"You've always got it in the background just waiting for the next time when something goes wrong." A visual narrative inquiry of educational experiences of Young People living with Type 1 Diabetes.

Abstract

Currently 32,809 children and young people (CYP) live with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in England and Wales (RCPCH, 2025). 28% of these CYP are assessed as needing additional psychological support outside of healthcare appointments (RCPCH, 2025). The complexities of this medical condition have significant implications on CYP educational experiences. A range of diabetic regimes are used to support CYP with T1D. Each medical regime places different demands on CYP, impacting their school day.
This research was shaped through the adoption of a social justice perspective. Using a social constructivist approach with transformative worldview, this research recognised meaning is created through individuals interactions and experiences with the world and used their narratives to address the inequalities and oppression shared.
Using a Narrative Inquiry methodology, this research studied the narratives, in relation to educational experiences, of five young people (YP) aged 11-15 living with T1D. Narratives were shared through a personal visual image composition and interviews with each YP. The Listening Guide (Gilligan et al, 2003) was used as a reflexive, person-centred relational analysis tool, pertinent to the research of complex topics. Participants results were presented as individual narratives and combined to present transformative reflections referencing both societal and micro-social influences.
The Social Model of Disability and Ryan’s (2023) Self-Determination Theory, as an integrated theoretical approach, were used to understand the findings, which indicated interactions and others understanding shaped YP educational experiences.
A model of interaction was created for educational practitioners to use when considering the support they offer CYP with T1D. YP voices also contributed to posters intended to use for developing others understanding.
The dissertation concluded with discussions regarding the value of using visual tools in both applied practice and research, to amplify CYP voices and supporting depth of information gathering through a person-centred approach and implications for EP practice.

Date of Award	9 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Rob Green (Supervisor) & Jak L Lee (Supervisor)