Bethan Collins, Nicole Anneke McGrath and Sabine Maguire
Families of children with disabilities experience many challenges, which Sparkle’s Family Liaison Service (FLS) aims to alleviate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the…
Abstract
Purpose
Families of children with disabilities experience many challenges, which Sparkle’s Family Liaison Service (FLS) aims to alleviate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the service.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative interviews with ten families who had accessed the FLS and 14 professionals working with children with disabilities were conducted in 2020. Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis.
Findings
Families valued an accessible service and a neutral individual who could empathise with them. Professionals highlighted the FLS relieving pressure they felt to provide informal support for families they work with, resulting in considerable time saving.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the novel FLS meeting the unmet needs of families of children with disabilities. The service equips and empowers caregivers to enhance their own lives and the lives of their children and family.
Details
Keywords
Sabine Khalil and Maksim Belitski
This paper aims to investigate the role of dynamic capabilities in the Information Technology (IT) Governance view framework and explores the relationship between three domains of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the role of dynamic capabilities in the Information Technology (IT) Governance view framework and explores the relationship between three domains of IT governance (Strategy, Management and Operations) and firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors used a mixed methods approach and using a survey instrument and its validation with interviews, to collect data from 134 successful European SMEs in the multi-country setting of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain and the UK.
Findings
The findings show that various IT governance mechanisms function as dynamic capabilities and are directly associated with firm performance. The impact of each mechanism is different.
Originality/value
This study highlights the relationship between IT governance acumens and organisational performance. It contributes to the field of IT Governance Framework in management, and the results may be generalisable to wider economies and different organisation types.
Details
Keywords
Jan De Varé, Vivienne de Vogel, An de Decker, Sabine Tremmery, Kasia Uzieblo and Leen Cappon
Despite the rising number of females in forensic psychiatry, research about their characteristics remains limited and is currently lacking in Belgium. Optimizing knowledge about…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the rising number of females in forensic psychiatry, research about their characteristics remains limited and is currently lacking in Belgium. Optimizing knowledge about the characteristics of these women will lead to a better understanding of this specific group. Therefore, the aim of the study was to gain insight into the characteristics of female forensic psychiatric patients in Flanders, Belgium.
Design/methodology/approach
A case file study was carried out in the forensic psychiatric hospital Sint-Jan-Baptist in Zelzate, Belgium. The files of female patients admitted in the period 2006–2017 were analysed (N = 82) based on a checklist including sociodemographic, mental health care and offence-related characteristics as well as historical risk factors.
Findings
The study revealed that female patients have been confronted with a large number of adverse experiences during both childhood and adulthood, were frequently diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and usually had an extensive mental health treatment history with many drop-outs. The majority of the female patients had committed violent offences towards relatives.
Practical implications
These findings are similar to those of other jurisdictions and highlight the importance of a gender-responsive treatment. This kind of treatment should include trauma-informed care, gender-sensitive risk-assessment and adapted versions of dialectical behavioural therapy and schema-focussed therapy. Additionally, treatment should focus on breaking the intergenerational transmission of violence and mental health problems by targeting parenting skills.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that scientifically scrutinized the detailed characteristics of female forensic psychiatric patients in Flanders, Belgium. Recommendations for gender-responsive treatment and directions for future research are discussed.
Details
Keywords
Magrita N. Wiggill and Gerrit van der Waldt
The purpose of this chapter is to reflect on the necessity of incorporating practical and experiential learning modalities in higher education to prepare communication and…
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to reflect on the necessity of incorporating practical and experiential learning modalities in higher education to prepare communication and relationship management students for engaging others in potentially conflicting socio-cultural heterogeneous settings. It is argued that cultural diversity sensitivity, cultivated in teaching modalities, could enhance social cohesion and aid nation-building endeavours. Participative action research was applied in a case study of second year communication students enrolled for a module concerning the application of relationship management in communication specialisms. Students generally comprehend the foundational theorem and praxis of communication and relationship management but failed to successfully apply these principles in practice. This impedes the emotional and intellectual preparation of students for work and negates social cohesion efforts in a diverse society like South Africa. The case study conclusively illustrates students' general anxiety to engage people from different ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds. Teachers should create ‘safe spaces’ in the classroom to equip and prepare students in utilizing the principles of communication and relationship management in politically charged and diverse settings. Innovative teaching strategies are recommended to foster harmony, tolerance, understanding and cultural sensitivity in Communication and Relationship Management education.