Experiences of parenthood in forensic mental health settings V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative exploration of the experiences of parenthood in forensic mental health settings.
IRAS ID
323306
Contact name
James Stroud
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
Becoming a parent is considered a significant developmental event in life that influences one’s sense of self (Shor & Moreh-Kremer, 2016). Despite this understanding, the role of being a parent is often overlooked for patients residing in forensic mental health settings (Parrott et al., 2015; Wells, 2020). There is currently little published on the experiences of parenthood with those who identify as parents in mental health forensic settings.
To explore this further, this study will speak with patients who identify as parents across two secure forensic mental health settings in South Wales (one NHS setting and one private setting). Those who are interested in participating will be given a Participant Information Sheet about the project and a consent form to sign to ensure they are aware of the purpose of the study and can make an informed consent to proceed. Demographic information will be gathered (e.g. age and ethnicity), however, all data will be pseudonymized to protect the participant’s identity.
Participants will engage in an interview in a safe location in the hospital. The interview will last around 90 minutes where they will be asked about their experience of being a parent in a forensic mental health setting. Interviews will be voice recorded and stored securely (in line with Cardiff University policy).
All participants will be given a £20 high street retailer voucher for taking part.
Information gathered during these interviews will be analysed using Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
The results of this study will increase the research pool of an under-represented population and could explore the value of parental relationships within forensic mental health settings as well as ways that staff could further support these relationships. This, in turn, could result in a positive impact on both staff and patients as parents within forensic mental health settings.
REC name
Wales REC 2
REC reference
23/WA/0187
Date of REC Opinion
29 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion