Social Inclusion Research Unit
Postgraduate research students
There are currently seven PhD students attached to SIRU and whose studies fall within the key research areas of Children and Families, and Risk.
“A Qualitative study of Criminal Justice in the Bilingual Context of North Wales”
Iolo Madoc-Jones (SIRU Member)
This qualitative study explores the Welsh language within the criminal justice context of Wales, drawing on perceptions of Welsh speakers, who have experienced the criminal justice system. The findings will contribute to our understanding of how language impacts upon criminal justice practices/services and the implications for Welsh speaking users.
“Schools, Families and Food: A Qualitative study of diet among young children in North Wales”
Emily Warren (SIRU Research Assistant)
There is increasing concern about the rising level of child and adult obesity. This qualitative study, based in two primary schools located in (socio-economically) contrasting areas of North Wales. It uses in-depth interviews, focus groups and observation to explore the influential pressures and contexts in which children make decisions in relation to food and examines implications for promoting and encouraging healthy food behaviours.
“Duke of Edinburgh's Award in the Secure Estate and Beyond”
Sarah Dubberley (SIRU Associate Member)
The PhD study focuses on young people participating in the DoE in the secure estate, their understandings of and engagement with the DofE and implication for their experiences while in the secure estate and following their release to the community. Data will be gathered from focus groups with young people within the secure estate, interviews with staff delivering the DofE to young people within the community and secure estate and a survey of YOT teams in England and Wales.
“A Qualitative Study of the Political Engagement of Young People (18-24) in Wales”
Michael Anderson
The study examines perceptions of, and engagement with, political processes among a purposive sample of young people in Wales. In particular, the study will explore contemporary modes of communication utilised by young people in this respect.
“Women Living with HIV and Factors Affecting Adherence to Medication: a UK Study”
Vicki Woodward
This qualitative study focuses on a purposive sample of women living with HIV in UK. The study is primarily concerned to explore compliance among the sample with medical regimes, and in doing so examines a range of factors including, for example, level of knowledge and understanding about the condition, contact act with and perceptions, of medical (and other) services, and participation in health-related risk behaviours. The study, which will also explore perceptions of those delivering services, will primarily involve focus groups with a purposive sample of key service providers and HIV Positive Women who have accessed treatment services in the study area.
“Exploring perceptions of elder abuse and service provision in North Wales: A qualitative study of older people and service providers”
Niki Jones
This qualitative study focuses on issues of elder abuse in North Wales, drawing on perceptions of both service providers and older people (including ‘victims’ of abuse). The study explore perception about what constitutes abuse (among both sample groups), factors affecting disclosure of abuse, perceived levels (and experience) of support, barriers and facilitators to accessing support and perceived gaps in service provision.
“Examining the deployment of lay and professional discourses by Community Care Social Workers, and the implications for social work practice”
Karen Roscoe
This study will draws on in depth qualitative interviews with social workers working in the adult sector, in local authority and under the umbrella of Community Care to examine their perceptions about the work that they do and how these perceptions relate to organisational discourse (structured collections of practices which include talking) and social work discourses (in particular). The study focuses upon both newly qualified social workers and experienced practitioners in order to capture a wide range of positions which social workers adopt in relation to lay and professional discourses and facilitate examination of any similarities or differences between the discourses that are employed.