Participation of Disabled Children and Young People in Decision Making in Social Services Departments - Research Paper Example

Order 151312 Analysis of the published research report- "participation of disabled children and young people in decision making within social services departments: a survey This is an analysis of the survey done by Anita Franklin and Patricia Sloper regarding the participation of disabled children and young people in decision making within social services departments. This research report shows result of the survey undertaken by the author to show the work done and progress in the participation. This paper will analyze the methods used by the authors in this research report. It will show the validity of the claim conclusion and the generalizability. The paper will also evaluate the assumptions and biases of this research report. It will discuss the ethical issue and the application of the social work practice. The analysis will be based on the guidelines discuss in the book to Tim May third edition social research; issues, methods and process. METHODS The Methods of Data Collection is the actual tactics used to gain data. (Robson, 2002) . In the research report of Franklin and Sloper in the participation of disabled children and young people they make use of a qualitative method and a quantitative method. A qualitative method focused on the how and why questions and the quantitative method focused on the numerical data of how many or higher or lower. As stated in the report, the survey was done in two stages, first a screening letter was distributed to Assistant Directors of the social service department in order to find out if the participation of the disabled children and young people are being carried out in their department and then the questionnaire was given for further analysis. Questionnaire in a survey research usually includes qualitative relevance as stated in the book of Colin Robson (2002). However the research report of Franklin and Sloper reveals some numerical data that for them makes a difference in their report. In the first stage the response rate of the survey is 86 percent, identifying 102 social services department who involved disabled children and young people in decision making regarding their own welfare and development. Twenty seven indicated that they have not undertaken any work of this nature. In the second stage which includes the questionnaire got a response rate of 70 percent, making only 71 people has completed the said questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to examine in detail the process as well as the outcomes of involvement of disabled children in decision making areas: decision in their own care and social development. The questionnaires were categorized into seven themes: the nature of participation activity, methods of involvement, support for children, young people and staff and outcomes and lessons learn. These questions are qualitative and is therefore will respond on the how and why questions. The qualitative and the quantitative method in this matter compliment each other. The questions being asked in the survey would show the qualitative and the quantitative analysis of the process. In this research report the use of the two methods is appropriate since it helps the researcher to come up in a conclusion that is valid and generalize. CONCLUSIONS Important aspects of all research are its conclusion validity and reliability. The validity of a research study is essentially its truth and effectiveness. Its reliability refers to its accuracy. Both concepts apply particularly to the measurement side of research, but they are also applicable to its overall plan and structure.(Borg, Meredith, 1989). The findings of the research report of Franklin and Sloper can be generalized. The results of the survey would be the proof of the validity of the conclusion. The populations involved in this survey are the staff, children and parents who are engaged in the said process. The results presented in this report suggest that children and young people are being involved in decision making in both their own care and service development. The quantitative data gathered in the survey would suggest that the said process would be effective and helpful in the department. There are several types of validity which need to be considered. Internal Validity- A research study is said to have internal validity if (1) it identifies cause and effect relationships accurately, and (2) it excludes any alternative explanations of these relationships. External Validity- A research study is considered to have external validity if its results can be generalised beyond that specific study. This can be tested by replicating or repeating the same study in different circumstances. Content Validity- This refers to the extent to which an instrument for collecting data actually measures the specific content area which it is intended to measure. It covers item validity - the extent to which items in the instrument measure the content area - and sampling validity - the extent to which the content area is effectively sampled. Construct Validity- This refers to the extent to which an instrument for collecting data actually measures the specific construct or concept it is meant to measure. Construct validity contains two types: discriminate validity, which means that using similar instruments to measure different constructs should result in low statistical correlations, and convergent validity, which means that using the same construct should result in high statistical correlations. Reliability, on the other hand, refers to the degree to which an instrument for collecting data does so accurately and with a minimum of error. There are several ways of assessing the reliability of research: repeating the data collection at different times with the same instrument and the same subjects; correlating scores in one half of a test with those on the other half; correlating scores for an individual item with the total score, and averaging the sum of the coefficients; calculating the standard error of measurement. The result in this research report is considered to have an external validity since the results of the survey can be generalised. The result of the research is having 27 authorities reported that they were not undertaking any participation in the activity at all, and only 60 percent of the 71 social services departments that responded involved disabled children and young people within within both decision making area. Only one third of service development initiatives, only up to 10 young people were involved. The above result are generalised, the survey coming from a selected people who are involved in the process. However the generalizability of the results depends on several factors. The result maybe distorted, there are some who answer the questionnaire that may not have the actual knowledge of what they are into. This result in inaccurate result and the validity of it may not be that valid. In this research report the authors are confident that the result they got are accurate and can be use as a basis for the analysis of the effectivity of the participation of the disabled children and young people in decision making. ASSUMPTIONS The research report is done in the population of the social service departments. A research work is fruitless without the assumptions. The survey was undertaken to analyze the work being done and the development of the process. The survey was participated by the staff, the parents and the children involved. All were given a screening letter to increase the likelihood that the detailed survey would reach the person with most knowledge of participant activity. This received a response rate of 86 percent, identifying 102 social services department who have involved disabled children in decision making. Twenty seven indicated that they had not undertaken any work of its nature during the previous years. Although 71 social services departments completed the questionnaires, in a number of cases separate questionnaires were received from different social work teams within a single authority. One of the basic assumption here is that the people involve in the study are cooperating. . Another assumption is that some are who are answering the questionnaire and the others are leaving it blank. Assumptions like these may seem so obvious and self-evident that it is superfluous and unnecessary to state them in a specific way. The reason for this is because the respondents are not really sure of what they answering. To avoid the distortion of the result it is necessary to know the reasons of why are some respondent does not want to answer the questionnaire. Another assumptions is that since the research report involved the disabled children, their parents and staff, the answers of the disabled children is very much different from the adults answer. We should be aware that children love to play. Although they have given the rights to answer the questionnaire we should still treat them as what they are. Children are moody and is therefore also affect the result. Some will have a positive result and the other might have a negative responses. BIASES When undertaking any research study, researchers must choose their sample carefully to minimise bias. This paper highlights why practitioners need to pay attention to issues of sampling when appraising research, and discusses sampling characteristics we should look for in quantitative and qualitative studies.(Thompson, 1999).Research studies usually focus on a defined group of people, such as the disabled children and the young people. The group of people in a study is referred to as the sample. Sampling means simply studying a proportion of the population rather than the whole. The results of a study that has assembled its sample appropriately can be more confidently applied to the population from which the sample came. In this research report the sampling was taken in the social services department who are very much involved in the participation of the disabled children and young people. In the survey done by Franklin and Sloper, responses said that disabled children and young people should be asked only about their views instead of asking them of more abstract issues such as developing new forms of services. Since they are children they where being asked on their views about the dcor, the , the toys, the plays and others that concern their childish world. Showing bias on the capacity of the children to decide on their welfare and in developing the services. A disabled child who belongs in a low class society is not given a chance to involve itself in decision making. The participation of the young people peaks around the age of 14-16 years. Although 90 percent of respondent involved young people from the age of 11 in decision making. Children from different ages have its own capability in decision making. The children involved in the study are those with minimal disability, taking away the right of every child to decide. The social service department are not allowing those severe disability to decide, specially in strategic planning. In the research of Franklin and Sloper the responses of the persons involve suggest that the involvement of disabled children is evident within both areas of decision making. The survey data illustrated that within decisions about their own care, 71 per cent of respondents were involving children with degenerative conditions, 97 per cent with communication impairments, 88 per cent with autistic spectrum disorders and 77 per cent with complex health needs. Within service development, the corresponding figures were that 53 per cent of initiatives were involving children with degenerative conditions, 90 per cent with communication impairments, 71 per cent with autistic spectrum disorders and 70 per cent with complex health needs.(Franklin and Sloper)The staff are also given not enough time to improved their communications with the children. The said process is time consuming and it needs attention and time to do it. ETHICAL ISSUES Ethical issues include several aspects in a research work that may affect directly or not the report. The Ethical issues that surrounds this research reports includes the money, the culture , the population in which the survey has undertaken, the socioeconomic, the language use, legal issues and the political issues. The money is the funding of this research, who provides it and is the funding enough to be able to finish the said research. The culture and the population of the people involve in this study are the social service department. The letters and the questionnaire are handed to them. The question is that should we include the parents and the child themselves in the analysis Parents will be the one who will allow their child to involve in this process. The socio economics includes the offensives part of the research. In the participation of the children and young people in the decision making makes it offensive to some. Children likes to play and play even if they are disabled or not, to some it would impossible for a child to be involved in decision making. But in this research the authors shows several numbers that the participation can be effective. The legality of the study should be carefully considered to avoid problems in the future. The stakeholders or the people that will be affected in this study are the staff, the children and the parents. The staffs need to undergo several training to be able to help the child understand the situation. Psychological aspect should be considered by the staff in handling this. In Cavet and Sloper (2004) review of literature on participation of disabled children and young people in decision making highlighted the need of rigorous training and education as well as skills development in order to promote participation. In the research report of Franklin and Sloper shows, that some respondent feels that the training of the staff is limited and identified this as an ethical issue. The interest of this study as what I understand is to be able to be fair with disabled children and young people in decision making. The government and other organization have made several rules in treating and involving the children in decision making. As stated above one of the ethical issues involved in this research is the funding. The research of the participation of children and young people was funded by several organizations and the Quality Protects is in partnership with government agencies to help developed the involvement of the children. This may be a positive result of the studies and survey's done in the effectivity of the participation. Proper survey method adaptation would have an accurate result and may result in increase funds. . The area of service development 64 percent was dedicated in funding of initiatives. Funds coming from a wide range of sources including QP, The Children Fund, Health Action Zones, Single Regeneration Budgets and New Opportunities Funds. Eighty percent are involved in partnership instead of funding the initiatives. This partnership and funding has helped the Quality Protects in developing the process of participation. The positive result of the survey done would increase the number of partners as well as organizations who will fund the development. This depends on the study done and several researches done to be presented on the possible partner of the QP. As assessed by Franklin and Sloper it is hard to maintain a longer initiative base only on the survey data. It is important to have a good guidance and a continuous dialogue to those involves having a longer initiative and making the necessary development. There is also a need in supporting the children and young people in taking part in the participation. Because of their young age they may not understand the process and become hesitant to involve their selves in the process because they might think that this is an adult work. The survey data show that this is an area requiring further development. Eighty-three per cent of respondents provided support for disabled children and young people to enable them to participate in decisions about their own care, although comments suggest that this support can be minimal and variable. Seventy-six per cent of service development initiatives provided support. Across both decision-making areas, the most likely forms of support were assistance with communication, transport and access to venues. SOCIAL WORK PRACTICES One of the ethical issues involved in the research done by Franklin and Sloper is the funding of the research. It was considered that at a time of significant reported pressures on the budgets for social care there is a need to identify which features of social care delivery are effective and cost effective. Adopting method that is effective and cost effective will improved the funding of this research. The funding was distributed only on the Quality Protects, The Children Fund, Health Action zones, Single Regeneration Budget, and New Opportunities Funds. Only few respondents mentioned funding the education, health and social services and one respond in funding the children and adult social services department. More generally there is an impression that social care has suffered from not having a cumulative body of evidence to support policy and practice. It is also apparent that there is a more general move within social care to directly involve practitioners and policy makers in the development and implementation of the findings of research.. One of the ethical issues discuss above is the non awareness of the person involved in the said study. Children were not given the proper knowledge as to what they are doing and the staff were not given ample time to communicate well with the children. To be able to put this ethical issue into practice, it is proper to improve the access to information through the provision of databases and appropriate dissemination. Up to date procedures in improvement should be consider. Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services; and participating in legislative processes. The practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; of social and economic, and cultural institutions; and of the interaction of all these factors. In the research work, staff and the parents of the children involved are given proper counseling and psychotherapy treatment. Support for the children where given to let them understand the situation they are into. The survey data shows that this is the part that needs development. The support includes the assistant with communication, transport and access to venue. Advocacy are quite highly available, however, there were still low level of training and information to children. There is also a need to support the staff. They must be aware of the attitudes sway of the children, communications must be open in every possible way. Some felt that the training for staff is limited and needs to be improved. References; 1. http://www.ecu.edu.au/fste/RIS/5150/guide/default.html Developing a Research Plan-Guide 2. http://ebn.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/2/3/68 If you could just provide me with a sample: examining sampling in qualitative and quantitative research papers Carl Thompson, RN, PhD 3. http://www.uml.edu/dept/RESD/06fall57506.pdf 4. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/translat/k12/ehsic/chapter.pdf 5. http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/4-02/4-02review-forte-e.htm Is it Real Problems and Prospects of Research in "the Real World" Maximilian C. ForteReview Essay:Colin Robson (2002). Real World Research. A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers (Second Edition) 6. Cavet, J. and Sloper, P. (2004) 'Participation of disabled children in individual decisions about their lives and in public decisions about service development', Children and Society, 18(4), pp. 278-290 7. Department of Health (1991) The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations: Volume 6 Children with Disabilities, London, Department of Health. 8. Department of Health (1999) Patient and Public Involvement in the New NHS, London, Department of Health. 9. Department of Health (2001a) The Quality Protects Programme: Transforming Children's Services, 202-3, LAC (2001), 28, London, Department of Health. 10. Participation of Disabled Children and Young People http://www.sw-special.co.uk/parents/students/docs/CDCParticipationDisabledChildrenYPResourceList.doc 11. A. Franklin and P. Sloper ' Participation of Disabled Children and Young People in Decision Making Within Social Services Development : A Survey of Current and Recent Activities in England http://bjsw.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/bch306ijkey=z3lmxM3ysdD0NWR&keytype=ref 12. Tim May 2001, Social Research ,"Issues, Research and Methods, 3rd Edition , Open University Press, 2003 13. Applications of Transferability and Generalizability: Survey http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/gentrans/printformat.cfmprintformat=yes 14. Involving children and young people - an introduction (2004) The National Youth Agency; www.nya.org.uk. 15. Participation of Disabled Children and Young People in Decision-Making within Social Services Departments in England (2004) FindingsBy Anita Franklin and Patricia Sloper, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York www.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/ Read More