Trove

Gray, Stuart; Hahn, Rachel; Cater, Kirsten; Watson, Debbie; Meineck, Chloe; Metcalfe, Tom

doi:10.1145/3311927.3325305

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The primary focus of the project was to design, develop and test the prototype with children in a residential care context using creative design workshops; this is documented elsewhere (Gray et al., 2019). As part of the project, we also carried out interviews with key stakeholders to explore their perceptions of the benefits and challenges of LSW and the role of children’s objects in practice (see Table 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Storying special objects: Material culture, narrative identity and life story work for children in care

Watson

Hahn

Staines

2019

Qualitative Social Work

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This paper considers the importance of material objects for looked after and adopted children integrated as part of life story work practices. Conducting life story work is believed to be good practice within direct work with looked after children in England and there are a range of diverse practices, including life story books, later life letters and memory boxes. Through a creative design project developing a playful memory product for looked after children, we have had the opportunity to capture sector perspectives on life story work approaches and these are interspersed throughout this commentary. Combining multi-disciplinary theoretical perspectives and these sector insights, we explore how special material objects are important for children’s identity and continuity of sense of self. The paper highlights the importance of children telling their own stories of these objects, giving them agency and control over their life story narratives. In a context of austerity, life story work may not be prioritised by social workers who have many other competing demands and limited resources. We emphasise the need for professionals to recognise the value children give to objects and to provide them with opportunities to both keep these safe during placement moves and to tell their own story through their objects alongside more traditional, formal life story work. The recommendations have implications for children in out of home care in many country contexts, not just England where the research has been conducted.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Storying special objects: Material culture, narrative identity and life story work for children in care

Watson

Hahn

Staines

2019

Qualitative Social Work

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“…Thirty-one documents contributed to the development of these CMOCs 18 20–22 26 27 34 35 38–42 45 46 48–50 52–55 78 85 90 93–97. The literature highlighted that when an adolescent has editorial power to control what is recorded, they can feel more positive about the product(s).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the mental health and mental health support available to adolescents in out-of-home care via Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity Life Story Work: a realist review

Hammond,

Mickleburgh,

Duddy

et al. 2023

BMJ Open

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ObjectivesLife Story Work (LSW) is used to promote the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents living in out-of-home care. LSW should be offered to all but is conventionally delivered in high-intensity ways. Low-intensity approaches are more accessible but there is significant variation and little guidance for supporting adolescents. We aimed to create guidance for Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity LSW.DesignRealist review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Sociology Collection (ProQuest), CINAHL, CDAS, Web of Science (SCIE, SSCI), Social Care Online and grey literature sources. Searches were performed between December 2021 and March 2022.Eligibility criteriaDocuments on children and adolescents in care, LSW and/or low-intensity interventions to improve mental health were included. Documents focusing on parenting style and contact with birth family were excluded.AnalysisDocuments were analysed using a realist logic of analysis. In consultation with Content Expert Groups (comprising professionals and care leavers), we developed an initial programme theory. Data relating to and challenging the initial programme theory were extracted and context-mechanism-outcome-configurations developed, critiqued and refined in an iterative fashion. Interpretations were drawn from context-mechanism-outcome-configurations to enhance the programme theory.Results75 documents contributed to the analysis. Generally, studies were small-scale and lacked in-depth methods and evaluation descriptions. Findings indicated important factors contribute to the development of high-quality Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity LSW. Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity LSW should be person-centred, begin in the now, involve co-construction, record everyday positive life events and be supported by trained carer(s). Context-mechanism-outcome-configurations relating to these themes are reported.ConclusionsUsing this knowledge we developed initial practice guidance to support social care to deliver better quality Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity LSW more consistently. To address gaps in our knowledge about the impact of Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity LSW, further primary research is needed to strengthen understandings of how this intervention works (or not) in different contexts.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021279816.

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“…To date, only a small body of research has explored the use of digital adaptations with care-experienced children and young people. This includes studies on contact with birth families (Macdonald et al., 2017), the use of digital technology to enable children to contribute to review meetings (Fursland, 2014), digital approaches to life story work (La Rose and Detlor, 2021), memory work (Gray et al., 2019), foster carer recruitment (Stringfellow, Keegan and Rowley, 2019), parenting resources for adopters (Fox and Archard, 2017), visits by social workers (Pink, Ferguson and Kelly, 2021), video introductions to placements (Banks et al., 2020) and the research presented in the other contributions in this special edition. These innovations highlight that the ‘digital materialities’ of hybrid digital social work are already occurring and demonstrate how, at times, these can be an effective practice that enables ‘digital intimacies’ (Pink, Ferguson and Kelly, 2022: 427).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

We can connect: Imagining the future of digital practice with and by care-experienced children and young people

Larkins,

Crook,

O’Riordan

et al. 2023

Adoption & Fostering

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A participatory study with care-experienced children and young people identified longstanding problems in social work with children and recommended service improvements. The authors reflected on a digital resource co-created by this study and speculated on future digital adaptations that might address some of the service development needs that children and young people identified. This was inspired by Haraway’s (1985) call to imagine cyborgification in order to break from dominant thinking while being cautious of how power operates in human-machine conjunctures. The imagined digital adaptations focus on connecting to people and places, leisure, education, accommodation, journey planning through care and systems accountability. Imagining cyborgification highlighted how digital adaptations are embedded in, and not a substitute for, trusting relationships. Adaptations must be co-developed by intergenerational groups of children and professionals. Bourdieu’s (1985 , 1986 ) notions of habitus, field and capitals could guide theoretically informed feasibility testing, drawing attention to distributions of resources. Key questions relate to: When can digital adaptations challenge the dominant habits and politics of social care, strengthen deep relationships and secure social, cultural and economic capital in the hands of young experts and their adult allies, so that systems can redress inequalities and promote accountability?

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Trove

Cited by 9 publications

References 20 publications

Storying special objects: Material culture, narrative identity and life story work for children in care

Storying special objects: Material culture, narrative identity and life story work for children in care

Improving the mental health and mental health support available to adolescents in out-of-home care via Adolescent-Focused Low-Intensity Life Story Work: a realist review

We can connect: Imagining the future of digital practice with and by care-experienced children and young people

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