Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm
Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm (CAAH) is influenced by biological, psychological and socio-environmental risk factors. Interventions to prevent animal harm among children and young people are essential for fostering empathy and reducing future harm. This study explores the perspectives of RSPC...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/3/347 |
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| author | Suzanne Lawrie Claire Blakey Roxanne Hawkins Joanne M. Williams |
| author_facet | Suzanne Lawrie Claire Blakey Roxanne Hawkins Joanne M. Williams |
| author_sort | Suzanne Lawrie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm (CAAH) is influenced by biological, psychological and socio-environmental risk factors. Interventions to prevent animal harm among children and young people are essential for fostering empathy and reducing future harm. This study explores the perspectives of RSPCA stakeholders, to co-produce a redeveloped version of ‘Breaking the Chain’, an intervention addressing youth animal harm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 RSPCA employees across a range of departments and geographical locations in England, UK. Thematic analysis was used to identify key insights on target groups, intervention content, delivery methods, and evaluation strategies. Two primary target groups were identified: universal audiences (primary school-aged children) and high-risk youth. Participants advocated for retaining the core content of the existing intervention while modernising resources to address contemporary risk factors, such as online exposure to animal harm while ensuring accessibility for neurodiverse audiences. Face-to-face delivery was favoured, complemented by digital resources. Evaluation was viewed as critical, with a focus on both short-term outcomes and long-term impact. This study highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement in co-producing effective cruelty prevention interventions. Future steps will involve a coproduction study with children and young people to gather their perspectives on the intervention redesign. This will be followed by a pilot and evaluation of the redesigned intervention, incorporating feedback from both the implementers (e.g., teachers, youth offending teams, RSPCA employees) and the recipients (children and young people). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b3a3707c17649cfb709ceadf00128e9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b3a3707c17649cfb709ceadf00128e92025-08-20T02:48:06ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115334710.3390/ani15030347Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal HarmSuzanne Lawrie0Claire Blakey1Roxanne Hawkins2Joanne M. Williams3Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, Old Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UKRSPCA, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham RH12 1GY, UKClinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, Old Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UKClinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, Old Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UKChildhood and Adolescent Animal Harm (CAAH) is influenced by biological, psychological and socio-environmental risk factors. Interventions to prevent animal harm among children and young people are essential for fostering empathy and reducing future harm. This study explores the perspectives of RSPCA stakeholders, to co-produce a redeveloped version of ‘Breaking the Chain’, an intervention addressing youth animal harm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 RSPCA employees across a range of departments and geographical locations in England, UK. Thematic analysis was used to identify key insights on target groups, intervention content, delivery methods, and evaluation strategies. Two primary target groups were identified: universal audiences (primary school-aged children) and high-risk youth. Participants advocated for retaining the core content of the existing intervention while modernising resources to address contemporary risk factors, such as online exposure to animal harm while ensuring accessibility for neurodiverse audiences. Face-to-face delivery was favoured, complemented by digital resources. Evaluation was viewed as critical, with a focus on both short-term outcomes and long-term impact. This study highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement in co-producing effective cruelty prevention interventions. Future steps will involve a coproduction study with children and young people to gather their perspectives on the intervention redesign. This will be followed by a pilot and evaluation of the redesigned intervention, incorporating feedback from both the implementers (e.g., teachers, youth offending teams, RSPCA employees) and the recipients (children and young people).https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/3/347animal harmanimal crueltychildrenadolescentshumane educationintervention |
| spellingShingle | Suzanne Lawrie Claire Blakey Roxanne Hawkins Joanne M. Williams Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm Animals animal harm animal cruelty children adolescents humane education intervention |
| title | Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm |
| title_full | Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm |
| title_fullStr | Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm |
| title_short | Harnessing RSPCA Stakeholder Expertise to Co-Produce a Complex Intervention Addressing Childhood and Adolescent Animal Harm |
| title_sort | harnessing rspca stakeholder expertise to co produce a complex intervention addressing childhood and adolescent animal harm |
| topic | animal harm animal cruelty children adolescents humane education intervention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/3/347 |
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