64 research outputs found
The Program Preferences and Demographics of Subscribers to the South Dakota Public Television Network Program Guide
The main objectives of this study are focused on learning more about South Dakota’s public television viewers. Statistics released by the corporation for Public Broadcasting provide a profile of public television households. This research shows that the probability of a household tuning to public television increases as the age and education of the head of the household increase. The study also indicates that people employed in professional or “white collar) jobs are more likely to view public television. In addition, women are more likely to be viewers than are men. Knowing how South Dakotans compare with this profile will aid in determining how South Dakota public television can best serve its audience’s needs and program interests. The first objective is to determine the interests of the audience. The second objective is to determine the demographics of South Dakotan’s public television audience. The demographic data used in this study are age, sex and education of the respondents. In addition to these primary objectives, this study also attempts to determine the number of hours commercial television is viewed in a week, as well as the number of hours devoted to public television viewing. Determining the kinds of programs desired by the public television audience is another objective of this study. These data serve to aid in the making of more responsive programming decisions, as well as in the justification of public television’s channel reservations and tax support
From Act to Practice : Phase 2 : Supporting the Implementation of the Children's Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 Evaluation Report
The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 was introduced to modernise and strengthen the children’s hearings system and deliver better outcomes for children. Clan Childlaw Limited and the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) were commissioned to develop and deliver a programme of information seminars to support the implementation of the Act. These were known as From Act to Practice and were delivered prior to the Act coming into force. Key findings from this programme indicated the need for a further series of events giving detailed guidance about the Act and offering opportunities for organisations to share good practice. To respond to this, From Act to Practice 2 (FATP2) was devised. FATP2 was delivered from April to December 2014, i.e. after the Act came into force. The FATP2 programme consisted of a series of 13 half-day events including one symposium for strategic managers, four seminars for middle managers and eight practice development seminars for front-line practitioners. The aims of the programme are detailed in the full report
The Role of the Solicitor in the Children's Hearings System : A Study Commissioned by the Scottish Legal Aid Board
In 2015, the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) commissioned the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) to carry out a piece of research looking at the role of solicitors in the children’s hearings system. This research took place between July and December 2015, and was designed to address the following five topics: • Defining the ethos of the children’s hearings system and applying this to solicitors • The role and impact of solicitors in the modernised children’s hearings system • How to achieve a fair and consistent approach to monitoring compliance • How best to get feedback from professional and non-professional stakeholders • Training of solicitors on children’s hearings The role of solicitors in the children’s hearings system has taken on greater importance over the last five years, as the number of solicitors attending hearings proceedings is perceived to have increased since Part 19 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (The Scottish Executive, 2011) enabled the provision of legal aid to both children and relevant others. In order to gather information, the study included nationwide surveys with solicitors, social workers, reporters, and panel members, followed by focus groups with these same groups. In addition, the study included key informant interviews with various professional stakeholders and interviews with three young people with experience of solicitors in the children’s hearing system
Measuring Children and Young People's Outcomes in Residential Education
This study evaluates an outcomes framework consisting of a bank of outcomes, a set of tools and associated processes specifically developed by the Educating through Care Scotland (EtCS) group for use by residential providers of education and care. A group of 11 providers piloted the framework over an 18-month period. These providers met regularly to share learning and there was further input from four secure care providers with growing experience of using outcomes. The study was conducted using a range of different methods to collect data throughout the pilot process and drew on a wide range of perspectives including workers, managers, children and young people and commissioners. The report details the background and context of the pilot, the methods used in the study and the key findings. These cover the pilot process itself, the individual parts of the framework and various issues that arose as the providers tested and developed the framework. The report also draws out a number of wider learning points which may be of interest to others developing or implementing outcomes approaches
Perth and Kinross Council Transitions within the Community Project : Evaluation Report
This document reports the findings of an evaluation of the Transitions within the Community Project in Perth and Kinross (The Project). The evaluation was commissioned by Perth and Kinross Council and conducted by researchers from CELCIS at the University of Strathclyde. The Project is a change programme designed to reshape services for children and young people with Learning Disability, Additional Support Needs and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. The Project is a ‘preventative spend’ measure financed through around £805,000 provided through the Investment and Improvement Fund (IIF). It aims to ameliorate a projected overspend for Education and Children’s Services of around £1,000,000 per annum and annually increasing costs of around £400,000 to Housing and Community Care Services for young people transitioning to adult services. A simultaneous dual aim was to improve services by helping more young people with Learning Disability, Additional Support Needs and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties to be part of their local community. The Evaluation is based on data and information gathered by Perth and Kinross Council over the duration of the Project; this material has been supplemented by some new interview data gathered by the researchers. As a result of this mixed approach to data collection, the evaluation has a number of strengths and limitations; these are discussed in the report
Improving Educational Outcomes for Children Looked after at Home : The Perspectives of Designated Managers for Looked after Children
The educational attainment of looked after children in Scotland remains low compared with children who are not looked after, especially for children who are looked after at home. This briefing describes an action research programme led by CELCIS, exploring how the barriers to looked after children’s learning can be overcome. Designated Managers for looked after children (DMs), pastoral staff and education officers in four local authorities were asked to describe the learning journey of the looked after children within their schools. Staff from early-years’ centres, primary schools and secondary schools were consulted. The consultation was intended to inform current work by CELCIS using improvement methodology to test practice aimed at achieving positive educational outcomes for looked after children
Contested views of expertise in children's care and permanence proceedings
In this article, we consider different perspectives on who is best able to provide relevant and helpful expertise in public law cases where the long-term care of children is under consideration. Opinions vary and sometimes conflict on the respective importance of legal, child development, and lay understandings. These opinions relate to views on rights, appropriate procedures, decision-making processes, and the effects of decisions on children. Firstly, we summarise literature relevant to the knowledge and skills of three key groups of decision-makers within the Scottish child care system: legal professionals, child care professionals and lay decision-makers, and outline literature about guardiansad litemand their counterparts. We then discuss issues of expertise emerging from a study exploring the reasons for, and impact of, the appointment of safeguarders (who, in Scotland, perform a similar role to guardians). We conclude that there may be an increasing tendency for disagreement and a lack of clarity about who brings the most relevant and helpful expertise to hearings; this may have negative effects for children
Annex to : Supporting Kinship Families: Bibliography from the Evaluation of the Notre Dame Centre’s Support Programme for Kinship Families
This bibliography contains references and (where available) abstracts for 56 sources identified during the evaluation of the Notre Dame Kinship support service and related activities. We report that evaluation as a separate document. We reproduce these details verbatim as harvested from relevant databases; the content belongs to the relevant authors who should be cited if their work is used. We hope this list is interesting and helpful. Beyond inclusion in this list, we do not provide any comment or analysis; readers will make up their own minds about the relevance to their needs of each source. This bibliography is based on academic sources that we have come across during our work – it does not reflect a systematic search. We expect that other sources, particularly grey-literature sources, are also likely to be relevant. We know that those working for children’s services may find it difficult to access some academic papers; readers are welcome to contact CELCIS using the contact details on the back cover for assistance in accessing these and similar sources
Talking back to 'family', 'family troubles', and 'the looked-after child'
'Looked after' is a term used in the UK to describe children who are the subject of 'alternative care' arrangements (i.e. in the care of a statutory authority), most often away from their birth parents. Within this potentially stigmatising context, this paper presents a reanalysis of data from semi-structured interviews with seventeen participants during three recent small-scale studies in Scotland. Juhila's (2004) concept of 'talking back' to potentially stigmatising categories informs this analysis that explores participants' understanding of, and responses to, three categorisations: the 'family', 'family troubles', and 'the looked-after child'. Participants were either: young people with experience of home supervision, birth mothers of adopted children, or kinship carers. The analysis finds clear examples of 'talking back' to all three categories, including through a process that linked categories, such that accepting aspects of one potentially stigmatised identity, helped to explain membership of another. This suggests a potential refinement of Juhila's model. 'Looked after' was widely understood, but the term was seldom used by participants. There was evidence that participants 'talked back' to the idea of the looked after child by problematising its appropriateness in their circumstances, including home supervision and kinship care. In their discussions with researchers, these participants privileged biological understandings of 'family', affirming enduring links despite troubles and separations. The paper is concluded by identifying briefly some implications for policy and practice
Supporting Kinship Families : Final Report from the Evaluation of the Notre Dame Centre's Support Programme for Kinship Families
This is the final report for the evaluation of the Notre Dame support service for kinship families. The aim is present the findings and conclusions of the evaluation and, where it is helpful, to provide some background and explanation
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