Quigg, Z, Harrison, R, Harris, J, Butler, N, Bates, R and Timpson, H (2024) Drivers to implementing a whole-system approach to enquiring about adverse childhood experiences: A mixed methods evaluation from a single county in England. Child Abuse and Neglect, 155. ISSN 0145-2134

Text REACH paper accepted version.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 20 August 2027. Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (367kB)

Abstract

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have substantial impacts on individuals' health and social prospects across the life course. Retrospectively enquiring with adults about their experience of ACEs to inform support provision is an emerging intervention across services/countries, however little is known about the processes of implementation. Objectives The study aimed to examine the drivers to successful implementation of ACE enquiry. Participants and settings Nine services in a UK county participated in a test-and-learn project implementing ACE enquiry (i.e. the REACh™ programme). Methods Interviews with programme stakeholders (n = 37) and a follow-up survey exploring experiences of implementation (n = 72). Interviews were thematically analysed, with themes mapped against an implementation framework and triangulated with survey data. Results Analyses identify key implementation drivers across three domains: competency; organisational; and leadership. Findings suggest that implementing ACE enquiry requires ongoing and flexible training and supervision to increase staff knowledge and confidence. Supportive leadership is needed across all service levels to respond to routine and unforeseen barriers to implementation. Further, a flexible approach to implementation is needed which attunes to service and practitioner needs and adapts implementation to ensure a trauma-informed and person-centred approach to ACE enquiry. Conclusions Study findings may assist programme implementers in the development of system-wide approaches to ACE enquiry. However, further data on implementation of ACE enquiry models is needed to increase evidence on implementing and maintaining such programmes in real-world public health settings. Critically, further research is needed to understand the impacts of such programmes when successfully implemented.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1602 Criminology; 1607 Social Work; 1701 Psychology; Developmental & Child Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Divisions:	Nursing & Allied Health Public Health Institute
Publisher:	Elsevier
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	20 Aug 2024 13:24
Last Modified:	20 Aug 2024 13:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106983
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/24000

View Item