Ana Olea Fernández is a PhD researcher from the Department of Sociology at the University of Essex. Here is her call for Social Workers:
‘I am exploring care leaver views of the impact of having had a psychiatric diagnosis when in foster care. My research aims to develop a better understanding of what a psychiatric diagnosis means for foster children from those who have been through this experience themselves and compare it with current children’s social workers perspective on the same subject. My research also aims to actively involve people with care experience in the research process itself, by inviting them to participate in creating the interview materials to present to social workers, and to take part in the discussion of study responses. If you had a psychiatric diagnosis whilst you were in foster care, you were at least 2 years in care, are between the ages of 18 and 30 and born in the UK, I’d be really interested in your participation in my study.
What’s involved?
Telling me your story in whichever way you choose: interview, poems, email, podcasts, art work, quotes from movies, songs… You choose.
Reading your social services files, if you give me permission.
If you would like, you can also take part in creating and choosing which materials will be presented at interviews with social workers.
If you would like, you can also take part in commenting on the social workers’ interviews.
You can contact me for more information at psychiatrystudy@essex.ac.uk or 07757 669 370.’
