Children's Fears

This study focuses on vicarious learning in preventing and treating children's fears. It is funded by the ESRC and will run from 2012-2015.

Chief Investigator:
Andy Field

Principal Investigator:
Chris Askew

See details at www.cattlab.net

Working with Families of Children Based Away from Home

Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, this project is based on collaboration between partners in Denmark [Inge Danielsen], France [Hélѐne Join-Lambert] and the Netherlands [Esther Geurts], along with June Statham from the Institute of Education.

The research examines how the study countries address policy and practice in relation to:

- parental contact and involvement in the lives of their children while the children are away from home

- work with families to support return home and address problems that contribute to care entry.

The study involves rigorous reviews of policy and practice frameworks and academic literature, as well as consultation with a small number of expert stakeholders in each country. The project is due for completion in autumn 2012.

To find out more, contact Dr Janet Boddy:
E j.m.boddy@sussex.ac.uk

Good Practice in Child Protection in Secondary Schools

The study aims to contribute to the development of resources for schools wanting to develop their practice in this complex area by finding out how they develop systems and policies that identify need and help young people to get extra support when necessary.

The study involves two local authority areas and six schools that demonstrate well-developed practice in relation to services and systems that support and protect young people and promote their rights and wellbeing.

The project is due for completion in spring 2013.

To find out more, contact Dr Janet Boddy:
E j.m.boddy@sussex.ac.uk

Reducing Inequalities in School Exclusion: Learning from good practice

Funded by the Office of the Children's Commissioner, this research study is led by Dr Louise Gazeley and Dr Janet Boddy and involves a cross-disciplinary team working within the School of Education and Social Work, including Dr Tish Marrable and Chris Brown.

The study builds on the Children's Commissioner's Inquiry into School Exclusions which highlighted the disproportionate exclusion rate of certain groups of young people from secondary school, including boys, black and ethnic minority groups, those partaking of Free School Meals and those with Special Educational Needs. It addresses this significant concern and aims to identify - and inform the development of - good practice with regard:

- practice in schools

- initial teacher education (ITE)

- workforce training and development.

The research involves ITE providers who have been identified as exemplars of good practice in addressing equality and diversity, local authority staff working with excluded young people, and five case study schools identified as exemplars of well-developed practice in tackling inequality in terms of school exclusion.

This project is now complete with the full report, They Go The Extra Mile, available to download from the Office of the Children's Commission website. The report which Louise Gazeley's team produced to feed into the full report is Annex A.

To find out more, contact Dr Louise Gazeley:
E L.H.Gazeley@sussex.ac.uk

Contested Adoption Cases: A Review

Funded by the Department of Education, this project was developed in association with the Andrew and Virginia Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice and is being undertaken in collaboration with a co-investigator at the University of Lancaster.

Research uses file analysis and evidence from local authorities and judicial cases to examine cases in which children are put into care and placed for adoption without the consent of their birth parents. The findings - due in October 2012 - will contribute to policy and practice development in children's services and family law in England which are being reformed by the forthcoming Children and Families Bill 2013.

To find out more, contact Barry Luckock:
E b.a.luckock@sussex.ac.uk

Innovative Models of Interface between the NHS and Children's Social Care

Funded by the Policy Research Programme of the Department of Health, this research project constitutes an evaluation of the role and impact of innovative models of interface between the NHS and children's social care to improve outcomes for children at risk of abuse and neglect.

Research is being undertaken collaboratively between researchers at the Universities of Sussex, Warwick and Loughborough and combines a desk-based review of the type and spread of relevant practice innovations, with in-depth fieldwork across a number of sites which exemplify innovative practice in the successful management of the interface between primary and secondary health and children's social care.

Findings - which will be translated by policy-makers, practitioners and the health and social care research community - will identify innovative models currently in place across an age spectrum, as well as the factors and mechanisms that are most effective in improving such multidisciplinary practice.

The objective of the research is to support the spread and sustainability of innovations in working practices that are effective in safeguarding children.

To find out more, contact Barry Luckock:
E b.a.luckock@sussex.ac.uk

The Children's Consumer Culture Project

Led by Helga Dittmar and Robin Banerjee within the School of Psychology, this research project focuses on the links between consumer culture (particularly materialistic and appearance-related ideals) and children's wellbeing. It is funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

See more information at www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/consumercultureproject

Mental Health and Socio-Emotional Development at School

Robin Banerjee's CRESS research lab (Children's Relationships, Emotions and Social Skills) has been conducting research which examines ways in which schools support pupil's wellbeing, social and emotional skills and relationships, including:

- Early intervention of social and emotional difficulties (funded by the British Council Lifelong Learning Comenius Scheme). See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/early-intervention

- The 'Targeted Mental Health in Schools' project (funded by Bracknell Forest Council). See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/tamhs-bracknell

- The 'Building Communities Through Dialogue' project on group work and inter-ethnic relations (funded by the Development Education Centre, South. See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/communities-through-dialogue

Psychological Development, Learning and Aspirations in Vulnerable Youths

Robin Banerjee's CRESS research lab (Children's Relationships, Emotions and Social Skills) has worked with a variety of practitioners and policy-makers on projects relating to the psychological development, learning and aspirations of vulnerable youths, including:

- 'Investigation of the social and emotional development of children in care' (a collaboration with Brighton & Hove City Council). See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/children-in-care

- A theatre project for youths who have been excluded from mainstream schooling (funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation). See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/the-project

- An evaluation of local projects designed to raise the aspirations of disadvantaged 8-13 year olds in Brighton & Hove (funded by Brighton & Hove City Council). See www.sussex.ac.uk/psychology/cress/research/current/raising-aspirations