Investigating sudden unexpected deaths in infancy and childhood and caring for bereaved families : an integrated multiagency approach

The sudden unexpected death of an infant or child is one of the worst events to happen to any family. Bereaved parents expect and should receive appropriate, thorough, and sensitive investigations to identify the medical causes of such deaths. As a result, several parallel needs must be fulfilled. Firstly, the needs of the family must be recognised—including the need for information and support. Further, there is the need to identify any underlying medical causes of death that may have genetic or public health implications; the need for a thorough forensic investigation to exclude unnatural causes of death; and the need to protect siblings and subsequent children. Alongside this, families need to be protected from false or inappropriate accusations. Limitations in the present coronial system have led to delays or failures to detect deaths caused by relatives, carers, or health professionals. Several recent, highly publicised trials have highlighted the possibilities of parents facing such accusations. As a result of this the whole process of death certification has come under intense scrutiny. We review the medical, forensic, and sociological literature on the optimal investigation and care of families after the sudden death of a child. We describe the implementation in the former county of Avon of a structured multiagency approach and the potential benefits for families and professionals

Here, there and everywhere:measurement, assessment and attainment

This chapter utilises elements of the '5Rs' framework suggested by the book's editors Rudd and Goodson, in order to (1) highlight the ways in which the practice and uses of assessment have been applied through policy in recent years; (2) consider the effect this has had on teaching, learning and the culture of schools; (3) suggest ways in which this dominant, regressive narrative is refracted in practice and the ways in which it can be questioned and resisited. The author argues for a continuing renewal of assessment as a formative and interactive aspect of teaching and learning where more critical and empowering pedagogoies and learning identites can develop

Telling tales on either side of the teacher: methods of researching professional and biographical transformations in the context of Education

This paper discusses the approaches and research methods used in two projects which examine professional transformations on ‘either side’ of the school teacher. The authors consider how the projects drew upon the different yet potentially complimentary methodological approaches of discourse analysis and autoethnography in the examination of professional identity. Following a description of the projects and the chosen methods, which includes discussion of the respective traditions from which they stem, the approaches are compared and contrasted through analysis of their application with a focus upon their various advantages and limitations within these particular contexts. The authors discuss these examples in terms of the wider discussion of quality and rigour in qualitative research and as a contribution to the debates on the complementarity of different qualitative approaches

Survey of the GVA scintillator detector, proton absorber and the beamstop

Survey carried out by John Palin TECH/ECT/Technical Systems (DL) 14th August 2013