This study places children’s participation at the core of school practice, challenging narrow interpretations of participation and education. Previous research, reinforced by the UNCRC (1989), indicates that schools must be more ready to listen and involve children, highlighting the benefits of voice but in practice limiting it to consultation. There is scarce research that considers children’s participation in schools as essential to education itself or as integral to democracy. Yet children flourish in schools with good relationships where teachers value what they say. This research in two English primary schools used group inquiry and intergenerational work to build children’s participation. During Phase 1 children interviewed adults and worked in intergenerational focus groups to consider the purpose of schools. Overwhelmingly, good relationships dominated school purpose, experience and hopes for the future. Phase 2 extended this through a series of workshops that integrated participation and education through National Curriculum inspired inquiry. The findings suggest that intergenerational work is a catalyst for children’s agency, repositioning children so they can shape classroom spaces for richer, more trusting relationships. In turn, through recognition of their selves in relation to, and with others, understanding of their situation and possibilities, children were able to work together, and with adults, to co-construct knowledge which takes account of temporal frames of reference and is more meaningful. This change in space and purpose also gave new meaning to the teacher’s roles, moving away from policy controlled authoritarianism, repositioning them as mentors. The study shifts focus away from preconceived outcomes, to the process of participation itself, providing significant insight into how rights based education can be made to work in schools.

Those who use heroin and other Class A drugs have been labelled by successive governments since the 1980s as the `enemy within'. Problem drug users, it is claimed, threaten the social cohesion of local communities and put the lives of honest citizens at risk. Anti-drug campaigns have rallied the nation to wage a `war' against drugs, but some commentators have argued that this is actually a war against drug users. British drug policy, it is argued, acts to legitimise and reinforce discrimination, stigmatisation, marginalisation and the social exclusion of Class A drug users, particularly female drug users. This research sought to investigate the social exclusion of heroin users within a high crime area of North East Lancashire. To achieve this aim a survey was undertaken in the area, which in addition to asking the non drug-using residents how they dealt with living in a high crime area, sought to understand their opinions of and behaviour towards those residents believed to be using heroin. The findings of the survey indicated many residents felt their quality of life had seriously been affected by the high amount of crime committed within the area and the majority of these residents claimed the drug-using residents were responsible for this crime. Responses given during the completion of the survey strongly suggested that most non drug-using residents had strong feelings of animosity towards those residents believed to be using Class A drugs and this was confirmed by the negative responses the non drug-using residents gave when discussing the drug-using residents. An understanding of the social existence of those using illicit substances was also sought and this was gained through an ethnographic study of male and female heroin users resident within the area. The findings of the ethnographic research were that drug use was a gendered activity and while both male and female heroin users suffered from discrimination, marginalisation and social exclusion, female heroin users were more `demonised' than male heroin users. This study concludes by making recommendations for changes in policy which, in addition to addressing the deprivation experienced in high crime areas, could also address the discrimination and stigmatisation drug users, especially female drug users, experience. These may also afford drug users the opportunity to overcome social exclusion and return from the margins of society.

This study explores the meanings that older people attach to their participation in group arts activities throughout their lives. Existing literature on arts engagement and ageing is limited, especially in the UK context, and does little to reveal the complex factors that shape people’s participation. Much existing research approaches the subject from an arts and health perspective, meaning that issues for older people who are actively engaged in their communities are largely unexplored, and their voices are absent. Reflecting a narrative approach, and the need to adopt a life-course perspective, this study involves qualitative interviews with 24 participants who have connections with a case-study town in the English Midlands. Participants were recruited through a range of groups, including choirs, dancing, amateur dramatics, and arts and crafts groups. The study’s findings highlight the key roles played by people’s childhood experiences at home, school and church, in shaping arts engagement. There are important gender and class differences in participants’ experiences, and these in turn are significantly influenced by historical context. In challenging a common ‘deficit’ approach to research with older people, this study uses the concept of social capital as a basis for analysis. This emphasises the critical importance of people’s relationships and communities in shaping participation. Findings offer qualitative understandings of the ways in which older people experience and invest social capital through their group arts engagement, and of the dynamics of mutual support and reciprocity that can thus be seen in the lives of older people. The study concludes that social capital and people’s group arts engagement can be linked to the wider concept of ‘resourceful ageing’ which, in turn, contributes to a better understanding of the impact of life-course experiences on later life opportunities and challenges.

Refuges have been central to UK domestic violence service provision since the 1970s. Early studies focused on the needs of adult women but increasingly, children and teenagers have also become the business of refuges. Much of the existing research regarding users’ experiences of refuges has, however, failed to distinguish the needs of teenagers (aged 13 to 18 years) from those of adult women and younger children. This study aims to redress this balance by examining the current service response provided by refuges for teenagers. Teenagers aged 16 and 17 are now incorporated within the Government definition of domestic violence and abuse in England and Wales (Home Office, 2013). This policy shift requires refuges to ensure appropriate provision for under-18s. The research investigates how teenagers experience refuges and whether refuge provision responds effectively to the needs and rights of teenagers. The findings can be used to inform policy and service development. This study is influenced by elements of feminist theory and the sociology of childhood which prioritise subjective understandings of experience and children’s agency. Data collection took place in refuges across the North West, East and West Midlands of England. It involved telephone interviews with 25 members of staff and face to face repeat interviews using participatory methods with 20 teenagers, resulting in 89 interviews. Originality resides in the detailed exploration of teenagers’ experiences across the length of their refuge stay and, in some cases, into their new homes. Interviews revealed an absence of educational, emotional and social support throughout the period of a teenager’s stay, and the picture was similar upon resettlement from the refuge. Difficulties experienced by teenagers during their refuge residence related to specific features of adolescence; refuges’ focus on safety and protectionism was particularly problematic for adolescent development. Refuge life was found to have severe negative effects on teenagers’ education. This study found that refuges are currently missing opportunities to reduce harm and promote prevention of future domestic violence and abuse by building teenagers’ resilience. This thesis argues for attitudinal change as well as relevant resources. The research highlights the shortcomings of refuges and links them to conceptions of victimhood in refuge policy and the changing nature and reduction of services. These conditions are restricting refuges’ ability to respect, protect and meet the rights of teenagers. This thesis advocates for teenagers to have greater visibility and recognition as service users in their own right.

Central to successful therapeutic relationships in working with people with a learning disability is the language used by nurses; the discourses which they create and perpetuate; and resultant implications for practice. These are key issues in the current investigation. Employing retrospective data obtained during an action research programme carried out in a medium security forensic unit (MSU), it analyse types of discourse employed by the men who reside there and the staff. Part of the analysis shows having a learning disability as viewed through the eyes of the men themselves in a study extending over twenty months. Literary analyses on method, representations of learning disabilities, security and discipline, and forensic practice were carried out concurrently. Aims These are to (1) develop a critical and a post-modern approach to investigating given 'truths' about; the positives of learning disability; men with learning disability who offend; and the nature of forensic nursing: (2) develop a socio-political overview by applying critical discourse analysis to examine micro discourses and macro models associated with learning disabilities, related national and local policies, and models of nursing and disability: (3) combine the products of (1) and (2) to illustrate discourse, repertoires, paradoxes and practical ideologies justifying treatment in the MSU, revealing ideologies and beliefs regarding learning disabilities in this setting. Theory and method Foucault shows how linguistic constructions, written protocols and customary oral dialogue are used to create and sustain dominant views of 'reality' — and may also be used to challenge these. Retrospective data regarding six men living in the MSU and their staff [total N=17] were obtained using diaries, observational notes, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and evaluations originally collected as part of an action research project. National and local policies were also interrogated. Data were then reanalysed using critical discourse-analytic techniques. Outcomes Findings suggest that the men are viewed paradoxically. On one hand, they are seen negatively as different, dangerous, lacking ability: and staff as custodians restricting their rights. Paradoxically, affirmative discourse is also abundant — the men are talented and pleasant companions. Repertoires illustrate warm therapeutic relationships existing between the men and staff, demonstrating 'good nurse' characteristics expressed within a complex and restrictive environment, with humour playing an important part. These paradoxical repertoires reveal practical ideologies which defend forensic practice and justify treatment. Results have implications for the men (their views are acknowledged and disseminated); for practice through enhancing the evidence base; for nurse education through reflection on ideologies and justifications on which forensic practice is based.

No description available.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is 11th most common cancer among young women in the UK. Early detection through screening is thought to have resulted in a 75% decrease in cervical cancer and saves over 4,500 lives each year. However, recent years have seen a continuous decline in screening uptake, especially among young women. Scientific literature reviews show little research in this area. There is therefore a need for a qualitative exploration into the reasons and motives for low uptake of cervical cancer screening from service users’ viewpoints in England. This study explores factors that influence the participation and non-participation of young women aged 25-34 in the NHS cervical cancer screening programme in the Northeast. Findings are expected to inform age-specific interventions aimed at increasing participation. Methodology: Employing the qualitative approach of grounded theory (GT) enabled the development of an understanding of participants’ behaviours and factors affecting participation, including health beliefs and other associations that influence the decision to attend screening. Twenty-four research participants were recruited purposively and theoretically from universities in the Northeast and a community centre in Newcastle, as well as through the Northeast Call and Recall Centre in accordance with ethical approval. Data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and a focus group session. The analysis was done using the GT techniques of the constant comparative method and theoretical sampling, aided by individual sorting and use of Mind Genius software. Findings: Awareness of cervical cancer prior to receiving a screening invitation was found to be relatively low and there was an overall lack of understanding of what the screening entails. There was no direct correlation between health beliefs and participation, however, health beliefs were influenced by cultural, environmental and social factors. The findings from both the interviews and the focus group led to the creation of three contextual categories, which are: health views relative to self; knowledge/awareness; and health service influences and practicalities associated with participation in cervical cancer screening. The three main categories and their subcategories were further conceptualized to create a core category, ‘sexual association’, made up of four elements: awareness, human issues, emotional attribution, and acceptability. Decisions to participate in the cervical cancer screening were largely influenced by the elements within ‘sexual association’, showing the psychosocial or cognitive impact of the association between sex and the cervical cancer screening procedure. Sexual association seemed to be a key influence in participation, with factors from the three main categories feeding into it. Discussion: All participants, particularly in relation to health protection, viewed the screening positively. Within the sexual association and practicality issues, there are facilitators and potential barriers. The psychosocial impact (fear, embarrassment, intrusiveness and taboos) of sex being associated with cervical screening, as well as practical issues, tends to dissuade people from participating in the screening. An explanatory model was developed to understand the factors influencing participation and non-participation and this has commonalities with the health belief model and social cognitive theory, which are typically used to explain health behaviours. This is one of the few studies investigating factors that affect the uptake of cervical cancer in the Northeast of England. The results obtained in this study are likely to have high importance to policy and practice, as they represent user-focused perspectives. Recommendations and implications for further research, policy, practice and education are provided.

This thesis demonstrates how literary and medical authors explored changing concepts of childbirth and reproductive medicine between the years 1737 and 1798. Considerable changes took place during this period that transformed birth from a social rite of passage into a medical event. Questions such as who and what was involved in reproduction, how childbirth was managed by individuals and communities, as well as how common understanding about these matters were reached, were brought to the fore in a way that they had never before been raised. A key means by which these ideas were communicated was through the rapidly developing print market with its overlapping interests in literature and medicine. Scholarship of medical humanities and medical history has grown exponentially in the last few decades, including that relating to the history of midwifery and the professionalization of what would become obstetric discourse, yet no study has brought together the theme of reproduction with trends in medical and literary publishing directly. The methodology employed here favours neither the literary nor historical, nor the feminist over the biographical, but rather brings these approaches together, drawing on medical theory of the period, trends in publishing, the rise of both women’s writing and the novel, as the texts considered require. The thesis widens the source pool consulted for purposes of developing a detailed understanding of the history of reproductive medicine. In doing so, the materials analysed reveal that both lay and professional authors found a range of creative ways of relating to changes in the medical management of pregnancy and childbirth, using personal stories and broader medical information, some of this illicit.

This research focuses on designing with indigenous communities. The use of design raises concerns in this context. Because of the aim to ‘improve’ lives and the emphasis on innovation, design approaches have the probability to colonise. As designers, we have to find ways to deal with such concerns. Approaches that do this within the context of indigenous communities are Sheehan’s respectful design and Tunstall’s culture-based innovation. Both approaches acknowledge that the community should benefit from projects. In this, the role of the designer becomes to spark the resourcefulness of the community members to find such benefit. However, neither approach states in pragmatic terms how such a space can be reached. Therefore, this research aims to: explore the dynamics of a respectful design space in co-creative and co-reflective encounters with indigenous communities; and to provide recommendations to reach such a space. The explorations were performed by introducing co-creative design methods during a case study with three indigenous communities. Some co-creative processes led to respectful design spaces, others did not. All processes were analytically studied by combining annotated portfolios and content analysis in timelines. The aim was to find patterns of dynamics essential for respectful design. The dynamics that arose were: 1) ownership through the type of design participation, 2) indicators of ownership, 3) the type of novel expressions made and 4) the type of material culture introduced. This led to contributions of this research being, firstly, a framework of a respectful design space and recommendations of how to reach such a space. Secondly, the concept of constellations of design initiatives, to understand respectful design in situ. Thirdly, the importance of inclusion of the community’s own material culture to facilitate dialogical spaces, and, finally, the analytical approach used to find the dynamics.

While there is significant interest in the lives of looked-after young people, little attention has been given to the way these young people are depicted onscreen. The aim of this study is to explore looked-after young people's perceptions of these fictional depictions and the impact these depictions have on them. Drawing on Freire’s seminal text, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I adopt a participatory approach throughout. Research methods involved viewing and discussing TV and film content depicting looked-after characters with a group of young people in care, followed by semi-structured interviews with group members. The data is analysed using a modified Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis protocol. My research highlights that these young people perceive onscreen fictional depictions to be “unrealistic” and negative. These depictions have significant impact, particularly in terms of “presumed media influence”, on how these young people perceive negative depictions to influence others. The young people offer a range of suggestions in terms of better depicting looked-after characters, drawing on their own experiences of care. My research also highlights the benefit of utilising a Freirean empowerment model, in terms of raising critical consciousness, for a group of looked-after young people.