Research

My research activity focuses on serious child maltreatment, family support and interagency working.  I am particularly interested in children living at home who are on the threshold of out of home care, and on the impact of parent child interaction in these circumstances. My work considers implications for both policy and practice.  

Current and recently completed research projects 

2007-8 Biennial Analysis of  Serious Case Reviews 2005-7 (funded by the Department of Children Schools and Families). 

This national study of serious case reviews (cases of child death or serious abuse)  notified to the English government from 2005-7 will use the same methodology as the previous study (see below) and compare findings from both studies to uncover themes and trends  to inform policy and practice.

2006-7 Biennial Analysis of Serious Case Reviews 2003-5 (funded by the Department of Children Schools and Families)

This national overview analysis of serious case reviews (cases of child death or serious injury through abuse) was conducted to draw out themes and trends so that lessons can be learnt from these cases to inform both policy and practice.  The 161 reviews studied from all England were notified during the period April 2003- March 2005.  A total of 47% of the children were aged under 1, but 25% were over 11 years including 9% who were over 16.  Many older children were ‘hard to help’ and failed by agencies. In families where children suffered long term neglect, children’s social care often failed to take account of past history and adopted the ‘start again syndrome’.  The families of very young children who were physically assaulted (including those with head injuries) tended to be in contact with universal services or adult services rather than children’s social care. The study showed that staff working in universal services and with adults need to prioritise children as well as adults.  Due for publication Jan 08  Brandon M , Belderson J, Warren C, Howe, D, Gardner R, Dodsworth J, and Black J. (2008) Analysing Child Deaths and Serious Injury through Abuse and Neglect : What can we Learn?’ UEA/DCSF

2005-2006 Evaluating the Common Assessment Framework and Lead Professional Guidance and Implementation in 2005-6 (funded by the Department for Education and Skills).

This national evaluation offers a snapshot of a diverse selection of common assessment framework and lead professional activity in 12 English areas chosen by the DfES to trial these processes ahead of the national roll out after April 2006. A total of 114 practitioners and managers were interviewed and early  CAF and LP practice was followed among a group of eight practitioners.  The evaluation tested the congruence between the local visions of the Every Child Matters Change for Children Programme and the realities in the early stages of implementation of these new ways of working.  Findings revealed considerable enthusiasm at both grass roots and management level for CAF and LP work in all the areas studied and more than half of those interviewed felt, that even at this early stage, these processes were promoting better multi-agency working, helping agencies to come together much faster and enabling more rigorous follow-through in delivering services. Practitioners were already identifying some positive impact on the lives of children and their families. However more than two thirds of interviewees said that CAF and LP activity was adding to their workload. It was not easy for all sectors to grasp the changes required for holistic assessments and partnership with families. Anxiety and frustration was generated by lack of clarity about how the work was to be done, lack of support, threshold differences and lack of join up between agencies and sectors. (Published by DfES Research Report 740, also Brandon M, Howe A, Dagley V, Salter C and Warren C (2006) What appears to be helping or hindering practitioners in implementing the Common Assessment Framework and Lead Professional Working? Child Abuse Review, Vol 15 No 6 396-413 

2004-2006 Exploring sensitive outcomes and a theory of change in international social work.

This study contributed to a theory of change model being generated by a group of international researchers.  The methodology for this international project was agreed between the eight participating countries so that studies could be replicated as closely as possible in each country. A modest and simple single case study design, using qualitative methods was used to help provide the rich contextual data needed to be able to compare and contrast the studies internationally. The resulting articles were published in a special edition of devoted to the work of the International Association for Outcome Based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services. My study highlights the uncertain future for family centres within the English policy climate, but demonstrates family centres’  usefulness in contributing to staff well being and staff retention as well as to family support. (Brandon M (2006) ‘Confident workers, confident families: Exploring sensitive outcomes in family centre work in England’ International Journal of Child and Family Welfare, Vol 9, no1-2 pp63-78).

2000-2005 Children Living with Significant Harm

This study of children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm was funded initially by the Department of Health and latterly by the NSPCC. In Phase 1 (1993-1995)  a sample of 105 children (age range 0-18) were identified and information was collected at the point of identification of significant harm and one year later (through questionnaires and interviews) regarding the children, their parents and carers , and  multi-agency practice. (Findings published in Brandon M, Thoburn J, Lewis A and Way A (1999) Safeguarding Children with the Children Act 1989, London: The Stationery Office.

In Phase 2 (2000-2002)  the children were followed up and case records for 76 of the 105 children were located and examined. Interviews were carried out with 22 children and young people and 20 of their relatives or carers. The study highlights problems in the focus on early intervention in much government policy which can be to the detriment to young people with entrenched problems, many of whom were still living at home and not in care. The special attention given to the status of ‘child’ disappears in the transition to adult services. The study was published on the NSPCC’s Inform website (Brandon M, Thoburn J., Rose S and  Belderson P (2005) Living with Significant Harm: a follow up study, NSPCC: Inform.

1999- 2001 Study of a an Intensive Family Preservation Service in England (funded by two local authorities and a voluntary agency).

This study evaluated the first year of an Intensive Family Preservation scheme and followed up 80 families who had received the service and a comparison group of 80 families who had received ordinary services only .  Findings revealed that intensive services did not prevent children being accommodated, but they did help parents to tolerate and cope with the difficult behaviour of  their children. Families interviewed one year after the service had ceased were still using coping strategies taught to them by the highly skilled project workers. Published as Brandon M and Connolly J (2006) ‘Are Intensive Preservation Services Useful: A UK Study’ Journal of Family Preservation Vol 9, 56-69
 

Post qualifying programmes,  BA Specialist Practice ( Children and Families) The Child Care Professional Consolidation Module, Evidence based practice and multi-agency working, MA in Advanced Professional Practice and Planning, Advanced Evidence based practice and multi-agency working, Applied Dissertation.

MA International Child Welfare
Module 4 : International Child Welfare Practice

MA Social Work
Child Protection