Pedagogy - a holistic, personal approach to work with children and young people, across services: European models for practice, training, education and qualification

Today, provision for children and young people is developing rapidly at the level of policy, organisation, training, education, and qualifications. Research in these areas, carried out at the Thomas Coram Research Unit (TCRU), has included cross-national studies on service provision and its quality, the daily practice of staff, their training, education, qualification, recruitment and retention in the workforce. A central interest has been what, in continental Europe, is often called ‘social pedagogy’, a distinctive way of working with children and the basis for policy development

Final report of the social pedagogy pilot programme: development and implementation

In 2008, the government commissioned Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education University of London to develop and implement a pilot programme in order to determine the impact of, and best method for, introducing a social pedagogic approach in residential children’s homes in line with the Care Matters White Paper’s commitment (DCSF 2007). The intentions were modest - to make some ‘ripples’ in the world of residential childcare. This report is of the development and implementation part of the pilot programme. There are around 2,000 children’s homes in England, run by private for profit, independent and public sector employers and around 6,500 young people are in residence at any one time (SFR 2009). Since 2002, children’s homes, as with other services for children, have been regulated by, and inspected against, national minimum standards, which, although not intended to be a benchmark of practice, or representing standardisation of provision (DH 2002), arguably implied just that. Clough, Bullock and Ward (2006) viewed the requirement to meet bureaucratic standards as risking the undervaluing of important and complex issues of quality and process. It was in this context that the pilot programme took place. As an established tradition in continental Europe, social pedagogy is often understood as ‘education in its broadest sense’ (Petrie et al. 2009) - an educational approach to social issues. Its breadth can be seen in its concern for the whole person as emotional, thinking and physical beings, promoting their active engagement in decisions about their own lives and as members of society. It is a discipline that takes account of the complexity of different social contexts. In continental European countries social pedagogues typically have a bachelor’s degree, combining academic knowledge, with practical, organisational and communication skills and often, the expressive arts and/or outdoor adventure/ environmental activities. Social pedagogues working in residential care in continental European countries expect to exercise a range of responsibilities both inward looking to the home itself and outward looking to the interface between the children’s home and the wider society to which the young person belongs. The pilot programme was designed around three groups of children’s homes or ‘pilot sites’ with differing social pedagogic input, ranging from social pedagogues trained overseas but working to residential care worker job titles, to social pedagogues working to social pedagogue job titles with, in addition, part of their time devoted to training and awareness raising activities. Children’s homes were selected for their stated support of the programme objectives and their willingness to learn about social pedagogy from the social pedagogues. Forty eight social pedagogues were recruited through employer’s recruitment procedures although some left before the end of the programme period

From pyruvate to PEP...the unknown pathway

Abstract only availableSoybean is a major crop in the United States. Its survival and relationship with its environment are closely monitored. For example, we are looking at the symbiotic relationship between soybean and the soil bacteria. These bacteria can convert nitrogen in the air into usable nitrogen for the soybean plant. This process occurs when the rhizobium forms a nodule on the soybean root. These nodules are complex, hyperplastic tissue masses derived from cortical cells that transport nitrogen as uerides. The soybean plant then in turn acts as a carbon and energy source for the bacteria. The metabolic pathway for the bacteria's reception and consumption of this carbon is unknown. Our specific focus is to use in gel assays to identify the presence of glyceraldehydes-3-P-dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate kinase, phosohpoglycerate mutase and enolase, used by the plant to synthesize a reaction to convert glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate into PEP (phosphoenolpyruvate) which will be conducted after my departure from the lab. We first conduct a protein extraction to isolate only the desired material from the soybean plant. We then use a one-dimensional gel enzyme assay to determine whether our four main enzymes are active (we received positive results for all four). Also, a two-dimensional gel enzyme assay to determine whether the enzyme we have found is indeed the one we think we have identified in one dimension (we have found positive results for all except phosphoglycerate mutase). Finally, we use an enzyme assay to determine if there is enzyme activity by measuring the absorbance of a solution containing substrate and introducing the enzyme. We found the presence and activity of all of the crucial enzymes involved in the pathway. We have pretty much concluded that this pathway, formerly thought to be a part of the Alanine Transport model, is more likely to be a part of the plant's metabolism.MU Monsanto Undergraduate Research Fellowshi

International Perspectives on Parenting Support - Non-English Language Sources

This study was commissioned by the DCSF, and began in October 2007. The project aimed to extend existing knowledge of ‘what works’ in parenting support beyond the English language international evidence that was comprehensively reviewed in an earlier study for DCSF (What Works in Parenting Support, Moran, Ghate and van der Merwe 2004). While the previous study focused on English language literature, the focus of this study was to examine parenting support in a selection of non-English language countries. Five countries were selected from an initial list of 12 (originally chosen from a longer list of 22). Their selection was based on the relevance to UK policy and practice, potential translatability to a UK context and indications of promising practice

Barriers and facilitators to HIV testing in people age 50 and above: a systematic review

Background: Approximately 13% of people living with HIV in the UK are unaware of their infection. New diagnoses among people ≥50 years is increasing. Unique factors may be associated with testing in this group. This review aims to identify patient and clinician-related barriers/facilitators to HIV testing in people aged ≥50 years. Methods: A systematic electronic search was conducted. Papers were assessed for eligibility and data from eligible studies were extracted. Barriers/facilitators were grouped, and number of times reported was noted. Due to considerable heterogeneity, a narrative approach has been undertaken to synthesise data. Findings: 17 studies were included. Main barriers to testing were low perceived risk, and clinicians’ preconceptions about older people. Main facilitators were regular use of healthcare services or being offered/encouraged to test by a healthcare provider. Interpretation: Although being encouraged to test was a common facilitator, clinicians’ preconceptions about older people was the biggest barrier, showing a divide between clinicians’ preconceptions and patient’s expectations, which may impact on testing rates. This review is an important first step to identify potential barriers/facilitators for further study or to be addressed in the design of future interventions

Use of clinical vignette questionnaires to investigate the variation in management of keratoconjunctivitis sicca and acute glaucoma in dogs

There is little peer-reviewed research assessing therapeutic effectiveness in canine eye disease. Current treatments used in first opinion and ophthalmology referral practices are also somewhat poorly documented. The aim of this study was to investigate the current management of canine keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) and acute primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) by veterinary surgeons. Questionnaires using clinical vignettes were administered to a cross section of general practitioners (‘GPs’) and veterinarians engaged in or training for postgraduate ophthalmology practice (’PGs’). Similar treatment recommendations for KCS (topical cyclosporine, lubricant, antibiotic) were given by both groups of veterinarians with the single exception of increased topical antibiotic use by GPs. Treatment of acute glaucoma diverged between groups: PGs were much more likely to recommend topical prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) and a wider array of both topical and systemic treatments were recommended by both groups. Systemic ocular hypotensive agents were suggested infrequently. Our results suggest that treatments may vary substantially in ocular conditions, particularly in conditions for which neither guidelines nor high quality evidence exists. This study highlights the need for novel strategies to address evidence gaps in veterinary medicine, as well as for better evaluation and dissemination of current treatment experience