Search Results (45)

Bring them home, keep them home is research based in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, that aims to understand successful and sustainable reunification for Aboriginal families who have children in out-of-home care (OOHC). This research is led by Aboriginal researchers, and partners with Aboriginal organisations. It is informed by the experiences of 20 Aboriginal parents and family members, and more than 200 practitioners and professionals working in child protection and reunification. This paper traces the evolution of Bring them home, keep them home which is now at the forefront of influence for NSW child protection reforms. Using specific examples, it highlights the role of research advocacy and resistance in challenging and disrupting systems in ways that amplify the voices of Aboriginal families and communities and embeds these voices as the foundation for radical innovation for child reunification approaches. The paper shares lessons being learned and insights for Aboriginal-led research with communities in the pursuit of restorative justice, system change, and self-determination. Providing a framework for liberating Aboriginal families from child abduction systems, this paper seeks to offer a truth-telling and practical contribution to the international efforts of Indigenous resistance to child abduction systems. Full article

School social work practice in the South African context is a growing field; however, there is limited research regarding the roles and responsibilities of school social workers, particularly in the Gauteng province. This province is unique in that school social workers are employed by multiple institutions, including individual schools and the education and social development departments. This study aimed to explore and describe the roles and responsibilities of school social workers in the Gauteng province, recognizing them as critical specialists in addressing learners’ psychosocial needs within school settings. An explorative qualitative design was used in this study. Data were collected from 22 purposively selected participants, comprising school social workers, supervisors, and provincial managers of school social work programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and thematic analysis was employed to identify themes. The findings revealed context-specific roles of school social workers, including the creation of conducive teaching and learning environments, advocacy for social justice and child protection, conducting interviews and psychosocial assessments, providing counseling and trauma debriefing, conducting home visits and offering family services, removing abused learners from harmful environments, including their respective homes, and providing parental skills training and support. As a conclusion, this study highlights the need for standardized national and provincial guidelines to formalize and support school social work practice. It is recommended that the identified roles be incorporated into future practice frameworks. Furthermore, it is suggested that a uniform assessment tool be developed to promote consistency and guide school social workers in the initial evaluation processes. Full article

Parent advocacy is increasingly being adopted as a means of encouraging parents to understand and engage with child protection professionals. Current research suggests that it is highly valued by parents and professionals alike, but the focus of data collected thus far has largely been on services that have been received, which may make positive assessments more likely. As part of an ongoing project evaluating parent advocacy services across England, researchers consulted a public involvement group consisting of parents with experience of child protection services. The group provided a set of considerations for designing advocacy services by reflecting on the forms of support they would have liked to receive. This represented a subtle but important change in the balance of power, which means that their considerations differed in some ways from what our research participants had said. The group’s participation prompted researchers to adapt their developing logic model and to consider how the data collection might have excluded some important perspectives. Full article

One in four students in the United States is part of an immigrant family. The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding of the barriers that immigrant students experience in US public schools by critically analyzing how newspapers portray barriers to success, as the goals and processes used in media differ from those of peer-reviewed research. The authors used a document analysis, a qualitative research methodology, and reviewed 67 newspaper articles on immigrant children struggling in US schools. The results show that immigrant students struggle with language barriers, discrimination, mental health, financial stress associated with higher education in the US, lack of preparedness and resources to provide education, lack of familiarity with policy, lack of cultural knowledge about the US, lack of parent involvement, and work and familial obligations. Results also indicate that newspapers published more articles about immigrant struggles during certain time periods, such as Spring 2015 through Winter 2016 and again Summer 2020 through Spring 2021. The paper provides implications for (1) research, suggesting a need for more qualitative primary data collection, (2) practice, including enhanced training, improved mental health referrals and collaborations, and (3) policy, which could include welcoming policies at the school level and advocacy efforts for immigrant student rights under the incoming presidential administration. Full article

Background: The majority of Australian children exceed the World Health Organization’s recommended dietary intake of free sugar, particularly through the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Front-of-pack nutrition labels increase perceived risk and deter the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. However, past studies of young children have focused almost exclusively on a parent’s choice of beverage for children. This study investigated the influence of four label designs (text-based warning, tooth decay pictorial, teaspoons of sugar, and Health Star Rating) on the beverage choices of N = 1229 Australian children (aged 4–11 years) and their parents. Methods: In an online vending machine scenario, parent–child dyads were separately asked to select which beverage they would choose for themselves before and after being randomised to one label condition. The beverages displayed included 100% fruit juice, soft drink, soft drink with a non-nutritive sweetener, flavoured milk, plain milk and bottled water. Beverage healthiness was determined by a 1–10 rating based on a review by a panel of experts (10 dietitians and nutritionists). Results: Mixed-model ANOVAs showed that for parents, each label design performed comparably; however, for children, small but significant differences were seen in the effectiveness of different label designs, with the teaspoons of sugar label, text-based warning, and tooth decay pictorial found to be more impactful in promoting healthier drink choices than the Health Star Rating. Conclusions: These findings can inform public health advocacy efforts to improve food labelling and could be incorporated into educational resources to help children understand the nutritional profiles of different sugary drinks. Full article

Research shows that parental acceptance can serve as a protective factor against negative mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth. Although a few studies have examined the role of critical consciousness in mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth, findings are often inconsistent and do not provide a clear picture. Thus, the present study aims to fill this knowledge gap. Using a sample of LGBTQ+ youth aged 18–25 (N = 460), the present study explores the relationship between critical consciousness, mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and flourishing), and the buffering role of parental support using bivariate correlations and moderated regression analyses. Findings show that (1) higher critical consciousness was associated with lower flourishing, (2) higher parental acceptance was associated with lower depressive and anxiety symptoms and greater flourishing, and (3) parental acceptance did not moderate the relationships between critical consciousness and mental health outcomes. The results of this study illustrate that while parental acceptance is a positive factor for mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth, different dimensions of critical consciousness may have varying effects on mental health well-being for this population. Implications for research, clinical practice, and advocacy, such as examining peer support and community healing, are discussed in relation to these findings. Full article

Adolescence is a critical period for sociopolitical development, yet research has primarily focused on youth with explicit civic engagement, overlooking the role of community involvement in broader contexts. This mixed-methods study examines how adolescent community involvement—ranging from volunteering and advocacy to participation in sports, religious, and cultural activities—shapes sociopolitical control (SPC) in young adulthood. Using longitudinal quantitative survey data from 352 Canadian families, alongside qualitative interviews with 32 adult participants, we analyze how relationships with parents and peers mediate the link between community involvement and SPC. Regression analyses demonstrate that community involvement in high school predicts SPC at age 25, with parental support and positive peer relationships serving as significant mediators. Mediation analysis further reveals that relationships with mothers exert the strongest indirect effect on SPC, followed by relationships with fathers and peers. Qualitative findings highlight the mechanisms through which relational contexts foster or hinder SPC, illustrating that family values, peer norms, and early exposure to social issues shape long-term civic identity. These results underscore the importance of fostering relationally supportive environments that encourage diverse forms of adolescent community participation, contributing to both individual empowerment and broader democratic engagement. Full article

India’s population complexity presents varied challenges in genetic research, and while facilities have gained traction in tier-1 and -2 cities, reliance on international collaborations often delays such investigations. COVID-19 further exacerbated the issues with such sample sharing. Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare genetic disorder of pancreatic β-cells causing hypoglycaemia in children due to abnormal insulin secretion. Given India’s high birth rate and consanguineous populations, annual CHI cases are estimated to be around up to 10,000, with up to 50% having unexplained genetic causes. Diffuse or atypical lesions in such patients often necessitate near-total-pancreatectomy, risking pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and diabetes, requiring lifelong therapy. Also, novel genetic variations complicate accurate diagnosis, risk assessment, and counselling, emphasising the need for rapid genetic assessment to prevent neurological injuries and inform treatment decisions. Despite significant efforts at many institutes, there are no dedicated organisations for CHI in India. With the implementation of the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021, we plan to form a non-profit organisation, “Congenital Hyperinsulinism India Association (CHIA)”, comprising paediatric endocrinologists, paediatricians, geneticists, and independent researchers. The aims of this association are to generate a national database registry of patients, formulate a parent support group and CHIA consortium, design patient information leaflets, as well as foster genomic collaborations and promote clinical trials. Such steps will help sensitise the health authorities and policy makers, urging them to improve the allocation of health budgets for rare diseases, as well as empower patients and their families, contributing towards a better quality of life. Full article

This study aimed to explore the dynamic adjustment mechanisms of the families of school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China in coping with challenges, focusing on the roles of belief systems, organizational processes, and communication strategies, as well as the influence of the China-specific cultural and policy contexts. Based on Walsh’s family resilience theory, a qualitative research methodology was used, with semi-structured interviews to collect experience data from these families, and thematic analysis was used to summarize the main challenges and coping processes. The study found that the families mainly faced the following challenges: difficulties in family care, parenting burnout, educational plights, and inadequate community support systems. Regarding belief systems, families enhanced their resilience through emotional acceptance and redefined expectations; regarding organizational processes, families optimized their internal operations through the flexible division of labor and decision-making patterns and actively mobilized external resources; and, regarding communication, reflection and sharing fostered emotional connection within the family, while compromise and patience enhanced the ability to integrate external resources. In addition, the traditional Chinese culture and inadequate policy support had a significant impact on the formation of family resilience. This study validates the cross-cultural applicability of family resilience theory and suggests enhancing family resilience through psychological support, policy optimization, and social advocacy. Full article

Background: Globally and in Canada, Indigenous populations have faced heightened vulnerability during pandemics, with historical inequities exacerbated by multigenerational colonial policies. This study aimed to identify parental factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination among Indigenous children in Canada. Methods: Data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of parents/guardians with children under 18 years of age were analyzed. The study focused on Indigenous children, examining vaccine uptake, parental hesitancy, and related sociodemographic factors. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify key predictors of COVID-19 vaccination. Results: COVID-19 vaccine coverage among Indigenous children was 61.8%, with higher uptake among Inuit (74.4%) children compared to Métis (61.2%) and First Nations (59.6%) children. Nearly half of Indigenous parents (53.4%) expressed hesitancy, primarily due to perceived concerns about insufficient research on the vaccine in children. Higher vaccine uptake was associated with parental education, adherence to routine vaccinations, and urban residence. Conversely, parental hesitancy, particularly related to medical concerns, significantly decreased the likelihood of vaccine uptake. Conclusions: The study highlights the complexity of vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous parents. Targeted interventions, including culturally adapted educational initiatives, community engagement, and healthcare provider advocacy, are essential to improve vaccine uptake. Full article

Background: This study explored the experiences of adults with diverse rare diseases (RDs) and RD caregivers with barriers and facilitators to healthcare access in the United States (US), including during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their recommendations for improving access. Results: Adults with RDs and parents/caregivers to children with RDs (N = 1128) completed open-ended survey items. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. The primary theme identified regarding barriers to healthcare was “lack”; participants reported challenges in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, effective management/treatment, health insurance coverage, and social support. The primary theme identified regarding facilitators was “finally”; participants reported a need for persistence to access a diagnosis, RD experts, as well as social support and advocacy. Recommendations for improving healthcare for RDs mirrored the barriers and facilitators identified, including improving knowledge/awareness of RDs and investing in RD research that could improve diagnosis and treatment. Participants’ healthcare experiences varied widely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some reporting that telehealth improved care and others reporting disruption due to telehealth. Conclusions: Even though individual diagnoses are rare, there are shared challenges to healthcare access and common opportunities for improvement. Policy recommendations regarding RD healthcare focus on improving affordable and timely access to knowledgeable providers, diagnosis, and medications/treatments. Full article

Background: Immunization plays a substantial role in reducing the under-five mortality rate. However, Tanzania still has a significant number of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children and was ranked among the top ten African countries with the highest numbers of zero-dose children in 2022. The human-centered design (HCD) approach is more ethical and effective at addressing public health challenges in complex sociocultural settings. This study aimed to use the HCD approach to aid in identifying, prioritizing, and implementing community-centric interventions in Tanzania, particularly in the Ilala District of Dar es Salaam, to increase vaccine demand and close the zero-dose gap by at least 50%. Methods: The study involved co-creation workshops with 483 participants to identify, design, and test solutions. The study followed the UNICEF Journey to Health and Immunization framework to identify barriers and enablers influencing stakeholders in adopting and sustaining health- and immunization-related actions. Results: The study identified the causes of under-five defaulting and the zero-dose gap, i.e., the inadequate support of local community leaders in under-five vaccination sensitization and surveillance; poor infrastructure to new settlement areas; hesitancy and unwillingness of parents/guardians; absence of house numbers; limited/time-constrained availability of resources to facilitate mobile immunization services, etc. The participants were able to come up with 309 ideas, which were refined through multiple iterations using the impact–-effort matrix and skimmed down to three (3) solutions: (i) having health facilities to notify and alert local leaders about vaccination dates; (ii) using parents, kids, and grownups who got vaccinated to influence others; (iii) using local government leaders and house representatives for vaccine advocacy. Of these, the solution involving local government leaders and house representatives for vaccine advocacy was implemented. An advocacy strategy was used to enhance the collaboration of the District Commissioner, Council leaders, and community leaders. A home-to-home interpersonal sensitization approach accompanied by the household delivery of vaccination services was employed. The findings reveal that the HCD framework was impactful in increasing collaborations/cooperation with local government leaders and community ownership of the under-five vaccination initiative. As a result, 67,145 houses, equal to 104%, were reached, surpassing the initial target of 64,800 houses, and 131,088 families, equal to 83% of the targeted 156,995 households, were sensitized through a home-to-home campaign approach. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to adopt the HCD approach when addressing public health challenges, especially in complex sociocultural settings. Full article

Genomic sequencing has the potential to revolutionise newborn screening (NBS) programmes. In 2024, Genomics England began to recruit for the Generation Study (GS), which uses whole genome sequencing (WGS) to detect genetic changes in 500 genes in more than 200 rare conditions. Ultimately, its purpose is to facilitate the earlier identification of rare conditions and thereby improve health-related outcomes for individuals. The adoption of rare conditions into the GS was guided by four criteria: (1) the gene causing the condition can be reliably detected; (2) if undiagnosed, the rare condition would have a serious impact; (3) early or presymptomatic testing would substantially improve outcomes; and (4) interventions for conditions screened are accessible to all. Rett syndrome (RTT, OMIM 312750), a paediatric neurodevelopment disorder, was not included in the list of rare conditions in the GS. In this opinion article, we revisit the GS and discuss RTT from the perspective of these four criteria. We begin with an introduction to the GS and then summarise key points about the four principles, presenting challenges and opportunities for individuals with RTT. We provide insight into how data could be collected during the presymptomatic phase, which could facilitate early diagnosis and improve our understanding of the prodromal stage of RTT. Although many features of RTT present a departure from criteria adopted by the GS, advances in RTT research, combined with advocacy from parent-based organisations, could facilitate its entry into future newborn screening programmes. Full article

This study was conducted to identify the key elements of transitional care for families with pre-term infants in South Korea. We used an integrative review methodology proposed by Whittemore and Knafle. During the problem identification step, the review question was constructed via the population, intervention, outcome, and timeframe (PIOT) format. During the literature search step, integrative reviews of the published literature from nine electronic databases were undertaken and a total of 14 studies were reviewed that met our inclusion criteria. During the data evaluation step, the quality of the literature was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) developed by Hong et al. We identified three domains and 10 key attributes of transitional care for families of pre-term infants. The parenting empowerment domain included growth and development, developmental promotion, nutrition, safe environment, general parenting, and parent–infant interaction. The emotional support domain included counseling, advocacy, and community network. The social support domain included professional collaboration. Efforts should continue to further develop programs and policies to enhance transitional care for families of pre-term infants that reflect South Korean nursing practices. Full article

Although the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) is widely applicable, there has been a dearth of research on the psychometric properties and item wording effects associated with the cultural sensitivity of the instrument. This study investigated the psychometric properties, the factor structure, and the negative and positive item wording effects of PSI-SF for 96 Latinx parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States within exploratory structural equation modeling, and structural equation modeling-based generalizability theory frameworks. This study produces the following noteworthy findings. First, the ESEM bifactor model with negatively and positively phrased items best captured the theoretical frameworks underlying the structure of the PSI-SF. Second, adding method factors enhanced the model fits of all the factor models. Third, this study discovered several items with great proportions of method factors. This study recommended that the items with high proportions of method factors, which may likely be culturally insensitive to Latinx parents, be examined further and refined. With the use of accurately assessed PSI-SF scores, practitioners will be better able to support and empower Latinx parents of children with IDD and better meet their needs through the FIRME program, a parent advocacy initiative. Full article