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Objective: Nearly 45% of Australian families intentionally or unintentionally co-sleep, including bedshare. Parents' intentionality to co-sleep can influence their perceptions of sleep quality, family functioning and overall satisfaction. Yet very little is known about fathers' perspectives and experiences of co-sleeping with their children. This mixed-method study aimed to explore paternal co-sleeping intention and its association with perceived sleep quality. Method: Fathers with children who co-slept completed an online survey about their sleep arrangements and intentionality from the Sleep Practices Questionnaire, and their sleep quality from the Sleep Quality Scale. Open-ended responses about intentionality were analysed thematically. Results: One hundred and forty-one fathers were included in the analysis. Quantitative analysis found that fathers' whose children were sleeping where definitely intended had significantly better perceived sleep quality than fathers whose children were sleeping in an unintended location. A thematic analysis provided insight into the reasons for this relationship. Conclusions: This study offers insight into fathers' experiences of co-sleeping including bedsharing, and responsive night-time infant care practices. Paternal night-time involvement in infant care can influence father-infant bonding, maternal and paternal mental health and overall family functioning. The results and their implications for professionals working with fathers during the perinatal period are discussed. Key Points: What is already known about this topic: Co-sleeping (bedsharing and roomsharing) occurs in Australian families, both intentionally and unintentionally. Intentionality to co-sleep can influence a mother's perceptions of sleep quality, satisfaction and family functioning. Little research has examined fathers' role in co-sleeping, including their intentionality. What this topic adds: Shows how fathers' intention to co-sleep is related to their perception of sleep quality. Provides insight into how fathers who intend to co-sleep see the benefits for the child and the family. Provides insight into fathers' experiences of co-sleeping with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into the use of bereavement photography is limited and the experiences of volunteer photographers remains understudied. For families with perinatal loss, bereavement photography allows for lasting mementos of a child and facilitates the maintenance of continuing bonds. This study investigated bereavement photographers' reasons for volunteering, factors predicting their compassion satisfaction, and the support and retention of volunteer photographers. Utilizing a mixed methods design, 141 Australian and New Zealand volunteer bereavement photographers completed the Volunteer Motivation Inventory. The strongest motivators for volunteering related to Values, Reciprocity and Recognition. The results concur with other research showing altruistic motivation has the greatest influence on becoming a volunteer in end of life services. Moderate to high levels of Compassion Satisfaction were found on the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5. Support from the volunteering organization and a higher number of photography sessions with families predicted higher Compassion Satisfaction. Additionally, 31 photographers participated in semi-structured interviews. Motivators for volunteering identified by the thematic analysis were: Giving Back, Being Appreciated, Healing Past Grief, and Satisfaction with the Organization. Overall, the findings suggested that providing sensitive supportive care, experiencing positive interactions with families, feeling supported, and having a sense of purpose led to higher levels of CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and young people's access to and engagement in education is a key determinant of future positive outcomes. Children and young people in out-of-home care disproportionally experience educational disruptions and disengagements affecting their ability to participate in schooling, further and higher education. There is increasing international interest in the participation of young people with lived experience of out-of-home (OOHC) in research projects. This paper presents the findings of a study in the Australian state of Victoria where a group of lived experience consultants (LECs) were employed to consult on the results of a broader survey of the attitudes of professionals, carers and care leavers regarding the educational experiences of children in OOHC. Two meetings were held with the LECs, one to gain their views on the survey findings, and secondly, to reflect on their experiences working on the project. The findings suggest that formalizing the engagement of lived experience voices in research, inherently a qualitative approach, promotes a more informed representation of the challenges faced by children and young people within OOHC. In this case, engaging young adults with lived experience helped identify key barriers to effective educational participation that the project design may otherwise have overlooked. They also identified key strategies for improving LEC engagement such as involving them in developing key research aims and questions, and enabling the provision of a 'safe space' for them to participate. This new approach promotes co-design at multiple levels, providing opportunities for a meaningful collaborative approach to research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bereavement photography has been recognized as an important tool to create memories and as a support service for parents experiencing perinatal loss. This paper explores the impact of volunteering on posttraumatic growth among photographers working with parents impacted by stillbirth. Using a mixed-methods design, 141 Australian and New Zealand volunteer bereavement photographers were recruited. Higher number of losses experienced by photographers were correlated with a higher level of posttraumatic growth. Volunteering was associated with an enhanced understanding of loss, increased empathy for bereaved parents, developing effective coping skills and a renewed appreciation of photography. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]