Sampling methods

In keeping with developments in children's rights, research is increasingly including the views of children. Accessing a hard to reach population of children can, however, raise significant ethical and methodological challenges for researchers. Negotiating access through gatekeepers, securing parental consent and limits on confidentiality are central issues in the recruitment process of children. This paper is based on a qualitative study of young carers in the Irish population.

Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to explore the development of specialist staffing for older people in six case study sites in the United Kingdom.

Background.  In the United Kingdom there has been some concern about the health care available to older people, leading to the development of a National Service Framework. A key theme of this framework is the development of specialist staff skilled in providing services tailored to the needs of older people.

Aims. This study aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of the process of hospital discharge experienced by the carers of patients ‘at risk’ of unsuccessful discharge from medical wards in three hospitals in the North of England.