Latest news, views, comment and useful links for those in Childhood and Youth Studies, Early Years, Childminding, Youth Work and Youth Justice
Working on child policies in New Zealand
Moving continents
In a globalised world your skills are becoming more transferable than ever, in almost every career or subject, including social work as well as childhood and youth. These skills are transferable not only across organisations, but also across borders, or even continents. Yvonne Hore, a recent OU MA graduate in Childhood and Youth, sheds some light on a career in social work policy and practice, which led her from East Anglia to the North Island of New Zealand.
On a bright, sunny, June afternoon in the centre of Milton Keynes, Yvonne joined a crowd of proud, beaming participants of yet another graduation ceremony held by The Open University. Nevertheless, in some respect she stood out, if only for a simple reason that probably no other graduate travelled longer distance than her to get there. Nearly 12 thousand miles to be precise. She is based in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, and works for the Ministry of Social Development.
When she first moved to the other side of the globe a few years ago she initially worked as a front line social worker with Child Youth and Family in order to familiarise herself with the systems, culture and standards in New Zealand.
Working on a new policy
In August 2012 she joined the New Zealand Child Youth and Family's National Office, a section of the Ministry of Social Development, at a critical stage of preparations of the White Paper for Vulnerable Children. It is a major government initiative aimed at providing significant advancement in child protection and seen as a milestone in ensuring that vulnerable children receive the best care and support they can get. Although the paper itself created a heated political debate, it was generally accepted that the New Zealand model of welfare, the envy of many other countries, had to advance in the area of social care.
What comes handy for this role is both her professional background and her education and qualifications. Initially, she had been working with Cambridgeshire County Council in their social services department. Her employer sponsored her Open University course, leading to her receiving BA in Social Work as a member of the first cohort to graduate in this field. Following her graduation, she was offered a secondment to try a number of other teams, but eventually moved into a dedicated kinship team specialising in assessment work.
However she was already thinking about moving her career in another direction and taking full control of her options. She decided to strengthen her hand and continue the path of university education, opting again for the OU. She says: ‘I wanted the flexibility of distance learning but did not want to be tied into another sponsorship arrangement, so chose to study the MA in Childhood and Youth rather than a practice based social work MA course’.
Transferring her life and career to the furthest country on Earth was a big enough challenge, and adding an ongoing university course was initially a burden. Yvonne says: ‘I had to factor in some additional organisation for the time difference, and I had to restart one module as it had been a particularly busy time just after I had made the move. The flexibility of working on modules meant I could take a break if needed and build the modules around me, rather than be committed to a continuous course. I was also able to arrange to take an exam at one of the local universities in Wellington.’
A day in the life of a government researcher
The effort paid off in the end as the university course and the job for the government converged. In her work she concentrates on reviewing research and literature and writing papers recommending ways forward for social work in New Zealand. Although the subjects of her modules were different to the subjects her department deals with, yet the skills she developed in reading research and literature, and writing assignments for her degree, were similar to the ones she puts into practice now.
Yvonne is keen on creating new links between her work and university research. She has received encouragement and support from her current manager, and she is now actively looking into developing a PhD project out of some of the work she is doing. Yvonne thinks there are limited areas of in the social work which could be developed into a PhD research project in childhood and youth. However she feels that, if she was successful in identifying some research project, this may lead into a doctorate in government studies instead. She is already working on the academic aspect of her current work. She is planning to turn the literature review she has completed into a peer reviewed article for the Social Work Now journal.
Moving continents In a globalised world your skills are becoming more transferable than ever, in almost every career or subject, including social work as well as childhood and youth. These skills are transferable not only across organisations, but also across borders, or even continents. Yvonne Hore, a recent OU MA graduate in Childhood and Youth, sheds some light on a career in social work ...
Language skills soar thanks to mobile phones
'not only did students’ performance improve by 15 per cent, but teachers’ English was better'
Open University expertise is revolutionising English language teaching in Bangladesh, using low-cost mobile phones. The OU is a major partner in the English in Action teacher training programme, which has boosted students’ English language competence scores by 15 percent, according to independent evaluation. Set to reach more than 76,000 school ...
Foundation Degree in Early Years
Hello
I hope this appears in the right place.
I am starting E100 in October and wondered if anyone else want's to buddy up to support each other?
Karen 
Hello I hope this appears in the right place. I am starting E100 in October and wondered if anyone else want's to buddy up to support each other? Karen
New OU Students
Hello everyone!
I have no idea what I'm doing here is correct, if not I'm sorry!
I just thought I would introduce myself. I'm Ayiesha,19 and I've called the OU this morning to enrol onto the Foundation Degree working with young people. I start my first module in October which seems forever away but I'm more than sure it will come by pretty quickly!
I have lots of experience working with and for children and young people some of which I feel absolutely blessed to have had the chance to experience, for example I've been in the House of Commons to talk about the issues that I feel strongly about. I have also volunteered with the Children's Rights Alliance for England committee.
So as you can see I'm very focused in where I want to be in life. Besides my passion for youth I enjoy photography, writing, travelling, reading and singing. I am also a volunteer event first aider with the British Red Cross and I just love it.
But yeah, I'm going to stop rambling on now, don't be afraid to say hello.
Ayiesha x
Hello everyone! I have no idea what I'm doing here is correct, if not I'm sorry! I just thought I would introduce myself. I'm Ayiesha,19 and I've called the OU this morning to enrol onto the Foundation Degree working with young people. I start my first module in October which seems forever away but I'm more than sure it will come by pretty quickly! I have lots of experience working with and ...
Unserstanding children and young people starting June 2013
Hi all I thought I would introduce myself to see if anyone else out there will be starting understanding children and young people module in June 2013 same time as me as it would be good to talk to others.
A bit about me I am Sioned I am 22 years old and I live in Wales I have not been in education for about a year and I am interested in working with children/young people. I am all new to home studying so i'm not sure what to expect.
I hope I will hear from you all soon.
Hi all I thought I would introduce myself to see if anyone else out there will be starting understanding children and young people module in June 2013 same time as me as it would be good to talk to others. A bit about me I am Sioned I am 22 years old and I live in Wales I have not been in education for about a year and I am interested in working with children/young people. I am all new to home ...
OU involved in largest ever poverty study
The Impoverishment of the UK report paints a bleak picture of deteriorating living conditions and opportunities for a significant and growing proportion of the population.
It will be profiled in a special Tonight programme, Breadline Britain, broadcast on ITV tonight Thursday 28 March at 7.30 pm.
The report is part of the Economic and Social Research Council-funded Poverty and Social Exclusion (PSE) study, which uses a way of measuring poverty devised by Joanna Mack, Learning and Teaching producer at the OU, and Stewart Lansley, senior project officer at the OU.
This PSE approach – now adopted by the UK Government and by a growing number of rich and developing countries – identifies people falling below a publicly-determined minimum standard of living.
It was pioneered in 1983 and repeated in studies in 1990, 1999, 2002/03 and 2012. The PSE project thus provides detailed and robust information about trends over 30 years.
Joanna Mack was the principal investigator on the 1983 and 1990 research studies and she is one of the lead investigators for the current research.
The OU also developed The Poverty and Social Exclusion in the UK website, which is an integral part of the overall project and which provides a major resource on poverty and social exclusion, used extensively.
Key findings of the PSE report include:
- 33% of the UK population suffers from multiple deprivation. In 1983 the figure was 14 %
- Almost 18 million people cannot afford adequate housing conditions
- Roughly 14 million cannot afford one or more essential household goods
- Almost 12 million people are too poor to engage in common social activities considered necessary by the majority of the population
Joanna Mack said: “Levels of deprivation today are worse in a number of vital areas – from basic housing to key social activities – than at any point in the past thirty years.
"These trends are a deeply shocking indictment of 30 years of economic and social policy and reflect a rapid growth in inequality. This has meant that, though the economy has doubled in size during this period, those at the bottom have been increasingly left behind.”
Professor David Gordon of the Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research in Bristol, who is head of the project, said: “The results present a remarkably bleak portrait of life in the UK today and the shrinking opportunities faced by the bottom third of UK society.
"About one third of people in the UK suffer significant difficulties and about a quarter have an unacceptably low standard of living’ said ‘ Moreover this bleak situation will get worse as benefit levels fall in real term, real wages continue to decline and living standards are further squeezed.”
You can download The Impoverishment of the UK report here.
Posted 28 March 2013
The OU is a partner in the UK's largest-ever study of poverty and social exclusion, which has just published its first report. The Impoverishment of the UK report paints a bleak picture of deteriorating living conditions and opportunities for a significant and growing proportion of the population. It will be profiled in a special Tonight programme, Breadline Britain, ...
Participants needed for OCD study
The research is investigating whether the brains of people with OCD function differently to those without OCD.
Preliminary findings suggest some systematic and interesting differences between brain activity in people with OCD, and non-OCD controls, even in a relaxed state. However, to obtain a more detailed picture researchers need to find more participants with OCD.
They are looking for people between 18 and 60 years of age, who have been diagnosed with OCD and have no learning disabilities.
If you decide to participate, they will need four hours of your time. The timing of these sessions can be flexible and scheduled according to your convenience.
During this time, your brain activity will be recorded using a safe, non-invasive and painless technique known as Quantitative Electroencephalography, or QEEG. You will also be interviewed and asked to fill in a questionnaire.
The study generally takes place at the OU in Milton Keynes or in Camden in London. Travel costs will be reimbursed. In some cases researchers will be able to come to your town or a town near you to perform the scans and interviews.
By participating in this study, you will be contributing to scientific advancements in OCD research. Additionally, you will gain interesting insights about how your brain may have been affected by OCD.
You can get more information from the QEEG and Brain Research Lab project page. If you wish to take part, or have any enquiries, please contact Loes Koorenhof by calling 01908 659 472, or email loes.koorenhof@open.ac.uk
The Open University is recruiting people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to take part in an ongoing research project. The research is investigating whether the brains of people with OCD function differently to those without OCD. Preliminary findings suggest some systematic and interesting differences between brain activity in people with OCD, and ...
Is there an OU Mastermind out there?
BBC's Mastermind is looking for contestants now.
For more information, or to book a place on one of the nationwide auditions, visit the Mastermind website and click on Audition Information; or call 0161 836 0315; or email mastermind@bbc.co.uk
Posted 25 March 2013
Do you fancy yourself as a bit of a quizzer? BBC's Mastermind is looking for contestants now. For more information, or to book a place on one of the nationwide auditions, visit the Mastermind website and click on Audition Information; or call 0161 836 0315; or email mastermind@bbc.co.uk Posted 25 March 2013 1.625 Average: 1.6 (8 votes)
Trio of broadcasting awards for OU/BBC series about social workers
An Open University/BBC co-produced documentary series which looked at the challenging role of social workers has won three accolades in the Royal Television Society Awards, West of England.
The awards are for Best Documentary, Best Director and Editing.
The three-part documentary series Protecting Our Children, featured on BBC2 last year, was produced with the expert insight of three Open University academics.
Dr Barry Cooper and Dr Lucy Rai, both Senior Lecturers in Social Work in the Faculty of Health and Social Care, were consultants on the series and worked with the production team for over a year giving advice on social work practice and policy development.
In addition, Debbie Stringer, Senior Lecturer in Law provided support as part of the module team.
The series followed the work of Bristol’s child protection teams over the course of a year and observed their jobs first-hand, exploring how the crises of the last decade had impacted on their ability to safeguard children.
Commenting on the awards, Dr Rai said: “Working on Protecting Our Children was a fantastic opportunity to work closely with the BBC and social workers in Bristol to present the public with a rare insight into the everyday work of child protection social workers.
"The series created a challenging, emotive but very honest reflection on the profession and will be of great benefit to students learning about this area of work.”
Protecting Our Children also won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary in 2012.
Useful Links
- Protecting our Children on OpenLearn
- Experience a day in the life of a social worker
- Social Work at the OU
An Open University/BBC co-produced documentary series which looked at the challenging role of social workers has won three accolades in the Royal Television Society Awards, West of England. The awards are for Best Documentary, Best Director and Editing. The three-part documentary series Protecting Our Children, featured on BBC2 last year, was produced with the expert insight of three Open ...
Child of our time prepares to enter the teenage years
Thirteen years after the ambitious project was launched to follow the lives of 25 children born in 2000, we revisit the Millennium babies as they are about to become teenagers.
We discover how they have coped with bullying, having a famous mum, learning to live with money worries, the divorce of their parents, getting into trouble at school and bereavement.
As well as hearing from the children now, the series draws on its rich archive to give us an insight into what has gone before.
Becoming a Teenager, a free booklet to accompany the series, is available by calling 0845 030 4015 or via the Open Learn Child of our Time 2013 website.
On the OpenLearn website you can also to take part in research into child development, read about childhood issues and learn more about the teenage years.
Child of our time will be screened at 9pm on BBC One on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 February
Useful links
Childhood and Youth courses at the OU
Today (Wednesday 27) sees the return of the OU/BBC One series Child of our time, presented by Professor Robert Winston (pictured). Thirteen years after the ambitious project was launched to follow the lives of 25 children born in 2000, we revisit the Millennium babies as they are about to become teenagers. We discover how they have coped with ...
Launch of the new Early Support Early Years Developmental Journal
This is a new resource for families and the practitioners working closely with them to record a child’s development to better aid the identification of areas where additional help may be required.
John Oates, Senior Lecturer at the OU has led the creation of the journal,
“This is a unique resource. It is designed to support key working and foster communication between all those involved in a child’s development. While its primary use is for families, it is also intended that the Journal will be a useful resource for the 24-30 month statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) progress assessment as well as supporting child health monitoring.”
The Journal is based on extensive analysis of a wide range of developmental assessment tools and experience with the generic Developmental Journal that it replaces. The content of the Journal will also be incorporated into the forthcoming Early Support app and website.
The Journal has been developed by a team of specialists in child development, early years, and childhood disability and special needs, led by John Oates, with Silvana Mengoni of the Child and Youth Studies Group in the Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology at the OU.
The Early Years Developmental Journal and a ‘How to Use It’ guide can be downloaded free of charge from the Early Support website
Early Support, the body that addresses the needs of disabled children, young people and their families, and the OU has launched the Early Years Development Journal. This is a new resource for families and the practitioners working closely with them to record a child’s development to better aid the identification of areas where additional help may be required. John ...
Have you heard about the OU’s ‘best kept secret’?
Library Services has been experimenting with some new videos to promote and highlight the wealth of resources available to support your studies. Collections of ‘world class’ high quality online content covering ejournal collections, newspaper and document archives, video and audio content and a growing range of ebooks have been selected and used in a suite of themed showcases presented via the library’s ‘Explore library resources’ web pages.
Are you aware of all the library resources available to you when you study with the OU? Review this video created for Childhood and youth, and let us know which resources you didn’t know about or what you thought of the video. Email your comments to library-promotions@open.ac.uk
"Often forget about the wealth of resources just a click away" OU student
Ever wondered why teenage years result in such angst? Then discover the OU’s ‘best kept secret’ – your online library! Library Services has been experimenting with some new videos to promote and highlight the wealth of resources available to support your studies. Collections of ‘world class’ high quality online content covering ejournal ...
OU researcher identifies techniques to improve the accuracy of eye witness identification with children
Dr Catriona Harvard, a Psychology Lecturer and researcher at the OU, has spent the last five years looking at techniques for reducing the choosing bias among children between the ages of five and 15 and her findings could hold the key to reducing false identifications among child eye witnesses.
“Children as young as five can be as accurate as adults at identifying someone who has committed a crime. However, they are more likely to choose someone in a line-up, even if the offender is not there” explains Catriona.
Catriona continued: “This is often because children perceive giving an answer is more desirable than admitting the offender isn’t there. They also think that if they are being shown a line-up, then offender must be there. This has serious ramifications for false identifications and false convictions.”
Keen to find techniques to reduce this bias, Catriona conducted a number of experiments which involved participants being shown a film of a crime and then after a delay of one or two days, showing the participant a video line-up and asking them to pick out the offender.
Real life line-ups are now a thing of the past due to being expensive, inaccurate and time consuming, so Catriona used the latest identification technology in her experiments, video line-ups, which has been pioneered in the UK.
Commenting on her research findings Catriona said: “This is a simple technique, but I have been astounded at the significant results which reduced false identifications from 70 per cent to 30 per cent.”
The results of Catriona’s research have been well received to date and so far she has discussed her techniques with the Head of Identification at Thames Valley and Milton Keynes police. Catriona is also in the process of writing a white paper for the Southeast Eye Witness Network (SEEN) and hopes her research will be adopted by those investigating crime.
Find out more:
When a crime has been committed how can the police ensure that the offender is successfully selected in a line-up, especially if the witness is a young child? Dr Catriona Harvard, a Psychology Lecturer and researcher at the OU, has spent the last five years looking at techniques for reducing the choosing bias among children between the ages of five and 15 and her findings could ...
OU Children’s Research Centre nominated for “outstanding research impact” award
An Open University research centre which trains and supports children to research topics of importance to them has been shortlisted in The Guardian University Awards’ outstanding research impact category.
The Children’s Research Centre (CRC) which empowers children as active researchers was announced as one of three nominated projects on the Higher Education Network site on Tuesday 18 December and winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 27 February 2013.
The CRC, which is led by Founder Director Mary Kellett, Professor of Childhood and Youth at the OU, has been at the forefront of child-led research since 2004. It encourages children to research areas which are important to them. This work is an important development within the university’s Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology.
Outputs reflect findings pertinent to children’s lived experiences and to society more generally. Examples include: internet safety; cultural and race identity issues; bereavement; children’s worries; children’s rights; mobility issues for children of wheelchair users; children’s views about the Police; looked-after children; young Travellers; young carers; TV and gaming; diet and exercise; substance abuse; staying safe; life on housing estates.
Some of this research has influenced policy e.g. a 10 year-old’s research on social isolation factors for children with Graves disease changed practice at Great Ormond Street Hospital; CRC children’s research contributed to Joseph Rowntree’s flagship Education and Poverty programme. Youth-led cyberbullying research, in partnership with Diana Award, hit 72 media outlets and impacted significantly on national anti-bullying week.
Commenting on the award nomination: Professor Kellett said: “It is a great honour to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award and I am delighted that children’s own research is being recognised in this way.”
Find out more:
- Full list of shortlisted awards in The Guardian University awards
- For information about Professor Mary Kellett’s research
An Open University research centre which trains and supports children to research topics of importance to them has been shortlisted in The Guardian University Awards’ outstanding research impact category. The Children’s Research Centre (CRC) which empowers children as active researchers was announced as one of three nominated projects on the Higher Education Network site on ...
OU research influences children’s lives in Hungary
John Oates, a senior lecturer in development psychology in the Centre for Childhood Development at the OU, was a member of the team that set up the first 40 Sure Start Children Centres in Hungary and he arranged the adoption of the English Early Years Foundation Stage as the framework for the Hungarian programme.
John recently presented a paper on his research at a Budapest conference on early intervention where Katalin Langerné Victor, Deputy State Secretary for Social Inclusion in Hungary, announced that the government will legislate for the continued expansion of the number of Sure Start Children Centres in Hungary, to improve the lives of children in poorer areas of the country.
Research at the OU influences policy and enriches lives. John has spent his whole career at the OU working on new ways to chart children's development. He began with an Economic and Social Research Council-funded laboratory-based study of children with and without Down syndrome through which he assessed developmental progress. He is currently leading a project in the Early Support national scheme, contributing to the design of an app to allow parents and carers to chart children's development on mobile devices.
A researcher at The Open University has influenced the expansion of centres for under-privileged children and their families in Hungary. John Oates, a senior lecturer in development psychology in the Centre for Childhood Development at the OU, was a member of the team that set up the first 40 Sure Start Children Centres in Hungary and he arranged the adoption of the English ...
Call for children to research and challenge bullying
A researcher at The Open University will encourage children to do their own research into bullying as a way of empowering them, during National Antibullying Week this week (19 November).
According to Professor Mary Kellett, Director of the Children’s Research Centre at The Open University, bullying can have devastating effects on children. She carried out some research into cyberbullying with colleague Saima Tarapdar and found that this rapidly evolving form of bullying is more prevalent than previously thought.
The researchers found that among 1,500 young people aged 12 to16, 38 per cent of them had been affected by cyberbullying.
“Levels of cyberbullying have not dissipated,” she said. “This requires the school, the community and more private settings to sharpen protection and response.”
Professor Kellett will drew on these findings at the Diana Award National Antibullying Week Event in London on Monday 19 November where she is lead a workshop for teachers around the benefits of empowering students to undertake their own research into bullying in schools.
The theme of the event was “We’re better without bullying” and its aim was to raise awareness of the issue of bullying and to encourage young people and professionals of all ages to take a stand and bring about positive change.
Find out more:
A researcher at The Open University will encourage children to do their own research into bullying as a way of empowering them, during National Antibullying Week this week (19 November). According to Professor Mary Kellett, Director of the Children’s Research Centre at The Open University, bullying can have devastating effects on children. She carried out some research into ...
Starting K101 in February 2013
Hi,
My name is Zoe and I am currently working as a special needs teaching assistant in a primary school. I have just enroled to start studying BA Childhood and Youth Studies starting February 2013. Its something I have wnated to do for a long time now and I have finally plucked up the courage at the age of 29.
I was wondering if anyone has found this a struggle with working and studying? I also have four children under the age of 12 at home too.
Hi, My name is Zoe and I am currently working as a special needs teaching assistant in a primary school. I have just enroled to start studying BA Childhood and Youth Studies starting February 2013. Its something I have wnated to do for a long time now and I have finally plucked up the courage at the age of 29. I was wondering if anyone has found this a struggle with working and studying? I ...
Y176 understanding children and young people November start
Hi Everyone,
My name's Natalie, I'm just starting the Y176 understanding children and young people course.
anyone else out there on this course this November.
would be great to get to know a few people.
I'm 30 years old and a post lady from Tunbridge wells in Kent. i'm hoping to re train eventually as a social worker or something similar helping children and famillies.
I don't yet have any children of my own but would like a family soon.
I think this course will be really interesting for me.
Natalie
Hi Everyone, My name's Natalie, I'm just starting the Y176 understanding children and young people course. anyone else out there on this course this November. would be great to get to know a few people. I'm 30 years old and a post lady from Tunbridge wells in Kent. i'm hoping to re train eventually as a social worker or something similar helping children and famillies. I don't yet have any ...
Discount on Early Professional Development for Social Workers book
STUDENT DISCOUNTED PRICE: £15.00 inc p&p (usual price £24.95 + £2.50 p&p)
Order via The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) website quoting promo code EPD12 to receive your student discount.
"... the real potential of this book is in bridging the gap between education and qualified practice. Social work educators, students and those employing newly qualified social workers
should read this and discuss the transition from student to professional, as well as ensuring academic debate remains central to practice"
Rob Fountain, Community Care
The central focus of this book is on the early professional development needs of social workers. It has been compiled by editors with extensive experience of social work practice, education and research. The collection examines the radical changes that have taken place in social work over the last decade within the wider context of welfare policy and practice change within the United Kingdom.
The editors have brought together a broad range of experts to provide a contemporary perspective on a wide spectrum of social work issues, taking account of legal and policy differences between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each country within the UK faces similar challenges and there is much learning to be gleaned from exploring the range of social work interventions that have been developed and applied in different parts of the United Kingdom in recent years.
Find out more about BASW
Special offer for student social workers on Early Professional Development for Social Workers book. STUDENT DISCOUNTED PRICE: £15.00 inc p&p (usual price £24.95 + £2.50 p&p) Order via The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) website quoting promo code EPD12 to receive your student discount. "... the real ...
K101 October 2012
Hi all!
My name is Haylee, and I live in Aberdeen. I work full time as a nanny, and I will be starting K101 in a few weeks time!
Just wanted to see who else is doing this course, anyody fom scotland? I only recently moved here from London.
Think I am all set ut worried about the assessments themselves. I am always ok when I get going, but its just getting started!
Its also been over 2 years since I wrote my last essay!
Good luck everyone,
Haylee
Hi all! My name is Haylee, and I live in Aberdeen. I work full time as a nanny, and I will be starting K101 in a few weeks time! Just wanted to see who else is doing this course, anyody fom scotland? I only recently moved here from London. Think I am all set ut worried about the assessments themselves. I am always ok when I get going, but its just getting started! Its also been ...
