Which Interventions Actually Improve Educational Outcomes?

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has just published a new 'round up' of their research which looks at whether children's and parents' attitudes, aspirations and behaviours (AABs) for education really do affect attainment; and whether interventions focused on these can reduce the attainment gap. Key messages from their research were:

• It was not possible to establish a clear causal relationship between AABs and children's educational outcomes, particularly due to the quality of evidence, which offers limited support for the impact of most interventions.
• Evidence supports interventions focused on parental involvement in children's education to improve outcomes. The immediate focus should be on rolling out and closely monitoring these.
• There is mixed evidence on the impact of interventions focused on extra-curricular activities, mentoring, children's self-belief and motivation. Further development of such interventions should be trialled alongside evaluations of effectiveness.
• There is little evidence of impact for interventions focused on things like addressing children's general attitudes to education or the amount of paid work children do during term time. 

You can download a summary of the evidence here: http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/education-achievement-poverty-summary.pdf

Time For A Revolution In The UK Care Sector

John Kennedy, Director of Care Services for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Housing Trust has commented on last Monday's Panorama which looked at the hidden abuse which can go on in care homes. He argues that it's time for a 'revolution' in the UK care sector. You can read his comments here: Time For A Revolution in the UK Care Sector

Tonight: The Trouble With Men

On TV Next Week: Tonight: The Trouble With Men, Thursday 3rd May, ITV1 7.30-8.00pm

Depression is something that one in five people will experience at some point in their lives and figures suggest more females than males suffer from it. In this programme Penny Marshall takes a closer look at the condition among men and asks if the stigma that still surrounds it makes some of them keep quiet about the illness.

Children & Internet Pornography

A new report by a cross party group of MPs says that children’s attitudes to sex, relationships and body image are being damaged by easy access to online pornography. It argues that internet firms have a responsibility to ensure that children are unable to access inappropriate content online, including websites that promote self-harm and extreme violence. The inquiry group says that current efforts are "inadequate" and it calls on the government to force broadband providers to take firm action.

You can read the report here: http://www.claireperry.org.uk/downloads/independent-parliamentary-inquiry-into-online-child-protection.pdf

Improving Attendance At School (Taylor Review)

Charlie Taylor, the Government’s Expert Adviser on Behaviour, was asked by the Secretary of State for Education to conduct a review of school attendance. This publication presents its findings and makes recommendations for improving the attendance of truant children.


https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00036-2012

Promtoting Well-Being For Older People

Recently added to SCIE's Social Care TV is a film about reducing loneliness for older people, especially in bereavement. You can view the video by clicking on the linki below:

http://www.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv/video‑player.asp?v=promotingwell‑being&dm_i=4O5,S0PJ,ZMK3G,29UUV,1

Extended Library Opening Hours

Bedford, Polhill Library and Park Square LRC will have extended opening hours throughout April and May to help students working on dissertations or for exams. The extended hours are given below:

 

Polhill Library

Mon - Fridays

21.30 - 00.00

23 April - 11 May (excluding Mon 7 May University Buildings closed for Bank Holiday)

 

Park Square LRC

Mon - Fridays

Library Floors

8.30 - 02.00

ie Library floors additional patrols 22.00 - 02.00 normal IT Suite opening)

8 May - 25 May 2012

 

New Ebooks!

The following ebooks are now available from the library. As usual, click on a link and enter your network username and password to view the full text of the ebook.

• Lee, N. (2001) Childhood and society: growing up in an age of uncertainty. Buckingham: OUP. A sociological study of childhood and the impact of globalization on the adult-child relationship.
• Mayall, B. (ed.) (1994) Children's childhoods: observed and experienced. London: Falmer. Explores the social status of children, through consideration of their positioning in a range of social settings and in sociological theory.
• Elliott, C. and Quinn, F. (2010) Criminal law. 8th edn. Harlow: Longman. Covers English criminal law comprehensively, but concisely. It explains the basic principles in a logical and accessible manner.
• Shakespeare, T. (ed.) (2000) The disability reader: social science persepctives. London: Continuum. A collection of essays exploring the intellectual implications of a disability equality perspective. Leading social scientists draw on current theory and research and offer an overview of contemporary debates.
• Riddell, S., Tinklin, T. and Wilson, A. (2005) Disabled students in higher education: the intersection of social justice and new management agendas. London: RoutledgeFalmer. The authors have closely analyzed rates of participation and the experiences of disabled students in higher education over a two year period. They compare the responses of eight different universities to the new anti-discriminatory practice, contrasting their social profiles, academic missions, support systems for disabled students and approaches for the implementation of change.
• Epstein, D. (ed.) (1998) Failing boys? Issues in gender and achievement. Buckingham: OUP. This book argues that media and political responses to the 'problem of boys' have tended to be simplistic, partial, and owe more to 'quick fixes' than investigation and research. It provides a 'case study' of the issues in the UK.
  
• Thomas, C. (1999) Female forms: experiencing and understanding disability. Buckingham: OUP. Discusses the relevance of feminist ideas for understanding women's experiences of disability.
• Prout, A. (2005) The future of childhood: towards the interdisciplinary study of children. London: RoutledgeFalmer. A study of the sociology of childhood.
• Walmsley, J. and Johnson, K. (2003) Inclusive research with people with learning disabilities: past, present and futures. London: Jessica Kingsley. Drawing on evidence from two major studies, they explain how lessons learnt from inclusive research in the learning disability field are applicable to others working with marginalized groups.
• Millar, J. and Rowlingson, K. (eds.) (2001) Lone parents, employment and social policy: cross-national comparisons. Bristol: Policy. This book is based on an analysis of provisions for lone parents within particular countries, examining whether and how policies support and encourage employment, and drawing out policy lessons. The countries examined are the UK, US, Australia, France, the Netherlands and Norway.
• Hills, J. and Stewart, K. (eds.) (2005) A more equal society? New Labour, poverty, inequality and exclusion. Bristol: Policy. Evaluates Labour policy towards poverty and social exclusion between 1997 and 2004. It considers challenges the government faced, examines the policies that were chosen and the targets set for them, and assesses results. There are chapters on employment, inequalities in education and health, income inequality and political participation; asks how children, older people, poor neighbourhoods, ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups have fared under New Labour.
  
• Prideaux, S. (2005) Not so New Labour: a sociological critique of New Labour's policy and practice. Bristol: Policy. Just how 'new' are the ideas driving New Labour's policy and practice? In this book Simon Prideaux shows how New Labour has drawn on the ideas and premises of functionalism, which dominated British and American sociological thought during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
  
• Peckham, S. (2007) Social policy for nurses and the helping professions. 2nd edn. Maidenhead: OUP. Examines the relationship between welfare and health and includes discussion of key policy issues such as: changes in health care delivery, regulation of professionals, privatisation, welfare pluralism, and, the tackling of health and social inequalities. The significance of social policy in preventing ill health and disability, as well as supporting the sick and disabled people, is emphasised.
  
• Farnsworth, K. and Irving, Z. (eds.) (2011) Social policy in challenging times: economic crisis and welfare systems. Bristol: Policy. Analyses the impact of the 2008-9 financial crisis on key welfare systems and the challenges currently facing social policy across the globe.
• Alcock, P, May, M. and Wright, S. (eds.) (2012) The student's companion to social policy. 4th edn. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Gives a clear and comprehensive introduction to contemporary British social policy.
• Oliver, P. (2012) Succeeding with your literature review: a handbook for students. Maidenhead: OUP. Practical guidance on researching the literature on a subject, writing the literature review and critical analysis.
• Moore, S. (2010) The ultimate study skills handbook. Maidenhead: McGraw/Hill OUP. Techniques, tips and help on: working out the best way for you to learn; doing research; presentations; revising for exams; improving your critical thinking skills and managing your time.
• Lindon, J. (2010) Understanding child development: linking theory and practice. 2nd edn. London: Hodder Education. A straightforward expalantion of the key approaches in studying child development.
• Edwards, J.T. (2011) Working with families: guidelines and techniques. 2nd edn. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. A clinical guide for all types of work with families including: work in different settings,managing adolescents, family mapping, child assessment, chemical dependence etc.
  
• Hodkinson, P. and Deicke, W. (eds.) (2007) Youth cultures: scenes, subcultures and tribes. London: Routledge. A comprehensive outline of yout cultural studies in the 21st century.
  

Panorama: Undercover: Elder Care

Still very much on the issue of elder care - next Monday (23rd April) on BBC1 at 8.30 pm Panorama goes undercover to look at the way the elderly are treated in care homes. The programme reveals the appalling treatment of an elderly resident with dementia, captured on film after a concerned relative left a hidden camera.

You can see the details about the programme here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gybn7

Warning Over Social Care & the Elderly

Minsters have promised to reform the care system amid signs that local councils are stuggling to look after the elderly, according to social care chiefs.

However, Sarah Pickup, the new president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said changes in England would still be years away.Instead, she urged councils to look at new ways of providing services. In an interview with the BBC, she said the key was to end the traditional assumption that long-term social care support was inevitable as people aged.

Mrs Pickup cited the success her council, Hertfordshire, had had in helping to avoid that spiral of decline by offering intensive, short-term support following problems such as broken hips and stroke. The county has been running an enablement service for the past few years which offers the elderly six-week stints of rehabilitation. She acknowledged that such opportunities were not the "solution to the problem in its entirety" as the system was still under funded and in need of reform. She also warned any reform of the system was still a "way off", pointing out any new funding arrangements would have to wait until the next Spending Review period which is three years away.

Her comments come as campaigners have been upping the pressure on government.This week Age UK and the British Geriatrics Society released a joint briefing paper warning that the elderly were being "catastrophically let down". The two groups pointed out that councils had been increasingly cutting back on the services they provide so that there were now an estimated 800,000 people with care needs who were not getting any support.

New Progress Report On Tacking The Inequalities Experienced By Gypsies & Travellers

The Department for Communities and Local Government has published a progress report by the Ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers. It contains 28 measures from across government that aim to improve outcomes for Gypsies and Travellers across education, health, accommodation, employment and in the criminal justice system.

You can read the progress report in full here: Progress report by the ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers

'Sarah's Law' Protects More Than 200 Children In First Year

The Home Office has announced that more than 200 children have been protected from potential harm during the first year of the child sex offender disclosure scheme.

Over the last 12 months the police have received more than 1,600 enquiries and over 900 formal applications. At least 160 disclosures relating to child sex offences have been made, together with at least 58 made concerning other offences.

The scheme, known as 'Sarah's Law', was rolled out across all police forces in England and Wales from 4 April 2011. It allows anyone to ask the police to check whether people who have contact with children pose a risk.

If the individual has convictions for sexual offences against children or poses a risk of causing harm then the police can choose to disclose this information to the parent, carer or guardian.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: 'Thanks to Sarah's Law, we know that more than 200 children have been protected from potential harm over the last year.

'We are doing everything we can to protect the public, and especially children, from predatory sex offenders by tightening the law and closing loopholes. But families themselves have a vital role to play.

'It is important that parents, guardians and carers are aware of the disclosure scheme and their right to request information if they have concerns.'

Anyone wishing to make an application should make contact with their local police force.

Court Delays Keep Children Waiting For Adoption

A new report published by Ofsted found that the most significant cause of delay for children needing adoption is the length of time it takes for cases to be completed in court. The average time taken to complete care proceedings in the cases inspectors examined was almost 14 months.

The report also found that although there were some delays caused by issues such as a lack of suitable adopters or weak planning, these were generally not as significant as those caused earlier by delays in initiating and concluding care proceedings.

The Right on time report explores the many critical points that can cause delay in a complex adoption system and some of the ways in which local authorities and their partners are working to overcome those barriers. The report surveyed nine local authorities, tracking 53 adoption cases in detail, and a further 36 cases were randomly sampled. Inspectors also spoke to 23 approved adopters.

Read the report by clicking on the link below:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/court-delays-keep-children-waiting-for-adoption-0

Upcoming PAD Workshops At Polhill

I've just created a new page for this blog called Workshops at Bedford. Here you'll find listed any useful upcoming workshops from PAD and the Library. Check it out now for details about workshops on planning and writing essays, referencing, critical reading and analysis and preparing to write your dissertation.

The Rights of Asylum Seeking Children In The UK

The rights of asylum seeking children in the UK have come under the spotlight recently with a report in The Guardian that 40 children held in adult detention centres had received a share of £1 million compensation from the Home Office. The children, thought to be as young as 14 began legal proceedings in 2005 for being wrongfully detained.

If you're looking for material on the rights and lives of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the UK then a good place to start (hint!) is with the publications of our own Prof Ravi Kohli. Ravi has published numerous research articles on the lives of unaccompanied asylum seeking children including the following (you will need to use your network username and password to read the full text).

• Kohli, R.K.S. (2011) 'Working to ensure safety. Belonging and success for unaccompanied aylum-seeking children', Child Abuse Review 20(5), pp. 311-323.


• Kohli, R.K.S. (2006) 'The sound of silence. Listening to what unaccompanied asylum seeking children say and do not say', British Journal of Social Work 36(5), pp. 707-721.


• Kohli, R.K.S. (2006) 'The comfort of strangers. Social work practice with unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people in the UK', Child & Family Social Work, 11(1), pp. 1-10.


• Kohli, R.K.S. and Mather, R. (2003) 'Promoting psychosocial wellbeing in unaccompanied asylum seeking young people in the United Kingdom', Child & Family Social Work, 8(3), pp. 201-213.

You can find a whole host of articles on this topic by other authors by searching Ebscohost Research Databases.

Rise In Care Applications In England

Just read an interesting article on the BBC's website about the rise in care applications in England over the last year. Data shows that for the first time the number of applications exceeded 10,000.

The rise in care applications follows the publicity given to the death of Baby Peter in London in 2007. Chief executive of Cafcass, Anthony Douglas says "These consistently high figures for the year have really tested the resilience of our staff and our systems, but we have continued to be a strong organisation that serves the best interests of children...this rise shows that all agencies are working more quickly to ensure that children are removed from deeply damaging households where many have been for some time and are showing a lower tolerance for poor parenting."

You can read more about this issue here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17675556

A Chance To Win Amazon Vouchers & Printing Vouchers!

We'd like to hear your opinions on the services offered by the library! Share your opinions with us and get the chance to win one of two £15 Amazon vouchers or one of ten £10 LRC printing vouchers.


If you're interested, please enrol on the Students Say So panel through this link - http://www.beds.ac.uk/studentlife/current/experience/student-panel/signup. You will then receive two emails; one to thank you for joining, and the second with a link to the LRC survey.


For more information about the panel, go to http://www.beds.ac.uk/studentlife/current/experience/student-panel