Pressure Drop: Securitising and De-Securitising Safeguarding

This article explores how securitization theory is mobilised in contemporary social work discourse, policy and practice. We draw on recent child protection research to support our claim that a new practice issue, described previously as securitised safeguarding, has emerged. We demonstrate its emergence using securitization theory as a conceptual mode of analysis to describe how a securitised safeguarding response depicts particular families as an existential threat, which in turn, prompts a response characterised by forms of muscular liberalism. We argue that this emerging practice issue requires critical consideration and suggest it will have a significant impact on social work; one that is unlikely to be beneficial for the profession and more importantly, families being worked with. By describing a process of de-securitisation, we offer an alternative and more nuanced approach, that perceives families holistically, and mobilises a welfare safeguarding model. This more closely resembles traditional social work values of emancipation, liberation and empowerment within social work practice

Integrating case-based reasoning and hypermedia documentation: an application for the diagnosis of a welding robot at Odense steel shipyard

Reliable and effective maintenance support is a vital consideration for the management within today's manufacturing environment. This paper discusses the development of a maintenance system for the world's largest robot welding facility. The development system combines a case-based reasoning approach for diagnosis with context information, as electronic on-line manuals, linked using open hypermedia technology. The work discussed in this paper delivers not only a maintenance system for the robot stations under consideration, but also a design framework for developing maintenance systems for other similar applications

PREVENT, Safeguarding and the Common-Sensing of Social Work in the UK

INTRODUCTION: The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act (2015) passed in the United Kingdom (UK) made it mandatory for social workers, as well as a wide range of caring professionals, to work within the PREVENT policy, originally introduced in 2002, as one strand of the UK’s overall counter-terrorism policy. METHOD: The paper offers a theoretical account of how complex issues, like terrorism, that understandably impact on the safety and security of countries, are reduced to a series of assertions, claims and panics that centre on the notion of common sense. IMPLICATIONS: We theorise the concept of common sense and argue that such rhetorical devices have become part of the narrative that surrounds the PREVENT agenda in the UK, which co-opts social workers (and other public servants) into an increasingly securitised environment within the state. In other words, the appeal to common sense stifles critical debate, makes it hard to raise concerns and positions debates in a binary manner. We use the example of how there has been a decisive linking of traditional safeguarding social work practice with counter-terrorism activity. CONCLUSIONS: We posit that linkages such as this serve to advance a more closed society, resulting in a “chilling” of free speech, an increase in surveillance and the unchecked advancement of a neoliberal political agenda which promotes economic considerations over issues of social justice. This we argue, has implications for not only the UK, but for other countries where social workers are increasingly being tasked with counter-terrorism activities

‘Downpressor Man’: securitisation, safeguarding and social work

The Counter Terrorism and Security Act came into force in July 2015 in the UK. This places a statutory duty on many frontline organisations, i.e schools, social services, and prisons for example, to work within the PREVENT agenda, a policy arising from Britain’s overall counter-terrorism policy, CONTEST. We argue that PREVENT is representative of increasing securitised social policies, that serve to firstly, view people within particular individualised neo-liberal discourses and thin narratives, and, secondly, serves to coerce the profession of social work into hitherto unknown areas, namely, national security and counter-terrorism. We note the unapologetic linkage of traditional forms of what we term here, “welfare safeguarding” customarily the domain of social work, with what we term “security safeguarding”. If the profession of social work in the UK, and we suspect other Western regimes, wishes to avoid becoming a profession of “downpressor men”, the uncritical incursion into issues of national security and counter-terrorism must be highlighted

Evaluation of Percent Cover Requirements for Revegetation of Disturbed Sites on Alaska's North Slope

On the North Slope of Alaska, attempts have been made to revegetate areas damaged by development. Some revegetation projects strive to achieve specific performance standards based on percent vegetation cover. This study uses data collected from 60 sites over 16 years to compare revegetating sites and natural reference sites. Results demonstrate that percent cover in most revegetation settings has the potential to reach levels comparable to those of reference sites, depending on how cover is defined. Linear models that explain between 48% and 84% of the variability in data show that planting cultivar seeds and fertilizing can increase cover (p < 0.05 for all models) and that cover continues to increase over time (p < 0.05 for all models), provided that cover is defined to include all live plants and plant litter. Ordination analysis separates reference sites from most revegetating sites along two significant axes (Monte Carlo tests, p < 0.01 with 100 randomizations). Comparison of ordination results with plots of change in plant cover over time shows that plant cover offers only limited insight into plant community development. If percent cover is to be used as a performance standard, it should be clearly defined, and the link between percent cover and restoration objectives should be carefully considered. Although this paper focuses on North Slope revegetation projects, the issues that are addressed have implications for all projects with performance standards calling for specific percent cover by vegetation.Le versant Nord de l'Alaska a fait l'objet de tentatives de reverdissement dans des zones endommagées par l'exploitation. Certains projets de remise en état s'efforcent d'atteindre des normes de rendement spécifiques qui s'appuient sur le pourcentage de tapis végétal. Cette étude fait appel aux données collectées à 60 emplacements sur une durée de 16 ans afin de comparer les sites de reverdissement avec des sites témoins laissés à l'état naturel. Les résultats montrent qu'à la plupart des endroits de reverdissement, le pourcentage de tapis végétal a le potentiel d'atteindre des niveaux comparables à ceux des sites témoins, selon la définition du tapis végétal. Les modèles linéaires, qui expliquent entre 48 et 84 % de la variabilité dans les données, montrent que le fait de planter des semences de cultivars et de mettre de l'engrais peut accroître le tapis (p < 0,05 pour tous les modèles) et que ce dernier continue d'augmenter au fil du temps (p < 0,05 pour tous les modèles), à condition d'inclure toutes les plantes vivantes et la litière végétale dans la définition du tapis végétal. L'analyse d'ordination permet de distinguer les sites témoins de la majorité des sites reverdis selon deux grands axes (tests de Monte Carlo, p < 0,01 avec 100 randomisations). La comparaison des résultats de l'ordination avec les courbes de changement dans la couverture végétale en fonction du temps révèle que la couverture n'offre qu'un aperçu limité de l'évolution du peuplement végétal. Si le pourcentage de tapis doit servir de norme de rendement, il faut en donner une définition précise, et examiner en détail le lien entre le pourcentage de tapis et les objectifs de restauration. Si cet article se concentre sur les projets de remise en état du versant Nord, les questions qu'il soulève ont des implications pour tous les projets où les normes de rendement prévoient un pourcentage spécifique de tapis végétal

E. coli O157 on Scottish cattle farms: evidence of local spread and persistence using repeat cross-sectional data

<b>Background</b><p></p> Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 is a virulent zoonotic strain of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli. In Scotland (1998-2008) the annual reported rate of human infection is 4.4 per 100,000 population which is consistently higher than other regions of the UK and abroad. Cattle are the primary reservoir. Thus understanding infection dynamics in cattle is paramount to reducing human infections.<p></p> A large database was created for farms sampled in two cross-sectional surveys carried out in Scotland (1998 - 2004). A statistical model was generated to identify risk factors for the presence of E. coli O157 on farms. Specific hypotheses were tested regarding the presence of E. coli O157 on local farms and the farms previous status. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles were further examined to ascertain whether local spread or persistence of strains could be inferred.<p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> The presence of an E. coli O157 positive local farm (average distance: 5.96km) in the Highlands, North East and South West, farm size and the number of cattle moved onto the farm 8 weeks prior to sampling were significant risk factors for the presence of E. coli O157 on farms. Previous status of a farm was not a significant predictor of current status (p = 0.398). Farms within the same sampling cluster were significantly more likely to be the same PFGE type (p < 0.001), implicating spread of strains between local farms. Isolates with identical PFGE types were observed to persist across the two surveys, including 3 that were identified on the same farm, suggesting an environmental reservoir. PFGE types that were persistent were more likely to have been observed in human clinical infections in Scotland (p < 0.001) from the same time frame.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b><p></p> The results of this study demonstrate the spread of E. coli O157 between local farms and highlight the potential link between persistent cattle strains and human clinical infections in Scotland. This novel insight into the epidemiology of Scottish E. coli O157 paves the way for future research into the mechanisms of transmission which should help with the design of control measures to reduce E. coli O157 from livestock-related sources