CEE parent stories
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The lived experience of care experienced expectant (CEE) parents and the perceived barriers and enablers to expressing thoughts and feelings about the relationship to the unborn child
IRAS ID
337706
Contact name
Esther Simone Congreave
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
RGU
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 13 days
Research summary
Pregnancy is a relatively short period of time where expectant parents begin a relationship with their unborn infant. This project focuses on parents who have had some form of care experience and will be pregnant/expecting a child. Care experienced expectant (CEE) parents have experienced a disruption in the relationship with their biological parents (the unborn infants grandparents) and spent some/all of their childhood living out with their care.
My literature review found no evidence-based interventions with CEE parents, identifying a significant gap in research and clinical practice. From my literature review, it is suggested that CEE parents are marginalized, there is a major research gap in lived experience accounts. Their experiences and views have not been asked, documented and do not currently inform practice around care planning for families and their children.
This project aims to listen to the voices of CEE parents talking about their relationship with their unborn infant. I will recruit three parents (mums/dads) with different care experience and interview them twice using a free association narrative interview (FANI). This kind of interview allows for participants to lead the conversation and the process of two interviews means that I can go back to participants to check out my understanding of what they have told me, and in this way the interview transcripts will be collaborative between participant and researcher. FANI acknowledges unconscious processes and are therefore consistent with my own psychoanalytically informed training and understanding of meaning in relationships and research.
Data analysis of transcripts will identify both individual themes and researcher reflexivity in the process. Major themes will be analysed in respect to the wider literature and finally themes will be summarised and compared. It is hoped that some common themes will be identified and that these can inform knowledge and future practice with this population.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
24/IEC08/0022
Date of REC Opinion
19 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion