A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Staff Experiences of Working with Children and Adolescents Engaging in Behaviours That Challenge in Mental Health and Paediatric Inpatient Environments: A Qualitative Exploratory Study across Four European Countries
Authors: Goodwin, John; O'Malley, Maria; O'Donovan, Aine; Allen, Stephanie; Curtin, Margaret; Goulding, Ryan; Groen, Gunter; Heffernan, Sinead; Ivanova, Svetla; Korhonen, Joonas; Jorns-Presentati, Astrid; Kostadinov, Kostadin; Lalova, Valentina; O'Mahony, James; Petrova, Gergana; Vainio, Ville; Lahti, Mari
Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Publishing place: ABINGDON
Publication year: 2024
Journal: Child Care in Practice
Journal name in source: CHILD CARE IN PRACTICE
Journal acronym: CHILD CARE PRACT
Number of pages: 21
ISSN: 1357-5279
eISSN: 1476-489X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2024.2407085
There has been a recent global increase in the number of young people experiencing mental health challenges in both child and adolescent mental health settings and acute paediatric settings. In many of these settings, restrictive practices are used to manage behaviours that challenge, such as aggression and violence. However, little is known about staff's experiences with responding to behaviours that challenge in these settings. A qualitative descriptive design was adopted, with participants engaging in 1:1 interviews or focus groups in Ireland, Finland, Germany, and Bulgaria. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: (1) the importance of establishing a safe, therapeutic environment, (2) identified antecedents to behaviours that challenge, (3) how staff respond to behaviours that challenge, and (4) the needs of staff when maintaining a safe, therapeutic environment. Consideration needs to be given to the environments where young people are cared for, with an emphasis placed on safe, comfortable, therapeutic spaces to reduce behaviours that challenge. Staff should be better trained in trauma-informed practice, and both staff and service users should be provided with opportunities to de-brief following episodes of restrictive practices, with a focus on enhancing and maintaining therapeutic relationships.
Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership [grant number 2021-1-FI01-KA220-HED-000032106].
