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The adult-centric concept of 'age-appropriateness' is an arbitrary signifier and yet it commands a powerful common-sense appeal in governing the shape of sexuality education. The visibility of LGBTQ+ lives in primary schools is deeply impacted by the cis-heteronormative ways in which age-appropriateness is commonly understood and mobilised; very often resulting in silence and delay. The concept of age-appropriateness also becomes entangled with moral panics about 'promoting' LGBTQ+ lives, or children being somehow 'recruited' to identify as LGBTQ+. This paper draws on findings from a study with the parents of eleven trans and gender diverse children (then aged between 5 and 13) conducted in 2017, as well as a follow-up study conducted with seven participants from the same group of parents and children in 2022. The paper explores how the politics of age and agency intersect and become intensified as trans and gender diverse children and their parents navigate and make decisions about their bodies, lives and everyday worlds in primary schools. These stories of trans and gender diverse children provide an arresting invitation to adults to attend closely to the rich stories of children themselves in (re)considering the potential of sexuality education across contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a study (commissioned by central government) of a specialist social work service provided by local government agencies (local authorities) in Ireland. The service originated in the 1960s, was designed to meet the accommodation related needs of Travellers, an indigenous, Irish, ethnic group, who have faced centuries of social exclusion and discrimination. The paper begins with an account of the economic and social problems faced by Travellers and then the few available Irish and UK publications. It then reports on qualitative findings drawn from interviews with social workers, Travellers and other key stakeholders. The idiom 'betwixt and between' is used to characterise the social work role. Respondents aspired to forms of social action and advocacy roles but were sometimes viewed with suspicion by Traveller activists. Local authority structures were overly focused on non-social work functions where social work expertise was rarely acknowledged or utilised. This partly explains why social workers faced challenges in upholding their professional values, regulatory obligations and continuous professional development. The authors conclude by arguing for a more clearly defined, human-rights based social work role, referencing lessons that can be drawn from the wider European literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Measuring attitudes of farmers to safe farming practices using quantitative causal relationship approaches is central to improving understanding of (un)safe practices. This knowledge is important in the development of effective farm safety interventions. However, the accuracy of quantitative attitudinal studies in explaining farmers' decision-making faces a potential measurement challenge, i.e. a high level of optimism bias. In this paper, we present research that develops and tests farm safety attitudinal questions that are framed around "real-life" farming practices with the objective of reducing optimism bias. Methods: We apply construal level theory (CLT) to support the design of vignettes that reflect common risk scenarios faced by farmers. Applying qualitative analysis of 274 fatal farm incidents that occurred in Ireland between 2004 and 2018 we identify the occupational behaviors (what farmers do), social (who are farmers), spatial (where farming takes place), and temporal (when farming happens) dimensions of risks resulting in most deaths. The results informed subsequent co-design activities with farm safety experts and farm advisors to develop "real-life" scenarios, attitudinal questions, and response options. The questionnaire was piloted and subsequently implemented to collect data from a sample of 381 farmers with either tractors or livestock. The results of the survey were compared to previous attitudinal research on farmer's attitudes to safety in Ireland to establish if there was as follows: i) increased variance in the responses, and ii) a statistically significant difference in the attitudes of respondents compared to the results reported in previous studies. Results: The findings established that when farmers were provided with real-life scenarios, their responses were less optimistic and more varied, i.e. there was a greater range of responses, compared to previous studies. Conclusion: Applying CTL to the development of attitudinal survey instruments anchors attitudinal questions within farming specific occupational, social, spatial, and temporal contexts. The use of vignettes that draw on real-life scenarios offers the potential for improved design of surveys that seek to understand farmer/worker practices. The results suggest that this approach can improve the measurement of attitudes to farm safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines contemporary food culture in Ireland through the phenomenon of foodism and the habits and traits expressed through the subculture of foodies. Elements and actors of the Irish food scene are also considered. Qualitative research was applied to investigate the five research objectives posed. This featured six in-depth interviews with "key informants" from Ireland's tourism sector, educational sector, food sector, and a state food agency, conducted during 2020. The study draws insights from the fields of cultural studies and sociology. Thematic analysis was applied as part of the methodology process, from which five themes developed from the data findings. These are: (1) An evolving Irish food culture, (2) Two perceptions of Irish food, (3) A breakdown of hierarchies, (4) Influencing factors, (5) State body remits. The primary research reveals that industry experts and academics concur that Irish food and culture have "evolved" from a more traditional cuisine and culture and that these are dynamic entities. In addition, it establishes that there is a "hunger for food" amongst a small but growing cohort of Ireland's population, who wish to gain information via food media and to access food experiences such as culinary courses, gastro tours and food festival events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on findings from a psycho-social qualitative doctoral study, this paper considers the intimate and extraordinary emotional intensity, ambivalence and pain associated with the experience of mother social workers engaging with mothers and their infants in the context of child protection work. In this yearlong study undertaken with a group of female Irish child protection social workers, their role as mothers was an unanticipated emergent theme and was found to be inextricably linked to their work and their capacity for realistic decision-making. We consider the wider contexts of societal ambivalence about motherhood, mothering and social work itself, as a way of locating these experiences as fully psycho-social. The work discussion seminars offered as part of the research study afforded a rare opportunity for workers to talk about predicaments, failures and worries, in conditions of containment for anxiety, support for their learning, and a confidential reflective setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of children's consistency of word production allow identification of speech sound disorder. Inconsistent errors are reported for two groups of children: childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) due to difficulty with the motoric precision and consistency of speech movements; and inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD) attributed to impaired phonological planning. This paper describes the inconsistent productions of children with IPD in comparison to typically developing children. In two studies of suspected SSD (N = 135), 22 children pronounced ≥40% of 25 words inconsistently on three repeated trials. No participant had symptoms of CAS. They were monolingual and spoke Australian- or Irish-English. Assessment determined the proportions of words said consistently (i.e. the same across productions: all correct or with the same error) or inconsistently (i.e. differently across productions: at least one correct and one error or different errors in productions). Qualitative analyses examined error types and explored the effect of target words' characteristics on inconsistency. Children with IPD produced 52% of words with different errors. While 56% of all phoneme errors were developmental (age appropriate or delayed), atypical errors typified inconsistency: default sounds and word structure errors. Words with more phonemes, syllables and consonant clusters were vulnerable to inconsistency, but their frequency of occurrence had no effect. TD children and those with IPD had different quantitative and qualitative error profiles, confirming IPD as a diagnostic category of SSD. Qualitative analyses supported the hypothesised deficit in phonological planning of words' production for children with IPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical tutor (CT) in mental health nursing is a role aimed at supporting the learning needs of mental health nursing students undertaking a 12-month post-registration programme. This paper aims to examine the role of the clinical tutor in mental health nursing in Ireland by describing the experience of nursing students and key service stakeholders. A qualitative descriptive design was employed using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Two focus groups were conducted with 14 nursing students in the final week of their one-year programme. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with seven service stakeholders and service leaders. Participants reported positive experiences of working with the clinical tutor and valued the role in terms of educational and pastoral support. Participants suggested the role strengthened the link between theory and practice and enhanced the relationship between the higher education institute and clinical sites. However, a lack of clarity existed in terms of role description. Participants suggested the CT role enhanced the link between the university and clinical areas providing benefits to both student and service stakeholders. Implementing similar roles may benefit post-registration mental health nursing students in other jurisdictions. Further investigation on how the role operates from the perspective of those in the post may provide more clarity and enhance the development of such roles in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is emerging consensus that older opiate treatment patients have specific health and social care needs and also evidence of a particular stigma associated with opiate maintenance treatment. Yet, very little is known about the stigma experienced by individuals who have been interacting with methadone treatment services over a prolonged period. Conducted in Ireland and drawing on data from a qualitative study of 25 long-term clients of methadone treatment, this paper examines the stigma narratives of patients who are growing older as MMT patients. More than two-thirds were over the age of 40 and 16 had first accessed methadone treatment more than 20 years prior to taking part in the research. The findings reveal the omnipresence of stigma in participants' lives, which was experienced at institutional and public levels, leading many to attempt to conceal clinic attendance. Treatment-related stigma intersected strongly with the process of growing older on methadone; an ageing effect that was particularly apparent in participants' accounts of public and private shame. The disabling effects of multiple intersecting stigmas were perhaps most apparent in participants' narratives of internalized stigma, which uncovered private worlds characterized by isolation and seclusion. The findings presented reflect the marginal position of addiction treatment within the wider healthcare system in Ireland and a failure to normalize methadone treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Irish General Practitioner Training (GP) Programme is currently moving to Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), facilitated by Programmatic Assessment (PA) and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). These new assessment and feedback mechanisms may provide a rich and much sought-after dataset. However, given the possible number of feedback and assessment events, and the variety of modalities used, aggregating and interpreting these can be costly and difficult. Dashboard implementations (DI) have been purposed as a solution to bridge the gap between the large datasets and the training community at all levels. To explore the Irish GP training community's perceptions on how an EPAs DI could facilitate the delivery of GP training in Ireland. A qualitative approach was taken, using a focus group representative of different groups in the training community. Concurrently, an EPAs DI was developed. Focus group transcripts were analysed in an iterative fashion using Template Analysis to generate themes and subthemes. Numerous advantages were seen in relation to the implementation of an EPAs DI around entrustment decisions, constructive alignment and summative decision-making. These advantages, however, need to be tempered with the realisation that the EPAs DI is not and should not be misinterpreted as being the learning analytic panacea for GP training. This paper outlines the perceptions from a postgraduate medical education training community on an EPAs DI, which would be applicable to other training communities considering introducing similar mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supervision of undergraduate social work students on placement is fundamental to their development as 50% of the BSc (Hons) social work degree in the UK comprises practice learning, which is widely acknowledged as the signature pedagogy of the profession. In Northern Ireland practice learning opportunities are supervised by practice teachers. To ensure a consistent quality and supply of practice teachers a Master's programme offering approximately 35 places per year is delivered at Ulster University. The trainee practice teachers had to navigate working on the front line through the COVID 19 pandemic, post graduate study and the professional supervision and assessment of undergraduate social work students on placement. This article presents evidence from a small scale qualitative study evaluating the practice teaching programme conducted with 22 trainee practice teachers. Respondents were asked to complete a semi structured online survey. The evaluation sought their perceptions regarding the duality of their unique experience as a gatekeeper to the profession and student managing the unprecedented challenges of assessing the competence of social work students on placement. Several themes emerged including assessing competence, the student experience and support from the practice assessor. A further outcome was the creation of a Peer Learning Bubble Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address child protection concerns countries often implement mandatory reporting (MR) laws. This ensures that relevant professionals alert child protection services of children who are at risk of or are currently experiencing abuse. However, these well-intended mandatory requirements can sometimes have unintended negative consequences that affect all those who are involved in the process. The current research investigated the experiences of Irish psychologists in implementing MR and examined if there was any personal or professional impact resulting from this process. All participants were qualified psychologists of various disciplines working in the HSE, the national health service of Ireland. A qualitative research design was implemented that consisted of thematic analysis of focus group transcripts. Three focus groups (n = 18) were conducted. Three major themes were identified within the data; the unintentional harm that is caused by MR, the contexts where reporting is needed, and the issues with the current MR system. Some benefits to MR exist but these advantages need to be considered within a greater context. The findings of the current study outlined how participants perceived aspects of MR as having significant detrimental consequences for victims of abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of our research is to analyse career dissatisfaction through the psychoanalytical lens of Jacques Lacan. Taking a multiple-case study approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven male, senior managers working in the highly competitive technology industry. We found that respondents are defining satisfaction against a socially constructed career system that obliterates the concept of an agentic self. By grounding our qualitative investigation in the research fields of career and career dissatisfaction in the under-researched realm of Lacanian theory, we extend career theory to include a psychodynamic lens. We also contribute to practice by providing an alternative approach to career counselling that encourages the client to co-construct a sense of liberation and empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While work-care reconciliation strategies can benefit family carers, employers, wider society and the economy, juggling family caregiving responsibilities with paid employment can lead to role strain. Family carers frequently find themselves engaged in role decisions and role negotiations and being faced with decisions to alter their work commitments in order to fulfil their caregiving responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to explore family carers' experiences of modifying work arrangements to accommodate caregiving responsibilities for an ill or dependant family member. Ten face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with family carers in Ireland, which were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings highlighted the value placed on work by family carers, but despite this, the caring role always took precedence over the employee role. Family carers adopted a combination of strategies, and where possible, carved out a carer-friendly career for themselves. The findings also revealed the key triggers for work alterations and the sacrifices made by family carers. It is important that family carers are supported by employers to successfully balance work with caregiving responsibilities and that an array of work options are available to them, so that they can make better-informed choices regarding work-care reconciliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high prevalence of smoking has been reported among people receiving care within inpatient and forensic mental health services. An Irish inpatient mental health service introduced a "smoke free campus" policy in 2018. Six semi-structured interviews were completed with patients within this setting in 2019. Using thematic analysis, five themes were identified: Experience of stakeholder support, routine, experience of being an inpatient, the meaning of smoking, and the experience and perception of the smoking policy and governing bodies. The findings have implications for staff who work in mental health inpatient settings or who develop policies regarding smoking on hospital sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assistive technology (AT) enables and promotes inclusion and participation, especially for persons with a disability, ageing populations, and those with non-communicable diseases. AT is essential for generating collaborative learning environments, inclusive of students with a range of specific needs and required supports. However, many teachers lack the training, resources, and skills to use AT in the class. This study uses a systems thinking approach to consider teachers AT needs in the Irish classroom. Three hundred and five teachers completed an online survey, and 10 took part in semi-structured focus groups. The survey examined teachers experiences with AT, their training needs, and the context within which they need support. Teachers reported low levels of AT knowledge, skills, and confidence. Many described limited access to training and support for AT use. Results also reveal non-systems thinking, whereby there is no meaningful linking across the main strategic drivers of AT - policy, products, provision, and personnel, to support the people at the centre of the AT system – between these and the contextual factors that influence their effectiveness. An AT system which is easy to navigate, which has policies and provision that supports educators, and has expert personnel on hand to support teachers, is crucial if AT is to become embedded in Irish classrooms. This research shows that a comprehensive AT system in education should include policies, practices, personnel, and products that interact to support people to engage easily and successfully with AT in the classroom. Describes current trends in how teachers are engaging with Assistive Technology. Describes the current trends in disabilities in Irish classroom and teachers requirements for support. Understand the system challenges facing teachers attempting to use Assistive Technology. Support the development of Assistive Technology training for teachers which are informed by teachers needs. Inform the development and improving policies and processes for common situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted global interdependencies, accompanied by widespread calls for worldwide cooperation against a virus that knows no borders, but responses were led largely separately by national governments. In this tension between aspiration and reality, people began to grapple with how their own lives were affected by the global nature of the pandemic. In this article, based on 493 qualitative interviews conducted between 2020 and 2021, we explore how people in Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Ecuador, Ireland, Italy and Mexico experienced, coped with and navigated the global nature of the pandemic. In dialogue with debates about the parameters of the 'global' in global health, we focus on what we call people's everyday (de)bordering practices to examine how they negotiated (dis)connections between 'us' and 'them' during the pandemic. Our interviewees' reactions moved from national containment to an increasing focus on people's unequal socio-spatial situatedness. Eventually, they began to (de)border their lives beyond national lines of division and to describe a new normal: a growing awareness of global connectedness and a desire for global citizenship. This newfound sense of global interrelatedness could signal support for and encourage transnational political action in times of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the lack of research on the information needs of spinal cord injured (SCI) patients and family members in acute care, in order to inform the provision of appropriate information supports. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven traumatic SCI patients and six family members. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data. Five themes were generated: (1) "You were lying in limbo and you knew nothing" describes how being situated in non-specialist acute care limited participants' access to information; (2) "You'll never walk again" is not enough describes the need for information about the effects of SCI and the management of secondary conditions; (3) "The delivery was awful" demonstrates the importance of information being explained clearly and empathically; (4) "It was going in one ear and out the other" highlights the need for ongoing conversations with healthcare professionals, as retaining information provided in the early stages post-injury is often difficult; and (5) "Hope" not "false hope" discusses the importance of giving patients and family members hope while simultaneously being realistic about potential recovery. SCI patients and family members had significant unmet information needs in acute care. SCI patients and family members had significant unmet information needs while in acute care. Being in non-specialist acute care significantly limited most participants' access to information. During the acute phase of care, most patients and family members would like to know the patient's recovery prognosis, the impact of SCI on the patient's functional independence, how to manage secondary complications, and what to expect in rehabilitation. As patients and family members often had difficulty absorbing information in the early stages post-injury, information should be continuously repeated, reinforced and clarified. HCPs should promote realistic hope for SCI patients and family members even in the absence of neurological recovery, by focusing on what the patient is still capable of while being honest about their prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual perceptual deficits are frequently underdiagnosed in stroke survivors compared to sensory vision deficits or visual neglect. To better understand this imparity, we evaluated current practice for screening post-stroke visual perceptual deficits. We conducted a survey targeted at professionals working with stroke survivors involved in screening visual perceptual deficits across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Forty orthoptists and 174 occupational therapists responded to the survey. Visual perceptual deficit screening was primarily conducted by occupational therapists (94%), with 75∼100% of stroke survivors screened per month. Respondents lacked consensus on whether several common post-stroke visual deficits were perceptual or not. During the screening, respondents primarily relied on self-reports and observation (94%), while assessment batteries (58%) and screening tools were underutilised (56%) and selected inappropriately (66%). Respondents reported lack of training in visual perception screening (20%) and physical/cognitive condition of stroke survivors (19%) as extremely challenging during screening. Visual perceptual deficits are screened post-stroke at a similar rate to sensory vision or visual neglect. Underdiagnosis of visual perceptual deficits may stem from both reliance on subjective and non-standardised screening approaches, and conflicting definitions of visual perception held among clinicians. We recommend increased training provision and use of brief performance-based screening tools. Lack of agreement among clinicians on what constitutes as visual perceptual or sensory vision deficits may prove problematic, as precise and exact language is often required for clinical decision-making (e.g., referrals). Biases for more familiar visual (perceptual) deficits held among clinicians during the screening process may lead to other visual deficits being missed. To avoid problems being missed, clinicians should aim to use standardised assessments rather than stroke survivor self-report and observations of function when screening for visual perceptual difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To review and synthesize qualitative research studies exploring the experiences of Healthcare Providers (HCPs) of managing shoulder pain. A meta-ethnographic approach was adopted to review and synthesize eligible studies. The findings from each included study were translated into one another using Noblit and Hares' seven-stage process. A systematic search of eleven electronic databases was conducted in February 2021. Methodological quality was assessed using the CASP Appraisal Tool. Ten studies were included in the meta-synthesis, all deemed of high methodological quality. Three themes were identified; (1) Lack of consensus: "we all have different approaches." (2) Challenges to Changing Practice: It's "really hard to change and switch to a different approach," (3) Getting "Buy in" to Treatment: "...so you have to really sell it early". Healthcare providers working with people with shoulder pain struggle to reconcile, often conflicting, research recommendations with their own clinical experience, beliefs and patient expectations. These findings help explain the continued lack of consensus on how best to manage shoulder pain in clinical practice. Healthcare providers (HCPs) working with people with shoulder pain struggle to resolve conflicts between evidence-based recommendations, clinical experience, their own shoulder pain beliefs and patient expectations and preferences. Stronger collaboration across professional disciplines is needed to address the current lack of consensus on the management of shoulder pain. Many HCP's find it difficult to engage patients with shoulder pain in exercise and they work hard to "sell" this approach to patients using strategies such as education, shared decision making and therapeutic alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explored healthcare professionals' views in relation to the potential expansion of cardiac rehabilitation services to include stroke patients, thereby becoming a cardiovascular rehabilitation model. 23 semi-structured interviews were completed with hospital and community-based stroke and cardiac rehabilitation professionals in Switzerland (n = 7) and Ireland (n = 19). The sample comprised physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, stroke physicians, cardiologists, psychologists, dieticians and nurses. Interviews were audio-recorded and the transcripts were analysed in NVivo using inductive Thematic Analysis. Barriers and facilitators to cardiovascular rehabilitation were captured under four broad themes; (i) Cardiac rehabilitation as "low-hanging fruit," (ii) Cognitive impairment ("the elephant in the room"), (iii) Adapted cardiac rehabilitation for mild stroke, and (iv) Resistance to change. Hybrid cardiac rehabilitation programmes could be tailored to deliver stroke-specific education, exercises and multidisciplinary expertise. Post-stroke cognitive impairment was identified as a key barrier to participation in cardiac rehabilitation. A cognitive rehabilitation intervention could potentially be delivered as part of cardiac rehabilitation, to address the cognitive needs of stroke and cardiac patients. The cardiac rehabilitation model has the potential to be expanded to include mild stroke patients given the commonality of secondary prevention needs. Up to half of stroke survivors are affected by post-stroke cognitive impairment, consequently mild stroke patients may not be such an "easy fit" for cardiac rehabilitation. A cardiovascular programme which includes common rehabilitation modules, in addition to stroke- and cardiac-specific content is recommended. A cognitive rehabilitation module could potentially be added as part of the cardiac rehabilitation programme to address the cognitive needs of stroke and cardiac patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence of the social, physical and cognitive benefits of group-singing for people living with dementia and their family carers. However, COVID-19 has necessitated the suspension of in-person group-singing globally. This study explores the impact of COVID-19 on dementia-inclusive singing groups and choirs in Ireland, and their facilitators' responses. It seeks to contribute to the limited literature on online group-singing and music telehealth for people living with dementia and family carers. It strives to provide facilitators with practical information to adapt their programmes for online delivery and continue to support the health and well-being of these populations. This study adopted a qualitative methodological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with facilitators of dementia-inclusive singing groups or choirs in Ireland (n = 12). Four main themes were generated inductively from the data using Thematic Analysis: accessibility of online delivery; online vs in-person delivery; importance of social connection; adaptability and resilience. This study provides a mixed picture of opportunities and challenges arising from online music programmes. Initial evidence indicates the ability of facilitators to successfully deliver online music programmes to a proportion of people living with dementia and family carers and the capacity of members of these populations to engage with them. The findings support the development of sustainable online groups and resources to increase the accessibility of dementia-inclusive singing groups and support community-dwelling people with dementia living in rural and remote areas or with health or mobility challenges. However, challenges of digital inclusion exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholder's views on the role of recovery capital, including issues and barriers, that might address service provision for individuals with alcohol- and drug-related problems are important for improving outcomes. Six focus groups (n = 35) and five networking public participation events took place across five counties in the South East Region of Ireland. This was to capture the views of service providers, service users, their families and friends, and the wider community in measures to address recovery capital. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed using the recovery capital framework to generate emerging themes. Re-integration into the service users' own community, access to employment, education, and accommodation, and structures to help build self-esteem were considered to be significant factors in the building of recovery capital and maintaining sobriety. Societal attitudes regarding substance use appears to be a significant barrier in building recovery capital. The shared experiences among those in recovery and service provision suggest the need for expansive education on substance use across society. This research highlights the need for greater integration between policy and practice. Providing an assessment of evidence-based recovery-orientated interventions is likely to improve the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explored the digital communication skills assistance provided by young adults in the age range 18 to 25 years to older family members during the period of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Ireland in 2020. Data were collected from a sample of young adults (n = 248) using an online survey instrument to explore their learnings from the intergenerational exchange. The study found that young adults who assisted their older family members considered the learning experience to be successful and were rewarded with reciprocal benefits. This study contributes to the field of intergenerational research by exploring the perspectives of young adults involved in an intergenerational exchange to support the digital skills of their older adult family members in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge, attitudes, skills, and training of professionals regarding complicated grief influence their practice. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselor/psychotherapists; the preliminary findings were contextualized via interviews with three experts in complicated grief research/practice. Findings suggest that professionals did not substantially rely on research evidence, favoring instead personal and professional knowledge. They expressed concern regarding the possible pathologization of normal grief that might arise from having a diagnosis of complicated grief. Deficits in professional training were evident. A need for an improved culture of collaboration between researchers and practitioners was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meaning of wheelchair and seating assistive technology and the impact inappropriate provision has on people's lives from a service user's perspective within an Irish context is highlighted. There is a dearth in evidence examining the process of wheelchair and seating provision and the interconnectedness between satisfaction, performance and participation from an equality and human rights perspective. The purpose if the study is to investigate wheelchair service users' perspectives of wheelchair and seating provision in Ireland. This is a mixed-methods study with an exploratory sequential design that includes two phases. During phase one, wheelchair service users were invited to take part in qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were thematically analysed and formed part of a larger ethnographic study involving multiple stakeholders in sustainable wheelchair and seating provision strategy development. In phase two, an online Survey Monkey questionnaire was distributed to obtain a wider overview of wheelchair service provision from a wheelchair service users perspective. Data obtained from the closed questions and content analysis for open comments was analysed descriptively for this phase. Eight wheelchair service users agreed to participate in the interviews and 273 responded to the online survey. Thematic analysis and questionnaire frequency and content analysis revealed the vital meaning of wheelchair and seating assistive technology provision. However, bottlenecks within the system affect daily living, with qualitative data highlighting the obstruction to experiences of independent living from initial appointment to wheelchair breakdowns during daily life. Appropriate wheelchair and seating assistive technology provision is a basic human right, supported by the essential and embodied nature of the wheelchair as demonstrated through the wheelchair service users' perspective throughout this study. These findings highlight the impact of ad-hoc services on individual freedoms and how the overall pace of the system affects a person's ability to organise their time as an equal member of the community across the lifespan. A national review of wheelchair and seating assistive technology provision services is called for, giving consideration to access to services, assessment and delivery, follow up and management, education and training. Wheelchair and seating assistive technology provision as a basic human right is misunderstood. Appropriate wheelchair and seating assistive technology provision should be provided to meet this primary need as a pre-requisite for survival. Every aspect of the wheelchair and seating provision process impacts on occupational performance, equality of opportunity and community mobility. Wheelchair and seating assistive technology professionals and providers have a responsibility to review their practice and service provision systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The success of measures aimed at promoting student health and wellbeing is greatly informed by the attitudes and perceptions of the educators assigned to implement these measures. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of post-primary educators in Ireland regarding the promotion of student wellbeing. Method: Semi-structured interviews (n = 11) were conducted with post-primary educators located across the Republic of Ireland. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Analysis resulted in the interpretation of five themes related to best practice, the value of wellbeing promotion, work-related time constraints, an atheoretical approach to wellbeing promotion and educators' accounts of their own wellbeing. Participants shared numerous concerns regarding their ability to attend to student wellbeing, principal among which were a lack of appropriate training, work-related time constraints and a potential systematic de-valuing of the wellbeing curriculum relative to the core curriculum. Conclusion: It is recommended that appropriate accreditation be necessary in order to register to teach any aspect of the wellbeing curriculum, and that a requisite wellbeing-orientated knowledge and skillset be mandatory for all educators in order to register as a post-primary teacher with the teaching council in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a move toward a more human rights-based approach to the issue of supported and assisted decision-making (ADM) with legislative changes strengthening the formal right for older people to participate in care planning and decision-making. Ireland's Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015 breaks from traditional views of capacity to consider the uniqueness of each decision in relation to topic, time and place for those with impaired or fluctuating capacity. This study set out to explore experiences of assisted decision making (ADM) in acute care hospitals in Ireland and to identify the barriers and enablers to ADM for older people and people with dementia from the perspective of different Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs) involved in their care. We carried out 26 semi-structured audio-recorded interviews with a convenience sample of HSCPs working in two acute hospitals and subsequently confirmed the results. HSCPs identified several barriers to, and enablers of, ADM in acute hospitals that were categorized into three key themes: Building meaningful engagement with older people and their family carers; barriers and enablers associated with interprofessional collaboration and barriers and enablers associated with the environment. Our findings suggest that despite concrete policy and legislative underpinnings to ADM, this was not always evident in practice and suggests the need for specialized education and training on ADM in practice settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-harm is a global public health concern in terms of increasing morbidity in addition to causing considerable financial implications for the health sector. Patients presenting with a history of self-harm are at increased risk of self-harm repetition and suicide. Research exploring the patient's experience of engaging in multiple self-harm episodes is lacking. This study aimed to explore the experiences and meaning of self-harm repetition, among patients who presented to three urban hospital emergency departments in Ireland. A subset of participants with a history of five or more self-harm attempts from an ongoing study, 'Improving Prediction and Risk Assessment of Self-Harm and Suicide' was selected for this article. Interview transcripts from four participants were selected for analysis using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The qualitative software package NVivo 11 was used to store and organise data into themes. Data were analysed based on four participants (two males and two females) ranging in age from 25 to 56 years. Three of the four participants reported a history of early traumatic emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Four superordinate themes were generated from the data, 'Significance of self-harm to the person', 'Trajectory of self-harm progression', 'Impact of abuse in adult life' and 'The road to recovery'. Self-harm was used as a coping mechanism for participants who experienced distressing life events such as emotional and sexual abuse. The qualitative themes identified in this study have implications for the development of adequate medical and mental health support systems for patients with histories of repeated self-harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]