Suchergebnisse

Self-harm remains an area where misconceptions and assumptions continue to prevail, with many people who self-harm reporting feelings of shame, guilt and stigma. Frustration with the behaviourist models that tend to dominate the management of self-harm in statutory services has contributed to the development of self-harm self-help groups, by those with direct experience, as a viable alternative form of support. However, due to concerns some professionals have raised about the safety and value of self-harm self-help groups they largely occupy a marginal position, as a viable source of informal support. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to reflect upon some of the challenges we faced when undertaking research with self-harm self-help groups. Our reflections question the uncritically positioning of certain groups as marginal and suggest that a more nuanced interpretation is required, to avoid simply continuing to position groups of people as being on the margins.Keywords: self-harm; self-help groups; stigma; hard to reach; marginal; reflections

AbstractThis article examines the settlement experiences of Afghan women refugees following their migration into the UK. The findings highlight how violence and oppression depicted many of the women's experiences prior to seeking asylum. This was found to persist when the women gained asylum in the UK, as many continued to face severe and enduring violence within their family, from both men and other women, as traditional patriarchal values involving physical and psychological violence remained. However, the findings indicated that violence within the home was less prevalent among women from the Hazara ethnic group who held a higher educational background. The research was designed within an interpretivist paradigm of inquiry, and qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted in Dari and English languages, with 15 Afghan refugee women, based at a London refugee centre. The resulting data was analysed using thematic analysis. Reflecting the findings of a number of international reports on women's status in Afghanistan, the findings highlighted their experiences of violence and oppression in their home country prior to seeking asylum. The article concludes with an emphasis on practitioners recognising the potential risks of violence and abuse female Afghan refugees face within their own homes.

"Thomasina Borkman reviews English-language social science research on North American self-help/mutual aid groups (SHGs) and organizations and some from industrialized countries. SHGs, known by many names, are voluntary, member-run groups of peers who share a common issue, utilize lived experience, and practice mutual aid. Borkman's autoethnographic approach highlights her international SHG participation. Despite initial common values and practices in the 1960s and on, Alcoholics Anonymous, the mental health SHGs, and other SHGs evolved in the US as three separate social movements that became institutionalized by 2000; their history, characteristics, achievements and supportive infrastructure are summarized. British contributors Munn-Giddings and Boyce show in European countries how socio-political contexts shape self-help/mutual aid. Research has shifted from SHGs to peer support since 2000"--

Abstract
English-language social and behavioral science research into US self-help/mutual aid groups and nonprofit organizations (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, Parents Without Partners, or bereavement groups) is reviewed. The review begins in the 1960s and proceeds into the new millennium, when institutionalized self-help/mutual aid was co-opted and renamed "support groups" by professionals. SHGs are intentionally created, single-issue, voluntary member-run mutual benefit groups that value the authority of lived experience, are cost-free, and where peers give and receive help from each other. Research attention expanded to European and Asian research in the 1990s, but has now switched to mental health peer support.

This article presents findings regarding the experiences of Roma families interacting with child protection services. Using a mixed-methods approach grounded in critical realism, the research team explored the complex dynamics that shape these interactions. The study adopts a critical stance on child welfare, moving beyond dominant individualistic and risk-averse narratives to emphasise the need for contextualising child protection within a broader socio-economic and cultural landscape. Findings reveal that Roma families engaging with child protection services must navigate a labyrinthine institutional environment rooted in Anglocentric values often ill-equipped to support minoritised populations. These interactions, deeply entrenched in socio-economic disparities and cultural biases, routinely place Roma families in adversarial positions with state agents. Rather than being isolated incidents, these systemic barriers exacerbate the already challenging circumstances faced by Roma families.

Background: A 12-month study of UK supported employment providers found that 77 (54.6%) of the participants in the study remained unemployed, 32 (22.7%) got jobs and 32 (22.7%) retained the jobs they held at the outset. Aims: To explore the impact of moving into employment on service use, earnings, benefits and tax allowances claimed. Methods: Service use and frequency were measured at baseline and 12 months. Comparisons paid particular attention to the differences between people entering work and those who remained unemployed. Costs were analysed from a government perspective (excluding earnings) and a societal perspective (excluding welfare benefits and taxes). Results: People who entered work reduced their consumption of mental health services (p<0.001). However, use of supported employment increased (p=0.04), in contrast to falling use by people who remained unemployed (p<0.001) and those who had been working for more than one year (p=0.002). The increase in earnings for those entering work (p=0.02) was not offset by a similar reduction in benefits. Conclusion: This indicates that mental health services may make savings as a result of their clients engaging in paid work. It raises questions about the optimal nature and organization of employment support for this service user group.

Background: The UK government is advocating the use of supported employment to help people on incapacity benefits back to work, with an emphasis on Individual Placement and Support (IPS) models. However there is little UK-based evidence on the key ingredients of effective support. Aim: To ascertain service users' views of what they found helpful about supported employment. Method: Interviews were carried out with 182 people with severe and enduring mental health problems who were actively engaged with one of the six supported employment agencies included in the study. Results: Three themes emerged: emotional support, practical assistance and a client-centred approach. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of the quality of support, particularly through interpersonal dynamics, which go beyond the organizational features emphasized in the IPS model.