- Migration Studies, Children and Families, Sociology of Migration, Research Ethics, Children's Voices, Childrens Geographies, and 12 moreEducation and Migration, Gypsies & Travellers, Migrant Children's Education, Integrated Services(Children, Young People And Families), Minority Studies, Social Policy, Inclusive Education, Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Ethnicity, Immigration, and Marginalized Identitiesedit
- I am Professor of Youth, Migration and Social Justice in the School of Social Work & Social Policy, University of Str... moreI am Professor of Youth, Migration and Social Justice in the School of Social Work & Social Policy, University of Strathclyde. My research interests are in the areas of social justice and inequalities, with a focus on children's and young people's education, participation in society and equal opportunities.
I have expertise in research, policy and practice, public engagement in relation to migrant families, social inequalities, children’s experiences of education and other services.
Until recently, I was principal investigator on an ESRC-funded grant entitled: Here to stay? Identity, citizenship and belonging among settled Eastern European migrant children in the UK (A decade after EU Enlargement)edit
Migrants' opportunities for civic and political participation are often restricted by their legal rights. This paper reports on a study which included a survey with 1120 young people aged 12-18 originally from Central and Eastern... more
Migrants' opportunities for civic and political participation are often restricted by their legal rights. This paper reports on a study which included a survey with 1120 young people aged 12-18 originally from Central and Eastern Europe, living in the UK, and follow-up focus groups with 122 participants. We examine young people's views on political and nonpolitical participation and their engagement in everyday performative citizenship. We found connections between civic participation and political participation, and both are conditioned by one's sense of belonging to place and recognition of individual agency. Young people were interested and wanted to be involved in politics, yet they did not feel they could shape political decisions, unlike other forms of participation, such as volunteering and social activism. The study progresses existing knowledge on young people's exclusions from everyday performative citizenship, in the context of current public debates on youth engagement and young migrants' integration.
Research Interests: Sociology, Gender Studies, Philosophy of Agency, Voting Behavior, Politics, and 11 moreSocial Activism, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Civic Engagement, Young People, Multidisciplinary, Youth Political Participation, Social Inequalities, Citizenship, Citizenship studies, Citizenship identities, and Young Migrants
Migrants' opportunities for civic and political participation are often restricted by their legal rights. This paper reports on a study which included a survey with 1120 young people aged 12-18 originally from Central and Eastern Europe,... more
Migrants' opportunities for civic and political participation are often restricted by their legal rights. This paper reports on a study which included a survey with 1120 young people aged 12-18 originally from Central and Eastern Europe, living in the UK, and follow-up focus groups with 122 participants. We examine young people's views on political and nonpolitical participation and their engagement in everyday performative citizenship. We found connections between civic participation and political participation, and both are conditioned by one's sense of belonging to place and recognition of individual agency. Young people were interested and wanted to be involved in politics, yet they did not feel they could shape political decisions, unlike other forms of participation, such as volunteering and social activism. The study progresses existing knowledge on young people's exclusions from everyday performative citizenship, in the context of current public debates on youth engagement and young migrants' integration.
Research Interests:
The state-induced anti-immigration environment and the normalisation of xenophobia in political and media discourses have led to the increased othering of European migrants in the UK through new forms of social stratification, especially... more
The state-induced anti-immigration environment and the normalisation of xenophobia in political and media discourses have led to the increased othering of European migrants in the UK through new forms of social stratification, especially since the Brexit Referendum of 2016. For young people who migrated to the UK as children from Central and Eastern Europe, Brexit has represented a major rupture in the process of their identity formation, adding new insecurities in the context of increasingly uncertain rights. Based on a survey with 1,120 young people aged 12–18 who identified as Central or Eastern European migrants, followed by focus groups and case studies, we report on young migrants’ everyday experiences of xenophobia and racialisation. We explore the coping and resistance strategies young people used to integrate themselves in these racialized hierarchies. Drawing on insights from emergent theories of racialisation and whiteness, we add new evidence on the direct consequences of these experiences of marginalisation on young people’s sense of belonging and their own attitudes towards other ethnic groups.
Research Interests:
Since the 2016 European Union referendum, young European migrants living in Britain have faced growing exposure to social exclusion and insecurities over their future. The Brexit process has not only changed their rights but has also... more
Since the 2016 European Union referendum, young European migrants living in Britain have faced growing exposure to social exclusion and insecurities over their future. The Brexit process has not only changed their rights but has also increased their experiences of xenophobia and discrimination. In this context, we consider it timely to focus on young EU nationals’ processes of identification and (re)constructions of their identities while they negotiate the multiple challenges posed by geopolitical transformations. The social constructionist research with young migrants shows that they increasingly experience their identities as fluid, with relationships that move between proximity and distance. Our findings from focus groups with 108 young people aged 12–18 years born in Central and Eastern European countries and case studies of 20 families support this perspective. The analysis documents young people's agency and efforts to negotiate identity as a process of becoming in the context of change and uncertainty. To understand how young people from a migrant background navigate individual and collective identities, the article offers an explanatory framework that highlights their need for familiarity, continuity, and control over their lives, necessary to maintain a sense of home and belonging
Research Interests:
This article draws on a school-based case study carried out in Scotland with 11–12-year-olds reflecting on their views and experiences of school before transitioning from primary to secondary school. Drawing on Honneth’s recognition... more
This article draws on a school-based case study carried out in Scotland with 11–12-year-olds reflecting on their views and experiences of school before transitioning from primary to secondary school. Drawing on Honneth’s recognition theory, and the dimensions of love, rights and solidarity, the findings show that school was seen by children as a place of dialogue, reciprocity and recognition; the learning and knowledge activities cannot be separated from the relational and emotional aspects. When misrecognition happens, subjects’ identity and sense of self-respect can be deeply violated.
Research Interests: Sociology, Education, Narrative, Reciprocity (Social and Cultural Anthropology), Music and identity, and 13 moreRecognition Theory, Solidarity, Belonging, Social connectedness, Childhood, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Becoming, School Community, Children`s Rights, L, Inclusive Society, School Transitions, and Meaning of School
Research has given increasing recognition to the important role that children play in family decisions to migrate and the significant impact of migration on family relationships. At the same time, the role of emotional labour involved in... more
Research has given increasing recognition to the important role that children play in family decisions to migrate and the significant impact of migration on family relationships. At the same time, the role of emotional labour involved in feeling ‘at home’ and the sense of ontological security and everyday be-longing that families develop post-migration can benefit from further exploration. Drawing on data collected with Eastern European migrant families in Scotland, this article explores intergenerational understandings of (in)securities by comparing parents’ and children’s views on their lives post-migra-tion. It shows that, while adults constructed family security around notions of stable employment and potential for a better future, children reflected more on the emotional and ontological insecurities which families experienced. Family relationships are often destabilised by migration, which can lead to long-term or permanent insecurities such as family disintegration and the los...
Research Interests:
This paper explores the ways in which young people aged 12 to 18 who were born in Central and Eastern European EU countries but now live in the United Kingdom construct their future imaginaries in the context of Brexit. It reports on... more
This paper explores the ways in which young people aged 12 to 18 who were born in Central and Eastern European EU countries but now live in the United Kingdom construct their future imaginaries in the context of Brexit. It reports on findings from a large-scale survey, focus groups and family case studies to bring an original perspective on young migrants’ plans for the future, including mobility and citizenship plans, and concerns over how Britain’s decision to leave the European Union might impact them. While most of the young people planned to stay in Britain for the immediate future, it was clear that Brexit had triggered changes to their long-term plans. These concerns were linked to uncertainties over access to education and the labour market for EU nationals post-Brexit, the precarity of their legal status and their overall concerns over an increase in racism and xenophobia. While our young research participants expressed a strong sense of European identity, their imaginaries...
Research Interests:
This paper addresses the issue of language and belonging in the transnational context of migration. It draws on two research projects with first-generation children of Polish labour migrants in Scotland. The paper examines the role that... more
This paper addresses the issue of language and belonging in the transnational context of migration. It draws on two research projects with first-generation children of Polish labour migrants in Scotland. The paper examines the role that language plays in fostering multiple ways of being and belonging, and in understanding how children make sense of their identity. It suggests that language should take a more central place in debates about cultural connectivity and transnational migration. Findings point to the need for a more holistic approach to supporting migrant children, including the explicit recognition of family cultural and language capital in the host society.
Research Interests:
This article examines the impact of Brexit on young people aged 12–18 who had moved to Scotland from Central and Eastern Europe. It draws on empirical data collected with over 250 young people who contributed to an online survey and focus... more
This article examines the impact of Brexit on young people aged 12–18 who had moved to Scotland from Central and Eastern Europe. It draws on empirical data collected with over 250 young people who contributed to an online survey and focus groups between 2016–2018, immediately after the Brexit Referendum took place. The paper examines young people's feelings of national identity and how their sense of belonging has been impacted by Brexit. The key findings reveal that factors such as their everyday experiences of racism and xenophobia and perceptions of what other people, often their friends, might think about who gets to belong were identified as significant to the identities young migrants felt able to claim. While many young people expressed a strong sense of belonging in the UK as a whole and over half said they were feeling Scottish, access to a Scottish national identity seems to be restricted and often denied to them. At the same time, many felt able to occupy the national...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Despite a recent upsurge in migration research, the impact of family migration on children’s relationships has received relatively little attention. The existing literature is only beginning to give a voice to migrant children. This... more
Despite a recent upsurge in migration research, the impact of family migration on children’s relationships has received relatively little attention. The existing literature is only beginning to give a voice to migrant children. This article aims to address this gap, as it draws on findings from a qualitative study conducted with 57 Eastern European children, newly arrived in Scotland. By exploring how children perceive old and new friendships after migration, as well as the changes that migration brings in family dynamics and roles, the article offers an understanding of children’s everyday practices that condition their social interactions after migration. It also reveals the centrality of children’s agency and the complex nature of the mechanisms which underpin children’s relationships after migration and emphasizes the multi-sited nature of migrant children’s lives.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Sociology, Human Geography, Focus Groups, Health Care, Qualitative Research, and 13 moreMedicine, Poland, Humans, Scotland, Health Services, Patient Satisfaction, HT, Public health systems and services research, Health and Place, Hm, Health Services Accessibility, Delivery of Health Care, and Interviews as topic
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This paper explores the ways in which young people aged 12 to 18 who were born in Central and Eastern European EU countries but now live in the United Kingdom construct their future imaginaries in the context of Brexit. It reports on... more
This paper explores the ways in which young people aged 12 to 18 who were born in Central and Eastern European EU countries but now live in the United Kingdom construct their future imaginaries in the context of Brexit. It reports on findings from a large-scale survey, focus groups and family case studies to bring an original perspective on young migrants' plans for the future, including mobility and citizenship plans, and concerns over how Britain's decision to leave the European Union might impact them. While most of the young people planned to stay in Britain for the immediate future, it was clear that Brexit had triggered changes to their long-term plans. These concerns were linked to uncertainties over access to education and the labour market for EU nationals post-Brexit, the precarity of their legal status and their overall concerns over an increase in racism and xenophobia. While our young research participants expressed a strong sense of European identity, their imaginaries rarely featured 'going back' to their country of birth and instead included narratives of moving on to more attractive, often unfamiliar, destinations. The reasons and dynamics behind these plans are discussed by drawing on theories of transnational belonging.
Research Interests:
This article examines the impact of Brexit on young people aged 12-18 who had moved to Scotland from Central and Eastern Europe. It draws on empirical data collected with over 250 young people who contributed to an online survey and focus... more
This article examines the impact of Brexit on young people aged 12-18 who had moved to Scotland from Central and Eastern Europe. It draws on empirical data collected with over 250 young people who contributed to an online survey and focus groups between 2016-2018, immediately after the Brexit Referendum took place. The paper examines young people's feelings of national identity and how their sense of belonging has been impacted by Brexit. The key findings reveal that factors such as their everyday experiences of racism and xenophobia and perceptions of what other people, often their friends, might think about who gets to belong were identified as significant to the identities young migrants felt able to claim. While many young people expressed a strong sense of belonging in the UK as a whole and over half said they were feeling Scottish, access to a Scottish national identity seems to be restricted and often denied to them. At the same time, many felt able to occupy the national identity of their country of birth or claim hyphenated identities that included Scottishness and a European identity. In the context of Brexit, this poses a challenge for making New Scots feel like they belong in Scotland, as many may now decide to review their plans to remain in Scotland long-term if their rights change.
Research Interests:
In this paper, we examine the experiences of young people born in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) who are part of the 1.5 migrant generation living in "Brexit Britain." We focus on two key themes: (a) young people's feelings of belonging... more
In this paper, we examine the experiences of young people born in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) who are part of the 1.5 migrant generation living in "Brexit Britain." We focus on two key themes: (a) young people's feelings of belonging to Britain, their countries of birth and Europe, and the ways in which these have been impacted by the EU Referendum result; (b) young people's future plans, in an inter-generational context, with particular regard to their feelings of belonging and the ruptures of migration and Brexit. Britain's decision to leave the EU caused uncertainty for CEE 1.5 generation young people at a time when many of them were consciously reflecting on their beings, becomings, and belongings. The majority of young people asserted a sense of belonging to Britain whilst simultaneously feeling a sense of "in-between-ness." Many young people wanted to remain living in Britain, at least in the short term, and felt a sense of belonging to Britain. Our focus on the potential intergenerational impact of Brexit suggests that CEE young people and parents may view possibilities for the future differently; we examine some of the key reasons for these differences from the young people's perspectives. KEYWORDS 1.5 generation, Brexit, Central and Eastern Europe, migration, young people 1 | INTRODUCTION "Brexit means Brexit," the Prime Minister, Theresa May, famously declared in the aftermath of the EU Referendum in June 2016. At the time of writing, in June 2018, Britain has triggered Article 50, and negotiations on Britain's exit from the EU are ongoing. However, the public is still unclear over the details of what kind of relationship Britain will have with the EU once it leaves in March 2019, if the agreed period of negotiations is not extended by agreement with the EU member states. What has become clear, in the time since the 2016 Referendum, is that Brexit is very likely to have significant implications not just for Britain's place in Europe, but also for its demographic makeup and promoted national identity. A significant aspect in the build-up to the Brexit Referendum was the debate on immigration. Questioning the exclusively economic explanation for the majority pro-Brexit vote, Virdee and McGeever (2017) examine the discursive dimensions of the Leave campaign and show how this was built on a narrative which aimed to reinstate the sovereign will of the British people, exemplified through slogans such as "Let's take back control ." Indeed, the Leave campaign led by both the UKIP party and sections of the Conservative party focused on a politics of reasserting Britishness as an identity which must be preserved and reasserted in the face of the threat of increasing immigration. Virdee and McGeever (2017) call this a politics of nationalist resentment, which comes in a long history of racialised identities constructed in relation to migrants and feelings of national belonging, and debates on who has a right to belong. StockerThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Research Interests:
Research has given increasing recognition to the important role that children play in family decisions to migrate and the significant impact of migration on family relationships. At the same time, the role of emotional labour involved in... more
Research has given increasing recognition to the important role that children play in family decisions to migrate and the significant impact of migration on family relationships. At the same time, the role of emotional labour involved in feeling 'at home' and the sense of ontological security and everyday belonging that families develop post-migration can benefit from further exploration. Drawing on data collected with Eastern European migrant families in Scotland, this article explores intergenerational understandings of (in)securities by comparing parents' and children's views on their lives post-migration. It shows that, while adults constructed family security around notions of stable employment and potential for a better future, children reflected more on the emotional and ontological insecurities which families experienced. Family relationships are often destabilised by migration, which can lead to long-term or permanent insecurities such as family disintegration and the loss of a sense of recognition and belonging. The article reflects on the ways in which insecurities of the past are transformed, but are unlikely to be resolved, by migration to a new country. It does this by grounding the analysis in young people's own understandings of security and by examining how their narratives challenge idealised adult expectations of family security and stability post-migration. It also shows that young people's involvement in migration research brings an important perspective to the family dynamics post-migration , challenging adult-centred constructs.
Research Interests:
In this qualitative study, we examine the impact of family migration on intergenerational learning, especially in relation to the transmission of cultural values and practices. Drawing on data collected through in-depth case studies with... more
In this qualitative study, we examine the impact of family migration on intergenerational learning, especially in relation to the transmission of cultural values and practices. Drawing on data collected through in-depth case studies with migrant Polish children and their parents, we explore the influence of intergenerationality on children's cultural practices, values and sense of identity and the significant forms of learning that take place within transnational families. Prompted by the diverse influences on their cultural learning after migration – from statutory services, community organisations, media, peers and family across two countries – children's beliefs about the cultural values they should adopt are constantly under pressure and transformation. Using a sociocultural approach, we examine migrant children's and their parents' positions, and describe these as convergent or divergent in terms of cultural values and practices. We highlight the key role of children's agency in the processes of intergenerational learning and relations and argue that transnational intergenerationalities need to be understood as reconfigured by the new spatiality of family migration and require a more complex relational analysis, in order to inform inclusive practices in schools and community-based initiatives.
En este estudio cualitativo, se analiza el impacto de la migración en el aprendizaje intergeneracional en familias, especialmente en relación con la transmisión de los valores y las prácticas culturales. Basándose en los datos recogidos de estudios detallados con niños Polacos inmigrantes y sus padres, se explora la influencia de la intergeneracionalidad en las prácticas culturales, valores y el sentido de identidad de los niños y las formas de aprendizaje más importantes que tienen lugar dentro de las familias transnacionales. Impulsados por las diversas influencias en su aprendizaje cultural después de su migración- de servicios públicos, organizaciones comunitarias, medios de comunicación, los compañeros y sus familias transnacionales- las creencias de los niños acerca de los valores culturales que deben adoptar están constantemente bajo presión y transformación. Utilizando una teoría sociocultural, examinamos las posiciones de los niños inmigrantes y de sus padres, y describimos estos como convergente o divergente en relación con los valores y prácticas culturales. Destacamos el papel clave del control de los niños en los procesos de aprendizaje y las relaciones intergeneracionales. También sostenemos que las relaciones intergeneracionales transnacionales deben entenderse como transformadas por el nuevo espacio de la migración familiar y requieren de un análisis relacional más complejo, con el fin de informar prácticas inclusivas en las escuelas y otros ámbitos sociales.
En este estudio cualitativo, se analiza el impacto de la migración en el aprendizaje intergeneracional en familias, especialmente en relación con la transmisión de los valores y las prácticas culturales. Basándose en los datos recogidos de estudios detallados con niños Polacos inmigrantes y sus padres, se explora la influencia de la intergeneracionalidad en las prácticas culturales, valores y el sentido de identidad de los niños y las formas de aprendizaje más importantes que tienen lugar dentro de las familias transnacionales. Impulsados por las diversas influencias en su aprendizaje cultural después de su migración- de servicios públicos, organizaciones comunitarias, medios de comunicación, los compañeros y sus familias transnacionales- las creencias de los niños acerca de los valores culturales que deben adoptar están constantemente bajo presión y transformación. Utilizando una teoría sociocultural, examinamos las posiciones de los niños inmigrantes y de sus padres, y describimos estos como convergente o divergente en relación con los valores y prácticas culturales. Destacamos el papel clave del control de los niños en los procesos de aprendizaje y las relaciones intergeneracionales. También sostenemos que las relaciones intergeneracionales transnacionales deben entenderse como transformadas por el nuevo espacio de la migración familiar y requieren de un análisis relacional más complejo, con el fin de informar prácticas inclusivas en las escuelas y otros ámbitos sociales.
Research Interests:
For migrant children, moving to a new country is marked by excitement, anxiety and practical challenges in managing this significant transition. This paper draws upon the concepts of social capital and social networks to examine migrant... more
For migrant children, moving to a new country is marked by excitement, anxiety and practical challenges in managing this significant transition. This paper draws upon the concepts of social capital and social networks to examine migrant children’s access to services post-migration. Using data from a qualitative study with Eastern European families in Scotland, we identify a range of cumulative barriers that limit children’s access to services and illustrate how their experiences are shaped by ethnicity, social class and place. The study shows that migrant children are often disadvantaged post-migration and develop their own mechanisms to mitigate the impact of migration on their lives. We argue that migrant children’s own social networks are relevant and they need to be analysed through a more individualised approach.
Research Interests:
Understanding users׳ perceptions and expectations of health care provision is key to informing practice, policy and health-related measures. In this paper, we present findings from a qualitative study conducted with recently migrated... more
Understanding users׳ perceptions and expectations of health care provision is key to informing practice, policy and health-related measures. In this paper, we present findings from a qualitative study conducted with recently migrated Eastern European children and their parents, reporting on their experiences of accessing health services post-migration. Unlike the case of adults, the experiences of newly migrated children have rarely been explored in relation to health services. We pay particular attention to three key areas: (1) migrant families׳ views of health service provision; (2) barriers to health service use; and (3) transnational use of health services. By using a social capital approach, we show how concerns about the Scottish health care practices enacted by migrant parents are adopted by children and are likely to impact on families׳ health beliefs and behaviours. The study highlights the important role of migrants׳ active participation as users of health services. We conclude that appropriate health services need to consider more carefully migrants׳ expectations and complex health care activities, in order to be fully inclusive and patient-centred.
Research Interests:
Despite a recent upsurge in migration research, the impact of family migration on children’s relationships has received relatively little attention. The existing literature is only beginging to give a voice to migrant children. This... more
Despite a recent upsurge in migration research, the impact of family migration on children’s relationships has received relatively little attention. The existing literature is only beginging to give a voice to migrant children. This paper aims to address this gap, as it draws on findings from a qualitative study conducted with 57 Eastern European children, newly arrived in Scotland. By exploring how children perceive old and new friendships after migration, as well as the changes that migration brings in family dynamics and roles, the paper offers an understanding of children’s everyday practices that condition their social interactions after migration. It also reveals the centrality of children’s agency and the complex nature of the mechanisms which underpin children’s relationships after migration and emphasises the multi-sited nature of migrant children’s lives.
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT Background: Existing evidence suggests a relationship between family social contexts, family relationships and interactions, children’s social and cognitive development and educational outcomes. Interventions that support... more
ABSTRACT Background: Existing evidence suggests a relationship between family social contexts, family relationships and interactions, children’s social and cognitive development and educational outcomes. Interventions that support families in relation to parenting and supporting children’s development can have positive effects on both parents’ skills and the educational progress of their children.
Purpose: This article reports on a study conducted in an area with high levels of social and economic deprivation in Scotland, which aimed to investigate the nature and effectiveness of the services in place to support poor families. The project focused on capturing the experiences of parents and what they perceived as effective support from the nursery and school staff in terms of getting them more involved in their children’s learning.
Sample: There was a particular focus on the 4 to 7 years age group, thus covering the crucial transition from pre-school (or non-school) provision to primary school. A sample of three Early Education & Childcare Centres (EECCs) and three schools were selected. The schools and EECCs were all from areas of high social deprivation and had a high proportion of children on free school meals.
Design and methods: The study was qualitative in design and included in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 service managers and practitioners, 6 focus groups with parents and 6 activity groups with children. Data were analysed using both pre-determined and emerging codes.
Results: While all parents recognised the value of education for their children’s social mobility and opportunities and were keen to engage in activities, they remained aware of the limited resources they could draw upon, mainly in terms of their restricted academic competencies, specialist knowledge and qualifications. The desire to help their children overcome their families’ economic circumstances was also hampered by the absence of strong social and kinship networks that they could draw upon.
Conclusions: We draw on concepts of social and cultural capital to examine parents’ positioning in relation to their children’s education. The conclusion highlights parents’ strategic orientation to school/nurseries, often seen as a resource of cultural capital, and calls for a more positive discourse of parental engagement in relation to disadvantaged groups.
Purpose: This article reports on a study conducted in an area with high levels of social and economic deprivation in Scotland, which aimed to investigate the nature and effectiveness of the services in place to support poor families. The project focused on capturing the experiences of parents and what they perceived as effective support from the nursery and school staff in terms of getting them more involved in their children’s learning.
Sample: There was a particular focus on the 4 to 7 years age group, thus covering the crucial transition from pre-school (or non-school) provision to primary school. A sample of three Early Education & Childcare Centres (EECCs) and three schools were selected. The schools and EECCs were all from areas of high social deprivation and had a high proportion of children on free school meals.
Design and methods: The study was qualitative in design and included in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 service managers and practitioners, 6 focus groups with parents and 6 activity groups with children. Data were analysed using both pre-determined and emerging codes.
Results: While all parents recognised the value of education for their children’s social mobility and opportunities and were keen to engage in activities, they remained aware of the limited resources they could draw upon, mainly in terms of their restricted academic competencies, specialist knowledge and qualifications. The desire to help their children overcome their families’ economic circumstances was also hampered by the absence of strong social and kinship networks that they could draw upon.
Conclusions: We draw on concepts of social and cultural capital to examine parents’ positioning in relation to their children’s education. The conclusion highlights parents’ strategic orientation to school/nurseries, often seen as a resource of cultural capital, and calls for a more positive discourse of parental engagement in relation to disadvantaged groups.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This paper discusses the methodological and ethical issues arising from a project that focused on conducting a qualitative study using participatory techniques with children and young people living in disadvantage. The main aim of the... more
This paper discusses the methodological and ethical issues arising from a project that focused on conducting a qualitative study using participatory techniques with children and young people living in disadvantage. The main aim of the study was to explore the impact of poverty on children and young people's access to public and private services. The paper discusses the ethical implications of involving children and young people in the research process, in particular issues relating to access and recruitment, the role of young people's advisory groups, use of visual data and collection of data in young people's homes. It identifies some strategies for addressing the difficulties encountered in relation to each of these aspects and it considers the benefits of adopting participatory methods when conducting research with children and young people.
Research Interests:
Abstract This article explores student teachers' views of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools. There is limited research literature regarding the perceptions that such students develop in relation to the... more
Abstract This article explores student teachers' views of the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in schools. There is limited research literature regarding the perceptions that such students develop in relation to the use of ICT in teaching while observing practice in schools. The paper offers an interpretive analysis of the opinions that a cohort of undergraduate student teachers at a Scottish University expressed in an online forum, following a period of school placement. As part of their initial teacher education (ITE), the students were asked to post messages on the forum in relation to the factors that they perceived as promoting or hindering the use of ICT in schools. Perceptions that students held were found to be complex and varied. Students associated the use of ICT with changes in the nature of classroom relations, as well as a reshaping of learning and teaching. While they welcomed the introduction of ICT as a tool for modernising teaching, students identified a variety of factors that hinder this process. The paper finishes by identifying some of the implications for those working with student teachers in encouraging their development of reflective practice with ICT and enhancing their positive attitudes in relation to the use of ICT in schools.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study focuses on the lives of Roma families living in the Govanhill area of Glasgow, Scotland, who have migrated from Eastern Europe since 2004. The report examines their family and community life and focuses on their engagement with... more
This study focuses on the lives of Roma families living in the Govanhill area of Glasgow, Scotland, who have migrated from Eastern Europe since 2004. The report examines their family and community life and focuses on their engagement with public services, especially in relation to children’s education. Building on work already available on Roma families in Glasgow (Poole and Adamson, 2008; Grill, 2012), this study aimed to identify:
What are Roma families’ needs and experiences in relation to key services (education, health, leisure);
What are the main challenges for services in working with Roma families;
What are Roma children and parents’ expectations of schools and cultural attitudes to formal education;
Which factors influence Roma families' engagement with public services;
How can barriers in Roma children’s achievement be tackled.
The research explored these questions in three main ways. Firstly, we analysed existing data on Roma children’s attendance and achievement; secondly, we spoke to Roma children and their parents; thirdly, we interviewed practitioners and observed practice in organisations and services working with Roma families.
Findings showed that engagement of migrant Roma in their children’s education and with other services is complex and hindered by their poor experiences pre-migration. Although parents had aspirations for their children, they encounter substantial obstacles in taking up opportunities for engagement. In relation to other services, multiple barriers intersect to marginalise Roma families post-migration and keep them in poverty. Findings reinforce the need for different approaches to engagement of Roma families. Any initiatives require a unique, less formal and more personalised delivery and sustained mechanisms for wider inclusion.
What are Roma families’ needs and experiences in relation to key services (education, health, leisure);
What are the main challenges for services in working with Roma families;
What are Roma children and parents’ expectations of schools and cultural attitudes to formal education;
Which factors influence Roma families' engagement with public services;
How can barriers in Roma children’s achievement be tackled.
The research explored these questions in three main ways. Firstly, we analysed existing data on Roma children’s attendance and achievement; secondly, we spoke to Roma children and their parents; thirdly, we interviewed practitioners and observed practice in organisations and services working with Roma families.
Findings showed that engagement of migrant Roma in their children’s education and with other services is complex and hindered by their poor experiences pre-migration. Although parents had aspirations for their children, they encounter substantial obstacles in taking up opportunities for engagement. In relation to other services, multiple barriers intersect to marginalise Roma families post-migration and keep them in poverty. Findings reinforce the need for different approaches to engagement of Roma families. Any initiatives require a unique, less formal and more personalised delivery and sustained mechanisms for wider inclusion.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Joanna McPake is Senior Researcher in the Institute of Education at the University of Stirling. Her research interests include social justice and equality of opportunity in education, the acquisition of language and literacy skills, and... more
Joanna McPake is Senior Researcher in the Institute of Education at the University of Stirling. Her research interests include social justice and equality of opportunity in education, the acquisition of language and literacy skills, and the development of research methods for use with young children. She is co-ordinator of the Participation, Inclusion and Equity Research network. Previous research projects of relevance include two studies of children's experiences in the primary school classroom, for the Scottish Executive Education ...
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in... more
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in 2004 and have lived in the UK for at least 3 years. The project explores how migration and current immigration policies are impacting their lives, how satisfied they are with local services, the quality of their relationships, and what are their feelings of identity and belonging in the UK. The study is important because it presents the first analysis since the Brexit Referendum on how current plans for Britain to leave the European Union are impacting on young Eastern Europeans’ lives. We have gathered the opinions and experiences of over 1,100 young people on a range of issues, including Brexit, their participation in communities and access to services, their experiences of racism and exclusion, their relationships, well-being and plans for future ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Poverty, Political Science, Policy, Children, Inequality, and 3 moreDisadvantage, L, and L Education
Young people talked about several factors that were important to their sense of identity. Some key dimensions of their identities were related to being young migrants, their nationality and transnational relationships with family and... more
Young people talked about several factors that were important to their sense of identity. Some key dimensions of their identities were related to being young migrants, their nationality and transnational relationships with family and friends and also, the languages they spoke and the multiple cultures they were navigating. In the context of Brexit, their feelings of being marginalised or not fully accepted also impacted on their sense of identity and who they are. There was often a disjuncture between what young people identified as their nationality, often related to their country of birth, and where the felt at home - mostly in the UK. Home was linked to a sense of identity and many young people said they felt they had multiple homes. This was generally seen as a positive thing, although some young people described the challenges of living between different cultures. Feelings of belonging often resulted from feeling connected to people and places which were familiar and welcoming....
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Immigration, Political Science, European Union, Racism, Referendum, and 3 moreFeeling, Hm, and Brexit
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s health and well-being. It focusses on the impact of poverty on children’s physical and mental health, their behaviours in... more
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s health and well-being. It focusses on the impact of poverty on children’s physical and mental health, their behaviours in relation to healthy lifestyles, the social determinants that influence children’s health outcomes and, issues in their access to, and use of, health care services. The briefing identifies key recommendations for the promotion of health and wellbeing, to build on the resilience of families affected by poverty.
Research Interests:
This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on EU migrant children’s access to health services in the UK. It focusses on evidence on the physical and mental health status of EU migrant children, their health behaviours... more
This paper provides an overview of the research evidence on EU migrant children’s access to health services in the UK. It focusses on evidence on the physical and mental health status of EU migrant children, their health behaviours post-migration, the social determinants that influence migrant children’s health outcomes and, issues in their access to and use of UK health care services post-migration.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This briefing paper summarises key information from the recent Scottish Universities Insight Institute Seminar series on Children's Rights, Social Justice and Social Identities in Scotland: Intersections in Research, Policy and... more
This briefing paper summarises key information from the recent Scottish Universities Insight Institute Seminar series on Children's Rights, Social Justice and Social Identities in Scotland: Intersections in Research, Policy and Practice (2013-2014). The aim of this briefing is to introduce the concept of intersectionality and to understand its meanings and purposes in relation to childhood identities and inequalities. It summarises some of the debates about intersectionality by participants, discusses the implications for research, policy and practice, and concludes with details about the next steps for the project.
Publisher PD
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in... more
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in 2004 and have lived in the UK for at least 3 years. The project explores how migration and current immigration policies are impacting their lives, how satisfied they are with local services, the quality of their relationships, and what are their feelings of identity and belonging in the UK. The study is important because it presents the first analysis since the Brexit Referendum on how current plans for Britain to leave the European Union are impacting on young Eastern Europeans’ lives. We have gathered the opinions and experiences of over 1,100 young people on a range of issues, including Brexit, their participation in communities and access to services, their experiences of racism and exclusion, their relationships, well-being and plans for future ...
Research Interests:
This briefing paper summarises evidence in the research and policy literature on inequalities surrounding access to services and social participation for children and young people living in poverty in Scotland. The related policy and... more
This briefing paper summarises evidence in the research and policy literature on inequalities surrounding access to services and social participation for children and young people living in poverty in Scotland. The related policy and practice implications for services’ access and societal participation are also outlined. In the poverty and inequalities context, a mix of policy interventions aimed at rebalancing power at all levels are more likely to be effective to changing the status quo. Rather than searching for a single ‘silver bullet’, policy should target the multiple dimensions of poverty and inequality and their intersections as experienced by young people.
Research Interests:
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in... more
Here to Stay? is a research project which explores the lives of young people who arrived in the UK as migrant children from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). It focuses on young people aged 12-18 who migrated after the EU enlargement in 2004 and have lived in the UK for at least 3 years. The project explores how migration and current immigration policies are impacting their lives, how satisfied they are with local services, the quality of their relationships, and what are their feelings of identity and belonging in the UK. The study is important because it presents the first analysis since the Brexit Referendum on how current plans for Britain to leave the European Union are impacting on young Eastern Europeans’ lives. We have gathered the opinions and experiences of over 1,100 young people on a range of issues, including Brexit, their participation in communities and access to services, their experiences of racism and exclusion, their relationships, well-being and plans for future ...
Research Interests:
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s health and well-being. It focusses on the impact of poverty on children’s physical and mental health, their behaviours in... more
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s health and well-being. It focusses on the impact of poverty on children’s physical and mental health, their behaviours in relation to healthy lifestyles, the social determinants that influence children’s health outcomes and, issues in their access to, and use of, health care services. The briefing identifies key recommendations for the promotion of health and wellbeing, to build on the resilience of families affected by poverty.
Research Interests:
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s education and out-of-school learning opportunities. It focusses on evidence on the impact of poverty on children’s... more
This briefing provides an overview of the research evidence on the impact of poverty on children and young people’s education and out-of-school learning opportunities. It focusses on evidence on the impact of poverty on children’s readiness to learn before they enter early years education, their achievement at school, and the factors that influence poor children’s education outcomes and their parents’ ability to engage in their children’s learning. Access to good quality education in and out of school, through other services, is also addressed. The briefing identifies key recommendations for tackling the underachievement of poor children, to increase their chances of success later on in life.
Research Interests:
This briefing overviews the evidence on access to health services for children who have migrated to the UK from the European Union (EU) countries. It focusses on existing evidence on the physical and mental health status of EU migrant... more
This briefing overviews the evidence on access to health services for children who have migrated to the UK from the European Union (EU) countries. It focusses on existing evidence on the physical and mental health status of EU migrant children, their health behaviours post-migration, the social determinants that influence migrant children’s health outcomes and issues in their access to and use of health care services post-migration.
Research Interests:
This briefing paper summarises key information from the recent Scottish Universities Insight Institute Seminar series on Children's Rights, Social Justice and Social Identities in Scotland: Intersections in Research, Policy and Practice... more
This briefing paper summarises key information from the recent Scottish Universities Insight
Institute Seminar series on Children's Rights, Social Justice and Social Identities in Scotland:
Intersections in Research, Policy and Practice (2013-2014). The aim of this briefing is to
introduce the concept of intersectionality and to understand its meanings and purposes in
relation to childhood identities and inequalities. It summarises some of the debates about
intersectionality by participants, discusses the implications for research, policy and practice,
and concludes with details about the next steps for the project.
Institute Seminar series on Children's Rights, Social Justice and Social Identities in Scotland:
Intersections in Research, Policy and Practice (2013-2014). The aim of this briefing is to
introduce the concept of intersectionality and to understand its meanings and purposes in
relation to childhood identities and inequalities. It summarises some of the debates about
intersectionality by participants, discusses the implications for research, policy and practice,
and concludes with details about the next steps for the project.
Research Interests:
This chapter looks at the learners' perceptions of teachers' gestures in the foreign language class
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Currently in Scotland, one in four children live in poverty. Thousands of children suffer from poor health, live in unsuitable accommodation and have limited access to services because their families cannot afford to give them the... more
Currently in Scotland, one in four children live in poverty. Thousands of children suffer from poor health, live in unsuitable accommodation and have limited access to services because their families cannot afford to give them the opportunities that children from more affluent backgrounds have. Poverty has a devastating effect on children’s well-being, education and life chances. Low income in the family is associated with delays in cognitive development, social skills and school readiness in children as young as three. Later on, in school, the achievement gap between poor and non-poor children gets wider. This also means that poor children are more likely to leave school early and with no qualifications, which leads to the transmission of poverty over generations. Ending child poverty and socio-economic disadvantage, as well as addressing the educational underachievement of poor children, need to become priorities for all public services. This chapter examines the current situation of child poverty in Scotland. It first defines poverty and identifies the factors that contribute to child poverty. It then examines the current policy context and the impact of poverty on children’s education and well-being, concluding with some implications for policy and practice.
Research Interests:
This chapter gives an overview of current developments and approaches to tackling poverty and social inequalities in Scotland and examines how the problem of poverty has been reflected in current welfare debates, which were central to the... more
This chapter gives an overview of current developments and approaches to tackling poverty and social inequalities in Scotland and examines how the problem of poverty has been reflected in current welfare debates, which were central to the Independence Referendum which took place in 2014. Scotland is a small country, with a population of just over 5 million people at the last Census in 2011. The last fifteen years have seen a profound transformation in Scotland’s political landscape. Since the devolved Parliament established in 1999, the issue of a ‘fairer Scotland’ which could break away from the Westminster-based Parliament and manage its own resources has remained a constant aspect of political and public debate. Poverty rates in Scotland remain higher than in other European countries, with about 20 percent of its population living in poverty, despite Scotland being among the richest OECD countries. When compared with other small European countries like Denmark, Norway, and Nether...
Research Interests:
In the context of migration, young people’s experiences of healthcare are significant because provision might need to adapt to meet their specific needs, as they may experience distinct barriers in terms of access and the quality of their... more
In the context of migration, young people’s experiences of healthcare are significant because provision might need to adapt to meet their specific needs, as they may experience distinct barriers in terms of access and the quality of their experience. Children and young people are entitled to healthcare rights, and effective policies need to be developed to ensure these rights are met. The chapter highlights the important role of migrants’ active participation as users of health services, with a significant role for children and young people as cultural brokers for adults, and concludes that appropriate health policy and care delivery should take into account the needs and expectations of diverse populations.
Research Interests:
Austerity has had a disproportionate impact on young people across Europe. Youth poverty is now acute, especially since the economic recession began in 2008. Young people are especially disadvantaged, compared to other age groups (Fahmy,... more
Austerity has had a disproportionate impact on young people across Europe. Youth poverty is now acute, especially since the economic recession began in 2008. Young people are especially disadvantaged, compared to other age groups (Fahmy, 2015). In the UK, welfare reforms and cuts to service provision (Ortiz 2011; Hopwood 2012), alongside high levels of youth unemployment and insecure work (Boyd 2014), combine to make young lives precarious, particularly for those growing up in deprived neighbourhoods, which have been the hardest hit (Beatty and Fothergill 2013). There has been limited research on how young people experience poverty and associated stigma in austerity (Blackman and Rogers, 2017), especially in the new context of increasing neoliberal governance which emphasises the role of employment and puts the main responsibility on young people as the makers of their own success. The ideal neoliberal subject is thus the ‘enterprising self’ (Kelly, 2006), who can easily adapt to the needs of an unstable labour market and require little or no support from the state. Like in the past, young people are expected to move into adulthood and secure qualifications, employment and housing, however, with an increasing rollback of services and cuts to welfare, pathways are not linear anymore. The transitions that young people are engaged in as they move to adulthood are marked by new risks and uncertainties, framed over the last two decades by on-going reforms implemented under the pretext of austerity. The social problems are re-positioned beyond a liberal welfare governmentality where the enterprising self is presented as the solution to the risks associated with industrial modernity.
This chapter discusses the particularities of young people’s lived experience of austerity in deprived neighbourhoods in Glasgow, the city with the highest rates of deprivation in Scotland. Drawing on data from focus groups with 38 young people aged 14-23 living in some of these areas, we explore young people’s positioning as an underclass (Standing, 2011), who experience everyday humiliations and degradations through austerity policies targeting them and the areas in which they live. We argue that young people are integrating aspects of an austerity ‘logic’ into their sense of self, taking responsibility for their own actions and role as citizens, and this comes with a heavy emotional load and impact on their well-being. However, they are also aware that disinvestment in their local surroundings and themselves as individuals are clear signs of a neoliberal approach which reduces opportunities and deepens inequalities. In closely attending to the lived experience of young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, we show how their experience of austerity is mediated through their relationship to place, as well as new forms of neoliberal personhood.
This chapter discusses the particularities of young people’s lived experience of austerity in deprived neighbourhoods in Glasgow, the city with the highest rates of deprivation in Scotland. Drawing on data from focus groups with 38 young people aged 14-23 living in some of these areas, we explore young people’s positioning as an underclass (Standing, 2011), who experience everyday humiliations and degradations through austerity policies targeting them and the areas in which they live. We argue that young people are integrating aspects of an austerity ‘logic’ into their sense of self, taking responsibility for their own actions and role as citizens, and this comes with a heavy emotional load and impact on their well-being. However, they are also aware that disinvestment in their local surroundings and themselves as individuals are clear signs of a neoliberal approach which reduces opportunities and deepens inequalities. In closely attending to the lived experience of young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, we show how their experience of austerity is mediated through their relationship to place, as well as new forms of neoliberal personhood.
Research Interests:
Migration is now a feature of an increasingly globalised world and a central issue for political and public debate. This chapter focuses on the education of young people who have migrated to Scotland from other countries. According to the... more
Migration is now a feature of an increasingly globalised world and a central issue for political and public debate. This chapter focuses on the education of young people who have migrated to Scotland from other countries. According to the United Nations, 15 percent of the world’s estimated 232 million migrants are children and young people. Family migration affects children’s education, their relationships and potentially their well-being. Educators need to be aware of how migration, as a major life event, can affect children’s ability to learn, to ensure provision is adequate and all young people achieve their potential. Access to education is a right for all children, stipulated in the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), and migrant children are entitled to education as soon as they arrive. The aim of this chapter is to provide a better understanding of the effects of migration on young people’s everyday experiences, with a focus on how schools can best support them.
Research Interests:
The methodological and ethical aspects of conducting research with children and young people have been a significant area of debate across disciplines over the last few decades, with two broad issues emerging in relation to children’s... more
The methodological and ethical aspects of conducting research with children and young people have been a significant area of debate across disciplines over the last few decades, with two broad issues emerging in relation to children’s involvement in the research process: (i) children should be seen as competent agents, who have the right to participate in research at all stages; (ii) researchers must ensure that children’s participation is fair, inclusive and ethical, and uses appropriate techniques for children to be able to contribute. Drawing on recent studies with first generation migrant children for whom English is a second language and the more general literature on conducting research with children and young people, this chapter examines the ethical and methodological challenges one needs to consider when aiming to include migrant children in research, with a focus on Eastern European groups. The chapter explores questions such as: What are the main practical challenges in getting access to migrant children and securing informed consent? What are the advantages and disadvantages of existing methods and techniques in eliciting migrant children’s views? How important is ethnic and language matching between the researchers, interpreters and families, and how do spaces such as children’s homes or schools affect the research process? The chapter reflects upon the way in which the researchers’ structural position, in terms of age, ethnicity and class, can influence power relationships in the research process and affect issues of access, consent, data collection, analysis and dissemination. It concludes with the observation that child-centred, qualitative research has clear advantages in giving migrant children a voice and in informing current policy, practice and debates on global migration and social justice. However, researchers need to be mindful of migrant children’s position within their families and society overall and think of their participation as often hedged around by constraints and controls.
Research Interests:
This chapter explores the significance of place in migrant children’s lives, with a focus on their experiences in urban areas in the Global North. We discuss the reconfigured spatiality of children’s mobility as a result of their... more
This chapter explores the significance of place in migrant children’s lives, with a focus on their experiences in urban areas in the Global North. We discuss the reconfigured spatiality of children’s mobility as a result of their migration and examine how current discourses around socially inclusive cities and children’s rights are in contrast with migrant children’s everyday experiences of mobility and social participation. The chapter reviews existing child-inclusive research, in order to map out the extent and limits of children’s spatial mobility post-migration and illustrate their perspectives on life in the city as a child migrant. By looking at children's views on their experiences of inner city mobility, the review highlights the barriers children are confronted with, their limited opportunities for social networking and civic participation and increased confinement to the domestic space. It also examines the factors which impact on children's restricted mobility, including parents' perceptions of safety, cultural beliefs and limited social networks in facilitating access, and argues that current debates on the role of migrant children’s place in cities need to move away from monolithic views of the ‘urban child’. The chapter concludes that limited consideration of the different ways in which (adults in) cities restrict migrant children’s mobility and a narrow understanding of how children can access opportunities are currently hindering the development of inclusive social policies which reflect fairly children’s voice.
Research Interests:
This chapter gives an overview of current developments and approaches to tackling poverty and social inequalities in Scotland and examines how the problem of poverty has been reflected in current welfare debates, which were central to the... more
This chapter gives an overview of current developments and approaches to tackling poverty and social inequalities in Scotland and examines how the problem of poverty has been reflected in current welfare debates, which were central to the Independence Referendum which took place in 2014. Scotland is a small country, with a population of just over 5 million people at the last Census in 2011. The last fifteen years have seen a profound transformation in Scotland’s political landscape. Since the devolved Parliament established in 1999, the issue of a ‘fairer Scotland’ which could break away from the Westminster-based Parliament and manage its own resources has remained a constant aspect of political and public debate. Poverty rates in Scotland remain higher than in other European countries, with about 20 percent of its population living in poverty, despite Scotland being among the richest OECD countries. When compared with other small European countries like Denmark, Norway, and Netherlands, where only about 10 percent of people live in poverty, poverty levels in Scotland have often been described as ‘shocking’ and ‘unacceptable’.
Research Interests:
This chapter addresses the issue of children and young people’s participation and ‘voice’ in healthcare provision, in the wider context of their inclusion in social and political life and with a focus on young people who have migrated to... more
This chapter addresses the issue of children and young people’s participation and ‘voice’ in healthcare provision, in the wider context of their inclusion in social and political life and with a focus on young people who have migrated to the UK with their families. While children and young people’s participation in decisions that affect their lives is stipulated as a right through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), public services still vary in their commitment and established mechanisms for including children and young people’s views in improving provision. The chapter draws on research with Eastern European migrant children newly arrived in the UK in relation to experiences of healthcare provision post-migration. The main focus is on their views of health service provision, the barriers they face in relation to health service use and the strategies migrant families adopt to overcome perceived shortcomings in provision, including adopting a transnational use of health services.
Research Interests:
Currently in Scotland, one in four children live in poverty. Thousands of children suffer from poor health, live in unsuitable accommodation and have limited access to services because their families cannot afford to give them the... more
Currently in Scotland, one in four children live in poverty. Thousands of children suffer from poor health, live in unsuitable accommodation and have limited access to services because their families cannot afford to give them the opportunities that children from more affluent backgrounds have. Poverty has a devastating effect on children’s well-being, education and life chances. Low income in the family is associated with delays in cognitive development, social skills and school readiness in children as young as three. Later on, in school, the achievement gap between poor and non-poor children gets wider. This also means that poor children are more likely to leave school early and with no qualifications, which leads to the transmission of poverty over generations.
Ending child poverty and socio-economic disadvantage, as well as addressing the educational underachievement of poor children, need to become priorities for all public services. This chapter examines the current situation of child poverty in Scotland. It first defines poverty and identifies the factors that contribute to child poverty. It then examines the current policy context and the impact of poverty on children’s education and well-being, concluding with some implications for policy and practice.
Ending child poverty and socio-economic disadvantage, as well as addressing the educational underachievement of poor children, need to become priorities for all public services. This chapter examines the current situation of child poverty in Scotland. It first defines poverty and identifies the factors that contribute to child poverty. It then examines the current policy context and the impact of poverty on children’s education and well-being, concluding with some implications for policy and practice.
Research Interests:
Blog item on the refugee crisis- providing evidence to debunk the myths
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Article about the 'Roma families' engagement with education and other services in Glasgow', authored by Henry Hepburn for TESS