A NARRATIVE EXPLORATION OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STREET-CONNECTED ...

297 Pages·2014·42.28 MB·English

A NARRATIVE EXPLORATION OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF
STREET-CONNECTED YOUNG PEOPLE IN INDIA

Volume I of II

A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester in part-fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Counselling Psychology

2014

Parneet Kaur Chahal

Manchester Institute of Education
University of Manchester
Table of Contents

Volume'I'of'II
List'of'Abbreviations'.................................................................................................................'7!
List'of'Figures'..............................................................................................................................'8!
List'of'Tables'...............................................................................................................................'9!
Abstract'.......................................................................................................................................'10!
Declaration'................................................................................................................................'11!
Copyright'and'Ownership'of'Intellectual'Property'Rights'........................................'12!
Acknowledgements'.................................................................................................................'13!
Chapter'1:'Introduction'.........................................................................................................'14!
1.1)'Introduction'...............................................................................................................................'14!
1.2)'Parameters'of'My'Study'.........................................................................................................'14!
1.3)'Introduction'to'My'Study'.......................................................................................................'16!
1.3.1)!Counselling!Psychology!Engaging!with!Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!
People!....................................................................................................................................................................!16!
1.3.2)!Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!People!and!the!Geographical!Context!of!My!
Study!......................................................................................................................................................................!17!
1.3.3)!Personal,!Practical,!and!Social!Justification!for!the!Use!of!Narrative!Inquiry!...........!19!
1.3.4)!Aim!and!Research!Question!............................................................................................................!21!
1.4)'Structure'of'My'Thesis'............................................................................................................'22!
1.5)'Conclusion'..................................................................................................................................'23!
Chapter'2:'My'Understanding'of'StreeStConnected'Children'and'Young'People24!
2.1)'Introduction'...............................................................................................................................'24!
2.2)'Definitional'Debates'Concerning'StreetSConnected'Children'and'Young'People
'.................................................................................................................................................................'24!
2.3)'Statistical'Issues'Concerning'StreetSConnected'Children'and'Young'People'......'26!
2.4)'StreetSConnected'Children'and'Young'Peoples’'Experiences'...................................'27!
2.4.1)!Developing!Street9Connections!....................................................................................................!28!
2.4.2)!Dangers!of!Encountering!Street9Connections!........................................................................!29!
2.4.3)!Surviving!Street9Connections!........................................................................................................!30!
2.5)'The'Care'of'StreetSConnected'Children'and'Young'People'........................................'32!
2.6)'Conclusion'..................................................................................................................................'34!
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Chapter'3:'Research'Design'..................................................................................................'36!
3.1)'Introduction'...............................................................................................................................'36!
3.2)'Philosophical'Underpinnings'..............................................................................................'36!
3.3)'Rationale'for'Narrative'Inquiry'..........................................................................................'37!
3.3.1)!Brief!Overview!of!Narrative!Inquiry!...........................................................................................!37!
3.3.2)!Positioning!My!Use!of!Narrative!Inquiry!..................................................................................!40!
3.4)'From'Approach'To'Method'...................................................................................................'42!
3.4.1)!Participants!............................................................................................................................................!42!
3.4.2)!Data!Generation!...................................................................................................................................!44!
3.4.3)!Data!Processing!...................................................................................................................................!48!
3.4.4)!Data!Presentation!...............................................................................................................................!50!
3.4.5)!Data!Analysis!.........................................................................................................................................!51!
3.5)'Ethical'Considerations'...........................................................................................................'57!
3.6)'Trustworthiness'.......................................................................................................................'60!
3.7)'Conclusion'..................................................................................................................................'61!
Chapter'4:'Data'Analysis'.......................................................................................................'62!
4.1)'Introduction'...............................................................................................................................'62!
4.2)'Signposting'.................................................................................................................................'62!
4.3)'Brief'Summary'of'the'Data'Analysis'..................................................................................'63!
4.4)'Data'Analysis'.............................................................................................................................'67!
4.4.A)!Factors!Contributing!to!Difficult!Circumstances!...................................................................!67!
4.4.B)!Facing!Risks!in!Developing!Street9Connections!....................................................................!78!
4.4.C)!Impact!of!Difficult!Experiences!and!Circumstances!............................................................!84!
4.4.D)!Connecting!with!Services!................................................................................................................!90!
4.4.E)!Street9Connected!Young!Peoples’!Retrospective!Thouhgts!..........................................!106!
4.5)'Conclusion'................................................................................................................................'108!
Chapter'5:'Discussion'..........................................................................................................'109!
5.1)'Introduction'.............................................................................................................................'109!
5.2)'Attending'to'the'Narrativised'Understandings'of'StreetSConnected'Young'People
'...............................................................................................................................................................'109!
5.2.1)!The!Influence!of!Social!Inequalities!.........................................................................................!110!
5.2.2)!The!Influence!of!Familial!and!Systemic!Experiences!.......................................................!113!
5.2.3)!How!Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!People!Cope!..............................................!117!
5.3)'Issues'Needing'Further'Attention'and'Exploration'....................................................'119!
5.4)'…Resonating…'Collaborating…Responding:'Shifting'Practice'Perspectives'.....'121!
5.4.1)!Why!is!it!Difficult!to!Engage!Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!People?!–!A!
Brief!Formulation!..........................................................................................................................................!121!
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5.4.2)!Engagement!Issues!as!a!Central!Concern!..............................................................................!123!
5.4.3)!Being!Guided!by!a!Psychologically9Informed!Approach!Towards!the!Care!of!
Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!People:!Integrating!Formulations!..........................!125!
5.4.4)!Applying!a!Psychologically9Informed!Approach!to!Practice:!Integrating!
Formulations!within!a!Multi9Disciplinary!Framework!................................................................!128!
5.5)'Significance'of'My'Insights'..................................................................................................'138!
5.6)'Implications'.............................................................................................................................'140!
5.7)'Conclusion'................................................................................................................................'142!
Chapter'6:'Conclusion'.........................................................................................................'143!
6.1)'Introduction'.............................................................................................................................'143!
6.2)'Summary'of'My'Thesis'and'Study'.....................................................................................'143!
6.3)'Contribution'to'Knowledge'................................................................................................'146!
6.4)'Conclusion'................................................................................................................................'147!
References'...............................................................................................................................'148!
Appendix'1:'Information'Sheet'for'NGOs'......................................................................'161!
Appendix'2:'Care'Taker’s'Consent'Form'.......................................................................'164!
Appendix'3:'Information'Sheet'for'Participants'........................................................'165!
Appendix'4:'Participant’s'Agreement'Form'................................................................'167!
Appendix'5:'Narrative'Interview'Protocol'...................................................................'168!
Appendix'6:'Transcripts'.....................................................................................................'170!
A6.1)'Transcript'of'Interview'I'...................................................................................................'170!
A6.2)'Transcript'of'Interview'II'.................................................................................................'204!
A6.3)'Transcript'of'Interview'III'................................................................................................'212!
A6.4)'Transcript'of'Interview'IV'................................................................................................'222!
A6.5)'Transcript'of'Interview'V'.................................................................................................'230!
A6.6)'Transcript'of'Interview'VI'................................................................................................'240!
A6.7)'Transcript'of'Interview'VII'..............................................................................................'247!
A6.8)'Transcript'of'Interview'VIII'.............................................................................................'256!
A6.9)'Transcript'of'Interview'IX'................................................................................................'261!
Appendix'7:'Restorying'Process'and'Prose'Storie'.s..................................................'264!
A7.1)'Purpose'of'Constructing'Prose'Stories'........................................................................'264!
A7.2)'The'Restorying'Process'.....................................................................................................'264!
A7.2.1)!Stage!1!................................................................................................................................................!265!
A7.2.2)!Stage!2!................................................................................................................................................!265!
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A7.2.3)!Stage!3!................................................................................................................................................!266!
A7.3)'Prose'Stories'.........................................................................................................................'267!
A7.3.1)!Kanchan!and!Sanjana!..................................................................................................................!267!
A7.3.2)!Sartaj!...................................................................................................................................................!282!
A7.3.3)!Terro!...................................................................................................................................................!283!
A7.3.4)!Vishnu!................................................................................................................................................!286!
A7.3.5)!James!..................................................................................................................................................!289!
A7.3.6)!Yesu!.....................................................................................................................................................!292!
A7.3.7)!Adi!........................................................................................................................................................!293!
A7.3.8)!Professor!...........................................................................................................................................!294!

Volume'II'of'II'
List'of'Figures'..............................................................................................................................'4'
List'of'Tables'...............................................................................................................................'5'
Abstract'.........................................................................................................................................'6'
Declaration'..................................................................................................................................'7'
Copyright'and'Ownership'of'Intellectual'Property'Rights'..........................................'8'
Appendix'1:'Analysis'of'Transcripts'...................................................................................'9'
A1.1)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'I'.................................................................................'9'
A1.2)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'II'.............................................................................'75'
A1.3)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'III'...........................................................................'88'
A1.4)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Intervew'IV'...........................................................................'105'
A1.5)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'V'...........................................................................'120'
A1.6)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'VI'.........................................................................'137'
A1.7)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'VII'........................................................................'149'
A1.8)'Analysis'of'Trancript'of'Interview'VIII'........................................................................'167'
A1.9)'Analysis'of'Transcript'of'Interview'IX'.........................................................................'175'
Appendix'2:'Analysis'Collated'..........................................................................................'180'
Appendix'3:'The'Thematic'Map'.......................................................................................'231'
Appendix'4:'Themes'............................................................................................................'235'
A4.A)'Factors'Contributing'to'Difficult'Circumstances'......................................................'239'
A.1)!Social!Inequalities!...............................................................................................................................!239!
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A.2)!Family!Related!Factors!.....................................................................................................................!244!
A.3)!Other!Systemic!Factors!.....................................................................................................................!257!
A4.B)'Facing'Risks'in'Developing'StreetSConnections'.......................................................'258'
B.1)!Exploitation!From!Others!................................................................................................................!258!
B.2)!Violence!From!Others!........................................................................................................................!259!
B.3)!Explicitly!Acknowledged!Risks!......................................................................................................!260!
B.4)!Strategies!Adopted!for!Street9Survival!......................................................................................!262!
A4.C)'Impact'of'Difficult'Experiences'and'Circumstances'................................................'264'
C.1)!Psychological!Impact!..........................................................................................................................!264!
C.2)!Psychological!Mind9set!Underpinning!Coping!........................................................................!270!
C.3)!Coping!Strategies!.................................................................................................................................!272!
A4.D)'Connecting'With'Services'.................................................................................................'274'
D.1)!Experience!and!Dilemmas!of!Connecting!with!Services!....................................................!274!
D.2)!Positive!Impact!of!Non9Governmental!Organisation!Services!........................................!283!
D.3)!Street9Connected!Young!Peoples’!Suggestions!to!Services!...............................................!289!
A4.E)'StreetSConnected'Young'Peoples’'Retrospective'Thoughts'..................................'295'
A4.F)'Miscellaneous'Themes'.......................................................................................................'298'
F.1)!Street9Connected!Young!Peoples’!Aspirations!........................................................................!298!
F.2)!Recalling!Family!Stories!....................................................................................................................!299!
F.3)!Street9Connected!Young!Peoples’!Responses!to!Being!Interviewed!.............................!302!
F.4)!Loss!and!Bereavement!......................................................................................................................!303!
F.5)!Pride!..........................................................................................................................................................!303!

Word Count: 52,445

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List of Abbreviations

BPS! ! British!Psychological!Society!
CDO! ! Community!Development!Organisation!
DCP! ! Division!of!Clinical!Psychology!
GCPS! ! Global!Child!Protection!Services!
GOI! ! Government!of!India!
IQ! ! Intelligence!Quotient!
NCTSN!! National!Child!Traumatic!Stress!Network!
NGOs! ! Non9Governmental!Organisations!
OHCHR! Office!of!the!High!Commissioner!for!Human!Rights!
PTSD! ! Post!Traumatic!Stress!Disorder!
RLC! ! Research!Link!Co9ordinator!
RMNP! ! Researching!Multilingually!Network!Project!
S9CCYP!! Street9Connected!Children!and!Young!People!
S9CYP! ! Street9Connected!Young!People!
UK! ! United!Kingdom!
UNICEF! United!Nations!International!Children’s!Emergency!Fund!
UNSD! ! United!Nations!Statistics!Division!
UREC! ! University!Research!Ethics!Committee!

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List of Figures
!
FIGURE!1.!OCCUPATIONAL!PROFILES!OF!STREET!CHILDREN!(ADAPTED!FROM!MATHUR,!2009,!P.!311)!..........................!30!
FIGURE!2.!HOW!STREET!CHILDREN!MEET!THEIR!DAILY!NEEDS!(ADAPTED!FROM!PATEL,!1990,!P.!18)!..........................!31!
FIGURE!3.!MY!TRANSCRIPTION!PROCESS!.......................................................................................................................................!50!
FIGURE!4.!MODES!OF!ANALYSING!NARRATIVES!(ADAPTED!FROM!LEIBLICH!ET!AL.,!1998,!P.!12)!......................................!52!
FIGURE!5.!MY!ANALYTICAL!PROCESS!.............................................................................................................................................!53!
FIGURE!6.!PICTURE!DEPICTING!MY!CODING!PROCESS!.................................................................................................................!54!
FIGURE!7.!PICTURE!DEPICTING!MY!PROCESS!OF!COLLATING!THE!CODES!................................................................................!55!
FIGURE!8.!PICTURE!DEPICTING!MY!PROCESS!OF!ARRANGING!CODES!INTO!THE!FINAL!SET!OF!THEMES!............................!56!
FIGURE!9.!DIAGRAMATIC!REPRESENTATION!OF!A!PSYCHOLOGICALLY9INFOMED!MULTIDISCIPLINARY!APPROACH!........!130!
FIGURE!10.!A!MULTIDISCIPLINARY!APPROACH!ACROSS!DIFFERENT!SERVICE9PROVISION!SETTINGS!...............................!136!

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List of Tables

TABLE!1.!DEMOGRAPHICS!OF!MY!PARTICIPANTS!.....................................................................................................!44!
TABLE!2.!CHARACTERISTICS!OF!THE!ENCOUNTERS!..................................................................................................!48!
TABLE!3.!TRANSCRIPTION!NOTATION!CONVENTIONS!RECORDED!........................................................................!49!
TABLE!4.!SUMMARY!OF!THEMES,!SOURCES,!AND!REFERENCES!.............................................................................!63!
TABLE!5.!THEMES!REPORTED!BY!SPECIFIC!PARTICIPANTS!....................................................................................!65!
!

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Abstract

Street-connected children and young people are a marginalised population who experience
multiple incidents of violence, hostility, and abuse. In this study, I aimed to document
Indian street-connected young peoples’ accounts of their experiences, based in two Non-
Governmental Organisations in Delhi and Bangalore. I created a safe place for participants
to tell me their stories and aimed to draw implications for the development of
psychologically-informed interventions for street-connected children and young people. I
used a narrative research design, incorporating a multilingual element to my research to
enable participants to tell their stories in the language they preferred, and analysed the
transcripts using thematic analysis, within a holistic-content based approach. I identified
five main themes structuring the narrativised understandings of the young people: (i)
factors contributing to difficult circumstances; (ii) facing risks in developing street-
connections; (iii) impact of difficult circumstances; (iv) connecting with services; and (v)
street-connected young peoples’ retrospective thoughts. Informed by my analysis of their
narratives I found that street-connected young people experience social inequalities as well
as family related and systemic factors that contribute towards the development of difficult
circumstances and accumulatively push them towards developing street-connections. Once
street-connected, young people face potential risks related to violence and exploitation
from different perpetrators and develop a range of coping strategies to deal with the impact
of historical experiences and the current risks they face. Connecting with services may be
challenging for street-connected young people in relation to adjustment and transition
issues. I argue for the importance of attending to engagement issues as central to work with
street-connected children and young people and propose a psychologically-informed
multidisciplinary approach towards their care that is driven by psychological formulations.
I draw implications for Counselling Psychology theory and practice, Non-Governmental
Organisations working with street-connected children and young people, and state
services.

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