The wrong side of the tracks: Starting school in a socially disadvantaged London borough

Substantial evidence exists that social circumstances can affect children’s language development. As a result many children in socially deprived areas start school with delayed language, which may persist and adversely affect their attainment. We assessed the language of children in seven reception classes in a London (UK) borough and followed the progress of children with English as their first language (E1L) and with English as an additional language (EAL) during their first 2 years at school. Significant differences were found between schools. The effect of social factors on performance was reflected in a high correlation between the mean language score for each school and the percentage of children in the school receiving the pupil premium. Many of the children with EAL had very low scores reflecting their limited exposure to English prior to starting school. Most of these children attended schools where children with E1L also had low scores increasing the demands on the schools and their teachers. Children who had low initial scores made modest but significant progress during their reception year but failed to improve further during year 1 despite having non-verbal ability appropriate for their age. These results support previous findings that social deprivation can seriously delay language development, and that many children start school with weak communication skills. They add to previous findings by showing that the level of delay may differ substantially across schools in the same borough, by reporting data on children with EAL and by showing that children struggle to improve their abilities in the first 2 years of school

Principles and Features to Define and Describe Arts Interventions for People with Dementia: a Qualitative Realist Study

Background: There is currently no consensus regarding the definition and description of arts interventions for people with dementia. Developing a common language of classification will encourage reflection on artistic practice, support the evaluation and improvement of arts interventions, and enable their benefits to be communicated more effectively. Methods: Using a qualitative framework derived from taxonomy and realist methodology, a literature review was undertaken to identify what key principles underpin arts interventions. This analysis was complemented by focus groups and workshops incorporating the lived experience of carers, artists, practitioners and care staff. Results: Nine principles were identified as elements present in person-centred arts interventions for people with dementia: Animation, Transcendence, Selfhood, Humanity, Expression, Connection, Possibility, Involvement and Awareness. Conclusions: It is possible to identify the component parts of arts interventions for people with dementia. These principles form an empirical basis for understanding how arts interventions work, while still respecting their individual nature

A biographical register of the Victorian Parliament

[v.1]. 1859-1900 / Kathleen Thomson and Geoffrey Serle -- [v.2]. 1900-1984 / Geoff Browne. (1985) -- [v.3]. 1985-2006 / Victorian Parliamentary Library. (2006

The discursive practices of nurse practitioner legislation in Australia

Aim.  The aim of this paper was to examine the nurse practitioner legislative framework in Australia from a critical social theory perspective. Background.  National regulation for nurses and midwives has superseded all previous state legislation with effect from July 2010. The aim of this change was to streamline regulation processes across all health professionals requiring regulation, in order to eliminate diverse state-based regulatory policies that were identified as hindering transferability of the workforce across Australia. This paper explores the changes with reference to nurse practitioners. Since their introduction to Australia different legislative practices between states have presented difficult endorsement procedures which have affected employment. Data sources.  Information for the paper is drawn from a doctoral study which examined the politics of advancing nursing in Australia, with particular reference to the discourses of nurse practitioners. This is augmented by more recent legislative documents and policies, as well as media reports, to examine the process of change in legislation and the unfolding discourses on employment and practice. Implications to nursing.  Nurse practitioner endorsement may be more complicated, defeating the original premise of transferability of a skilled workforce across state jurisdictions. Conclusion.  This paper exposes the influence that powerful discourses can have on a major change to professional practice