Centre for Children and Young People

Rural New Zealand childhoods: social constructions and lived experiences

Mary Ann Powell — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:43:21 PDT

Rural New Zealand holds a place of unparalleled importance in the affection of New Zealanders, with mythologised aspects incorporated into the national identity. Although rural families make up a significant proportion of New Zealand's diverse and rapidly changing population, rural children have received little specific research attention. The aim of this qualitative research project, framed within Childhood Studies theory, was to explore the perspectives and lived experiences of children and parents in a diverse range of rural environments. Data was collected from 36 children (21 girls and 15 boys), aged between 6 and 11 years, and 36 of their parents. The participants were recruited from four specific rural locations, ranging from 'rural with high urban influence', 'rural with moderate urban influence', 'rural with low urban influence' to 'highly rural/remote'. Several data collection methods were used including interviews with children and parents, children's construction of artwork and photographs, and follow-up interviews with children one year later. An initial interview was developed to obtain children's informed consent, address other ethical concerns, and help structure the research process with child participants. The range of localities highlighted the commonalities and diversity of rural childhood and family experiences. Consistent with other Minority world research, the findings indicated that constructions of rural childhood predominantly accord with a discourse of the rural idyll. However, in New Zealand, the rural childhood idyll has a specific character, different aspects of which are emphasised in particular rural contexts. Farming parents and those in more remote areas, placed great importance on community, self reliance and practical skills, whereas parents in rural areas near urban centres emphasised the importance of spatial freedom for children. All the parents tended to be satisfied with rural living and what it offered their children, emphasizing perceived benefits and the fostering of skills and attributes, and downplaying negative aspects. However, alternative constructions of rural childhood and family life were also evident, related to the geographical isolation and low population density of rural areas and exacerbated by other social variables, such as financial hardship. A discourse of social isolation emerged, related to difficulties accessing services and facilities, and social and economic deprivation. Children were generally positive about rural living. Their constructions of rural childhood, focused on being outdoors and the social aspects of rural life. Children creatively maximized opportunities for social participation, in multiple relationships, across a range of contexts. They expressed their agency and competency in complex, sometimes challenging conditions, in partnership with others, particularly parents, negating dominant discourses of childhood which perceive children as passive, immature and dependent. However, children also experienced aspects of rural life that were dull, dangerous or difficult. The modernistic dualisms of rural and urban, and childhood and adulthood, were challenged as more complex and nuanced constructions of rural childhood were uncovered. These findings have implications for policy, which could potentially be obscured by the dominant construction of the rural idyll. This study highlights the importance of including rural children as research participants, with their voices contributing to more robust and authentic constructions of childhood.

Constructions of rural childhood: challenging dominant perspectives

Mary Ann Powell et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 22:08:59 PDT

This article reviews research on the lives and experiences of children and young people living in rural Minority world environments. The literature reviewed has focused on constructions of rurality in relation to children's experiences, most notably the rural idyll. Alternative constructions of rural childhood, characterised by dullness, horror and deprivation, are also apparent, and associated with insufficient rural activities, resources and transport, marginalisation and social exclusion. The more recent inclusion of children's perspectives on rural living provides a deeper understanding of rural childhood and challenges the dominant perspectives.

Children's participation rights in research

Mary Ann Powell et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:51:17 PDT

This article explores children's participation in research, from the perspectives of researchers who have conducted research with children. Researchers' reports, gained using an email interviewing method, suggest that children's participation rights are particularly compromised when the potential child participants are considered vulnerable and the topic of the research is regarded as sensitive. Such perceptions result in stringent gatekeeping procedures that prevent some children from participating in research. This article concludes that children should be viewed, not as vulnerable passive victims, but as social actors who can play a part in the decision to participate in research. Such a view would result in more careful attention to communicating effectively with children about research, and ensuring that they may have a more central role in decision-making about participation.

Ethical guidelines for research with children: a review of current research ethics documentation in New Zealand

Mary Ann Powell et al. — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:30:09 PDT

Children’s rights to participate in matters affecting them, including research, have gained increasing recognition over recent decades. This recognition, and the growth in research with children as participants, has given rise to greater attention from researchers to ethical issues related to child research. This article reviews the current ethics documentation in New Zealand. The findings indicate that considerable variation exists between ethical codes and guidelines in relation to research with children. The dominant focus is on attending to issues of consent and protection from harm, at the outset of the research, rather than recognition of the ongoing nature of ethical issues throughout the research process. Although the findings indicate an increase in the consideration of ethical issues, the existing documentation is inconsistent and inadequate in attending to specific child-related issues. Suggestions are made to enhance children’s participation in research and demonstrate a respect for their participation rights.

Ethical Principles, dilemmas and risks in collecting data on violence against children: a review of available literature

Mary Ann Powell — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:09:39 PDT

Integrating service delivery in a regional homelessness service system

Kate Neale et al. — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:03:22 PDT

All tiers of government in Australia are focused on service integration as a key response to homelessness. However, service integration strategies need to consider particular service system characteristics and location‑specific conditions. This paper reports on an investigation of service integration strategies suitable for a regional context undertaken in 2010 and 2011. A three‑phase participatory action research (PAR) framework was utilised to collect data about the homelessness service system in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, and about the existing and potential service integration strategies in the region. The findings suggest that strategies for better integration should take into account specific local conditions and be developed and implemented at a local level with support from government. The paper concludes by presenting an argument that the development and implementation of strategies should be based on a place‑based assessment of demand and suitability.

iPadiCan: Trialling iPads to support primary and secondary students with disabilities

Liz Watts et al. — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:52:43 PDT

iPads have only been on the market since April 2010 but have rapidly gained great attention within educational communities. While their potential to support teaching and learning has been advocated by many, as yet little empirical research has been released on their application in primary and secondary classrooms. This paper reports on an action research study which investigated the possible role of iPads in supporting learning for students with disabilities. The project sought to document the practical steps required to implement iPads in classrooms, the applications which might be most educationally effective, together with the perceptions of students, teachers, parents and teaching assistants (TAs). The study provides evidence of the significant potential of the devices for children with a wide range of disabilities and, through a number of brief vignettes, demonstrates their capacity to support both learning and socialisation.

iPads: instant access and engagement for students with disabilities

Sharon Brennan et al. — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:38:43 PDT

Tourism and the implications of climate change: issues and actions

Nadine E. White — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 16:09:26 PDT

White, NE 2012, 'Tourism and the implications of climate change: issues and actions', Annals of Leisure Research, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 432-433.

Published version available from:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2012.744281

Walking the Talk: a framework for effective engagement for people with disability, families and people who support them

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:21:03 PDT

Participatory research improves policy implementation

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:05:48 PDT

Can policy to address some rights address breaches of other disability rights?

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:25:53 PDT

Governments must implement the UN CRPD. In practice, government prioritises policies relating to some rights more highly than others. This unequal implementation relates in part to constraints on government, including competing interests, multiple participants and incremental policy change. In the context of these constraints, can differential policy priorities address breaches of other disability rights? This paper tests this question in relation to support for people living in boarding houses in Queensland, focusing particularly on residents with intellectual disability. Among the core disability rights are the rights to housing and housing support (Article 19). For some people living in boarding houses, this setting is inappropriate to their housing needs and amounts to a breach of their rights. Part of the government response has been to fund or provide support for people with disability living in boarding houses, with the rationale that providing support will alleviate residential needs. We conducted three research projects in this environment. Data shows that while support services can contribute to improved quality of life for some people, their more fundamental housing needs are not addressed. For some, support needs are too complex for this type of housing. In these cases, the setting both increases their support needs and also prevents access to appropriate support. The research concludes that policies to fulfil one set of rights are unlikely to be successful if the breach of a right such as housing remains unaddressed. It raises questions for rights theory and policy practice about whether rights are hierarchical in significance.

Preventing abuse in accommodation services: from procedural responses to protective cultures

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:30 PDT

This article reviews current approaches of disability accommodation services to addressing the abuse and neglect of people with intellectual disability who live in them.We review international literature and provide practice examples from accommodation services for people with intellectual disability in Australia to develop a framework of current research, policy and practice in this area. The results of this review show that dominant policy and practice approaches do not give adequate consideration to the prevention and protection of people from harm, focusing primarily on responding to individual instances of maltreatment. Managerial, compliance-based systems may be deflecting attention from recognizing and responding more effectively to abuse and neglect at individual, systemic and structural levels. The current dominant approach fails to develop a culture of prevention and protection for people with intellectual disability. Further, somesystemic and structural preconditions are setwhich make abuse and neglect less likely to be prevented.

Will policy makers hear my disability experience? how participatory research contributes to managing interest conflict in policy implementation

Karen R. Fisher et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:29 PDT

Participatory evaluation gives primacy to the experience of people affected by the policy. How realistic is it for researchers to persuade government of its benefits, given the gap between participatory policy theory and government evaluation practice? We apply this question to the Resident Support Program evaluation. The program coordinates support for people living in boarding houses and hostels in Queensland, Australia. We found that a participatory, longitudinal, formative evaluation process facilitated service user contribution to research outcomes, service experiences and policy implementation. In addition, the values position of participatory research can contribute to managing interest conflict in policy implementation.

In the hot seat: corporate governance by people with cognitive disability

Sally Robinson — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:27 PDT

Towards a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights of persons with disability

Sally Robinson — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:26 PDT

Participatory and inclusive approaches to disability program evaluation

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:25 PDT

Beyond sticks and stones: emotional and psychological abuse of people with intellectual disability

Sally Robinson — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:23 PDT

1000 Voices: non traditional narrative methodologies and people with intellectual disability

Sally Robinson — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:22 PDT

Giving up your personal information to researchers

Sally Robinson et al. — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:21:20 PDT