Investigator Led Awards

Abisola Balogun-Katung - Newcastle University

Project title: Evaluating the effectiveness of a model of trauma-informed care in children's social care

Brief summary: A large number of children in England are removed from their families and taken into local authority care. Many of these children have experienced trauma. Children in care may go on to experience a range of problems including with their behaviour and their emotions, and in how they experience the care they receive. Many children’s social care services are introducing a new approach to supporting children who have experienced trauma. This is called a trauma-informed approach. A trauma-informed approach recognises the importance of trauma within a child’s past and present experiences and aims to respond appropriately to this. Currently, little is known about how trauma-informed care for children within social care practice works and whether it improves outcomes for children. Therefore, this project aims to evaluate a new model of trauma-informed care implemented within North Tyneside Council. We will find out if, how, and why this different model of trauma-informed care for children in care with a difficult trauma history works, whether this results in children in care experiencing less problems with their behaviour, emotions and in their care placements, and whether the approach results in cost savings. We will share what we learn with different groups, including children in care, practitioners, and researchers. We will do this in a number of ways: We will produce (i) a report of the findings of the trauma-informed care service (ii) Newsletters (iii) Webinars (iv) creative and visual methods and (v) three articles, which we will publish in peer reviewed academic journals.

Start / end dates: October 2024 - March 2026

Email:  abisola.balogun@newcastle.ac.uk  

Kelly Birtwell - University of Manchester

Project title: Increasing access to physical activity for autistic adults: development of resources to support engagement in dance

Brief summary: What the research is about: Autistic adults can experience more physical and mental health conditions than non-autistic adults, including depression, social isolation, loneliness, and obesity. Being active through dance may help autistic people with these issues. There are many ways to try dance: · in your own space, e.g. at home (on your own, with a partner, or by joining an online class); · in social settings (e.g. a salsa night, nightclub or party); · at dance classes (individual dancing, e.g. tap or ballet; partner dancing, e.g. ballroom or Latin; or group dancing, e.g. line dancing or sequence dancing). Dance could be something that professionals called ‘link workers’, who work in GP practices, refer people to through ‘social prescribing’ (where social activities can be prescribed instead of drugs, e.g., gym membership, a weight-loss club, etc.). But little is known about how to make it easier and accessible for autistic adults to engage in dance.

Aim of the research: We want to: 1) find out about autistic people’s experiences of dance in these different settings; 2) develop resources to support: autistic people to engage in dance; link workers to make referrals; and dance teachers and organisations to be more aware of the needs of autistic people.

Start / end dates: December 2024 - March 2026

Email: Kelly.birtwell@manchester.ac.uk

Krysia Canvin / Rose Hutton - Keele University

Project title: Evaluation of Compassion Focussed Therapy for women in prison

Brief summary: Significant numbers of women in prison are in the perinatal period (i.e. pregnant or two years post-childbirth) and are separated from children placing them at increased risk of experiencing poor mental health. This research will evaluate the delivery of ‘Compassion Focused Therapy’ - a form of talking therapy – that is provided to women on a perinatal pathway in a female prison.

Start / end dates: June 2024 - March 2026

Email:  k.canvin@keele.ac.uk / r.hutton@keele.ac.uk 

Laura Tucker / Martin Webber - University of York

Project title: Hidden troubles: Exploring suicide risk and suicide prevention with Gypsy and Traveller communities

Brief summary: Gypsy and Traveller communities are at high risk for almost all predictors of suicide.  Although evidence on the extent of this risk is limited, what we know from people within these communities and those who work with them suggests disproportionality high rates of suicide which have been sustained over a long time. Limited understanding of suicide risk for people from ethnic minorities is a key barrier to effective suicide prevention and empowering communities to address the risks themselves is globally seen as a valuable approach.  This collaborative research project aims to develop a community-led approach to suicide prevention with Gypsies and Travellers in Yorkshire and the North East.  It will draw on the hidden expertise within Gypsy and Traveller communities to explore suicide risk and identify community strengths and resources that can be used for preventative work.  It will also identify the spaces where healthcare and public health interventions could make a difference.  By exploring how practitioners and local policy makers could respond and what barriers might exist, we aim to ensure that the proposed approach can make relevant recommendations for practice and policy around suicide prevention with Gypsy and Traveller communities.