Abstract
Aim and objective
To explore the emotions work undertaken by practitioners with responsibility for the safeguarding of child wellbeing and establish whether there is a relationship between emotion work, role visibility, professional wellbeing and effectiveness of supportive frameworks.
Background
Protecting children is the responsibility of everyone in society with health, social care and public health services leading this worldwide. To safeguard children effectively it is known that practitioners build relationships with families in sometimes challenging situations which involve the management of emotions. However irrespective of this current knowledge; health practitioners who work in this area suggest that their child safeguarding role is not recognised, respected or valued in professional and societal settings. The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative study which set out to explore the relationship between the known relational based emotions work of practitioners’ and the reported lack of visibility.
Methods
Hermeneutic phenomenology underpinned the study. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection. Ten participants actively working with pre-school children and families in health care organisations.were recruited.
Results
The emotional, relationship and communicative based work crucial to effectively safeguard children may influence the visibility of the role. Poor role visibility influences the morale of practitioners and the support they receive.
Conclusion
In conclusion this study proposes that when there is poor role recognition; there is ineffective clinical support. This reduces professional wellbeing which in turn will impact practitioner abilities to safeguard children.
To explore the emotions work undertaken by practitioners with responsibility for the safeguarding of child wellbeing and establish whether there is a relationship between emotion work, role visibility, professional wellbeing and effectiveness of supportive frameworks.
Background
Protecting children is the responsibility of everyone in society with health, social care and public health services leading this worldwide. To safeguard children effectively it is known that practitioners build relationships with families in sometimes challenging situations which involve the management of emotions. However irrespective of this current knowledge; health practitioners who work in this area suggest that their child safeguarding role is not recognised, respected or valued in professional and societal settings. The purpose of this paper is to report on a qualitative study which set out to explore the relationship between the known relational based emotions work of practitioners’ and the reported lack of visibility.
Methods
Hermeneutic phenomenology underpinned the study. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection. Ten participants actively working with pre-school children and families in health care organisations.were recruited.
Results
The emotional, relationship and communicative based work crucial to effectively safeguard children may influence the visibility of the role. Poor role visibility influences the morale of practitioners and the support they receive.
Conclusion
In conclusion this study proposes that when there is poor role recognition; there is ineffective clinical support. This reduces professional wellbeing which in turn will impact practitioner abilities to safeguard children.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Clinical Nursing |
Early online date | 3 Aug 2016 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 3 Aug 2016 |
Keywords
- health visitor
- health visiting
- emotional labour
- emotion work
- professional resilience
- stress
- child protection
- safeguarding