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Maternal, Child and Family Health

TechChild - Just because we can, should we? An anthropological perspective on the initiation of technology dependence to sustain a child’s life

TechChild is a five and half year programme of research, funded by the European Research Council. The aim of TechChild is to explore influences on the initiation of technological support which will be required long-term to sustain a child’s life and to develop a theory to explain the initiation of technology dependence in the context of contrasting health, legal, and socio-political systems.

The objectives are:

1. To conceptualise influences on the initiation of technology dependence in PICU.
2. To explore the formal and informal processes internationally that (REALLY) influences the initiation of technology dependence, from the perspective of those with the authority and ultimate power to make that decision.
3. To identify the greatest influences on the initiation of technology dependence.
4. To elicit consensus and understand influences on the initiation of technology dependence in the context of the contrasting health, legal, and socio-political systems.
5. To develop a theory of technology initiation in healthcare, explaining the interactions and context of the initiation of technology dependence.