Young people and police making “Marginal Gains”: climbing fells, building relationships and changing police safeguarding practice
Journal of Children's Services
ISSN: 1746-6660
Article publication date: 19 August 2019
Issue publication date: 8 October 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a youth work model of participatory research practice which utilises a range of methods within non-traditional research settings, highlighting the importance of trust, risk-taking and the creation of mutually respectful and non-hierarchical relationships. The paper suggests that such methods enable the development of new insights into previously intractable challenges when working with adolescents needing a safeguarding response from professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reflects on the challenges and successes of a project which brought police officers and young people together to develop solutions to improving safeguarding responses to young people affected by sexual violence and related forms of harm in adolescence. In particular, this paper focuses on a residential held in October 2016 in the Lake District involving 7 officers and 15 young people.
Findings
Despite a number of ethical challenges throughout the project, this paper makes the case that potentially high-risk participatory research projects can be supported and managed by university research centres. However, for these to be successful, staff need to work in trauma-informed ways, and possess high-level expertise in group work facilitation. Transparency, honesty, constancy and a range of different and creative activities, including mental and physical challenges, all contributed to the success of the project.
Originality/value
By detailing the empirical steps taken to develop, support and realise this project, this paper advances a youth work model of participatory research practice, filling an important gap within the methodological literature on participatory work with young people affected by sexual violence.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are incredibly grateful to the young people and police officers who took part in the project for their commitment, enthusiasm and creativity. The authors wish to thank Abi Billinghurst and Joanne Walker and the rest of the CSE and Policing Knowledge Hub team, without whom this project would not have been possible, and Isabelle Brodie for her insightful comments on an early draft of this article.
Citation
Factor, F.J. and Ackerley, E.L. (2019), "Young people and police making “Marginal Gains”: climbing fells, building relationships and changing police safeguarding practice", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 217-227. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-01-2019-0001
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited