Interprofessional working and learning is essentially about finding ways to integrate practice an... more Interprofessional working and learning is essentially about finding ways to integrate practice and understanding across professional boundaries; working effectively together in communities of practice, while at the same time retaining professional identities. Our workshop will describe an exercise that we carried out with a mixed group of students including, final year social work students, midwifery students, early years students and some medical students. The exercise was planned by a mixed group of academics and presented in the form of a case study, acted out as a role play to the students, who were from the various professional groups. The case study raised issues about health, social work and disability. The role play was planned over three stages and after each stage the students had the opportunity to explore ‘the dynamics of difference’ in their reactions to the case and the different professional responsibilities presented. The aim was to get mixed groups of students to work together in order to reflect on practice and explore the challenges and benefits of working collaboratively. Ninety seven students attended the workshop and many of them completed both a pre and post workshop questionnaire. Through analysing the questionnaires we were able to explore issues regarding interprofessional learning, professional practice and their responses to the role playing exercise.
This paper discusses an on-going project which explores narrative accounts of male and female aca... more This paper discusses an on-going project which explores narrative accounts of male and female academic practitioners about their careers and perceived identities. These individuals have qualified and practiced in at least one health or social care practitioner role (for example, social work or speech and language therapy). Most continue some form of practice, either directly or via professional supervision. They have also pursued academic recognition and qualification, undertaking a higher degree and working in academic settings, often within professional education. The paper discusses methodological aspects of the project and initial findings from interviews. I draw on current discourses relating to power, managerialism and governance within overlapping higher education and health and social care sectors (Dent & Whitehead (eds), 2002; Morley, 2003). Academic-practitioners work with discourses about ‘knowledge’, ‘practice’ and related concepts (such as ‘competence’) on an everyday basis in their higher education careers and in constructing their identities. The project is informed by an overall anthropological understanding of ‘identity’ (Barth, 2000), further discussed by Jenkins (2004).
Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award. If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the
Previous research has evaluated the usefulness of interprofessional education (IPE), however less... more Previous research has evaluated the usefulness of interprofessional education (IPE), however less focus has been on exploring best practice in terms of learning and teaching for IPE. This paper has the objective of introducing and exploring the use of role-play and drama in the IPE of students within the health and social care professions (social work, early years, midwifery and
Initial fi ndings from a pedagogic initiative and research project show how two cohorts comprisin... more Initial fi ndings from a pedagogic initiative and research project show how two cohorts comprising 105 postgraduates undertaking social work or mental health educational programmes responded to learning about research methods in one UK university. Few studies have looked specifi cally at postgraduate students' attitudes towards research / research methods. Previous research suggests students may express anxiety when learning about research, particularly quantitative methods. Using an existing validated rating scale with 5 subscales (Papanastasiou, 2005), we explored students' attitudes before and after taking a research module and possible signifi cance of gender, professional group and being college or employment based. Project data was used by students to complete a quantitative module assignment. Results showed these students had a 'positive' attitude towards research pre-module; this was generally maintained but did not increase post-module. Students were rated as having overall research 'anxiety' pre-module; this lessened post-module although the change was not statistically signifi cant. A signifi cant change (decrease) in 'usefulness to career' subscale was recorded post-module. We consider factors that could have impacted on these research fi ndings such as reduced follow up sample sizes, but report how combining a pedagogic initiative with a research project offers opportunities to explore this complex area, with positive outcomes for student learning.
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 2001
A recently completed evaluation of a one day triunmg package on communication has found evidence ... more A recently completed evaluation of a one day triunmg package on communication has found evidence of a perceived need for traning m both communication and commumcation impament among care workers employed by health and social care agencies Thls paper is a discussion of the factors that contribute to the delivery of successful workshops to front h e care workers Communication training for health care workers The extension of the speech and language therapist's role to include training of 'communication partners' has been developed for a range of impairments, primarily in relation to people with aphasia and learning difficulties (e.g. Kagan 1995, Purcell el al. 2000) and in relation to working with older people in a variety o' f care contexts (Lubinski 1995, Orange et al. 1995, Rainbow et al. 1996, bpich 1996). Education and support in communication and understanding communication difficulties for care workers has been acknowledged in government initiatives (Department of Health/NHS Executive 2001) and in independent reports (The Hospital Advisory Service 1999). The UK government plans to improve the protection of vulnerable people via greater regulation of care services, including the introduction of national required standards (Department of Health 1999). The inclusion of training in these standards should increase the take-up of training in general within the health and social care sectors. There is evidence of a relationship between qualifications and access to training. Staff with no formal qualifications appear to have greater difficulty gaining access to training that will directly improve their ability to deliver a quality service (Rudd et al. 1999). The proposed training targets (other than registered nurses) for care staff in residential and nursing homes of 50% having reached competence to NVQ level 2 or equivalent by 2005 suggest that large numbers of care workers will conmue to be unqualified (Department of Health 1998). In 1994, as a direct response to service user and carer requests for communication training, Action for Dysphasic Adults (ADA, now Speakability) convened an advisory group to develop a training programme, funded by the Department of Health. The 'Communicate' package is delivered as a workshop in one full day or two half days by speech and language therapists who have been inducted and accredited by ADA. Communicate aims to benefit people with communication impairments by ensuring that their carers have a fm foundation in general communication skills which are transferable, being equally applicable in interactions with service users whether or not they have communication impairments, with
This article focuses on interviews with ‘birth mothers’ who experienced successive losses of thei... more This article focuses on interviews with ‘birth mothers’ who experienced successive losses of their children to public care in one local area of London, England. Interviews were conducted during a project partnership between a London borough and university staff, aiming to provide a localised, pilot support initiative which responded to mothers’ viewpoints. To ‘hear’ mothers’ own voices more clearly, we analysed interview transcripts using a methodology which separates out elements of how the interviewee tells her story, how she speaks about herself and about her relationships, taking into account surrounding social complexities and researchers’ reactions to the story. To explain how professionals could subsequently draw upon these ‘mothers’ voices’ for a pilot support initiative, we identify some ‘key messages for professionals’ from these interviews, including women wanting clear and honest communication between themselves and workers, and between staff; women often feeling ‘let do...
This paper develops work from the ‘Training to Communicate’ research project (1999 – 2001) which ... more This paper develops work from the ‘Training to Communicate’ research project (1999 – 2001) which explored ‘communication’ training needs and provision in health and social care agencies in London and South East England. Seventeen interviews were conducted with male and female managers who were responsible for key aspects of training (workforce development) in health trusts or social services departments in England. Previous analysis (Bell, 2005) suggests while interviewees clearly identified with ‘new (managerial) occupational knowledges and identities’ some appeared in a marginal or ambiguous position between ‘new’ occupational knowledges and identities, and ‘old’ identities based on occupational /practitioner expertise (Clarke & Newman, 1997). Aspects of this positioning appeared to be gendered, with female interviewees embracing the ‘new’ managerialist identity(ies) more readily as they produced interview narratives of how training ‘came to be as it was’ in their organization (Be...
This book chapter explores issues involved in using diaries that have been solicited from researc... more This book chapter explores issues involved in using diaries that have been solicited from research participants in the context of research about families / childcare.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the following research questions from the availabl... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the following research questions from the available literature: What evidence is there to suggest that substance misuse specifically by fathers (including alcohol and other drugs) causes wider harms, including child welfare concerns? substance misuse, recovery, parents, fathers, fathering, drugs/ alcohol services. How do professionals respond specifically to substance misuse by fathers? Do interventions aimed at parental substance misuse (particularly in the UK) include both mothers and fathers and if so how? Design/methodology/approach A scoping literature review was conducted which identified 34 papers (including scoping reviews published in 2006 and 2008, covering the period 1990-2005) and 26 additional studies published between 2002 and 2020. Findings The review in this paper is organised into six themes: Negative impact of men’s substance misuse problems on their parenting behaviours; quality of the relationship between parents aff...
This article focuses on a neighbourhood babysitting circle operating in a small town within the s... more This article focuses on a neighbourhood babysitting circle operating in a small town within the southeast of England, showing how and why it operates in particular ways and the significance it has for women's contacts with other mothers in one locality, with male partners and with kin outside the individual woman's household. Examining these contacts allows broader issues to be raised, for example, about the interconnections between social class and locality, notions of “public” and “private,” and the interface between individual womens' perspectives and decisions on child care (including aspects of their “authority” and “responsibility” as mothers), and their patterns of association within local groups and networks.
This study investigates a nurse-led prison hospital wing that was identified as an example of “Ve... more This study investigates a nurse-led prison hospital wing that was identified as an example of “Very Good” practice in HM Prison Inspectorate report and seeks to identify those aspects of good practice that could be transferable to other prison hospital wing settings.
This chapter (Chapter 4) discusses why ethics has become important to social research: this inclu... more This chapter (Chapter 4) discusses why ethics has become important to social research: this includes consideration of critiques of 'value free' ways of doing research; the rise of risk and governanace agendas internationally; and the development of feminist ethics, including 'ethics of care'. The chapter explores how feminist researchers have collaborated and engaged with ethics principles and ethical dilemmas in their research practice, using various international examples.
Interprofessional working and learning is essentially about finding ways to integrate practice an... more Interprofessional working and learning is essentially about finding ways to integrate practice and understanding across professional boundaries; working effectively together in communities of practice, while at the same time retaining professional identities. Our workshop will describe an exercise that we carried out with a mixed group of students including, final year social work students, midwifery students, early years students and some medical students. The exercise was planned by a mixed group of academics and presented in the form of a case study, acted out as a role play to the students, who were from the various professional groups. The case study raised issues about health, social work and disability. The role play was planned over three stages and after each stage the students had the opportunity to explore ‘the dynamics of difference’ in their reactions to the case and the different professional responsibilities presented. The aim was to get mixed groups of students to work together in order to reflect on practice and explore the challenges and benefits of working collaboratively. Ninety seven students attended the workshop and many of them completed both a pre and post workshop questionnaire. Through analysing the questionnaires we were able to explore issues regarding interprofessional learning, professional practice and their responses to the role playing exercise.
This paper discusses an on-going project which explores narrative accounts of male and female aca... more This paper discusses an on-going project which explores narrative accounts of male and female academic practitioners about their careers and perceived identities. These individuals have qualified and practiced in at least one health or social care practitioner role (for example, social work or speech and language therapy). Most continue some form of practice, either directly or via professional supervision. They have also pursued academic recognition and qualification, undertaking a higher degree and working in academic settings, often within professional education. The paper discusses methodological aspects of the project and initial findings from interviews. I draw on current discourses relating to power, managerialism and governance within overlapping higher education and health and social care sectors (Dent & Whitehead (eds), 2002; Morley, 2003). Academic-practitioners work with discourses about ‘knowledge’, ‘practice’ and related concepts (such as ‘competence’) on an everyday basis in their higher education careers and in constructing their identities. The project is informed by an overall anthropological understanding of ‘identity’ (Barth, 2000), further discussed by Jenkins (2004).
Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award. If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the
Previous research has evaluated the usefulness of interprofessional education (IPE), however less... more Previous research has evaluated the usefulness of interprofessional education (IPE), however less focus has been on exploring best practice in terms of learning and teaching for IPE. This paper has the objective of introducing and exploring the use of role-play and drama in the IPE of students within the health and social care professions (social work, early years, midwifery and
Initial fi ndings from a pedagogic initiative and research project show how two cohorts comprisin... more Initial fi ndings from a pedagogic initiative and research project show how two cohorts comprising 105 postgraduates undertaking social work or mental health educational programmes responded to learning about research methods in one UK university. Few studies have looked specifi cally at postgraduate students' attitudes towards research / research methods. Previous research suggests students may express anxiety when learning about research, particularly quantitative methods. Using an existing validated rating scale with 5 subscales (Papanastasiou, 2005), we explored students' attitudes before and after taking a research module and possible signifi cance of gender, professional group and being college or employment based. Project data was used by students to complete a quantitative module assignment. Results showed these students had a 'positive' attitude towards research pre-module; this was generally maintained but did not increase post-module. Students were rated as having overall research 'anxiety' pre-module; this lessened post-module although the change was not statistically signifi cant. A signifi cant change (decrease) in 'usefulness to career' subscale was recorded post-module. We consider factors that could have impacted on these research fi ndings such as reduced follow up sample sizes, but report how combining a pedagogic initiative with a research project offers opportunities to explore this complex area, with positive outcomes for student learning.
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 2001
A recently completed evaluation of a one day triunmg package on communication has found evidence ... more A recently completed evaluation of a one day triunmg package on communication has found evidence of a perceived need for traning m both communication and commumcation impament among care workers employed by health and social care agencies Thls paper is a discussion of the factors that contribute to the delivery of successful workshops to front h e care workers Communication training for health care workers The extension of the speech and language therapist's role to include training of 'communication partners' has been developed for a range of impairments, primarily in relation to people with aphasia and learning difficulties (e.g. Kagan 1995, Purcell el al. 2000) and in relation to working with older people in a variety o' f care contexts (Lubinski 1995, Orange et al. 1995, Rainbow et al. 1996, bpich 1996). Education and support in communication and understanding communication difficulties for care workers has been acknowledged in government initiatives (Department of Health/NHS Executive 2001) and in independent reports (The Hospital Advisory Service 1999). The UK government plans to improve the protection of vulnerable people via greater regulation of care services, including the introduction of national required standards (Department of Health 1999). The inclusion of training in these standards should increase the take-up of training in general within the health and social care sectors. There is evidence of a relationship between qualifications and access to training. Staff with no formal qualifications appear to have greater difficulty gaining access to training that will directly improve their ability to deliver a quality service (Rudd et al. 1999). The proposed training targets (other than registered nurses) for care staff in residential and nursing homes of 50% having reached competence to NVQ level 2 or equivalent by 2005 suggest that large numbers of care workers will conmue to be unqualified (Department of Health 1998). In 1994, as a direct response to service user and carer requests for communication training, Action for Dysphasic Adults (ADA, now Speakability) convened an advisory group to develop a training programme, funded by the Department of Health. The 'Communicate' package is delivered as a workshop in one full day or two half days by speech and language therapists who have been inducted and accredited by ADA. Communicate aims to benefit people with communication impairments by ensuring that their carers have a fm foundation in general communication skills which are transferable, being equally applicable in interactions with service users whether or not they have communication impairments, with
This article focuses on interviews with ‘birth mothers’ who experienced successive losses of thei... more This article focuses on interviews with ‘birth mothers’ who experienced successive losses of their children to public care in one local area of London, England. Interviews were conducted during a project partnership between a London borough and university staff, aiming to provide a localised, pilot support initiative which responded to mothers’ viewpoints. To ‘hear’ mothers’ own voices more clearly, we analysed interview transcripts using a methodology which separates out elements of how the interviewee tells her story, how she speaks about herself and about her relationships, taking into account surrounding social complexities and researchers’ reactions to the story. To explain how professionals could subsequently draw upon these ‘mothers’ voices’ for a pilot support initiative, we identify some ‘key messages for professionals’ from these interviews, including women wanting clear and honest communication between themselves and workers, and between staff; women often feeling ‘let do...
This paper develops work from the ‘Training to Communicate’ research project (1999 – 2001) which ... more This paper develops work from the ‘Training to Communicate’ research project (1999 – 2001) which explored ‘communication’ training needs and provision in health and social care agencies in London and South East England. Seventeen interviews were conducted with male and female managers who were responsible for key aspects of training (workforce development) in health trusts or social services departments in England. Previous analysis (Bell, 2005) suggests while interviewees clearly identified with ‘new (managerial) occupational knowledges and identities’ some appeared in a marginal or ambiguous position between ‘new’ occupational knowledges and identities, and ‘old’ identities based on occupational /practitioner expertise (Clarke & Newman, 1997). Aspects of this positioning appeared to be gendered, with female interviewees embracing the ‘new’ managerialist identity(ies) more readily as they produced interview narratives of how training ‘came to be as it was’ in their organization (Be...
This book chapter explores issues involved in using diaries that have been solicited from researc... more This book chapter explores issues involved in using diaries that have been solicited from research participants in the context of research about families / childcare.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the following research questions from the availabl... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the following research questions from the available literature: What evidence is there to suggest that substance misuse specifically by fathers (including alcohol and other drugs) causes wider harms, including child welfare concerns? substance misuse, recovery, parents, fathers, fathering, drugs/ alcohol services. How do professionals respond specifically to substance misuse by fathers? Do interventions aimed at parental substance misuse (particularly in the UK) include both mothers and fathers and if so how? Design/methodology/approach A scoping literature review was conducted which identified 34 papers (including scoping reviews published in 2006 and 2008, covering the period 1990-2005) and 26 additional studies published between 2002 and 2020. Findings The review in this paper is organised into six themes: Negative impact of men’s substance misuse problems on their parenting behaviours; quality of the relationship between parents aff...
This article focuses on a neighbourhood babysitting circle operating in a small town within the s... more This article focuses on a neighbourhood babysitting circle operating in a small town within the southeast of England, showing how and why it operates in particular ways and the significance it has for women's contacts with other mothers in one locality, with male partners and with kin outside the individual woman's household. Examining these contacts allows broader issues to be raised, for example, about the interconnections between social class and locality, notions of “public” and “private,” and the interface between individual womens' perspectives and decisions on child care (including aspects of their “authority” and “responsibility” as mothers), and their patterns of association within local groups and networks.
This study investigates a nurse-led prison hospital wing that was identified as an example of “Ve... more This study investigates a nurse-led prison hospital wing that was identified as an example of “Very Good” practice in HM Prison Inspectorate report and seeks to identify those aspects of good practice that could be transferable to other prison hospital wing settings.
This chapter (Chapter 4) discusses why ethics has become important to social research: this inclu... more This chapter (Chapter 4) discusses why ethics has become important to social research: this includes consideration of critiques of 'value free' ways of doing research; the rise of risk and governanace agendas internationally; and the development of feminist ethics, including 'ethics of care'. The chapter explores how feminist researchers have collaborated and engaged with ethics principles and ethical dilemmas in their research practice, using various international examples.
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Papers by Linda Bell