How can early years services improve access and transition into early years settings and primary schools for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children?

Recent educational policy and guidance directed at early years education has highlighted the need to improve Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children’s access and inclusion within early years provision. This research project explored how interagency working could put such policy and guidance into practice and considered what this work might look like at grassroots level. The research coordinator used the research to pilot a strategy, which if successful, could be rolled out and shared with other services. This research used a mixed-method approach comprising action research and quantitative analysis of questionnaires completed by research practitioners. This methodology was found to be effective as it supported the aims and objectives of the research. It also empowered the researchers and the research participants developing practice. The main findings emerged in four main themes: • Interagency working • Professional development • Training and support • Sustainability of the work. This research found that interagency working was important for professional development as well as delivering effective services. Action research supported practitioners’ professional development and had a very positive impact on their confidence in meeting their duty with regard to equality of opportunity. This confidence had a positive effect on their own and their settings practice as professionals shared their learning with other staff. Training and support was shown to be a very important and effective way to raise awareness of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children’s barriers to early years education but also to enable practitioners to feel confident to address such barriers in their settings. The model of practice developed by this research is both sustainable and cost-effective and as the research coordinator I would be keen to explore further research opportunities to disseminate this model further

'Visibility brings with it responsibility': Using a pragmatic performance approach to explore a political philosophy of technology

With the emergence, suspicion and social acceptance of ubiquitous communications technology thoroughly plumbed and the digital age already wondering what it is going to rename itself in light of ever more fluid and complex technologies, this paper asks: what can theatre and performance provide to the production of a political philosophy of technology? Using the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Michel Foucault and an analysis of a recent inter-cultural adaptation of Jean Genet's The Maids, this study examines the politics of visible theatre technologies in performance and offers a pragmatic, or instrumentalist, approach to developing a political philosophy of technology

The Role of the Tuna Fishery in the Economy of the Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) inherited an environmentally fragile and somewhat arbitrary base for nationhood that bears little resemblance to its inhabitants’ usual spheres of interaction during millennia of occupation of the region. FSM has a small population scattered across a myriad of islands whose land area is far smaller than the tuna-rich area of ocean encompassed within its territorial waters. It is perhaps not surprising then that FSM’s fisheries have been seen by many as the main hope for its economic future. This issue has become all the more urgent in recent years with the signing of a new agreement that will see funding by the United States gradually diminish until 2023. The search for viable alternatives to its past and current reliance on US funding has now become the central issue in FSM. While fisheries are an important asset for FSM, other economic options offer perhaps greater promise, while the modification of existing Carolinian institutions offers a more effective and possibly less disruptive means of achieving economic independence and modernity and a sustainable fishery than other solution, which seek to ‘fast-track’ the process by grafting modern western institutions onto islander societies. These problems and proposed solutions are not limited to FSM, but have wider applicability across much of Oceania

'Assessment for learning in higher education' by Kay Sambell, Liz McDowell and Catherine Montgomery : review

Book reviewReview of 'Assessment for learning in higher education' by Kay Sambell, Liz McDowell and Catherine Montgomery. Routledge, 2013

The complexities of teaching 'inclusion' in higher education

This article considers how action research can support the teaching of 'Inclusion' in Higher Education. As a professional committed to improving educational practices, action research was identified as a practical research approach to study the relationship between theories and practices of inclusive education. This article will report on a short action research project that focussed on an Applied Social Science undergraduate degree unit which is taken in students' final year: 'Contemporary Issues in Exclusion and Inclusion in Education'. Student's own understanding, expectations and reflections on their learning were captured via questionnaires to directly inform teaching and assessment practices. Action research facilitated a critical lens which enabled lecturers to reconsider teaching and assessment strategies in a collaborative, participative manner and early findings indicate an improvement in student learning

How can integrated working be improved to aid secondary transfer rates for Traveller children? (Sharing our experience, Practitioner-led research 2008-2009; PLR0809/023)

This research question arose though the lead practitioner’s professional practice, which is focused upon the transfer and retention of Traveller children from primary to secondary school. The research project involved two contrasting areas of Cambridgeshire; rural south Cambridgeshire and urban Cambridge City. These areas have the lowest numbers of Traveller children transferring and staying on at secondary school in the county. The aim of this research project was to explore how integrated working could improve secondary transition rates for Traveller children in two specific areas of Cambridgeshire. The project invited a variety of professionals who were involved in transition work in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire to become involved in the project. Three of these professionals were then engaged to carry out the research and came together only at group meetings. The professionals worked separately on their own chosen research areas for their contribution to the research. There were 12 professionals and 36 children and young people involved in the research; these included four teaching assistants one transition co-ordinator two teachers four transition social workers one transition worker 36 pupils. A literature review was completed, which along with data from the first interviews, provided the thematic analysis and contextualization of themes. The research also used ethnographic case studies to observe the characteristics, developments and findings of the different groups involved. Data was initially analysed per professional, and then compared for overall similarities and recommendations. There were then final interviews with professionals. Findings include: • Work with Traveller parents was paramount to changing the current trend of low transition and retention. • Work needs to pay particular attention to the transition of female Traveller students and the retention of male Traveller students. • Home–school relationships and community cohesion strategies need to be strengthened and secondary schools need to adopt a proactive approach towards this. • A professionally integrated, co-ordinated approach that recognizes the need for extra input for Travellers’ transition and retention is essential. The research project therefore enabled a more informed approach to professionals’ transition work. They had a clearer understanding of the issues involved and ideas about how these might be tackled. Integrated working was found to be very informative and supportive in this process and further meetings have been planned

How can early years services improve access and inclusion into early years settings and primary schools for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children?

This research project explored how interagency working could put such policy and guidance into practice and considered what this work might look like at grassroots level. The research coordinator used the research to pilot a strategy, which if successful, could be rolled out and shared with other services

Roma children and young people in Bulgaria: patterns of risk and effective protection in relation to child sexual exploitation

This article examines patterns of risk regarding child sexual exploitation (CSE). There is specific focus on those living in alternative care, child sexual exploitation and trafficking among Roma communities in Bulgaria and the UK. Data is drawn from a desk-based literature review and partnership work with Bulgarian and British academics and practitioners to explore the issues in both countries. Although there is limited statistical data on CSE and children in care across Europe and the risk-factors for Roma children and young people are still not being fully recognised, we can draw on what is known in Bulgaria to inform practice in the UK with emerging Roma communities. Research on CSE more generally can also inform awareness of risk factors particularly around care systems. Comparative information about what is known in the UK and Bulgaria is considered in order to make some recommendations for international prevention, protection efforts, and prosecution strategies for the future

Interpreting Market Responses to Economic Data

This article discusses how bond, equity and foreign exchange markets have responded to the surprise component of Australian and US macroeconomic data announcements over the past decade. The bond and equity market responses are used to infer changes in market expectations for interest rates and dividend growth rates. Both interest rates and expected dividend growth rates are shown to increase by a similar magnitude in response to upside inflation and employment surprises. The estimated changes in the interest rate and expected dividend growth rate differentials between Australia and the US are also compared with the exchange rate response to data surprises. This allows an assessment of the relationship between expected economic fundamentals and the exchange rate.Asset price responses; economic data surprises