Children and their carers: making sense of the impact of interpersonal violence

The present thesis reports on the experience of children and their carers who have been subject to interpersonal violence. Chapter one is a systematic literature review of qualitative research studies investigating the experiences of children and adolescents who have witnessed domestic violence in their families. Empirical evidence was critically evaluated from 11 studies in order to identify what the various research findings tell us about children and adolescents experiences from their own perspectives. Reviewing this body of literature revealed three themes: impact of domestic violence, coping with domestic violence and life after domestic violence. A number of additional sub-themes were found. Findings are discussed and consideration is given to future research directions as well as the clinical implications of the review findings. Chapter two is an empirical study exploring the lived experience of staff exposed to violence from Looked after Children (LAC) in residential care. This qualitative study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis methodology to analyse data from eight semi-structured interviews with residential staff. Three superordinate and eight subordinate themes emerged from the data analysis. Each theme is explored and consideration is given to the implications for future research and clinical practice. Chapter three presents a reflective paper of the researcher’s personal experiences while conducting this research. It explores the challenges faced during the research process as well as the way in which the researcher’s personal and professional development has been shaped for the future. Additionally, the role of Clinical Psychology in LAC services is discussed