Family stories: investigating trauma-informed narratives, change behaviours and environments in complex family experiences

Emma Maynard*, Wendy Sims-Schouten, Nicola Fairchild, Amy Warhurst

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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    Abstract

    This paper presents our Family Stories model identifying self-reported change behaviours and environments by families developed from our two-phase research in an inner-city area in the south of England. The research focused on parents whose families had experienced complex issues impacting behaviour, wellbeing, learning and or safety of children, and who had received social care support from services broadly adopting a trauma-informed approach. We identified parents’ self-reported change behaviours and environments, in context of the high rate of families relapsing and returning for multiple episodes of support. We also identify key challenges to securing long term positive change, including the barriers to nurturing a strong and successful parenting identity, in which parents are more able to sustain positive change. Our model identifies four enablers, evident in the self-reported change behaviours narrated by our participants; Community, Allyship, Strategy and Mastery.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)519-536
    JournalFamilies, Relationships and Society
    Volume12
    Issue number4
    Early online date20 Jan 2023
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2023

    Keywords

    • parents
    • children
    • family
    • qualitative psychology
    • social care

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