The mental health of Looked After Children is not routinely assessed either upon entering the care system or during their period in care. Many children only receive help when difficulties become entrenched and more intensive treatment is required. Often this occurs when placements are fragile or have broken down. The Department of Health, Social…

Despite findings indicating the importance of non-parental adults in the lives of youth, there is little research on these relationships, including those that occur in the context of youth mentoring. Compounding this problem is a positive slant taken towards youth mentoring in the media, often unsubstantiated by empirical evidence. This article…

This paper discusses qualitative research into young people's views of independent children's advocacy services in Wales. We conducted focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews with over 80 children who had used advocacy or whose circumstances suggested them as potential users of advocacy. Our topics of enquiry were structured by…

Female genital cutting (FGC) is an ancient practice that affects girls and young women around the world, defining the identity of women in cultures where it is practiced. FGC is carried out for a range of social and cultural reasons. The United Kingdom as a point of inward migration receives families from countries and cultures where FGC is the…

The overall aim in this study was twofold: to compare the use of work-based (WB) and non-work-based (NWB) child care on the transition back to the workplace for women after a period of maternity leave, and on the transition into child care for the infants of these women. Thirty-five mothers with infants in WB centres and 44 mothers with infants in…

The article is based on a practice task, which was completed as part of the Higher Diploma/Masters in Family Support Studies at NUI Galway. The practice task explored in this article was conducted in a residential care unit that specialised in working with children and families. The care team based in the unit strived to provide more than…

This paper uses a case example to illustrate the need for robust arrangements manage violent offenders against children in Northern Ireland. It compares the legislative and policy framework used to deal with such offenders in England and Wales, demonstrating the more limited provisions in Northern Ireland. Within Northern Ireland, differing…

This paper explores the issue of how to develop a greater level of integration across the continuum services to young people with mental health difficulties. Reference is made to the strategic guidance offered by key documents and a pilot project is described, which attempted to link services across providers including a specialist Child and…

The inconsistent and contradictory nature of the results of studies that focus on client characteristics as possible explanations for first-appointment non-attendance is referenced and contrasted with the effectiveness of simple agency interventions to increase first-appointment attendance. The Family Trauma Centre's remit and pre-study engagement…

This article explores the interface between adult mental health issues and child development. It refers to the literature on the impact of parental mental health difficulties on children's developmental trajectories. The article then describes a pilot scheme involving a partnership between the Northern Ireland Association of Mental Health and…

This study assessed the adult attachment styles of 111 male and female foster carers of children who have been abused and neglected in the Mackay/Whitsunday region of Queensland, Australia. It was hypothesised that those foster carers with secure attachment or with "earned" secure attachment status are better able to cope with the challenges of…

This article talks about a conference organised by the National Children's Bureau (NCB) Northern Ireland, which brought together a number of experts in young people's emotional health. The event reflected the growing interest in young people's emotional well-being and delegates attended from across Northern Ireland and the Republic. The NCB is a…

This paper explores the concept of the categorisation of social groups by looking at the issue of ascribed categories of identity for children and young people of mixed parentage. Our exploration of the knowledge-base in this area reveals that children and young people have clearly expressed views about their racial identity and that these views…

Research reported in recent years highlights that many children and young people living in Northern Ireland are struggling to cope with a range of complex issues in their daily lives. The lack of accessible and appropriate professional support means that many children and young people carry these issues to school, where their struggle to cope…

This paper represents analysis of one aspect of a larger research project examining the everyday lives and experiences of young women in Northern Ireland. As an introductory exercise within focus groups, 48 young women considered and discussed the good and not so good things about being a young woman in Northern Ireland. Through these accounts…