Child Care in Practice E-News

September 2010

Cait Doherty Assistant Editor

Hello folks

This month we had a visit from our colleague Ellie Gilroy from Taylor and Francis publishers, and together with the board of directors we discussed development of the journal. The journal has been going from strength to strength over the past year and we are continuing to make our mark internationally as a high quality journal of child care practice and research. Thank you to all our contributing authors, reviewers and committee members for your hard work!

Although the review process has become stronger there are still as always some papers that have proved difficult to assign. Please take a look at the list below and get in touch if you are able to review one or if you know of a colleague who may be interested. Please also check the list of reviews outstanding in case there is one you may have forgotten about.

Many thanks,

Cait

Articles for review:

The following articles have become available for review. If there is an article cited below which you wish to review please e-mail Cait at

  • Some call her pathetic, others stupid, but she’s gone numb! Solution Focused supervision and domestic violence

Protocols designed to safeguard children often fail to account for the impact exposure to violence work has on the professional. Professionals of different disciplines and roles may have access to supervision and support from their clinical teams, but in some cases the exposure to the child’s hardships only serves to reflect and emphasise the chaos and uncertainty domestic violence creates. This article considers the expectations made of organised supervision. In particular, that supervision should be grounded in the organisational needs of the service as opposed to those of the professional. This seems to be particularly relevant when considering the nature of families in violent crisis where the need for supervision is acute. Using extracts from supervision sessions with 3 social and healthcare professionals the author examines some of the many micro dilemmas professionals encounter. The author reflects on his own attempt to change and show how those professionals who ‘keep a professional stance’ sometimes unwittingly prevent the child from telling their story. The author concludes that it is actually the process of telling the story as opposed to the story of violent trauma itself which is of primary importance.

  • The influence of child survival and health of the previous child factors as predictors of birth spacing practices among couples in Nigeria

This study focused on the relationship between child survival and health of the previous child factors and birth spacing practices among couples in Nigeria. A total of 200 couples men and women drawn randomly from different professions in Ibadan constituted the sample for the study. The two instruments used were author-constructed questionnaires with 0.59 and 0.61 reliability coefficient respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The result indicated that significant relationship exist between birth order, sex of child, mother’s age at birth, index of household wealth, and the length of the preceding birth interval, but not with rural/urban residence, mother’s education and type of provider of parental care. The result further indicated that a combination of the independent variable significantly predicted birth spacing practices. Based on the findings, it was recommended that, social workers, guidance counsellors and others in the helping profession should take cognizance of those variables that have been found to influence birth spacing practices among couples.

  • Psychosocial Risk Factors Influencing the Use and Abuse of Drugs among Adolescents of Abused Parents from Selected Households in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

This study examined the psychosocial risk factors influencing the use and abuse of drugs among adolescents of abused parents from selected households in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey, using 281 adolescents randomly selected from selected households in five local government areas of Ibadan Metropolis. The two instruments used were author-constructed questionnaires with 0.78 and 0.74 reliability coefficients respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using chi-square (X2) analysis. Results obtained from this study showed that there are significant relationships between psychological risk factors (X2 = 121.5, df = 8, P <.05), social risk factors (X2 = 40.7, df = 6, P <.05) and the use and abuse of drugs among adolescents of abused parents. Based on these findings, it was recommended that: Mental health centres and social agencies be established exclusively for drug abusers, where they may offer short or long term therapy, or offer group sessions for counseling the drug abusers.

Reviews Outstanding

The reviews of the following articles are overdue. Please be aware that each article requires two reviews and that even if you know that you have returned your review, your colleague may not have. Please forward outstanding article reviews of the articles cited below to Cait at as soon as possible.

  • Effect of parental presence and toy distraction during invasive procedures in children
  • Factors influencing childcare providers’ food and mealtime decisions: An ecological approach
  • Support groups for sisters and brothers of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  • Using Action Research to Enhance Resilience in a Children’s Home: An Exploration of Need, Experience and Role
  • Lest we forget: Remembering the consequences of child neglect - a clarion call to 'feisty advocates'
  • A pilot study evaluating care staffs’ perceptions of their experience of psychological consultation within a mental health setting

Books for Review

If you or one of your colleagues would like to review one of the below books please contact Cait at

  • Helping Kids and Teens with ADHD in School, A Workbook or Classroom Support and Managing Transitions, Joanne Steer and Kate Horstmann
  • Life Story Books for Adopted Children, A Family Friendly Approach, Joy Rees
  • The Pink Guide to Adoption, for lesbians and gay men, Nicola Hill
  • Access to Information for Post-care Adults, A guide for social workers and Access to Records Officers (AROs), Julia Feast
  • Meditation and Movement, Structured Therapeutic Activity Sessions, G Rosser
  • Where is Poppy’s Panda, David Pitcher
  • I wish I had been born from you, Poems and reflections on adoption, Karen Lomas
  • Adoption and Fostering Special Issue: Kinship Care, guest edited by Joan Hunt
  • The Primal Wound, Understanding the adopted child, Nancy Newton Verrier
  • Young People in Love and in Hate, Nick Luxmore
  • Looking After a Young Person who has been Trafficked, and Caring for a Young Person who has been Trafficked, both by Eileen Fusland
  • Managing child welfare and protection services, Paul Harrison
  • Ten Top Tips Supporting Kinship Placements, Hedi Argent
  • Dad David, Baba Chris and Me, Ed Merchant
  • Linking and Matching, A Survey of adoption agency practice in England and Wales, Cherilyn Dance, Danielle Ouwejan, Jennifer Beecham and Elaine Farmer
  • Holding On and Hanging In, The story of a boy, his foster family and their journey from trauma to healing. Lorna Miles
  • Helping Children to Cope with Change, Stress and Anxiety, A Photocopiable Activities Book, Deborah M Plummer

Meetings

Please note the changes to times and dates of Editorial Board and Advisory Committee Meetings.

  • Editorial Board Meeting

10th November @ 14.30

  • Editorial Advisory Committee Meeting (Board members are also expected to attend)

10th November @ 15.15

New Members

The Child Care in Practice group is currently trying to strengthen its peer review process and would actively welcome nominations to their body of reviewers.

All nominations should be e-mailed to Cait at