“Youth voices matter!” Safety and meaningful participation

Perspectives of youth and staff in Norwegian residential facilities

Abstract

In recent years, safety considerations have been at the forefront of work with children and youth (hereafter, youth) in residential facilities. In particular, the awareness of safety as fundamental to staff-youth relationships and to youth well-being has informed the research in these environments. The underlying assumption of this dissertation is that perceiving that one is safe is essential if one’s care and treatment are to be effective. Studies have shown that youths’ descriptions of life in residential care can reflect feelings of unsafety and lack of participation. Reports suggest as well that both staff and youth at Norwegian residential facilities experience a lack of safety and security. The three aims of this dissertation are (1) to illuminate youth and staff perceptions and experiences of safety in residential facilities, (2) to investigate staff and youth experiences of meaningful participation and conflict management, and (3) to investigate staff perceptions of the effects of their having attended the Basic Training Program in Safety and Security. The first article of this dissertation, a mapping literature review (Slaatto, et al., 2021a), included 14 studies that were conducted in residential and hospital/psychiatric facilities and a small number that were conducted in juvenile justice facilities. The review indicates that both youth and staff have had negative experiences of physical restraint. The findings also show that the number of conflicts/aggressive incidents and the use of restraint and seclusion (R&S) can be reduced by implementing various interventions, such as education and training programs. Additionally, the results of the review show that research is limited and that further studies are needed on both the effects and experiences of physical restraint and the effectiveness of de-escalation measures in preventing violence and aggression. The second article (Slaatto, et al., 2021b) investigates staff perceptions of their safety and their experiences with the Basic Training Program in Safety and Security. Findings show that staff regard safety as essential and perceive enhanced safety to correlate with increased predictability, stability, team coordination, education and training, organizational support, and trusting and supportive relationships. Also, staff believe that the basic training program has improved their safety by enhancing their awareness of conflict situations before, during, and after they occur and by contributing to more systematic work processes and more cooperative and coordinated teamwork. The third article (Slaatto et al., 2022) examines youths’ perceptions of their safety and experiences of staff behaviors and attitudes. Findings suggest that youths’ private rooms and the location of the rooms, as well as youths’ relationships with staff are important to their perceptions of safety. Another important finding is that some youths perceived their everyday life in residential facilities to be on hold, and that they are just waiting for their lives to start. Youths also reported that they do not see themselves as meaningful to others and so have nothing to get up for in the morning. The study also found that youths who voice their opinions feel powerless, reporting that it is pointless to argue with staff or complain to state administrators. Findings with respect to youths’ perceptions of staff attitudes and behaviors indicate the importance of staff’s communication abilities. One of the main findings reported in the fourth article (Slaatto et al., 2023) is the shortcomings in the facilitation and implementation of meaningful participation for youth living in residential facilities. The article finds weaknesses with respect to the level of information that youth receive and how they receive it. The extent of information provided is dependent on youths taking the initiative to ask for it. The article also identifies challenges to the fulfillment of the requirement that youth be permitted and encouraged to express their views freely and have their views taken into account. These findings indicate that youth in residential facilities experience a lack of control and influence over their lives. Several youths stated that, no matter what they say, they cannot change staff members’ minds. The article concludes that the three dimensions of participation are not all fully present. Each of the four articles presents a different picture of life in residential care in Norway. The dissertation has several novel findings and contributes to knowledge of how youth and staff experience safety, conflict management, and meaningful participation in residential care. It also deepens understanding of youth perspectives on living in residential facilities and highlights safety as an important concern for youth as well as for staff. The main positive finding is that staff experienced an increased feeling of safety after attending the Basic Training Program in Safety and Security. Findings also point to two concerns. One is that both staff and youth perceive challenges to achieving meaningful participation of youth, with one possible consequence being that the youth do not experience real influence over their lives. The other concern is that youth describe sitting in their rooms, waiting for life to start and not knowing what the future will bring.