Table 2 Simplified coding themes and example responses
Theme | Theme descriptor | Exemplar responses |
|---|---|---|
Access to healthcare | Access to GPS, dentist, mental health services etc | • “Easier access to help from services if needed. Children's services, health visitors” • “Effective relationship between families and primary health staff: e.g. information about inoculations” • “Whether or not they have access to health care that they can afford when they need to access it” |
Community assets | More community assets/services including greens spaces, community centres, sports facilities | • “What their local area is like…facilities/green space” • “What opportunities are there for the child to play, explore the world (own environment)” • “More free out of school activities, youth clubs, theatre schools, sports for children to have somewhere safe to be out school time” |
Diet and Nutrition | Anything around diet and nutrition, health eating, adverts, education around diet and nutrition. Includes breastfeeding | • “Cut sugars out of shops, why are sweet so cheap and salads and fruits expensive” • “What do families eat and what drives them to eat it?” • “Food—They can’t always have what they want and the amount they want. They need good nutrition but that doesn’t mean boring either” |
Economic circumstances | Related to home life, but more specific about financial circumstances of families, poverty, housing, parents’ employment etc | • “Whether they have their basic needs fulfilled” • “Pocket money” • “More things to do outside the home, what is actually available for children to do that does not cost money” |
Education and activities | School life, curriculum, extra-curricular activities | • “Why the education system fails to teach understanding and values recall” • “Reading is good for the brain, kids should do this” • “Less pressure from teachers and parent about exams. Stressed out because people around them are saying if they don’t do well in exams they will always be in poverty” |
Environment | Pollution, littering, climate change, or non-specific ‘environment’ | • “Road safety- to many children getting into accidents for reckless driving on main roads and local roads” • “The environment and the way we treat it” • “Safe, clean, environment( situational and on line)” |
Exercise | Think children should be moving more, exercising, more physically active | • “Family situation—has the child access to healthy lifestyle from birth?” • “Would more cycle paths away from the road help children in Bradford be more active outside school/on the way to and from school” • “Bringing out the fun from asking more exercise and eating better. Role modelling from people within the support networks of the children and beyond” |
Family history | More awareness of families’ specific health histories, genetic testing etc | • “Culture” • “Family life and backgrounds” • “What implications those impacts have later on in childhood/adulthood” |
Health education | More health education for families, children, general population | • “Healthy definitions for different communities” • “What are the barrier to vaccination in those children who have missed their vaccines” • “Media influence on healthy living” |
Home life and family relationships | A broad code encompassing a lot of aspects of home life, nurturing environments, time spent with children, family relationships | • “Family dynamics / engagement with their children” • “A supportive family, encouraging and supporting them in choices that they make and through problems that arise” • “If my parents are happy I will be happy. (financial strains/DV [domestic violence]/relationship strains) employment issues” |
Listen to children | Should listen to what their priorities for health/happiness are and also listen to them to more to contribute to their happiness | • “What the child likes” • “Speak to them a lot about their issues they have” • “Adults need to stop asking other adults what makes children happy and ask the children what they want to change “ |
Mental and emotional health | Mental and emotional health of children and parents being monitored, explored, education and support around it | • “The mental health of children. Effects of social conditions on this.” • “Laughter” • “How to support children/encourage to feel empowered self-importance and confidence” |
Outside | Just being outside more, fresh air (not related to ‘more green spaces’ etc.) | • “How much time they should have outside” • “Fresh air. Do they get to access the countryside? Are there any green spaces in Bradford they can access?” • “Attitudes to playing outside. There needs to be more notifications of where is a safe place to play or go with your family” |
Parent support/input | Want more support for parents for specific education and help | • “More support for parents with poor emotional well being” • “Less stress on families—less focus on wealth- parents working too much—need family time” • “Educate parents on how to deal with challenging behaviour/free parent classes to help how we speak and treat children” |
Physical health other | Anything not diet, exercise or routines related, could be non-specific too | • “What are the main obstacles to physical activity, outdoors (these are fairly well established)—more importantly—what can be done about it?” • “How children themselves cope with short and long term diseases.” • “Disabilities—background knowledge, what can be done to support these children or adults. What networks are available” |
Play and Hobbies | Children should have the opportunity to play more, encourage their hobbies, creativity, things that stimulate them | • “Impact the lack of interaction opportunities with Other outside of school” • “Reasons children don't play out as much” • “More focus on experiences than things” |
Routines | Sleep, hygiene, teeth brushing | • “How much sleep are they getting each night. Are the children in a routine? Do they have a set bed time?” • “Clean body and environment” • “Does a strict routine equate to a happier child or cause more stress.” |
Safety | Safety of children, normally outside of the home, e.g. from cars and crime | • “Clean and safe environments (so that kids can feel comfortable playing outside)” • “The opportunity/safe environment to problem solve for themselves without contacting parents to do it for them” • “Worried parents (safety), people over worrying in stopping children being active” |
Social world | Friends, social networks | • “Are they part of a group?” • “Less available opportunity to build companionship so most people feel lonely and unable to socialise and attend community events” • “Build social capital for children (sense of useful belonging and joining in)” |
Technology | Concerned about social media, phone, gaming, computer use | • “The pros and cons of computing gaming and results in how this has an impact on activity levels” • “How social media has an effect on our children views and thoughts. If there should be a suggested age restriction” • “Wifi—network needs to be completely finished” |
Wider society/world | Larger issues in wider society, discrimination, capitalism, consumerism, racism, cultural issues | • “More integrated and resilient communities” • “Offset poverty, generate opportunity but not just in a material or financial sense” • “Living in the world today might be more challenging but can be bright for those that apply themselves and seize the moment. We need to empower and activate kids by exposing them (whatever their backgrounds) to what it takes to live a ‘fulfilled’ life whatever that means from their perspective and that they actively aspire to this” |
Other | Only use if very specific to that individual | • “Monitor access to new/available activities” • “Pre-natal experience—i.e. what was happening with their mum during gestation, particularly alcohol consumption leading to FASD [Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders]. As a foster carer this seems to affect a lot of looked-after children, but I suspect it's a broader issue, that isn't understood or picked up in children from more stable homes.” • “Better understanding in nursery settings, playgroups and in the community about ACES [Adverse childhood experiences] to inform their practice when supporting children and families” |