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Child & Family Social WorkVolume 11, Issue 2 p. 184-185 Researching Children's Experiences: Approaches and Methods Ruth Sinclair, Ruth Sinclair National Children's BureauSearch for more papers by this author Ruth Sinclair, Ruth Sinclair National Children's BureauSearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 March 2006 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2006.00418.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume11, Issue2May 2006Pages 184-185 RelatedInformation

ABSTRACTIn Northern Ireland, most research on the impact upon children of living through the ‘troubles’ and in a divided society has assumed that children are from either the Catholic or Protestant community. There has been very little research with children from cross‐community families who have one parent from a Catholic background and one from a Protestant background. It is known, however, that these children are over‐represented in the public care system in Northern Ireland. The study reported in this paper addresses this gap in knowledge by exploring the experiences and views of children from cross‐community families who are in public care in Northern Ireland. The study has key messages for the development of services for looked after children from cross‐community families, if these are to be delivered in accordance with legislative duties in Northern Ireland and in an anti‐sectarian manner.

This article highlights work underway in three English local authorities to promote effective inter-agency collaboration around the education of looked after children. Insight drawn from these local authorities is used to review previous literature concerning inter-agency collaboration in a variety of contexts. The relevance of previous research to issues concerning the education of looked after children is discussed and key factors associated with effective collaboration are highlighted. Barriers which have served to obstruct joint working and strategies adopted to deal with these are also discussed.

ABSTRACTThis paper represents a follow‐up publication to the findings of a previous paper by documenting the views of a follow‐up sample of 56 young people, aged 12–19 years, looked after in three English local authorities. Young people were interviewed on two separate occasions, 18 months apart, to assess their perceptions of educational progress and identify factors that might support or hinder their education. The interviews took place as part of an ongoing evaluation of the Taking Care of Education project, a development programme designed to facilitate improvements in the education of looked after children. Most young people were aware of individual project‐related activities and a number of these were seen to contribute towards educational progress. Perceptions of educational progress were significantly higher at follow‐up interview and an increased proportion of young people reported that being looked after had had a positive impact upon their education. Carers and teachers continued to be the most frequently mentioned providers of educational support, but the proportion of comments relating to educational support from social workers increased at follow‐up. The most consistent explanation given for improved educational progress was the availability of support and encouragement for educational progress and acknowledgement of young people's achievements.

Children have a right to participate. Professionals have a responsibility to facilitate this. However, especially if it is to involve all children, participation can be challenging, in both principle and in practice (1). Children can participate in many ways in matters that affect them personally or those that relate to children in need or to all young citizens. This briefing refers to research on all these aspects, drawing particularly on the views of children themselves.

This article reports the findings from a series of “Talkshops”—interactive facilitated discussions—undertaken with 114 young people from six secondary schools serving one town within Northern Ireland. The young people first met with the researchers in their own schools, then an elected group came together in combined Talkshops and, finally, a group of six young people, one from each school, met with the researchers to help analyse the data and prepare a presentation on the results. Through the Talkshops the young people explored their views on sectarianism, and the factors they felt helped such attitudes develop; they considered how this impacted on their day‐to‐day lives and how they had learned to deal with difference. They also considered how things could be different in the future, suggesting ways to promote anti‐sectarianism. The article reports the views of the young people, concluding with their summary statement—the message these young people wanted to be heard by adults within Northern Ireland.

Children's participation in decision‐making is complex: it is undertaken for different purposes and is reflected in different levels of involvement, different contexts and different activities. This paper reviews the current state of participation and, drawing on practice and research literature, highlights several aspects of practice where further consideration is needed if participation is to develop positively. This suggests that, if participation is to be more meaningful to children and effective in influencing change, it is necessary to move beyond one‐off or isolated participation and consider how participation becomes embedded as an integral part of our relationship with children.

ABSTRACTThis paper documents the views of a sample of 80 children and young people, aged 10–18 years, living in foster and residential care placements in England, regarding their educational experience whilst being looked after. The children were interviewed as part of an ongoing evaluation of the Taking Care of Education project, a development programme designed to facilitate improvements in the education of looked after children, co‐ordinated by the National Children's Bureau and funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Interviews with the sample asked children to assess their current educational progress and identify individuals who supported or hindered their education, as well as the availability of educational support in care placements. Teaching staff were frequently mentioned as providers of support, whilst social workers were often associated with hindering educational progress. Children and young people had access to a range of educational supports in care placements, and these were more widely available in residential settings than in foster care. Children offered a range of pertinent suggestions as to how the educational experience of those in the public care system might be improved.

Book reviews in this article. Children, Family and the State: Decision‐Making and Child Participation by Nigel Thomas

Consulting with children and young people about issues that directly affect them is not only their right but is increasingly seen as best practice. But what are the outcomes from participation; how do we consult and interpret what children are telling us; how can the views of children inform policy and service development in Northern Ireland. I These were some of the issues discussed at the National Children's I Bureau second annual children's conference in Northern Ireland held in October 2001. The aims of the conference were to:

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the new Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need which has recently been published by the Department of Health in England (DH, 1999; 2000). Although this has been developed to address current concerns within the English child care system, the concepts within the Assessment Framework seem very relevant to the theme of today’s conference, Planning to Care.

This review article focuses on a series of reports commissioned by Barnardo's, the largest children's charity in the UK.1 The series examines 'what works?' in different forms of social intervention with children and families. The publication of these reports is very timely. There is growing interest, indeed a demand, from many quarters for a strengthening of the evidence base that informs social policy. This, in turn, has opened a debate among researchers and users of research about what constitutes evidence. What sort of information enables us to make claims that a particular initiative works? This series considers the question of appropriate research methodologies and in so doing raises many further questions, which are the theme of this review.