Exploring staff and service user views on young peoples IPS engagement
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A phenomenological study investigating service users and providers perceptions of engagement with an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service for young people with diagnosed mental illnesses and are not in employment, education or training (NEET).
IRAS ID
273661
Contact name
Neesha Sahota
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birmingham City University (BCU)
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Sahota /4811 /R(C) /201, Birmingham City University Ethics Approval
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 28 days
Research summary
Research Summary
The principle research question for this study is, what are service user and provider perceptions of engagement with an Individual Placement and Support service for young people (ages 18-24) with a diagnosed mental illness who are not in employment, education or training?
The aim of this study is to deepen the understanding of engagement with an IPS service through the perceptions of young people as well as their IPS coaches and supervisors. The area being studied is Individual Placement and Support services, which is a supportive model that provides mental health care and employment support for individuals with diagnosed mental illnesses.
This research will benefit young people who are not in employment, education or training with mental health needs. Results from this study are expected to encourage young people’s inclusion with accessing and using IPS services in consideration of their needs. Beneficiaries also include IPS service users, providers, policymakers and scholars as this research will capture views from both IPS service users and staff while advancing research on the IPS model itself.Two groups of participants are eligible to take part in this study, outlined as follows: Group 1 - young people aged between 18 to 24 years who are not in employment education or training, have a diagnosed mental illness, attended at least one session with their IPS employment coach and can provide informed consent.
Group 2 – An IPS employment coach (to include IPS supervisors that have worked as IPS employment coaches) providing they have worked in this role for at least a year to allow for a similar level of familiarity with this particular kind of practice and have provided employment support to a young person not in employment, education or training.
Participants will be recruited from IPS services across Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and commissioned by NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG.
Participants will complete a semi-structured one-to-one telephone interview with the researcher and discuss a series of topics relating to young peoples engagement with IPS services. Interviews are expected to last 30 minutes and data collection is scheduled to conclude March 2021.Summary of Results
A total of nine themes were developed during the analysis. Of these, three group experiential themes were developed that reflected young people's views on, empathetic communication, economic participation and their mental health care. They implied their IPS coach’s empathetic outreach and compassionate support made them feel heard and valued. Their sense-making of this was embedded in their insights on experiences in employment and, or education. Some also shared views on how a diagnosis impacted their sense of self and how the side effects of medication were unexpected.
Three group experiential themes were also developed that reflected IPS staff insights on their altruistic nature, young people's experiences with medicalisation and diverse needs. Staff implied their compassionate support was underpinned by considering young people's feelings particularly when gaining their trust and developing rapport. Some also discussed the types of experiences young people encounter when their emotional distress is interpreted through a medicalised lens. Staff also outlined young people's needs as diverse and requiring more than employment support alone.
Three additional themes were also developed that reflected the extent to which young people and staff shared views on, empathetic support, the pressures young people face with economic participation and when their emotional distress is medicalised. Young people and staff shared complementary views on receiving and providing empathetic support. There were overlapping patterns between both groups sense-making of the challenges young people encounter with work and education. Patterns also illuminated both groups' opinions on young people's experiences when their distress is diagnosed and treated with medication.
This research contributes to the understanding of young people's experiences in IPS services as perceived by them and staff. This study highlights the importance of providing psychosocial support to young people in consideration of their previous experiences in economic participation and medicalisation. Recommendations for research, policy and practice are also discussed.REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
20/WS/0061
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion