Growing up in disadvantage: a systematic review of the qualitative evidence

Abstract

This systematic review highlights the value of social resources available to children living in poor circumstances, but also points up their limitations. Poverty, by its very nature, compromises the worth of these resources.

Secondary school teachers’ and pupils’ definitions of bullying in the UK: a systematic review

“…These are significant omissions because all three issues can have a bearing on pupils' experiences and therefore their definitions of bullying. Like Attree (2004), this SR is nable to provide a detailed analysis of these factors and does not claim generalisability for its findings.…”

“…Most pupils expressed high levels of support for victims of bullying and endorsed action against bullying; generally they were not in favour or bullying enough attention. Other SRs, carried out in relation to views and experience (Attree, 2004;Harden et al, 2004), have encountered the same difficulties. In order to clarify some of these issues, authors were contacted directly and asked to comment on the quality assessment process.…”

Young Children's Health and Wellbeing Across the Transition to School: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis

“…Following this process, all papers chosen for inclusion underwent further screening to determine their weighting in the review, based on whether the papers took the form of empirical research, re-analysis of research, commentary and editorial work, or reports and policy documents. The grading system proposed by Attree (2004) was used, a 4point grading scale of A-D. Papers that would have been graded as D were excluded through the determination of quality screening. Papers that were secondary analyses or, while providing useful background evidence had only limited relevance to the research question, were graded C. Papers graded A or B were primary papers of rigorous quality that were used to identify main themes and concepts.…”

Challenging Childhoods

“…Only a small minority of our sample came from middle class families; the majority were from lower social class backgrounds and were currently in workpoor households. A systematic review of qualitative studies in the UK examined how children talked about the impact of poverty and associated disadvantage on their lives as children (Attree, 2004). From this and other more recent research (Seaman et al,8 2005) children's own accounts showed how resources and access to resources were mediated by disadvantage in the following ways.…”

“…Thirdly, strong local networks, and social resources are generally seen by adults and children as protective and facilitating the building of trust, emotional support and social capital (Morrow, 2001;Phillipson et al, 2003). Attree (2004), however, concluded that 'children's ability to form and maintain supportive friendships is affected by disadvantage' (p685). Paradoxically, though, such strong networks may sometimes work to the detriment of disadvantaged children and young people and their supportive value appears to be far from straightforward.…”