What are the perceived benefits of an adoption support package using video interaction guidance with prospective adopters? An exploratory study

"An adoption support package using video interaction guidance (VIG) with a focus on child-led play was provided by two educational psychologists to eight prospective adopters with whom a pre-school child had been placed recently. Piloted with the encouragement of social workers, it promoted working in partnership with parents to share successes and address concerns. VIG is an attachment-based coaching method, which works collaboratively on client-chosen goals for improved relationships, building on their existing strengths and insights.

A Framework to Assess Returns on Investments in the Dryland Systems of Northern Kenya

Governments need quantitative assessments of the outcomes of proposed investments so they can weigh the merits of each option. Without these, there is a risk that some proposed changes could in fact reduce rather than increase benefits to the economy and society. At present, there is no definitive framework for assessing the returns to Northern Kenya's predominantly pastoralist land use, nor any prediction of its returns under anticipated climate changes. There is therefore no possibility of comparing returns between this and any alternatives. Flagship projects planned to accelerate economic development in Northern Kenya include an international transport corridor, a resort city and an international airport. In addition, mineral deposits are being discovered, towns are growing across both arid and semi-arid areas, and land speculation is increasing. The county governments are faced with the task of prioritising investments which can do the most to improve living standards for local people. This paper is intended to stimulate and contribute to a discussion of how the returns on land-based investments in the drylands should be evaluated. It presents an assessment framework for weighing the total economic value of the ecosystem services provided by pastoral and mixed land-use systems under anticipated climate changes and variability. The proposed framework draws on contributions from previous research at IIED and by other research partners focusing on ecosystem service assessment in Northern Kenya and surrounding dry regions. The paper reviews the current state of knowledge on the returns from pastoral and other land uses in the region, identifies research gaps and highlights the next steps needed for implementing the framework

Size Control and Fluorescence Labeling of Polydopamine Melanin-Mimetic Nanoparticles for Intracellular Imaging.

As synthetic analogs of the natural pigment melanin, polydopamine nanoparticles (NPs) are under active investigation as non-toxic anticancer photothermal agents and as free radical scavenging therapeutics. By analogy to the widely adopted polydopamine coatings, polydopamine NPs offer the potential for facile aqueous synthesis and incorporation of (bio)functional groups under mild temperature and pH conditions. However, clear procedures for the convenient and reproducible control of critical NP properties such as particle diameter, surface charge, and loading with functional molecules have yet to be established. In this work, we have synthesized polydopamine-based melanin-mimetic nanoparticles (MMNPs) with finely controlled diameters spanning ≈25 to 120 nm and report on the pH-dependence of zeta potential, methodologies for PEGylation, and the incorporation of fluorescent organic molecules. A comprehensive suite of complementary techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), zeta-potential, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, and confocal microscopy, was used to characterize the MMNPs and their properties. Our PEGylated MMNPs are highly stable in both phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and in cell culture media and exhibit no cytotoxicity up to at least 100 μg mL-1 concentrations. We also show that a post-functionalization methodology for fluorophore loading is especially suitable for producing MMNPs with stable fluorescence and significantly narrower emission profiles than previous reports, suggesting they will be useful for multimodal cell imaging. Our results pave the way towards biomedical imaging and possibly drug delivery applications, as well as fundamental studies of MMNP size and surface chemistry dependent cellular interactions

Learning Disability and the Extended Mind

In his critique of the extended mind hypothesis, Robert Rupert suggests that we have no reason to move from the claim that cognition is deeply embedded in the environment to the more radical claim that, in some cases, cognition itself extends into the environment. In this paper, I argue that we have strong normative reasons to prefer the more radical extended mind hypothesis to Rupert’s modest embedded mind hypothesis. I take an agnostic position on the metaphysical debate about the ultimate nature and location of the mind, and instead argue in favor of the extended mind framework on the basis of its ability to better capture normative concerns about the way we evaluate the cognitive capacities of learning disabled individuals. In light of the commitments of the embedded and extended mind frameworks, defenders of the embedded mind framework are committed to conclusions about learning-disabled individuals that we have good normative reason to reject, whereas the extended mind framework avoids such problematic conclusions. Thus, if we find these normative concerns persuasive, we have good reason to prefer the extended mind position

What can be learnt about the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant programme in secondary schools using Goal Based Outcome measures?

The Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) programme is a school-based intervention developed by Educational Psychologists in which Teaching Assistants (TAs) are trained to deliver bespoke support to develop the social and emotional skills of children and young people (CYP) (Burton, Traill & Norgate, 2009). A systematic critical appraisal of the present ELSA literature was conducted, focusing on what is known about the impact of the intervention on outcomes for CYP. This highlighted the scarcity of available research which focused on ELSA in secondary settings and the limitations around measures available to evaluate the impact of the intervention. To address this, mixed methodology research was conducted to explore the use of three outcome measures, two standardised measures (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Emotional Literacy Checklist) and an idiographic measure (Goal Based Outcomes [GBO]) with a sample of secondary-aged young people (N=5). GBO was used as this approach has evidenced success in clinical settings, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs), in evaluating bespoke interventions akin to ELSA. The researcher intended to triangulate the standardised data by seeking feedback from teaching staff (N = 3), but challenges with recruitment and data collection prevented this. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ELSAs (N = 8) and students (N = 4) to explore their views on using the GBO approach in ELSA. Findings indicate that the GBO data captures richer information about the ELSA intervention when compared to standardised measures in terms of the focus of the sessions. However, the tracking of change over time was limited due to the general nature of goals set. The GBO approach was perceived to benefit ELSA practice by supporting ELSAs’ planning and organisation and facilitating a sense of agency for students. ELSAs lacked confidence in using GBO, and students reflected on their uncertainty about the approach, which suggests that ELSAs would benefit from more comprehensive training and ongoing support to build confidence and ensure targets are SMART in nature. The strengths and limitations of this research are highlighted, and implications for the practice of ELSAs and Educational Psychologists, including directions for further research in this area, are discussed

Spaces for Becomings? Heterotopic Fictions in Preciado’s Testo yonqui

This article examines the possibilities and limits of gender becomings in Paul Preciado’s book Testo yonqui (Testo Junkie). A genre-fluid “body-essay,” his text theorizes a departure from gender through contemporary medicine. Following Preciado in his self-administration of testosterone, the book labels today’s reality a “pharmacopornographic era,” a new iteration of Foucault’s biocapitalism. After designating Preciado’s self-generated transformations as becomings, I explore how the book’s heterotopic spaces––including its genre––facilitate Preciado’s forward-moving gender identity. A Foucauldian term, heterotopia has not yet been applied to Testo Junkie, however it offers insight into the book’s potential to motivate individuals to shape their own identities. To conclude this analysis, I consider how, while these instances of becomings are exemplified especially in Testo Junkie’s fictional passages, the text’s theoretical passages fail to qualify as heterotopic. Preciado’s pharmacopornographic theory therefore limits the book’s power to cultivate a reader’s ability to destabilize societal expectations around bodies

Learning from Pop Fiction: The Benefits of Appreciative Advising in The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins' hugely popular trilogy, The Hunger Games, offers a unique opportunity to examine the consequences of Appreciative and Non-Appreciative Advising.  The behaviors of Haymitch and Cinna towards Katniss provide a case study of Appreciative Advising to examine its positive outcomes.

Adopted children and the transition from primary to secondary school: an examination of pupil, parent and teacher views

Adopted children and the transition from primary to secondary school: an examination of pupil, parent and teacher views This research focuses upon the impact that the transition from primary to secondary school may have on adopted children, and the role schools could play in supporting adopted children during this time. Questionnaires were sent to adopted children and their adoptive parents: 20 parents and 11 children returned questionnaires. The questionnaires focused on attitudes towards the transition from primary to secondary school, the needs of adopted children compared to other children and the role of schools in supporting adopted children. Following the questionnaires, a focus group was held with six adoptive parents and then interviews with four secondary school teachers. The interviews and focus groups had seven key areas: • sharing information • curriculum issues • the perceived needs of adopted children • the transition process • pastoral support • homework • training for schools. Both parents and children alike felt that adopted children have additional educational needs, particularly around issues of self-organization. However,adoptive parents were often unclear about who to talk to in their child’s school, and how to ensure that information about their child’s adoption was subsequently passed on to all appropriate members of staff. Equally, schools were generally keen to support adopted children, but often had poor channels of communication for ensuring staff were well informed. Additionally, some teachers revealed a lack of awareness regarding the needs of adopted children and the types of support that might be useful. However, where school staff had worked closely with parents and other agencies, such as the Educational Psychology Service and the Post-Adoption Service, parents and pupils reported helpful outcomes. This would suggest that working with other agencies may be particularly useful in enabling schools to gain a better understanding of the needs of adopted children, and allow them to take a more proactive approach in offering support to these children