Learning from learning support teachers: lessons for continuing professional development

This article offers a retrospective description and analysis of literacy lessons taught by approximately 150 learning support teachers who completed the Graduate Diploma in Learning Support in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra between 1990 and 2006. Although much of the core content of their lessons remained constant throughout the sixteen year period, it is possible to discern lines of development and differences of emphasis in their teaching methodologies and practice over that time frame. The changes in the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers since 2006, and the more recent cutbacks in the education budget, underline the importance of prioritising what teachers most need from CPD in order to best serve the needs of children with special educational needs. Two areas in terms of planning CPD for teachers are identified: firstly, the need to value and nurture the craft of teaching and secondly, the importance of effective whole-school approaches in addressing the special educational needs of children. The twin concepts of craftknowledge and whole-school endeavour working in tandem, can link the individual expertise of the teacher with the collective resource of the school

Maternal and newborn healthcare providers’ work-related experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their physical, psychological, and economic impacts: Findings from a global online survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have substantial impacts on health systems globally. This study describes experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and physical, psychological and economic impacts among maternal and newborn healthcare providers. We conducted a global online cross-sectional survey of maternal and newborn healthcare providers. Data collected between July and December 2020 included demographic characteristics, work-related experiences, and physical, psychological, and economic impacts of COVID-19. Descriptive statistics of quantitative data and content analysis of qualitative data were conducted. Findings were disaggregated by country income-level. We analysed responses from 1,191 maternal and newborn healthcare providers from 77 countries: middle-income 66%, high-income 27%, and low-income 7%. Most common cadres were nurses (31%), midwives/nurse-midwives (25%), and obstetricians/gynaecologists (21%). Quantitative and qualitative findings showed that 28% of respondents reported decreased workplace staffing levels following changes in staff-rotation (53%) and staff self-isolating after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (35%); this led to spending less time with patients, possibly compromising care quality. Reported insufficient access to personal protective equipment (PPE) ranged from 12% for gloves to 32% for N-95 masks. Nonetheless, wearing PPE was tiresome, time-consuming, and presented potential communication barriers with patients. 58% of respondents reported higher stress levels, mainly related to lack of access to information or to rapidly changing guidelines. Respondents noted a negative financial impact—a decrease in income (70% among respondents from low-income countries) concurrently with increased personal expenditures (medical supplies, transportation, and PPE). Negative physical, psychological and economic impacts of COVID-19 on maternal and newborn healthcare providers were ongoing throughout 2020, especially in low-income countries. This can have severe consequences for provision and quality of essential care. There is need to increase focus on the implementation of interventions aiming to support healthcare providers, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries to protect essential health services from disruption

Length of stay and determinants of early discharge after facility-based childbirth in Cameroon: analysis of the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: A minimum length of stay following facility birth is a prerequisite for women and newborns to receive the recommended monitoring and package of postnatal care. The first postnatal care guidelines in Cameroon were issued in 1998 but adherence to minimum length of stay has not been assessed thus far. The objective of this study was to estimate the average length of stay and identify determinants of early discharge after facility birth. METHODS: We analyzed the Cameroon 2018 Demographic and Health Survey. We included 4,567 women who had a live birth in a heath facility between 2013 and 2018. We calculated their median length of stay in hours by mode of birth and the proportion discharged early (length of stay < 24 h after vaginal birth or < 5 days after caesarean section). We assessed the association between sociodemographic, context-related, facility-related, obstetric and need-related factors and early discharge using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The median length of stay (inter quartile range) was 36 (9-84) hours after vaginal birth (n = 4,290) and 252 (132-300) hours after caesarean section (n = 277). We found that 28.8% of all women who gave birth in health facilities were discharged too early (29.7% of women with vaginal birth and 15.1% after a caesarean section). Factors which significantly predicted early discharge in multivariable regression were: maternal age < 20 years (compared to 20-29 years, aOR: 1.44; 95%CI 1.13-1.82), unemployment (aOR: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.63-0.96), non-Christian religions (aOR: 1.65; 95CI: 1.21-2.24), and region of residence-Northern zone aOR:9.95 (95%CI:6.53-15.17) and Forest zone aOR:2.51 (95%CI:1.79-3.53) compared to the country's capital cities (Douala or Yaounde). None of the obstetric characteristics was associated with early discharge. CONCLUSIONS: More than 1 in 4 women who gave birth in facilities in Cameroon were discharged too early; this mostly affected women following vaginal birth. The reasons leading to lack of adherence to postnatal care guidelines should be better understood and addressed to reduce preventable complications and provide better support to women and newborns during this critical period

Genomic analyses identify hundreds of variants associated with age at menarche and support a role for puberty timing in cancer risk

The timing of puberty is a highly polygenic childhood trait that is epidemiologically associated with various adult diseases. Using 1000 Genomes Project-imputed genotype data in up to similar to 370,000 women, we identify 389 independent signals (P <5 x 10(-8)) for age at menarche, a milestone in female pubertal development. In Icelandic data, these signals explain similar to 7.4% of the population variance in age at menarche, corresponding to similar to 25% of the estimated heritability. We implicate similar to 250 genes via coding variation or associated expression, demonstrating significant enrichment in neural tissues. Rare variants near the imprinted genes MKRN3 and DLK1 were identified, exhibiting large effects when paternally inherited. Mendelian randomization analyses suggest causal inverse associations, independent of body mass index (BMI), between puberty timing and risks for breast and endometrial cancers in women and prostate cancer in men. In aggregate, our findings highlight the complexity of the genetic regulation of puberty timing and support causal links with cancer susceptibility

Genomic analyses identify hundreds of variants associated with age at menarche and support a role for puberty timing in cancer risk

The timing of puberty is a highly polygenic childhood trait that is epidemiologically associated with various adult diseases. Using 1000 Genomes Project–imputed genotype data in up to ~370,000 women, we identify 389 independent signals (P < 5 × 10$^{−8}$) for age at menarche, a milestone in female pubertal development. In Icelandic data, these signals explain ~7.4% of the population variance in age at menarche, corresponding to ~25% of the estimated heritability. We implicate ~250 genes via coding variation or associated expression, demonstrating significant enrichment in neural tissues. Rare variants near the imprinted genes MKRN3 and DLK1 were identified, exhibiting large effects when paternally inherited. Mendelian randomization analyses suggest causal inverse associations, independent of body mass index (BMI), between puberty timing and risks for breast and endometrial cancers in women and prostate cancer in men. In aggregate, our findings highlight the complexity of the genetic regulation of puberty timing and support causal links with cancer susceptibility

Addressing the challenges and barriers to inclusion in Irish schools : report to Research and Development Committee of the Department of Education and Skills

The research described in this report was supported by a grant from the Research and Development Committee of the Department of Education and Skills. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the Department of Education and Skills/The study addresses the question of how Irish schools seek to overcome the challenges and barriers to inclusion. This necessitated sub questions in relation to identifying the challenges and barriers for the three groups of learners who are the focus of the study and then identifying how schools seek to overcome or mitigate their effects. To address these questions a case study research design was used incorporating multiple methods of data collection across six schools (three primary and three post-primary). Key informants in the Irish education system were relied upon in the selection of schools for the case studies to ensure that the selected schools were endeavouring to operate as inclusively as possible

Research report on the role of special schools and classes in Ireland

The National Council for Special Education has funded this research. Responsibility for the research (including any errors or omissions) remains with the authors. The views and opinions contained in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Council.This review of the role and operation of special schools and special classes was conducted in two phases. The first phase was commissioned by the special education section (SES) of the Department of Education and Science (DES) and the second by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Both studies were conducted by the special education department of St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra. The first phase, conducted between December 2005 and January 2007, was a questionnaire-based census of special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes. Two types of information were sought: quantitative information on provision (for example, pupil and teacher number`s; availability of support services; curricular provision) and more qualitative information on the role of special schools and classes and links with mainstream. It was always intended that the results from this first phase would be built on via a more in-depth second phase commissioned by the NCSE. The aims of Phase One were to: reaffirm the status of special schools with regard to their position on the continuum of provision for children with special educational needs ; consult special schools about their vision for the future ; identify which pupils were being catered for in special schools and classes ; explore whether (or not) the pupil population of special schools was changing ; provide the basis for a more in-depth study by the NCSE. The second phase, conducted between November 2007 and November 2008, was designed to address three specific issues: (1) To review the role of special schools in the provision of education to pupils with SEN and in particular to examine ways in which special schools can act in a co-operative way with mainstream primary and post-primary schools to provide enhanced service to pupils with SEN and their parents. (2) To review the role of special classes in mainstream schools for pupils with SEN having particular regard to the principle of inclusive education as described in Section 2 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004). (3) To provide a review of international practice in the area of special education with a particular emphasis on the use of special schools and special classes. More specifically the study examined: the potential for special schools to offer expertise and services to mainstream primary and post-primary schools ; the issues related to dual enrolment ; whether special schools should cater for specified categories of special needs or a broader/full range of special needs and what implications changes in the spectrum of special needs over time has in this regard ; whether special schools should be used/developed as centres of excellence and if so, in what areas and how should they be used. This report incorporates information from both phases of the review in order to give as full a picture as possible within the constraints of time and budget