Reliance on a worker

One of the consequences of the development of Family Outreach Workers as single point of call for mothers in deprived areas seems to be their often total reliance on a specific individuals for their information seeking.   Again I was visiting a meeting run by a children’s centre in Leeds the other day and got talking to an outreach working about my observations.    She agreed that this was sometimes a problem, reciting an incident the other day where a vulnerable mother had a crisis—but would only work with a specific worker.  She speculated that had they not been able to contact the worker and get hold of her this mother may have gone without help.

So what are the implications for working with the vulnerable mothers?   Is it the role of the worker to be the single gatekeeper to be a single point of call, or should a less dependent relationship based on personal responsibility some hoe be fostered… if so how should this be done?    That is the eternal question…

False Starts

It is the 12th of May, so I am now a week over, from the point I said that I would start chapter 2 and also start refining my data.   Worry has started to set in, this week we (my supervisors) and I have agreed which examiners I might like to have for my final viva.   This is now exactly a year away, and that is very very worrying. 

Chapter 4 – off, off and away

A milestone achieved today, I have sent my fist “very” draft chapter off to my supervisors just another five chapters to write.    In reality I know that I should have sent if off a month ago, but there is that need to make it as complete as it can be.

A second set of eyes

I had an opportunity today to have have a fellow PhD studded to look through one of my transcripts.    The premise here is that I can then see what they have suggested as preliminary codes and than check my work.   

I was a very useful time and provided some great feedback.  One of the main problems I am finding is that of isolation,.  You put you head down and work away—you need that fresh set of eyes on your work.  My question is why hadn’t I done it earlier?

LILAC 2009

Wow what a LILAC the organisation was fantastic.   The two evening events great, especially the conference dinner at the National Museum of Cardiff, well worth a visit if you are in the Cardiff area.

Well back to the conference.  I suppose my one single criticism of LILAC is that it is still very much grounded in the developments and experiences of practitioners—rather new and pioneering research.   That sill they gave me 45 minutes to present my preliminary findings, which was fantastic.    The session was very useful, not only because it gave me some confidence in what I am doing but also I have some positive feedback and areas that I could do to look at.  Anyone out there experts on the satisficing literature?