2. Communicating with looked after young people about alcohol
Hannah Carver
Edinburgh Napier University

4. My PhD study
Aim - to gain an understanding of substance use specific communication between looked after young people and formal carers
Qualitative study, underpinned by a broadly social constructionist approach
In-depth interviews with:
Formal carers (residential care staff, foster carers and social workers; n=18)
Young people aged years living in foster or residential care (n=13)
Interviews covered experiences of talking about substance use, what works/doesn’t work, use of digital media
Analysis – Braun & Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis

5. “quite often take them drive in the car and they don't once there's no eye contact there's just it's the best they just chat away”
(Jennifer, residential care staff, Unit A)
Shared doing
“there's somethin' about…easier being in the car cos you're not like...I don't like eye contact with people…I have a 'hing with eye contact…it's easier in the car but as well I think”
(Sophie, age 15, foster care)
“one of the things I really liked is…cooking with the kids in the kitchen so that you're chatting away cos what you tend to find is if you're not eye-balling each other… you're maybe able to...unpick more and the children are able to say more”
(Susan, foster carer)

6. Conclusions from my PhD
Carers should continue using ‘shared doing’ as a way of having difficult conversations about alcohol use
Carers should be encouraged to take advantage of the occasions in which they are alone with young people, in the particular spaces which appear to facilitate communication about alcohol use
These often time-limited spaces may encourage communication to occur more naturally and in a less intense manner

7. Dr Janet Hanley (Edinburgh Napier University)
Supervision team:
Dr Janet Hanley (Edinburgh Napier University)
Prof. Lawrie Elliott (Glasgow Caledonian University)
Prof. Catriona Kennedy (Robert Gordon University)
(or
Research Gate: