have chosen to incorporate the CRC, drawing on a study conducted by the authors for UNICEF-UK. It categorises the different approaches adopted into examples of direct incorporation (where the CRC forms part of domestic law) and indirect incorporation (where there are legal obligations which encourage its incorporation); and full incorporation (where the CRC has been wholly incorporated in law) and partial incorporation (where elements of the CRC have been incorporated). Drawing on evidence and interviews conducted during field visits in six of the countries studied, it concludes that children’s rights are better protected – at least in law if not also in practice – in countries that have given legal status to the CRC in a systematic way and have followed this up by establishing the necessary systems to support, monitor and enforce the implementation of CRC rights.

Background Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rT-PA) is an effective treatment for acute ischaemic stroke when given within 3h of symptom onset but can be delayed as patients wait for a diagnosis. The ROSIER assessment tool (Fig. 1) has been found to be effective in diagnosing stroke but to date has only been tested when used by doctors. Objective To compare registered nurses' ability to diagnose stroke using the ROSIER assessment tool with doctors' ability to diagnose stroke using traditional neurological assessment. Design, setting, and participants A prospective audit of all suspected stroke patients ( n =106) admitted to the stroke unit of a district general hospital over an eight month period, assessed by registered nurses trained to use the ROSIER assessment tool to identify stroke. Main outcome measures Time from admission to the stroke unit until initial assessment by doctors and registered nurses. Comparison of initial diagnosis by doctors and registered nurses with final diagnosis by a consultant for stroke. Results Of 106 suspected stroke patients, 78 (73.5%) had a final diagnosis of stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and 28 (26.4%) had an alternative diagnosis. Six patients with TIA were subsequently excluded as they were asymptomatic at the time of assessment, leaving 100 participants in the validation phase of the study. Using the ROSIER tool registered nurses achieved a diagnostic sensitivity for stroke of 98% (95% confidence interval 88–99), positive predictive value (PPV) 83% (95% confidence interval 73–90). Doctors using standard neurological assessment had a similar diagnostic sensitivity of 94% (95% confidence interval 86–98), PPV 80% (95% confidence interval 70–88). The mean time from initial assessment by registered nurses using the ROSIER tool, until assessment by doctor on the stroke unit was 75min (SD=65.8min). Conclusions Registered nurses working on a stroke unit using the ROSIER assessment tool are able to diagnose stroke with a degree of accuracy comparable to doctors using clinical neurological assessment. Prompt assessment of suspected stroke patients by registered nurses using the ROSIER tool could reduce delays in eligible stroke patients being assessed for rT-PA treatment.

edited by Phil Jones and Gary Walker, London, Sage, 2011, 256 pp., £65.00 (hardback), £22.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-1-84920-380-7 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the “CRC”)...

The education of children and young people with disabilities and the appropriate form this should take is an issue with which countries across the world are grappling. This challenge has not been assisted by the diverse interpretations of “inclusion” within and between States. The international community, in the form of the United Nations (UN), its associated treaty bodies, and its related agencies have taken on an increasingly critical role in working with countries to develop some kind of global consensus on how inclusion should be defined, its core features, and what it should look like in practice. The conclusions of discussions on these issues have emerged in the form of declarations, treaties, general comments, and guidelines, which countries across the world are expected to adhere to, to varying extents. Together, these constitute a set of international policies and benchmarks on inclusion in an educational context, informing and shaping contemporary national policy and practice. At its core is the underlying principle that children and young people with disabilities have a fundamental right to education without discrimination. Examination of international discourse on inclusion indicates that its meaning, form, and content has become more refined, with increasing emphasis being placed on the quality of inclusive practice as opposed to merely questioning its merits.