Search results for ""policy press""

This book critically analyses the rise of Plural policing in England and Wales over the past decade, giving examples of national and international practice. Written by an author with experience in both practice and academia, it discusses the consequences of this approach for the historical model of policing provision and challenges views on how policing should be delivered in the future.

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Medical sociology has traditionally focused on the governance of 'troublesome' social groups, including the unwell, the `deviant’, and the criminally insane. But recently, it has explored how the state ensures the public is protected from medical malpractice, negligence, and criminality. Against the background of some high-profile scandals, this authoritative book examines the modernisation of the regulation of doctors by the introduction of a quality assurance process. Highlighting areas of good practice, this book will be required reading for scholars of medical sociology, medical education and health policy.

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In this provocative book, journalist Peter Hetherington argues that Britain, particularly England, needs an active land policy to protect against record land price increases that threaten food security and housing provision for Britain’s expanding population. This important debate will attract interest among academics and postgraduates in planning, surveying, housing management, rural policy and social policy, political organisations, the Third Sector, social enterprises and community groups.

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How voluntary action has been defined and measured is considered alongside individuals’ accounts of their participation and engagement in volunteering over their lifecourse in this pioneering study. Combining rich, qualitative material from the Mass Observation Archive (1981-2012) with data from longitudinal and cross-sectional social surveys, it asks what is the scope and appetite for expansion of voluntary effort?

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Anthony Crosland bequeathed a significant intellectual legacy to the Labour Party. In this timely book, Patrick Diamond considers a wide range of Crosland’s writings on the economy and politics, relating his ideas on egalitarian social democracy, electoral strategy, the European question, and the importance of progressive liberalism on the British centre-left. Written in a clear and persuasive way, it will appeal to academics, students, activists, Labour Party members and associated think tanks,

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Research justice is a strategic framework and methodological intervention that aims to transform structural inequalities in research. This book is the first to present a radical approach to socially just, community-centered research. It is built around a vision of equal political power and legitimacy for cultural, spiritual, and experiential knowledge, with the goal of greater equality in public policies and laws.

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After Urban Regeneration is a comprehensive study of contemporary trends in urban policy and planning. Focusing on the history and theory of community in urban policy, and including a unique set of case studies, the book will appeal to scholars and students in geography, urban studies, planning, sociology, law and art as well as policy makers and community workers.

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Combining political theory with attention to political practice, this book explores the development of localism as a new mode of statecraft and its implications for the practice of citizenship. It looks at the development of community organising, neighbourhood planning and community councils that identify and nurture the energies, talents and creativity of the population to solve their own problems and improve our world.

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What size is 'just right' for a care provider? This book explores size as an independent variable in care services. Using interviews and surveys with 108 people using services and carers in 27 case-study organisations it focuses on the contribution micro-enterprise can make to the care sector.

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This edition of Social Policy Review marks the 40th anniversary of a publication from the UK Social Policy Association devoted to presenting an up-to-date and diverse review of the best in social policy scholarship. It includes a special Anniversary Preface celebrating the publication's evolution and distinctive contributions. Continuing its reputation as a cutting edge, international publication in social policy, Part One of this edition analyses current developments under the UK's Coalition Government across a range of key policy areas. Part Two includes an examination of social policy in 'developing' countries, including in Africa and the Arab nations. Part Three considers the fate of social welfare in countries among the worst hit by the 'economic crisis', including: Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Iceland. Social Policy Review is essential reading for social policy academics and students and for anyone who is interested in the implications of government policy.

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As the everyday family lives of children and young people come to be increasingly defined as matters of public policy and concern, it is important to raise the question of how we can understand the contested terrain between “normal” family troubles and troubled and troubling families. In this important, timely and thought-provoking publication, a wide range of contributors explore how “troubles” feature in “normal” families, and how the “normal” features in “troubled” families. Drawing on research on a wide range of substantive topics - including infant care, sibling conflict, divorce, disability, illness, migration and asylum-seeking, substance misuse, violence, kinship care, and forced marriage - the contributors aim to promote dialogue between researchers addressing mainstream family change and diversity in everyday lives, and those specialising in specific problems which prompt professional interventions. In tackling these contentious and difficult issues across a variety of topics, the book addresses a wide audience, including policy makers, service users and practitioners, as well as family studies scholars more generally who are interested in issues of family change.

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The UK government’s reforms of the NHS and public health system require partnerships if they are to succeed. Those partnerships concerned with public health are especially important and are deemed to be a ’good thing’ which add, rather than consume, value. Yet the significant emphasis on partnership working to secure effective policy and service delivery exists despite the evidence testifying to how difficult it is to make partnerships work or achieve results. Partnership working in public health presents the findings from a detailed study of public health partnerships in England. The lessons from the research are used to explore the government’s changes in public health now being implemented, most of which centre on new partnerships called Health and Wellbeing Boards that have been established to work differently from their predecessors.The book assesses their likely impact and the implications for the future of public health partnerships. Drawing on systems thinking, it argues that partnerships can only succeed if they work in quite different ways. The book will therefore appeal to the public health community and students of health policy.

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Ageing, meaning and social structure is a unique book advancing critical discourse in gerontology and makes a major contribution to understanding key social and ethical dilemmas facing ageing societies. It confronts and integrates approaches that have been relatively isolated from each other, and interrelates two major streams of thought within critical gerontology: analyses of structural issues in the context of political economy and humanistic perspectives on issues of existential meaning. The chapters, from a wide range of contributors, focus on major issues in ageing such as autonomy, agency, frailty, lifestyle, social isolation, dementia and professional challenges in social work and participatory research. This volume should be valuable reading for scholars and graduate students in gerontology and humanistic studies, as well as for policy makers and practitioners working in the field of ageing.

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In a period where social unrest manifests itself by coinciding with young people's dissatisfaction with formal political involvement and the diversification of protest movements across the globe, the question of youth participation is at the forefront of democratic societies. This timely book offers a fresh look at youth participation: examining official and unofficial constructions of participation by young people in a range of socio-political domains, exploring the motivations and rationales underlying official attempts to increase participation among young people, and offering a critique of their effectiveness. Based on original research data, Youth participation in Europe provides a thorough analysis of participation initiatives at the implementation level and gives a transversal approach to various areas of youth participation. Drawing on examples from different European countries, it analyses the results of structure on youth participation and the effects of youth agencies on types of mobilisation.

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Chief police officers are often shadowy enigmas, even to members of their own forces, yet they make far-reaching strategic command decisions about policing, armed responses, operations against criminals and allocation of resources. What is their background? Where do they come from? How are chief officers selected? What do they think of those who hold them to account? Where do they stand on direct entry at different levels and what do they think of a National Police Force? Bryn Caless has had privileged access to this occupational elite and presents their frank and sometimes controversial views in this ground-breaking social study, which will fascinate serving officers, students of the police, academic commentators, journalists and social scientists, as well as concerned citizens who want to understand those who command our police forces.

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In 2014 `Trojan Horse’ affair, an alleged plot to `Islamify’ several state schools in Birmingham, caused a previously highly successful school to be vilified. Holmwood and O’Toole challenge the accepted narrative and draw on the potential parallel with the Hillsborough disaster to suggest a similar false narrative has taken hold of public debate. This important book highlights the major injustice inflicted on the teachers and shows how this affair was used to criticise multiculturalism, and justify the expansion of a broad and intrusive counter extremism agenda.

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In Creating Community-Led and Self-Build Homes, Martin Field explores the ways in which people and communities across the UK have been striving to create the homes and neighbourhood communities they want. Giving context to contemporary practices in the UK, the book examines ‘self-build housing’ and ‘community-led housing’, discussing the commonalities and distinctions between these in practice, and what could be learned from other initiatives across Europe. Individual methods and models of local practice are explored - including cohousing, cooperatives, community land trusts, empty homes and other intentional communities - and an examination is made of what has constrained such initiatives to date and how future policies and practice might be shaped.

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This book presents a novel interpretation of the nature, causes and consequences of sex inequality in the modern labour market. Employing a sophisticated new theoretical framework, and drawing on original fieldwork, the book develops a subtle account of the phenomenon of sex segregation and offers a major challenge to existing approaches. In an environment increasingly defined by attempts to converge and consolidate international policy objectives, an in-depth understanding of contemporary forms of inequality is vital to anyone interested in the effective translation of normative accounts of social justice into practical policy. Aimed at academics and advanced students working in social policy, sociology and political science, as well as policy makers, this book makes an important contribution to knowledge and debate in the field.

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This book is the first in-depth exploration of grandparents' relationships with adult children and grandchildren in divorced families. It asks what part grandparents might play in public policy and whether measures should be taken to support their grandparenting role. Do they have a special place in family life that ought to be recognised in law? This ground-breaking book is intended for a wide readership. Grandparents and parents in divorced families will identify with many of the thoughts, feelings and experiences reflected here. Academics in social science and law departments will encounter new thinking about the nature of the grandchild-grandparent relationship. Policy makers will find out more about recent policy initiatives and their strengths and limitations.

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There is an alleged crisis of cohesion in the UK, manifested in debates about identity and 'Britishness', the breakdown of social connections along the fault lines of geography, ethnicity, faith, income and age, and the fragile relationship between citizen and state. This book examines how these new dimensions of diversity and difference, so often debated in the national context, are emerging at the neighbourhood level. Contributors from a range of disciplinary backgrounds critically assess, and go beyond the limits of, contemporary policy discourses on 'community cohesion' to explore the dynamics of diversity and cohesion within neighbourhoods and to identify new dimensions of disconnection between and within neighbourhoods. The chapters provide theoretically informed critiques of the policy responses of public, private, voluntary and community organisations and present a wealth of new empirical research evidence about the dynamics of cohesion in UK neighbourhoods. Topics covered include new immigration, religion and social capital, faith schools, labour and housing market disconnections, neighbourhood territoriality, information technology and neighbourhood construction, and gated communities. "Community cohesion in crisis?" will be of interest to academics, policy makers, practitioners and students in the fields of human and urban geography, urban studies, sociology, politics, governance, social policy, criminology and housing studies.

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This edited book provides a hard-hitting and deliberately provocative overview of the relationship between evidence, policy and practice, how policy is implemented and how research can and should influence the policy process. It critiques the notion of 'evidence-based practice', suggesting instead a more inclusive idea of 'knowledge-base practice', based in part on the lived experience of service users. It will be of interest to everyone in health and social care policy, practice and research.

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This book provides, in a single volume, a review of the findings of the largest ever programme of cities research in the UK, the Economic and Social Research Council's 'Cities: Competitiveness and Cohesion programme'. Leading experts present the findings of this wide-ranging programme organised around themes of competitiveness, social cohesion and the role of policy and governance. The book develops our understanding of key processes, issues and concepts critical to cities and urban change and examines a large body of evidence on a wide range of policy issues at the heart of current debates about the performance of cities and the prospects for urban renaissance. City matters is essential reading for all policy makers, practitioners, analysts and academics with an interest or involvement in urban issues.

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This book shares the experience of a four-year programme that was set up to explore how neighbourhood activity could best be supported. It follows the progress of 20 very different neighbourhood organisations across three countries to explore the opportunities and challenges of neighbourhood renewal from a community perspective. As well as testing out 'light touch' ways of offering support to community organisations, the report explores how different policies are working out on the ground; what it is realistic to expect of local residents and what needs to happen at agency level in order to address the 'implementation gap'. It will be valuable reading for policy makers and practitioners in the field of community engagement and neighbourhood renewal, as well as students and others who want an overview of how groups and organisations work at neighbourhood level in England, Scotland and Wales.

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Radical social work is a tradition often identified exclusively with the movement which developed in the UK in the 1970s, yet as this much-needed new textbook demonstrates, the relevance of radical approaches to contemporary social work practice have never been stronger. Challenges to a neoliberal approach to social work have been gaining ground academically, and, to a lesser extent, in practice circles. This book provides a fresh understanding of the radical tradition and shows how it can be developed in contemporary social work. Using case studies to illustrate the type of dilemmas faced by workers in their day-to-day practice, the book sets out the ways in which a radical social work approach can inform constructive responses. The book emphasises the need to understand the diverse lives of service users, encouraging readers to share experience and knowledge and to discuss past and present events, to build confidence in tackling injustice at individual and societal levels. As many social workers are becoming disillusioned and dissatisfied with the profession, this book promotes a practice that is rooted in a commitment to positive change and to social justice that will offer a breath of fresh air to students and practitioners alike.

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Local urban high streets have frequently suffered from neglect in comparison to town centres and out-of-town retail. Yet they have the potential to meet contemporary policy aspirations with regard to sustainability, social inclusion and place making. Rediscovering mixed-use streets is the first in-depth investigation of local mixed-use high streets. Drawing on case-studies in three different locations in England, the report provides a wealth of data and findings produced from a variety of sources, both quantitative and qualitative. In particular, the report offers a comprehensive view of local high streets, from the point of view of transport, local residents, visitors, businesses and practitioners; provides a series of suggestions for their improvement and demonstrates how local high streets belong to future sustainable communities. Providing a significant contribution to current interest in mobility, urban design and social inclusion, the findings have particular relevance for 'Sustainable Communities', 'Cleaner, Safer, Greener', and 'Place Matters' policies. The study will be of interest to policy makers and practitioners involved in the making and managing of streets and those with an interest in regeneration.

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Although South Asian women are one of the most socially excluded groups in the UK, their numbers at university have increased rapidly in recent years. This report seeks to understand why they are entering university in larger numbers and the impact of this on their lives. "The role of higher education in providing opportunities for South Asian women" explores the experiences of Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani women at university. It considers the role of families in shaping choices about local universities and which A-levels and degree subjects to study; how community expectations about marriage interact with plans for university; the financial strategies of South Asian women students for funding their education; experiences of racism and Islamophobia inside and outside education and the diversity of the experiences of education among South Asian women, in terms of class, ethnicity and religion. The report is aimed at policy communities and academics with an interest in education, ethnicity and gender. It contains new findings relevant to diversity, equality and widening participation in universities.

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This book examines how religion and related beliefs have varied impacts on the needs and perceptions of practitioners, service users, and the support networks available to them. The authors argue that social workers need to understand these phenomena, so that they can become more confident in challenging discriminatory and oppressive practices. The centrality of religion and associated beliefs in the lives of many is emphasised, as are their potentially liberating (and potentially negative) impacts. In line with the "Social Work in Practice" series style, the book allows readers to explore issues in depth. It focuses on knowledge transmission, and the encouragement of critical reflection on practice. Each chapter is built around 'real-life' case scenarios using a problem-based learning approach. This book is the first to deal with social work and religion so comprehensively and will therefore be essential reading not only for social work students, but also for practitioners in a range of areas, social work academics and researchers in the UK and beyond.

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The welfare of ethnic minority individuals in Britain depends critically on how they fare in the labour market. This report provides a detailed empirical analysis of labour market outcomes and explores how ethnically diverse these outcomes are and how they have changed over time. Specifically, the report looks at how changes in labour market outcomes are related to the demographic characteristics of minority groups. It investigates the occupational attainment and earnings of ethnic minority groups in employment, analysing men and women separately throughout. The report concludes with implications for government policy towards ethnic minorities in the labour market. Ethnic minorities in the labour market is aimed at policy makers, economists, social scientists and academics who are concerned about the welfare of Britain's ethnic minorities. It provides a timely and detailed analysis of an issue increasingly seen to be key to the understanding of social cohesion.

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Rural policy has presented some of the most difficult and unexpected challenges to the New Labour government. From the Foot and Mouth crisis to the rise of the Countryside Alliance, from farm protests to concerns about rural crime, rural issues have frequently seized headlines and formed the basis of organized opposition to the government. Yet, the same government, elected with a record number of rural MPs, has also proactively sought to reform rural policy. This book critically reviews and analyses the development and implementation of New Labour's rural policies since 1997. It explores the factors shaping the evolution and form of New Labour's rural agenda, and assesses the impact of specific policies. Contributions examine discursive restructuring of the rural policy agenda, the institutional reforms and effects of devolution, the key political debates and challenges around hunting, agricultural reform, Foot and Mouth, housing development and the 'right to roam', and review policy developments with respect to crime, social exclusion and employment in the countryside, rural community governance and national parks. "New Labour's Countryside" will be of interest to students of contemporary British politics and of rural studies, and to anyone involved in the government and politics of the countryside.

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In the context of global ageing societies, there are few challenges to the underlying assumption that policies should promote functional health and independence in older people and contain the costs of care. This important book offers such a challenge. It provides a critical analysis of the limitations of contemporary policies and calls for a fuller understanding of the relationship between health and care throughout the life-course. Located within the tradition of the feminist ethic of care, the book provides a fresh insight into global policy debates and the impact that these have on people's experiences of ageing. Including international evidence on health inequalities, health promotion and health care, this book will be of interest to a range of social scientists, particularly specialists in gerontology and social policy.

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Genetic epidemiology is a very rapidly developing field that has acquired a central role in modern biomedical science. Until now there has been no comprehensive introductory text for students and academics who do not have specialised training in statistics or genetics. This book begins with a primer in human molecular genetics and then examines standard methods in population genetics and genetic epidemiology required for an adequate grounding in the field. Among much else, the book contains discussion of the public health aspects of the new genetics, and of epidemiological methods for studying genes and environmental factors in complex diseases. Written by leading international experts and supplemented by a glossary and in-chapter guides to further reading, this essential textbook will be widely welcomed by teachers and students on many courses internationally.

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This book examines views about what poverty is and what should be done about it. 'Poverty' means many different things to different people - for example, material deprivation, lack of money, dependency on benefits, social exclusion or inequality. In "The idea of poverty", Paul Spicker makes a committed argument for a participative, inclusive understanding of the term. Spicker's previous work in this field has been described as 'entertaining and sometimes controversial', and his new book certainly lives up to this. Some of the book's ideas are complex and will be of particular interest to academics and others working in the field, but the book has been written mainly for students and the interested general reader. It challenges many of the myths and stereotypes about poverty and the poor, and helps readers to make sense of a wide range of conflicting and contradictory source material.

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There are an increasing number of studies devoted to an examination of New Labour's social policies. However, thus far there has been little in the way of substantive discussion of opposition to and conflict around key elements of New Labour's agenda for the welfare state and public sector, from those who are involved in the frontline implementation and delivery of welfare policies. Since the mid to late 1990s, there have been continual and recurring episodes of industrial action of various kinds involving social workers, teachers, lecturers, nurses, hospital ancillary staff, nursery nurses, home helps and local authority librarians among others. Welfare delivery has become a central point of industrial relations disputes in the UK today. This book provides the first critically informed discussion of work and workers in the UK welfare sector under New Labour. It examines the changing nature of work and explores the context of industrial relations across the welfare industry. While the main focus is on the workforce in state welfare, this is set within the context of recent and current shifts in the mixed economy of welfare between state, private and third sector organisations.

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What is it like to be a child growing up in Britain these days? Is it a happy time, or is there too much to worry about? What are the best and worst aspects of being a child today? Children these days draws on the accounts of over two thousand children, and five hundred adults, to examine the present day meaning of childhood and its implications for policy and practice. Key questions addressed by the study include how is childhood perceived? What is it like to grow up and become an adult? What are the influences and controls on young people? Are young people protected or over-protected? How much do young people and adults respect and talk to each other? To what extent is Britain a child-friendly society? The book provides unique evidence on children's and adults' views of childhood, and draws conclusions on the attitudes and policies to be challenged and developed in the 21st century. It will make a significant contribution to contemporary debate and discussion on the future of childhood. Children these days is essential reading for policy makers, practitioners, academics, researchers, and students on childhood studies, social sciences, and social policy courses. It has been written in a style that means it is also accessible to others with a more general interest in children and childhood.

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"Growing up with risk" provides a critical analysis of ways in which risk assessment and management - now a pervasive element of contemporary policy and professional practice - are defined and applied in policy, theory and practice in relation to children and young people. Drawing on conceptual frameworks from across the social sciences, the book examines contrasting perspectives on risk that occur in different policy domains and professional and lay discourses, discussing the dilemmas of response that arise from these sometimes contested viewpoints - from playground safety to risks associated with youthful substance use. The contributors address issues of gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status which impact on definitions and responses to risk, and consider related concepts, such as 'risk-resilience', care-control' and 'dependence-autonomy'. Written in an accessible manner, each chapter provides a specific policy case study to illustrate the cross-cutting themes and issues that will make it a key text for researchers and students. It also offers policy makers and practitioners a valuable insight into the complexities of balancing responsibility for protecting the young with the benefits of risk taking and the need to allow young people to experiment.

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Social capital and lifelong learning are central to current policy concerns both in the UK and internationally. This book confirms the significance of social capital as an analytical tool, while challenging the basis on which current policy is being developed. It: · offers a wealth of evidence on a topic that has become central to contemporary government; · provides a detailed empirical investigation of the relationship between social capital, knowledge creation and lifelong learning; · relates the findings to wider policy debates; · questions the dominant theoretical models of social capital; and · confronts the assumption of many policy makers that the obvious solution to social problems is to 'invest in social capital'.

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The book is distinctive in combining theoretical discussion on the role of networks, resources and social capital with fieldwork evidence and interviews with members of RCOs, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and statutory authorities. It critically examines the impact of dispersal and current legislative change on refugee communities and RCOs; explores the integrative role of RCOs; assesses the race relations framework in Britain and its effects on refugee organisations and provides a thorough and up-to-date literature review. Refugee community organisations and dispersal is essential reading for practitioners and policy makers, academics, researchers and students of social policy, social geography, sociology and politics. Members of NGOs working with refugees or in local government, community workers and members of refugee communities themselves will also be keenly interested in the book. Comparative issues raised by the research will be of direct interest to readers in other countries.

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This topical report explores risk assessment and risk management for people being discharged from psychiatric hospital into the community. It breaks new ground by asking service users about their views on, and experiences of, posing a former or potential risk to other people. The report also includes information about the harm that service users experienced and explores the perspectives of mental health workers, relatives and friends about risks and their management. The report makes recommendations for improving policy and practice which will be valuable to service users, their relatives and friends, mental health workers, managers and those responsible for mental health policy development and training.

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Many health, education and social service initiatives aim to implement better multi-agency working between agencies and professionals. But what difference does this sort of organisational change make to those families and children on the receiving end? Making a difference? explores the process and impact of multi-agency working on disabled children with complex health care needs and the families and professionals who support them. Examining in detail the work of six multi-agency services, the report describes the process of multi-agency working, key success factors, and outcomes for professionals, as well as the impact on families in terms of their daily life, well-being, and contact with services and professionals. A concluding chapter summarises key issues and makes recommendations for policy and practice.

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Important reforms are taking place in children's services in the UK, with a move towards greater integration. In England, Scotland and Sweden, early childhood education and care, childcare for older children, and schools are now the responsibility of education departments. This book is the first to examine, cross-nationally, this major shift in policy. With case studies and practical examples to illustrate how changes have been implemented, this book is essential reading for practitioners, managers, politicians, trainers and researchers in children's services, including schools, early years, school-age childcare, leisure and recreation, child welfare and health.

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Sexualities: Personal Lives and Social Policy explores the choices that we make about our sexuality and how these can transform our personal lives. It analyses how social policy informs and responds to such choices through an examination of normative assumptions about sexuality and its role in forming, regulating and constituting welfare subjects, discourses, theories, provisions and practices. Drawing upon a number of analytical tools and theoretical perspectives, the authors illustrate that sexuality is simultaneously central and marginal to the concerns of social policy. They place particular emphasis on social policy as a site of regulation that restricts and constrains our personal lives, but also highlight how social policy might be used as an instrument of positive change.

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By tracking a group of qualified but socio-economically disadvantaged young people, this study identifies the factors which impact upon their HE careers. It examines factors that govern levels of success as well as those that impede the progress of academically able but disadvantaged young people. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to follow the progress of 395 young people from schools located in disadvantaged areas. It identifies factors that hinder their progress as well as the ways in which they overcome barriers. While there has been much recent debate on the obstacles to widening HE participation, this is the first study to follow a group of disadvantaged students through HE. Widening access to HE remains high on the political agenda with universities attempting to respond to the government's commitment to providing places for 50% of young people. The report is aimed at academics and policy makers. It will be of particular interest to people within schools and universities who are attempting to implement a wider access agenda and wish to learn more about the nature of the barriers faced by disadvantaged students.

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This book explores the role of government in encouraging or deterring the claiming of welfare entitlements. It: compares the rhetoric of claimants' rights with the realities of information provision; uses the example of the increasingly complex social security system to consider the citizenship status of claimants; focuses on government policies rather than on psychological, attitudinal or deprivational explanations for levels of take-up; uses historical and contemporary evidence, including interviews with policy makers, to explore information policy. Promoting welfare? is aimed at all those who are concerned about poverty, social justice and citizenship including students and teachers of social policy, politics and public administration; politicians and policy makers; and service users, practitioners and welfare rights groups.

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This book focuses on the changing terrain of ethnic disadvantage in Britain, drawing on up-to-date sources. It goes further than texts that merely describe ethnic inequalities to explore and explain their dynamic nature. It suggests that the increasing diversity of experience among different ethnic groups is a key to understanding continuing and emerging tensions and conflicts. Explaining ethnic differences: provides up to date data and analysis of ethnic diversity and changing patterns of disadvantage in Britain; · covers key areas of social life, including demographic trends, education, employment, housing, health, gender, and policing and community disorder; · is written by leading experts in the field; · addresses issues of urgent public importance in the context of recent community disorder and the resurgence of the far right. · The book is essential reading for policy makers in central and local government; academics, postgraduate students and advanced undergraduates in the social sciences; social work, health, education and housing professionals; and criminal justice personnel.

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This report charts a supportive project which linked four diverse regeneration programmes in different parts of the UK. By working closely together at all levels, the groups involved in the project improved their strategic understanding and operational approaches. The report highlights the key practical themes of successful regeneration - what works and where - and effective ways of learning from the experiences of others. Best practice in regeneration presents practical options for achieving: · diverse and flexible patterns of housing ownership, standards and tenure to retain stable communities; · residents who are committed to the area as a whole, not just to their own home; · community and economic development to build and sustain local capacity; · partnership working between and within organisations.

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Communication and cultural diversity have become key focus areas as the health service engages with goals of health improvement and equity. This timely and unique book provides a rigorous and challenging review of recent research, with a particular focus on health communication interventions concerning service users who may lack fluency in English. The book shows that meeting the needs of all health service users, including disadvantaged groups, depends on both structures and processes of communication. This book will prove invaluable to healthcare professionals and medical students, academics, practitioners, service managers and policy makers concerned with improving health services for minority ethnic groups.

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The transformations that are now taking place in women's lives are of great interest to social scientists and policy makers, yet we know very little about the impact of this social change over time. This new study uses longitudinal data - information gathered over a considerable period of time - to provide new insights into the changing dynamics of lives of women today. In particular, it explores the potential of longitudinal or life course analysis as a powerful tool for appreciating the gender dimension of social life. The contributors view the data from a policy perspective and use comparative analysis from Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Japan to expand our understanding of women's life courses in relation to both men and women and the system of inequality.

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The New Labour Government has placed great emphasis on service delivery. It has provided performance information in the form of Annual Reports, Public Service Agreements, Performance Assessment Frameworks, and a host of other targets. But has New Labour delivered on its welfare reform? Evaluating New Labour's welfare reforms: provides the first detailed and comprehensive examination of the welfare reforms of New Labour's first term; compares achievements with stated aims; examines success in the wider context; contributes to the debate on the problems of evaluating social policy. It is essential reading for academics and students of social policy and provides important information for academics and students in a wide range of areas such as politics, sociology, public policy, public administration and public management interested in welfare reform and policy evaluation.

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