A Systematic Review: Effectiveness of Complementary Therapies on Mental Status of Pediatric Oncology Patients

Children with cancer frequently suffer from depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and psychological stresses related to knowledge of potential risks, associated treatments, and the illness itself. These psychological problems can cause many additional physiological problems for these already chronically ill patients and may be detrimental to their overall health. The purpose of this systematic review is to review and critically appraise the evidence to determine if the use of Complementary and Alternative Methods (CAM), along with standardized care, affects mental health outcomes in pediatric cancer patients. Twenty-one primary source publications between 2013 and 2019 were analyzed for this systematic review. Within the pediatric oncology population, up to 84% are using some form of complementary and alternative therapies as an adjunct to standard medical treatment. Complementary and Alternative Methods have been found to decrease levels of stress, depression, and anxiety (Sanchez, Karlson, Hsu, Ostrenga, and Gordon 2015). These therapies also have been found to increase oxygenation saturation as well as decrease pain and irritation (Uglow, 2019)

Corporatisation and financialisation of social reproduction: Care homes and childcare in the United Kingdom

The ownership and financial strategies of companies providing care for children or older people have become an increasingly salient concern, in both research and policy, because of their implications for the quality and availability of care services, as well as working conditions. However, analysis has tended to be sector specific. This article provides the first comparison of ownership, business models and workforces across childcare and adult social care in the United Kingdom. It reveals growing convergence in terms of the dominance of large companies and their financial strategies, which can reward investors while undermining access to care and worsening working conditions for large, low-paid workforces. We conceptualise these developments in terms of corporatisation and the related process of financialisation. They are, we argue, underpinned by the political economy of low wages for care work, which we explain using feminist social reproduction theory – highlighting the devaluation of feminised and racialised caring labour. The article identifies the need for further research to account for differences between the sectors, to map the geographies and political economies of care, and to compare these processes internationally

Barnardo’s ReachOut: final evaluation report March 2019

ReachOut is a preventative child sexual exploitation (CSE) project established in 2016 under a partnership funding agreement between Barnardo’s, the KPMG Foundation, Department for Education, Communities and Local Government and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC). An independent evaluation was commissioned from the University of Bedfordshire with DMSS Research both to evaluate the impact of the project and to provide ongoing learning and feedback. A diverse staff team was recruited from a range of professional backgrounds including criminal justice, social work and youth work. There have been three main strands of work undertaken by ReachOut in order to achieve its aims: •Outreach work to raise awareness and provide support to children and young people in their communities  •Healthy relationship education in schools and other settings •Direct support for children and young people identified as at risk of CSE. These have operated at three levels of prevention: universal, including outreach at community events across Rotherham, helping to convey the message  that CSE is relevant to everyone; primary prevention, including education work in schools reaching over 2000 children and young people; targeted prevention with groups and communities identified as potentially more vulnerable to CSE as well as direct work with around 300 individual children and young people. Over the course of the three years, evaluators have carried out interviews with ReachOut staff and managers and representatives from external agencies; observed sessions of delivery; interviewed samples of young people and parents; analysed feedback questionnaires from school students and staff; reviewed project monitoring and samples of case records

Loss of Rb Cooperates with Ras to Drive Oncogenic Growth in Mammalian Cells

Background The p53, Rb, and Ras/PI3K pathways are implicated in the development of the majority of human cancers. A number of studies have established that these pathways cooperate at the level of the cell cycle leading to loss of normal proliferative controls. Here we have investigated how these signals influence a second critical component of tumor formation—cell growth. Results We find that oncogenic Ras is sufficient to drive growth via the canonical growth pathway, PI3K-AKT-TOR; however, it does so relatively weakly and p53 loss does not drive cell growth at all. Importantly, we identify a novel role for the Rb family of tumor suppressors in directing cell growth via a signaling pathway distinct from PI3K-AKT-TOR and via an E2F-independent mechanism. However, we find that strong, sustained growth requires Rb loss together with Ras signaling, identifying an additional mechanism by which these oncogenic pathways cooperate and a critical role for Ras in preserving the uptake of extracellular nutrients required for biogenesis. Conclusions We have identified a new role for the Rb family in cell biogenesis and show that, as for other processes associated with tumor development, oncogenic cell growth is dependent on cooperating oncogenes

Mary Pauper: A Historical Exploration of Early Care and Education Compensation, Policy, and Solutions

The Early Educator Investment Collaborative is committed in our work to recognizing and understanding the historical context in which structural racism continues to present in the early childhood workforce and eliminating the systemic oppression that keeps many early childhood educators living in poverty. In 2021, Child Trends was selected to conduct a literature review and develop a policy and practice report to map the history of systemic racism in the U.S. and how it has influenced early childhood education (ECE) policy and practice, with a particular focus on educator pay and benefits, preparation, and workforce stability.This report articulates a landscape analysis and a set of recommendations for policy, practice, and future research to improve the professional status of early childhood educators. The intent of this work is to build a common understanding of the biggest equity issues impacting early childhood educators—historically and in the present day