A consideration of the principles and practice that underpin the Early Years Foundation Stage and how the current framework relates to young children’s needs and interests

Introduction DfE (2013a) enunciates that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a set of statutory guidelines which all childcare providers (including schools, nurseries and children’s centres) must adhere to in catering for children between the ages of 0 to 5, upon which time they will enter full-time education. The EYFS has been in circulation for several years, undergoing numerous revisions and amendments. The most recent version was published in September 2014 and is a simplified version of past documents, by having four overarching principles which is guided upon: every child is unique, children become strong through building positive relationships, children learn and develop well in ‘enabling environments’ and finally that children develop and learn at different rates (DfE, 2014). These 4 areas will provide the structure for this assignment. The EYFS seems to comprehensively cover all the needs which children may have in their formative years. It is also concurrent with previous initiatives the government have devised, such as SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning), which implored teachers and practitioners to adopt a holistic stance in educating their pupils (DfE, 2010) and Every Child Matters, which stressed that each child was an individual and should be treated as so (DfE, 2004). Principle 1- Every Child is Unique Perhaps the most notable principle espoused in the current early year’s framework is the need to recognise the child as an individual, one who is unique and should have care tailored to meet their needs (DfE, 2014). This is a point which seems to have sound theoretical backing. Bandura (1977) feels that children do develop in a unique manner, also giving credence to the fact that the social environment influences their development, something the EYFS also seems to value. Bandura also feels that social interaction is something that is imperative to the child’s development, which is agreement with the communication and language need identified by the framework. Although Piaget (1952) does recognise that each child is an individual, he posits that their development amongst each other is fairly uniform, as he feels that children progress through a series of fixed stages, particularly in a cognitive manner. This seems to be slightly different to the message which the EYFS framework conveys, as they do recognise that children progress through stages, but the document expresses that their development may not be so homogenous: rather each child is on their own unique learning journey (DfE, 2014). In my own practice, children were treated as an individual, with an emphasis on the present, rather than adhering to a fixed model of child development. On my placement each child had their own box and folder where detailed notes on them were kept, which shows how they were being considered as individuals. It seems important to treat the child as an individual so that they can grow in stature and become someone who has an authentic identity. This is something which is inherent with the theory of constructivism which advocates children being treated as individuals who make sense of their world in a way which is unique to them, allowing them to build understanding in a way which is ‘special’ to them (Bruner, 1961: 22). This seems to ratify the ethos of the current EYFS framework in treating children uniquely, although parallel to this, it may also be pertinent to bear in mind that there are certain stages which children progress through. Even if each child’s development is not uniform, there may still be some similarities between them, which necessitates the importance of consulting certain theoretical models of development. Principle 2- Children become strong and independent through positive relationships This principle seems to be slightly paradoxical in nature. Piaget (1952) articulates the importance of children being active and independent whereas Vygotsky (1977) feels that guided participation (from an adult or worker) is essential in fostering a child’s development. The EYFS framework arguably combines these theoretical notions, recognising that children should have be independent and be able to explore, whilst being able to have a positive relationship with their ‘key person’, the adult who is most involved in their care (DfE, 2014). The framework elaborates that it is the key’s person role to ensure that the child becomes settled into the environment, becomes comfortable in the setting and also to build a productive relationship with the parents. Whilst these are undoubtedly important, Bandura (1977) offers an extra dimension of the key worker’s role, which is that they can model and display the desirable behaviours which the children they loo k after can copy and imitate, a phenomenon which Bandura feels is particularly powerful in influencing a child’s development. Nutbrown and Page (2008) emphasise the importance of the key person, in that they should exude warmth, friendliness and possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills which will enable them to develop a rapport with the child and be able to contribute to their development successfully. A supposition could be made that many of the key attributes that a key person should possess are identical to that of a teacher in mainstream education. Nutbrown and Page (2008) also speak of the importance of the key worker handling the transition for young children from being attached to their parents before progressing to being looked after in the children’s centre. This is something which has been covered many times in empirical theories which surround children’s development. Bowlby (1951), an eminent psychoanalyst, put forward the theory of attachment, where he stated that infants form an attachment to a primary caregiver (known as monotropy), typically with the mother, in the first few years of their life and should receive continuous care from this attachment figure for the first two years of their life. This seems to align well with contemporary practice, with the majority of children going to nursery when they are around three years old (Gov.uk, 2014). Bowlby (1953) conceptualised the absence of such care as maternal deprivation, positing that this could have many ramifications for the child such as delinquency , apathy, reduced intelligence and depression. However, a criticism of Bowlby’s attachment theory is that he did not acknowledge the influence of other stakeholders in the child’s care, such as the father, key worker or extended family members. Elfer et al. (2003) concentrate specifically on the relationship between carers and the child, advocating that they should exude warmth and friendliness and not shy away from forming a strong bond with the infant for fear of confusing it, as even a baby is able to discern between their parents and their carers. The literature expressed above seems to evidence the importance of the key worker in meeting the child’s needs, something which the EYFS framework also gives credence too. Key workers are influential in helping children to gain some stability in the setting and become comfortable there and allowing them to thrive and prosper. If they form a good relationship with the child this can help them to achieve their ‘early learning’ goals, particularly in how they communicate with others and explore the world around them (DfE, 2013b). Sylva et al. (2004) articulated the importance of the key worker being on good terms with the parent in their authoritative EPPE study, which asserted that each child should be assigned a key worker. Essentially, if the key worker has a good relationship with the parent this may allow children to form a better relationship with the key worker and have all of their needs fulfilled, it could also boost the engagement of certain groups of parents such as teen mums, something which my placement noted the importance of. DfE (2013a) also highlight the importance of key workers being suitably trained and educated so they can provide a good service to the children under their care. This was again apparent in the children’s centre which I visited, where the early years teachers had to be educated at least up to a Level 3 standard. In essence, children need to build positive relationships with those around them to become independent, and the key worker is at the centre of this. Principle 3- Children learn and develop well in ‘enabling’ environments Piaget (1952) conjectured that babies are naturally inquisitive and want to explore the world around them and become active participants within it. Therefore it seems appropriate that there should be an environment which stimulates them to do that, intellectually, socially and building their autonomy and independence. Such environments are deemed to be ‘enabling’ with the key worker again at the centre of cultivating and propagating such an environment, which could be potentially similar to the environment to the child is exposed to at home, to ensure greater consistency and continuity (DfE, 2014). However, structuring the environment in such a way may allow children to learn about concepts which will be of use to them in their development as an adult. The children’s centre where I was placed at were proponents of heuristic learning in getting the children to problem-solve and explore activities, with the emphasis being on play and reward, with items like treasure baskets used quite frequently (See Appendix A). Outdoor and indoor learning in the EYFs seems to be equally important, something which the government recognises and gives credence to in the EYFS framework, making it mandatory that childcare providers give access to an outdoor environment which is safe and has plenty of opportunities for play (DfE, 2014). Garrick et al. (2010) extend this, articulating that the environment of an EYFS setting should have abundant opportunities for play, including allowing children to indulge in creative pursuits (something their study valued highly), physical opportunities (like sports and outdoor play areas) and ‘pretend’ play. If a centre did include such an extensive range of opportunities, this could allow them to cater for a larger spectrum of learners as it is widely acknowledged that pupils thrive and learn in a multitude of different ways (Gardner, 2004). Furthermore, the potential for progression in the children could be enhanced if they were encouraged to develop a ‘growth’ mindset by staff and engage in activities that they would not do normally, so they can become more familiar with varied tasks and not be reticent to challenges in their future life (Dweck, 2006). The indoor environment is imperative also to facilitating children’s development. As previously mentioned, there should be ample opportunities for children to engage in a wide variety of activities to stimulate them in different ways. A multi-sensory approach can contribute significantly to the development of children and really aid them in reaching a higher level of maturity and cognition, as they interact with the world around them in different ways and become more flexible and adaptable. Steel (2012) infers that such an approach could have positive longitudinal consequences for the child, including improved academic attainment and retention of knowledge, which seems to be a sound rationale for such an approach. Whilst it seems essential that the indoor environment should be stimulating cognitively, it may be wise not to neglect the emotional aspect of it. Again, the key worker is at the centre of providing the warmth needed in an enabling environment. Nutbrown and Page (20 08) assert that they should show warm responses to the children under their care and react well to them. In essence, an enabling environment is made up of the components of suitable and stimulating indoor and outdoor areas, which the key worker is central in maintaining and facilitating. Principle 4- Children develop and learn in different ways and rates The final principle espoused by the EYFS framework is perhaps more concerned with the cognition of children, although it does refer to their social and emotional development in part. Nevertheless, Katz (1988, as cited in Carr, 2001, p.21) hypothesises that each child has a certain ‘disposition’, something which is distinct from learning; it is concerned more with how they react to certain situations and the habits they adopt and carry out on a regular basis. In a later document, Katz (1993) elaborates that dispositions in young children are normally learned from those around or the environment they are raised in or looked after, which seems to resonate with Bandura’s (1977) theory of modelling mentioned earlier in the assignment. Katz (1993) also articulates that dispositions are strengthened when they are acknowledged and efforts are made to continue them (particularly if they are good habits), which seems to emphasise the importance of treating the child as an i ndividual. It seems evident that all children learn and develop in different ways, as evidenced by the argument above. However, a conjecture could be made that there may be certain strategies which a practitioner or worker can implement which will result in children developing into sensible and mature adults. One way in which to do this is to cultivate a child’s resilience in their ability to complete a task or try a new activity. Children may give up if they perceive the task to be beyond their capabilities and not extend themselves to complete this. This could be a natural response from the child (particularly if the task is incommensurate with their skillset) or it could be something that they have learned over time. Dweck (1975: 673) terms this as ‘learned helplessness’, where a child habitually gives up in the face of a challenging task or adversity, possibly because of a lack of response from the adult in encouraging the child to complete the task and persevere. Combining the sentiments expressed by Katz and the argument above, could be essential in helping children to progress appropriately, particularly when faced with unfamiliar situations and tasks. Siraj- Blatchford et al. (2002) concluded in their Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) study that shared sustained thinking was crucial in helping a child to tackle new problems and persist. This is defined as two or more individuals (with at least one adult ‘facilitator’) working together to complete a task, although the authors stress that each person should be actively contributing to the task, and that there must be a progression towards an eventual solution, even if that is reached straight away. This coincides with Vygotsky’s (1977) theory of cognitive development, which posits that a child will enhance their zone of proximal development (the difference between what they can do on their own and with help) if they are supported by a more knowled geable other such as an adult or more capable peer. Both arguments suggest that collaboration between adults and children is essential to further the child’s development, although again the manner in which this is done should be unique to the child by using questioning which is appropriate to the child’s level of cognitive development (Bloom et al., 1956). Conclusion The rationale which underpins the EYFS framework is the need to treat the child as a unique individual and consider their needs at length, in a cognitive, emotional, social and physical sense to facilitate optimum development in them. There are several ways to ensure this, including that the environment is stimulating and appropriate enough for the child’s needs, that they have access to a multitude of activities, that the key worker has a warm and fulfilling relationship with the child and that they encouraged to develop a growth mind set and persevere with challenging tasks with the facilitation of another adult. Arguably, if a childcare provider follows all of the actions above and adheres to the EYFS framework, then this should allow for children to progress to the desired level of development and maturity. References Bandura, A. (1977) Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H. and Krathwohl, D. R. (1956) Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company. Bowlby, J. (1951) ‘Maternal Care and Mental Health.’ World Health Organization Monograph. Bowlby, J. (1953) Child Care and the Growth of Love. London: Penguin Books. Bruner, J. S. (1961) ‘The act of discovery’. Harvard Educational Review, 31 (1): 21–32. Carr, M. (2001) Assessment in Early Childhood Settings. London: SAGE. Department for Family, Education and Skills (2004) Every Child Matters. [Online]. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationdetail/page1/dfes/1081/2004 (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Department for Education (2010) Social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme in secondary schools: national evaluation. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-and-emotional-aspects-of-learning-seal-programme-in-secondary-schools-national-evaluation (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Department for Education (2013a) Improving the quality and range of education and childcare from birth to 5 years. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/improving-the-quality-and-range-of-education-and-childcare-from-birth-to-5-years/supporting-pages/early-years-foundation-stage (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Department for Education (2013b) Early years outcomes: A non-statutory guide for practitioners and inspectors to help inform understanding of child development through the early years. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237249/Early_Years_Outcomes.pdf (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Department for Education (2014) Early years foundation stage framework. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2 (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Dweck, C.S. (1975) ‘The role of expectations and attributions in the alleviation of learned helplessness.’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31: 674-685. Dweck, C. (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Ballantine Books. Elfer, P., Goldschmied, E. and Selleck, D. (2003) Key Persons in the Nursery: Building relationships for quality provision. London: David Fulton. Garrick, R., Bath, C., Dunn, K., Maconochie, H., Willis, B. and Claire Wolstenholme (2010) Children’s experiences of the Early Years Foundation Stage. DfE: London. Gardner, H. (2004) Changing Minds: The art and science of changing our own and other people’s minds. Harvard Business School Press. Gov. UK (2014) Free early education and childcare. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/free-early-education (Accessed: 24 November 2014). Katz, L.G. (1988) ‘What Should Young Children Be Doing?’ American Educator: The Professional Journal of the American Federation of Teachers: 29-45. Katz, L. (1993) Dispositions: Definitions and implications for early childhood practices. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Nutbrown, C. and Page, J. (2008) Working with Babies and Children Under Three. London: Sage. Piaget, J. (1952) The Origin of Intelligence in Children. New York: International University Press, Inc. Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. and Bell, D. (2002) Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) DfES Research Report 365. HMSO London: Queen’s Printer. Steel, N. (2012) Encyclopaedia of the Sciences of Learning. New York: Springer. Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford I. and Taggart, B. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final report. London: DfES and Institute of Education, University of London. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

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Love is something that means very different things to different people. For some, love can be purely romantic, or even purely sexual. For others, real love is utterly unconditional and only truly exists between family members, or between people and a deity. And for some people, love is fluid, ever changing, and everywhere, and is felt for family, friends, partners, pets, and even inanimate objects, dead artists, and fictional characters. None of these people would be right or wrong, but one thing is certain: love is the most powerful force in the entire universe. Between partners of any description, be they married or, boyfriend and girlfriend, straight or gay, young or old, love is a relationship of mutual understanding and respect. Marriages and partnerships are often built on common ground that people find when they first meet; this can be as deep as sharing religious, philosophical or religious beliefs, or as simple as finding that you love the same film, book, or band. This kind of love is often reliant on some kind of ‘chemistry’: that strange feeling that they give you in the pit of your stomach, and the feeling that nothing in the world is more important to you than enjoying the moment you’re in together. Some people feel that they experience love at first sight, where they know from the minute they set eyes on each other that they want to be with that person, but something built on common interests and understanding must be stronger. It is the strength of this feeling that makes love the most powerful emotion that most of us will ever experience. People can do some dreadful things out of hate and fear, but love can push us to do much, much worse. And it is often love that can cause us to hate, whether it’s out of jealousy, or anger because our loved one has been hurt. 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With love I can accept a person’s imperfections without any condition, and able to transfer the way I love myself to another person who I am fancy at. With love I can have the power against loneliness, sadness, and illness, and to be able to change them into my happiness. As well as, having a key to open my heart to look at this world without a mask, to show people who I really am. But on the other hand, my love cannot be a substitute for anything, which means nothing can be substituted for my love. It also means those reflections of the diamond cannot be replaced by any kind of light or reflection, because the untrue reflection will not be a real diamond, and will not be able to spread out its resplendent and meaningful reflection of love to people about whom I care. Most of us act as though we know what it is without truly understanding its meaning and essence. This has been true of me. Before I encountered this phenomenology of love, I already had experiences of loving other people – my family, my friends, and girlfriends past and present. However, I was belonged to the people whom Erich Fromm described as believing in the popular notion of love. I emphasized the characteristics of the people I loved, why I needed them, and I mostly demanded that they love me more than I demanded myself to love them. My concept love was shallow. Yes, I felt it, but I knew it not. However, all that changed when I came across the phenomenology of love. It was an articulation of fundamental characteristics of love which I knew my heart was saying but my mind was incapable of putting into words. When I was reading the said phenomenology, I constantly had that weird feeling of realizing something and relating to it strongly with past experiences. I strongly agree with it. Indeed, love begins with the experience of loneliness and then grows as someone reaches out lovingly to the other. I also experienced that, but did not know its meaning in relation to the love I had. Indeed, in loving others, I always sought their love too, in the same or in even greater measure than that which I gave them. But I realized with the phenomenology that it is alright to feel that way and wish for the same, but that it should not be the motivation in my loving act. But what struck me the most was the statement that when we â€Å"love† someone without knowing our true worth, we are like making them trash bins to whom we throw ourselves. Because of t his and the entirety of the phenomenology of love, I learned what loving is truly all  about. Indeed, it’s a many-splendored thing.

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Future of the Court POLS640.F.8 - Essay Example For instance, President Eisenhower appointed both Chief Justice William J. Brennan and Justice Earl Warren. He was later disappointed by their broadminded inclinations on the Supreme Court and referred them to as â€Å"the biggest damned-fool mistakes† (Kommers et al 13). A justice can be appointed for life especially if he or she has a long and distinguished career in law and a good record of public service. Majority of justices start their careers as members of congress, aspires of presidency, and judges of lower courts (Gibson and Thurgood 111). There is a need to appoint justices for life when it comes to handling cases in the Supreme Court. This is because the longer the Justices remain in court; the more they become experienced when it comes to making decisions in Court. Deciding on which cases to be heard, requires effective decision making procedures. When petitions are reviewed and summarized by law clerks, the Chief Justice is required to make a good list of petitions to be discussed. In this stage the Justices agree on which petitions to reject and accept for discussion (Kommers et al. 18). The surviving petitions are then discussed in the conference at the beginning of Court’s term. The â€Å"Rule of Four† criterion is used by justices to decide on the cases to be heard. If four Justices disagree to hear a case, then the petition is dismissed (Gibson and Thurgood 85). Cases that qualify to be heard must always have various factors. These factors include the magnitude of the issue raised by the case; clarity of the involved issue; development of a complete and clear record of the case by the lower court; and the case’s potential impacts on the Court’s own prestige and credibility (Kommers et al. 18). Highly experienced Justices are able to make effective voting on cases, as well as, writing opinions. Each Justice reveals his or her views on the case being discussed and indicates how he or she intends to

Schizophrenia affects Essay Example for Free

Schizophrenia affects Essay Schizophrenia affects approximately 2.5 million Americans and more than 24 million people worldwide (Janssen). Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that is very difficult to live with. Schizophrenia has strong hereditary component (Smith, Segal). People with schizophrenia hear voices, lose touch with reality, can’t think clearly, function, see things or hear things that are not really there, and can’t distinguish what is real and what is unreal(Smith, Segal). Having this disorder could affect the relationship they have with others and even loved ones. To students who are non-aware of this disorder should know that this could happen to anyone. The early signs of schizophrenia comes’ without anyone being warned. You might have known someone your whole life and in a blink of an eye it could happen suddenly. Most cases of schizophrenia appear in the late teens or early adulthood. However, schizophrenia can appear for the first time in middle age or even later (Smith, Segal). The disorder is common in men than it is in women. The most common early signs of schizophrenia are insomnia, oversleeping, strange use of words, forgetful, depression, flat gaze, inappropriate laugh or cry, and abandonment at work or school (Smith, Segal). . There are so many other different signs of schizophrenia. Sometimes people with schizophrenia tend to think people are out to get them, or people are poisoning them through their food. Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized behavior are all symptoms of schizophrenia. There are three major types of this disorder: paranoid schizophrenia, disorganized schizophrenia, and catatonic schizophrenia. Schizophrenia affects relationships because people with schizophrenia often get paranoid and suspicious of friends and their family. Drugs and alcohol play a big part in schizophrenia people because they often use drugs and drink to self- medicate themselves. Most of the time people with schizophrenia tend to think they are better and they do not think they need their medicine no longer, so they stop taking their medicine. When they stop  taking their medicine they usually relapse back into the delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized behavior. Being diagnosed with schizophrenia is a long process. Doctors do an evaluation and ask questions pertaining to family history and the symptoms he or she is having. The doctors then will do a physical examination and see if anything could have caused this problem. The doctors usually will order a CAT scan or MRI to examine the brain for further explanations of the problems. Sometimes when doctors are diagnosing schizophrenia they usually hold them in a behavior floor in the hospital. Methodist Unity Point in Peoria, Illinois has a behavior floor for people with disorders. They watch for symptoms and evaluate their patients so they can diagnose them with the right diagnostics. Being diagnosed with schizophrenia could be devastating, but they can live a wonderful life. If people noticed a change in a loved one, make sure to seek medical attention. The faster people get treatment for schizophrenia they have a higher chance to improve their recovery. If you were to have schizophrenia it would not be your fault that you have it. No one is really sure why people get this disorder but there is no one to blame. It is actually easier for a person to cope with the idea of cancer than it is to understand the odd behavior, hallucinations or strange ideas of a person with schizophrenia (Grohol). People who are close to someone with schizophrenia often are affected by their symptoms. They may see things that aren’t really there or hear things telling them to say thing or do things they really don’t mean. Just know it’s not their fault and show as much love and support for them. People tend to be over-whelmed and their relationship with a person with a schizophrenia disorder eventually falls apart. Do not feel discourage or frightened there is hope for your loved one. REFERENCES Cannon, Tyrone. Cures for Schizophrenia | IMHRO. Cures for Schizophrenia | IMHRO (One Mind Institute). N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2014. Grohol, John M. All About Schizophrenia and Psychosis. All About Schizophrenia and Psychosis. N.p., 2 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Sept. 2013. Pharmaceuticals, Janssen. About Schizophrenia Causes Prevalence of Schizophrenia. Causes Prevalence of Schizophrenia. N.p., 1 Aug. 2013. Web. 19 Sept. 2013. Schizophreniaand Psychosis. All About Schizophrenia and Psychosis. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2014. Smith, Melinda, and Jeanne Segal. Schizophrenia: Signs, Types Causes. Schizophrenia: Signs, Symptoms, Types, Causes, and Effects. N.p., July 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2013.

Pregnancy and Juno Essay Example for Free

Pregnancy and Juno Essay The protagonist of the film is 16-year-old, Juno MacGuff. Juno has to face the dilemmas of an unexpected pregnancy. She finds what seems to be the perfect adoption couple, but when her adoption plans take a turn for disaster, Juno must dig herself out of her sticky situation and do what’s best for her baby. At the start of the film, Juno decides to have unprotected sex with her close friend, Paulie Bleeker. Her choice to have un-protected sex is a choice she hasn’t taken into a whole lot of consideration, consequently leading Juno to becoming pregnant. The mise-en-scene at the start of the film shows us how Juno now feels about her pregnancy. Juno stands across from the armchair Bleeker and she had sex on, while a voice over says, ‘It started with a chair. ’ The armchair seems much larger than Juno even though they are about the same size. The chair represents Juno’s sudden pregnancy, something dominant, something overwhelming her. Juno looks small in comparison to the chair, showing us that she feels small, insignificant and weak. New Zealand has a shocking teen pregnancy rate, with 3,800 babies born to teens throughout the country every year. Teenagers who have sex without using protection may not expect to end up with a pregnancy, because they naively believe that the chances of a pregnancy are too slim for it to happen to them. When a teen becomes pregnant they can be left in a position of helplessness because they were never prepared to deal with a baby. This is the consequence of not being careful enough and not protecting yourself when aving sex, something that Juno has to deal with. Juno plans to quickly get rid of the baby by arranging an abortion. Juno goes to the clinic where she meets a Soo-Chin, fellow classmate, who is holding an anti abortion sign in the clinic car park. Soo-Chin tells Juno that her baby is well alive inside of her, and has even grown fingernails. Juno finds this interesting, but continues into the clinic. She waits for her appointment inside, but as she is waiting, the reality t hat her baby is in-fact alive inside her scares Juno into canceling her abortion. This is shown by the added foley sound effect of people’s fingernails inside the clinic. As Juno waits she hears the sounds of people’s fingernails drumming, filing and scratching reminding her that her own baby already has fingernails. The sound of the fingernails starts to resemble a pulse, making Juno feel uncomfortable and nervous, causing her to run out of the clinic. Juno later arranges a closed adoption instead of an abortion. Many pregnant teens who choose not to abort do so because they do not want to cause pain to the baby living inside of them. This choice means that they have to carry on with the pregnancy at their tender age. They later keep the baby or adopt out likewise to Juno. Juno chooses a couple, Mark and Vanessa, who seem like the perfect parents for Juno’s child, and so Juno arranges a closed adoption. But nearing the end of Juno’s pregnancy, she discovers that Mark plans on leaving Vanessa, throwing all of Juno’s adoption plans away. Juno becomes distraught; but even without Mark in the picture, Juno realizes that Vanessa is dedicated enough to love and care for the baby. This is shown to us by the technique of the bird’s-eye view, when Juno and her friend are at the mall, and spot Vanessa. Juno looks down at her from above, almost as if she was assessing her, and sees that Vanessa naturally has a way with children. Juno writes a note to Vanessa saying that she is still up for the adoption if Vanessa is too. We see that the carefully thought out choice that Juno makes turns out positively, as Vanessa gets the child that she’s always wanted, and Juno’s life settles again. The use of set shows us that the dilemma has concluded, as we see a rocking chair, with a voiceover that says ‘It ended with a chair. ’ Vanessa’s room is cluttered and her clothing is very casual, showing that she has finally let go of her proper, uptight self. The mise-en-scene of the very final scene also shows us that Juno’s choice resulted well, as Juno and Bleeker are seated opposite each other. They are in complete symmetry and are of equal size, showing us that they are both in harmony and all is well. Adoption is a process growing in popularity in today’s society. It can be very convenient for both sides of the adoption. People who desperately want their own children and cannot have any can adopt someone else’s child, giving the child a nurturing home that the child probably wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The biological parent of the adopted child is probably unable to provide a nurturing home for the child, or not at an age where parenting is an option. So the choice of adoption becomes convenient for them, knowing that their child will go to someone else who will love them and will be able to take very good care of them. Many techniques help build up the important idea that all of our actions will have consequences. We see that sometimes, spontaneous choices can lead to unexpected, negative results, such as Juno’s pregnancy. We see that sometimes, our gut feeling or instinct can change our choices, like when Juno decides not to abort her baby. Juno also shows us that choices that are thought out will usually turn out for the better, an example we see from the ending of the film. Because the teen pregnancy rate in New Zealand is one of the highest in the world, Juno is an easily relatable film for teenagers in our country, who may even learn a thing or two from watching Juno’s situation play out before us. This is why the film Juno is such a successful and charming watch. Great – apart from a couple of inaccuracies and a suggestion or two that I have made in-text, this is definitely working towards Excellence level.

A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay

A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay On 25th February 2000 at 3.15pm, Victoria Climbie was declared dead. A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr. Nathaniel Carey concluded she had died of hypothermia caused by malnourishment as a result of a damp environment and restricted movement. Lord Laming was approached by the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to carry out three statutory inquiries following Victorias death. The combination of these inquiries resulted in the Victoria Climbie Inquiry. In this report, he found the communication between Local Authorities, Police and Social Workers to be lacking. As a result, he made a series of recommendations and the order in which they would be implemented. By creating a hierarchy, (fig1), each Body or Committee had a specific function or role. Lord Laming determined that in the event of a serious case, an established and clear chain of command would ensure accountability and or support at the highest level. In this case, the buck would stop at the recommended ministerial Children and Families Board established with the Prime Ministers support. These main bodies and their subsidiaries would also be responsible for scrutinizing and implementing new legislation; and reporting back in the order laid out. The main focus of these recommendations was prevention rather than cure; by identifying children at risk at the earliest opportunity and ultimately ensuring their safety. This would be done by:- Simplifying the existing Working Together and the National Assessment Framework documents into one document that could be readily understood across the board. Getting rid of bureaucracy so that it became easier to identify who was responsible for what more easily. Improving the lines of communication and sharing of information. Retraining of frontline staff. Clarifying the common law rules on confidentiality. Social Care Recommendations: Following his inquiry, Lord Laming recommended a complete restructure on how a vulnerable childs case would be handled from its initiation to its completion. He recognized in order to protect the children; better standards and clear guidelines would have to be established for everyone concerned to follow. Some of his key suggestions called for:- Procedures on how to carry out an initial report: He concluded where English was not the childs first language, and interpreter would be made available. Training: Experienced staff with appropriate training would be assigned to the children and their families. Recording of data: Once a child has been identified as being vulnerable, all data regarding this child not limiting doctors reports; must be collated, recorded and shared with the proper authorities immediately. Accountability: Directors, Managers and Team leaders must establish a system that records:- Who made the authorities first aware of the childs predicament, who is dealing with the case, when the case was assigned, who referred the case to another agency or local authority and the actions being taken throughout the duration of the case. It is the duty of the Manager to ensure that every social worker is clear on what role they are expected to play in any particular case, and they understood what was expected of them. It would also be made clear that their actions would come under supervision and reviewed periodically. This would ensure everyone concerned was on the same page. Referrals: Each agency would have to cooperate with each other when sharing their information. If more than one agency was involved in a childs case, the initial agency should be responsible for informing the latter agency all the particulars of the case in writing. Legal Advice: In the event where emergency measures had to be taken, Lord Laming recommended that legal advice had to be taken within a 24 hour period. This would ensue that all aspects of the law were being complied with. Health Recommendations: Between the health, police and social services, it emerged that there were many missed opportunities which had they been spotted, could have saved Victorias life. As a result, Lord Laming suggested a complete revamp in the way cases were recorded from the ground up. Most notably, he recommended that:- Where a case of child abuse is suspected, a nursing care plan must be drawn up incorporating a full doctors report. Once a child has been identified as vulnerable, the examining doctor must decide whether to interrogate the child directly without the consent of his primary carers or get the childs history from his primary carers. The doctor must then note down his actions and or decisions taken in writing. Conclusion The Philosopher George Santayana (1905) once said those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. This unfortunately, appeared to be the case when Lord Laming was once again commissioned to write another report following the death of Baby Peter  [2]  . In this report he was asked to identify the barriers that prevented the safeguarding of children following his first inquiry. What has become increasingly clear is that despite the initial inquiry, it appears no real lessons have been learnt. On June 7th 2010, Channel 4  [3]  screened an undercover documentary on the life of a typical social worker. Among the concerns that old and newly qualified social workers expressed; a lack of communication between authorities and the bureaucracy that ensued stood out. Although one could argue the sample used in that particular documentary could not possibly reflect the UK as a whole; it is still a worrying and real concern that needs to be nationally addressed to safeguard these vulnerable children. TAQ 2: (ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 2.2) WHAT DOES A CHILDRENS TRUST DO? DESCRIBE THEIR ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS. The Childrens Plan was set up by the Government to ensure every child regardless of age, sex, religion, economic background; could lead a safe, happy and healthy life. This is in turn would make it possible for these children to turn into well adjusted adults, capable of making positive contributions in their communities. In order to make this plan work, The Childrens Trust, made up of local partnerships, was given the responsibility to see out this vision and make it a reality. The role of the Childrens Trust One of their primary roles is to bring together local organisations that deal with the services of children, young adults and families together; to continually improve services rendered or deal with problems affecting these groups of people. Together with primary care trusts, police authorities, youth offending teams, health authorities, schools, local probation boards and youth offending teams; the Childrens Trust bring these organisations together and require them to join The Trust bound by a legal duty of care. Essential Features The Childrens Trust:- Identifies children at risk with an aim to prevent any harm by intervening at the earliest stage possible. Try to reduce child poverty Actively engage with their target groups by listening to their views on what affects them in their day to day lives in order to provide services that would make a real difference to these children. Ensure proper plans are laid out to provide effective services to their target groups. This includes total accountability in services provided and public spending. Making sure every child has a well rounded education which will enable have them to be on a more or less on equal footing with wealthy children when they finally join the job market. Tries to break the barriers that prevent children from sharing and using information. The Childrens Trust also ensures that proper communication and sharing of information exists between all Local Authorities dealing with children. Partnership Agreements The following organisations work closely together with the Childrens Trust to achieve the welfare of children, young adults and families. It should be noted they have a legal duty of care when providing their respective services and as a whole, as members of the Childrens Trust, work together for the overall well being of their target groups. Primary Care Trusts (PCT): PCT together with Local Authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally, ensure the needs of the community are met as a whole. Local Safeguarding Childrens Trusts: In order to promote the safety and well being of children, young adults and families, they work together with local authorities that deal with crime and disorder, Youth Offending Teams and schools to reduce crime and risk the rate of reoffending. They teach consequences at an early age in order to prevent, as much as possible, antisocial behaviour. Education: Schools, families and local authorities work together to achieve high educational standards and promote extracurricular activities to unlock talents in children. By working together, they try to ensure a child will enter into adulthood as a well adjusted and productive member of society. Local Area Agreement (LAA). The Childrens Trust works closely with the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure their overall vision is met. TAQ3: (ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.1, 3.2) DEFINE THE TERM CHILDREN IN NEED IN A SOCIAL WORK CONTEXT LIST THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION Any child who needs extra care or attention from local authorities because:- they cannot achieve a reasonable standard of health, are significantly impaired, are disabled and are at risk from the people who surround or care for them are classified as Children in Need. The Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 require that Local Authorities who provide services for children and young people (under 18 years old) to: Identify those who are unable to reasonably attain or maintain health and or development without the provision of services by local authorities Provide health services to those who are like to suffer further or future complication without the provision of services by the local authorities Provide services for disable children (Children Act 1989, section 17). Different Types of Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse can manifest itself in many forms. Some forms of abuse are easier to spot than others and anybody working with children must be trained to spot and intervene at the earliest opportunity. Commons examples of child abuse include:- Physical abuse: This where a child is physically harmed by those in charge of his primary care (parents or guardians) or anybody who comes into contact with the child. This includes things like beating a child, pushing him/her into objects that can cause physical harm or restricting their movements so they cannot seek safety. Any deliberate action that leaves bruises, internal injuries, breaks, cuts and or scars is considered physical abuse. Sexual Abuse: Any form of sexual activity for example incest, rape, paedophilia; with a child is considered sexual abuse. Mental abuse: This covers a broad spectrum. Some of the major causes of mental abuse include:- Environment: Children who have alcoholic, violent and or drug addicted parents/guardians; or are exposed to such people in their communities, may suffer mentally as a result. The childrens future poor choices could be in part, as a result of the environment then grew up in. Unsupportive Families: Families who fail to support the children, by either encouraging them to do well or teaching them good values; constantly degrading or putting down their children; ignoring their children needs and wants; are in fact mentally abusing these children TAQ4: (ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.3) OUTLINE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT. PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL LINKS YOU WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON THIS When a child in need has been identified or referred to the Local Authority, an initial assessment to determine what that need is, what kind of services will be required to help the child and most importantly if the child is safe in his or her current situation; is carried out. The steps involved in carrying out such an assessment are:- The initial assessment should be completed with a maximum period of 7 working days from the date of the first referral. The needs of the child in need should be identified The safety, health and well being of the child should be safeguarded from harm. Information from the childs primary carers (parents or guardians), the extended family, all Local Authorities who had contact with the child (in relation to the case however remote), and any records held about the child (both current and old); should be collated and recorded to form part of the initial assessment. Using the Children Act 1989 section 17 as a guideline:- define if the child is in need If there is sufficient or supporting evidence or likelihood the child is suffering or will suffer. The focus of the initial assessment should solely focus on the welfare of the child, therefore, any analysis and recommendations should be made clear with no room for ambiguity. TAQ5: (ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 2.2) FIND OUT WHAT THE NORFOLK PROTOCOL GUIDELNES ARE AND DESCRIBE IN YOUR OWN WORDS USING PARAGRAPHS AT LEAST 10 ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THE PROTOCOL The Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) exist to protect and promote the welfare of children and young adults. The LSCBs replaced the Area Child Protection Committees which were concerned with child protection as opposed to safeguarding a child. The Protocol therefore provide guidelines which Local Authorities and families can work together to provide better support for children and young adults. Some of the activities undertaken in accordance with the Norfolk Protocol are:- Help or support for disabled parents to look after their children in all aspects of the childs life: Parents who suffer from physical or learning disabilities require different forms of help when looking after their children. They may not be physically able to feed, dress or a carry their child and need to be supported in this. A learning disability may also affect a parents inability to assess correctly the needs of a child on a day to day basis. Local Authorities in accordance to the Protocol make an initial assessment of the household and help accordingly. Safeguarding children from violence and neglect: Children who come from backgrounds where violence exists, are at risk of becoming victims of their circumstances or growing up and becoming violent themselves. In order to safeguard against this, the LSCB identify such risks and take steps to remove the child from such environments and place them in a safe and stable place. Safeguard the children and young adults when accessing services or activities in the community: Any cultural or recreational activities aimed at children should make sure the children benefit from these activities in a safe manner. The custodians in charge of the activities should have an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. They should also be properly trained to make sure the children carry out their activities as safely as possible. Safeguard the children and young adults from discrimination or attacks from people because of their race, religion or physical ability: This means wherever a child is being targeted because of their individuality or has a physical or learning disability, the LSCB should step in and either; educate and or prosecute individuals or groups causing harm to the children. Safeguard children from sexual predators: Those who have been identified and prosecuted as sex offenders; should go on the Sex Offenders Register and banned from having working with children. The LSCB work closely together with other Local Authorities and help identify children at risk in such situations and remove them from harm or potential harm. Missing Children: The LSCB recognize children go missing from their home or foster placement for a variety of reasons. By sensitively approaching this issue, the LSCB work together with families, to find out the circumstances relating to the childs disappearance and if found, what can be done to prevent such an occurrence. Once a child goes missing, relevant authorities pool together to make sure the child comes home safely. They may try to reach out to the child using the media or putting up posters with information on how the child can contact the authorities safely. Shared information: This is perhaps the greatest tool at the LSCBs disposal in their work to safeguard children. There are many Local Authorities and voluntary organisations who deal with the well being of children and a lot of information is inevitably located in different locations. By setting up an electronic database, different organisations are able to not only have access to this information, but also are able to update and add vital details pertaining to the child in need. Anybody who has access, or adds to such information, should be held accountable in accordance to the procedures of their respective organisations. Safeguarding the children from bullying: By adopting a zero tolerance policy against bullying (in schools or the community), the LSCB also educates children and adults alike, how to recognize and prevent bullying. A legal duty of care to children and young adults who: have been given custodial sentences, are placed in children homes, or in training centres. They must make sure these children are safeguarded while they in such institutions, from themselves or indeed others. They must identify signs of suicide, self harming, mental health problems, continued drug use etc, and prevent, teach or curb such behaviour while the children or young adults are in their care. Unauthorised Encampments: In a bid to tackle the growing problem of illegal camping by Travellers, the Norfolk Protocol for Unauthorised Encampments was adopted in January 2003. The aim of this liaison was to form a workable plan that was acceptable to both Travellers and the communities they occupy. By cooperating with the Local Authorities, the Travellers would not only have a forum to air their grievances, but also could raise their public profile. TAQ6: (ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 4.1, 4.2) DEFINE WHAT IS MEANT BY ADOPTION AND FOSTERING IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROVISION AVAILABLE FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN. Adoption is a process where a child is provided for with a new family and whom for a variety of reasons, cannot be raised by their own biological parents. There is a legal process that needs to be followed where the new parents have to take all parental responsibility to the adopted child as they would their own biological child if they have any. Fostering on the hand usually refers to a temporary arrangement made to accommodate a child who is waiting to be adopted. The primary caregiver (in this case it could be a foster parent or a foster home) assumes responsibility for the child together with a local authority and where applicable, the childs biological parents. Identify and Evaluate Different Type of Provisions Available for Looked After Children Educational Provisions: Children in need who are experiencing hardships in their education in addition to any existing difficulties have to be especially cared for. In order to properly assess the childs individual needs, Local Authorities in partnerships with others, have to carry out assessments to determine what is best for the child. The growing needs of the child are also taken into account. This is necessary because as the child gets older, the authorities concerned will need to have their initial assessments reviewed to reflect the current status of the child. By correctly assessing and meeting a childs educational needs, it is likely the child will not stand out in mainstream society or be a target for negative actions. Fostering Provisions: The Children Act 1989 sec 22G requires Local authorities to make sure that those entrusted with caring for children meet the standards set and have passed all the checks required. This is important as it minimizes risks as much as possible with a view to ultimately ensuring the childs safety in care. Contact Provisions: Children who are placed in temporary care may have access to their biological parents depending on the nature of their placement. In order to safeguard the interest of these vulnerable children, parents sometimes have to agree to supervised visits. As much as this may be seen as an intrusion by the biological families, it is necessary to have a social worker for example; to be visibly present to prevent further harm to the child, or help build relations between child and his/her family. Changes in the law have also being reviewed to further facilitate this process. In April 1st 2010, the new Government passed a law saying that the participants incomes would not be a factor to contact activity TAQ 7: (ASSESSEMENT CREITERION 4.3) USING VALID AND RELIABLE SOURCES INVESTIGATE AND DISCSS THE ISSUES SUROUNDING HARD TO PLACE CHILDREN AND SUGGEST A POSSIBLE INERGRATED SERVICE PROVISION CARE PLAN. A child is considered hard to place when it becomes difficult for him/her to be permanently adopted by a family. The reasons vary from child to child but the most common reasons are:- Physical (prospective parents find the child is too old) Mental Problems Emotional or social problems Physical disabilities More often than not, prospective adoptive parents already have this image of a perfect little child and may not be ready to accept a child who has some difficulties. This is usually the hardest barrier when placing children. If a child is lucky enough to be adopted, but displays some challenging behaviour during the trial period, the adoptive parents have the right to return the child if they feel they cannot cope. This sadly creates more problems to the child or may have already started life feeling rejected. The term hard to place is not only restricted to children in foster care. The same can be applied to children who cannot find it hard to stay in school because of the type of behaviour they display. In order to increase the odds of have these children successfully placed in a family or an educational facility, a good care plan is essential to make this happen. Where possible, a successful care plan needs to have the input of the parents, extended family or previous schools. Monck (Monck and others 2003 p42) explores this further when he defined a plan of what to do in the interim, where there was an expectation the child would be returned to his birth parents or permanent guardians after a complete investigation. He defined Concurrent planning as the capacity of the birth parents or wider birth family to parent the child is investigated. At the same time the child is placed with foster carers who, if the birth family cannot parent, become the adopters. In his definition, when a child could not be returned to his natural parents, he made a provision on what would finally happen to that child. The following components constitute a good care plan. Specific: All care plans for hard to place children, need to be as individual as the child itself. The problems surrounding the child may have a generalised description, but the effects to the child itself have to be tailored to fit the child. Child A could be said to be angry and displays this anger by hitting other children. The same could be said of any child because children tend to lash out as they are yet to learn tools of how to deal with their emotions. The care plan would then have to delve into the root cause of the childs anger before making provision or recommendation on how to best help the child. Measurable: It is counterproductive to have the child receive the same type of help when no noticeable improvement can be recorded. Instead, if after an acceptable period of time the child continues to exhibit the same type of challenging behaviour, a new therapy or establishment should be tried. In order to avoid duplication of treatments, Local Authorities have to communicate and work together in a bid to help the child. Relevant: The care plan should fit the child needs as he or she is now. This means if an assessment was carried when the child was 4 years old, another has to be carried as he/she continues to get older. Factors such as puberty need to be taken into account as they could increase or amplify the behavioural problems exhibited by the child. Focused: The care plan would have to have direction. Needless time wasting therapies, assessments or treatments can be avoided simply by having a focussed care plan. This is where the real decisions are made concerning the child in question even though these decisions have to be revised periodically. The same could be said when there are no more resources available at that present time to cater to the child. The only thing that can be done in such cases is to keep the child safe, healthy and as happy as possible. TAQ8 (ASSESSEMENT CRETERION 1.1) USING THE TIMELINE AS A BASIS FOR YOUR WORK, DEVELOP IT FURTHER TO FULL OUTLINE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEASURES WITHIN THE UK TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. 2006 The Children and Adoption Act 2006 made provisions for people who worked or had contact with children mainly in a professional capacity or for families who posed a risk to children. The aim of this act was to minimize potential risks to children. 2007 The UK Borders Act 2007 (code of practice on children) defines how children should be treated when making sure they comply with the UK immigration laws. It states for example, any child under 16 years old should have an adult present before fingerprints can be taken. 2008 The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 Chapter 23 defines the way in which social work services are delivered to children and young person. Part 1 Sections 1-10 detail what is expected from any organisation/Local Authority delivering these types of services. Part 2 deals with the Functions in Relation to Children and Young Persons. This includes dealing with issues to do with the childrens well-being, accommodation, independent reviewing officers, visitation, education and training, finance, care breaks, enforcement of care standards, emergency protection orders and information and research. Part 3 of this act defines what is required for adopting and fostering services. Part 4 elaborates more on the Orders under Part 2 of the 1989 Act. This simply details what criteria each organisation or Local Authority should meet before and after a child is placed in care. Part 5 deals with the minor and supplementary amendments to the 1989 Act. 2009 The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c 22) provides a framework for which 16-18 year olds could qualify for an apprenticeship. Its aim is to ensure that children in schools receive full information about apprenticeships and vocational training opportunities. 2010 The Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 (c 26) deals with the provision that should made for children with special educational needs. Part 1 of this act details how educational facilities have to be inspected to meet the Governments criteria for this group of children. TAQ 9 THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AND OF THE COURTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF RELEVANT RECENT LEGISLATION IS VITAL IF CHILDREN ARE TO BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED WITHIN THE UK. DISCUSS The role of the social worker has never been more challenging at an age where horrific cases of child abuse have become commonplace. These stories no longer make headlines in the media and more worryingly, are the cases that do not make the front pages which are equally as ghastly. The social worker is also faced with a lot of opposition in the work place from uncooperative parents/guardians who openly scorn them and think they want to destroy their family unit or tell them how to run their lives. The courts on the other hand are overwhelmed with the sheer number of child abuse cases they have to deal with. By the end of 2009 alone, 51,488 sex offences against children were recorded by the Home Office. Both the social workers and the court system are often under immense pressure to resolve these cases quickly because time is usually of the essence to ensure the safety of the child. In addition, a host of red tape and bureaucracy cause the wheels of justice to run slowly, which often result in many delays which could put the child in further danger. One of the most important measures that has been put in place; largely because of the case of Victoria Climbe, was a clear line of communication and accountability for all the authorities/agencies who deal with children in need. Lord Lemming clearly identified that a lack of communication and ultimately accountability between different agencies could have contributed to the death of Victoria Climbe, once she was initially identified as a child in need. However, lessons were not learnt as in the case of Baby Peter; which resulted in further recommendations by Lord Laming. This was what resulted in the Children Act 2004. It is worth noting that the Children Act 1989 is still upheld and the 2004 Act does not supplant it. The social workers on the other hand were under pressure and overwhelmed by the number of caseloads they had to mine through and some of these workers felt their perspectives had changed from safeguardi ng children to meeting targets. In order to fully appreciate and understand the roles both the social worker and the courts play in implementing the provisions of legislation for the childs protection, it is important to first define who is considered a child in need. Councils in the UK have several indicators which they use to identify and prioritize help for a child in need (CIN). These are based on several factors surrounding the childs life such as disability, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, homelessness, sex abuse to mention a few. Regardless of how each council operates, they are all governed by the Childrens Act of 1989 and 2004. Using these Acts as a template, a child in need can be loosely defined as anybody under the age of 18 years, who requires some form of intervention, to safeguard them from external factors that prevent them from enjoying a healthy and well-adjusted life. As a result, the Government in conjunction with Ofsted, Her Majestys Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, Her Majest ys Inspectorate of Probation, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Prisons, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Court Administration, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Care Quality Commission; form a Safeguarding Review to update their policies on safeguarding children which occurs every three years. These reviews aim to streamline how local authorities identify and deal with children in n

Database Management System vs Information Retrieval System :: IT Essays

1. Differentiate Between Database Management System And Information Retrieval System By Focusing On Their Functionalities. Database Management System According to Modern Database Management eight edition, by Jeffrey A. Hoffer, Mary B. Prescott and Fred R. McFadden database management system (DBMS) is define as a software system that is used to create, maintain, and provide controlled access to user databases. Support Concurrent Updates Concurrent updates occur when various users make updates to the database at the same time. Supporting concurrent updates is also critical to database management as this component ensures that updates are made appropriately and the end result is precise. Without DBMS interference important data could be lost and or imprecise data stored. DBMS uses features to bear concurrent updates such as batch processing, locking, two-phase locking, and time stamping to help make certain that updates are done correctly. Again, the user is not alert all this is incident as it is the database management system’s liability to make sure all updates are stored appropriately Recovery of Data In the event a misfortune occurs, DBMS must offer ways to pull through a database so that data is not eternally lost. There are times computers may break down, a fire or other natural disaster may occur, or a user may enter inaccurate information invalidating or making records conflicting If the database is cracked or spoiled in any way, the DBMS must be able to recover the correct state of the database, and this process is called Recovery. The easiest way to do this is to make standard backups of information. This can be done at a set controlled time so in the event a catastrophe occurs, the database can be restored to the state that it was last at prior to backup. Security Security is the avoidance of illegal users accessing the database. DBMS uses features such as encryption, authentication, authorization and views to provide security to the database. Encryption is when DBMS converts the data in a database to an unreadable format. No illegal person trying to access this information will be able to read it. Authorized users will be able to see it in normal form. Authentication is a technique in which the database officer can identify the person accessing the database. Authorized users are given passwords and successful entry of a legitimate password will allow the user entry into the database, if a password is not effectively entered, the user will be denied access. Authorization is a set of rules that the database administrator (DBA) sets up to specify levels of practice that individuals or groups are allowed to have.

Ku Klux Klan :: essays research papers

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan has been the most organized of the many different White supremacy groups that came into being after the Civil War. The ill-reputed Knights of the Klan have been involved in countless incidents of human rights violations against blacks and other minority groups in America. Especially in the South, during and after the Reconstruction period, the Klan played a major part in formulating and forcefully employing many of the Jim Crow laws, that delayed black man’s true freedom f Stetson Kennedy is a native of Jacksonville, Florida where the Klan was very active. Kennedy saw first hand the working of the Klan when a maid in his house was taken for a ride by the Klan and badly tortured. Kennedy developed a hatred for the Ku Klux Klan and wanted to do all he could to limit the influence of and put a stop to its hate mongering. He wrote a book â€Å"Palmetto Country† in which he blasted the myth that the Klan was formed to â€Å"save the South† from Scalawags, Carpetbaggers an Also, Kennedy noted that the few things written about the KKK were editorials rather than exposes. He felt the need for not just words but for legal evidence against the Klan’s inside machinations. For that purpose someone would have to go under a Klan robe and turn the hooded order’s dirty linen for all the world to see. The author decided to volunteer for the job and thus began his adventures as a Klan-buster, in the headquarters of the Klan at the time in Atlanta. The first few chapter Soon enough, Kennedy had enough incriminating evidence against the Klan. In an action packed moment in the courthouse, Kennedy disrobed from under his Klan mask in front of stunned Klansmen who had thought he was one of them. Kennedy testified against the vicious organization, and played an important role in bringing the Klan to its knees. Through the remainder of the book, Kennedy relays his experiences working against other similar outfits, like the Colombians in Florida, who had Nazi leaders perpetrating anti-Negro, anti- Catholic and anti-Semitic sentiments. As a result of his daring confrontations

Storm Born Chapter Twelve

I finally worked up the courage to see my mom and Roland a few days later. Tim had left for the day, but he'd apparently baked this morning. A plate of almond poppy seed muffins sat on the kitchen table, and I grabbed two for the road. My ability to think clearly had improved with some rest, but my anger and pain hadn't really faded. I still felt betrayed and not just by Wil. If anything, I could forgive him more easily than anyone else. He had not fostered a years-long secret. His actions had been open and desperate. They had not been so insidious as Kiyo's, my mom's, and Roland's. When I arrived at the house, I didn't bother knocking. The front door was open, and I pushed inside, slamming it loudly behind me. â€Å"Genie?† I heard my mom call. â€Å"Is that you?† I walked across the wood floor, my shoes echoing in the foyer. Mom and Roland sat at the kitchen table, eating lunch. Bread and cold cuts were laid out, along with assorted condiments. It looked so normal. So peaceful and innocent. My mom half-rose when she saw me. â€Å"Thank God you're back safe. I've been so – what's the matter?† I loved these people so much, but seeing them increased my fury, maybe because I did love them so much. For a moment, I couldn't get the words out. I just stared at them, looking from face to face. â€Å"Eugenie?† she asked tentatively. â€Å"Who's my father?† I demanded of her. â€Å"Was I born in the Otherworld?† I saw her go pale, her dark eyes widening in fear. In an instant, Roland was up beside her. â€Å"Eugenie, listen – † The look on his face spoke legions. â€Å"Jesus. It really is true.† I saw him open his mouth to protest, but then he thought better of it. â€Å"How did you find out?† Honesty, at least. â€Å"It's all over the Otherworld. Everyone knows. I'm apparently next in line for world domination.† â€Å"That's not true,† he said. â€Å"Forget about it. You aren't like them.† â€Å"But I am one of them, right? At least half?† â€Å"By blood only. Everything else†¦well, for all intents and purposes, you're human. You have nothing to do with them.† â€Å"Except killing and banishing them. How could you set me up for that†¦if I'm†¦?† One of them, I wanted to finish. But I couldn't get the words out. â€Å"Because you have a talent for it. One we need. You know what they can do.† â€Å"Yes. And you've made sure I do, telling me all the horror stories growing up. But there's a hell of a lot more than that. They're weird, yes, but not all evil.† My mother suddenly joined the conversation, eyes wild and frantic. â€Å"Yes! They are! You don't know what you're talking about. When did you have this revelation? A day ago? A week ago? I lived with them for three years, Eugenie. Three years.† Her voice dropped to a whisper. â€Å"Three years, and I never once encountered a decent one. No one who would help me. No one who would keep me from Tirigan.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Storm King,† said Roland. â€Å"That's his name. Was his name.† â€Å"They say you saved her from him.† He nodded. â€Å"I was there chasing down a kelpie when I heard rumors of a captured human woman. I went to investigate and found her and you. You were a baby. I slipped you both out of there and hid you.† â€Å"But Dorian†¦someone I met†¦said Storm King came looking for us.† â€Å"He did. And he found you.† I frowned. From what Dorian had said, I should have been a young teenager then. â€Å"I don't remember that.† Roland nodded again. â€Å"Once close enough, he could reach out and call to you. He summoned you to him. By the time I tracked you down, you were out in the desert, very near a crossroads. You'd walked miles to get to him.† â€Å"I don't remember that,† I repeated. In some ways, what Roland told me now was crazier than what I'd learned at Aeson's. â€Å"His magic spoke to yours. He wanted to take you back with him, and you fought against him. You were struck by lightning in the process.† â€Å"Wait, I know I'd remember that.† â€Å"No. I hypnotized you and repressed it. I killed him, but your magic had still been awakened. After seeing what I'd seen, I was afraid you couldn't control it – that it would control you instead.† â€Å"I don't have any magic. Not gentry magic anyway.† â€Å"Not that you know of. It's hidden away. I made you forget. After that, I started teaching you the craft in the hope of protecting you. I didn't know if others would follow him or if someone else could reawaken you or summon you. I needed to give you the tools you'd need for defense.† He suddenly looked tired. â€Å"I never realized how well you'd take to them.† I felt as tired as he looked, despite all the sleep. I pulled up one of the chairs and sat; they continued to stand. So I had met Storm King. I had answered his summons. And I had been struck by lightning? That was interesting, because in a lot of cultures, shamans are called to their art through some traumatic event. Lightning strikes are actually common ones. Many of the local Indian shamans – already skeptical of the plethora of New Age white shamans – did not consider me authentic since I'd had no such profound initiation. Turns out I had. Score one for me. â€Å"You made me forget. You got inside my head, and you made me forget. All this time†¦both of you have known and never told me.† â€Å"We wanted to protect you,† he said. â€Å"And what then? Did you think I'd never find out?† The heat rose in my voice again. â€Å"I had to hear it from gentry. I would have rather heard it from you.† My mother closed her eyes, and one tear trailed down her cheek. Roland regarded me calmly. â€Å"In hindsight, yes, that would have been better. But we never thought it would actually come out.† â€Å"It's out,† I said bitterly. â€Å"Everyone knows it. And now everyone wants a piece of this prophecy – and of me.† â€Å"What prophecy?† I told them. When I finished, my mother sat down and buried her face in her hands, crying softly. I could hear her murmuring, â€Å"It'll happen to her. It'll happen to her too.† Roland rested a hand on her shoulder. â€Å"Don't put much stock in gentry prophecies. They come out with a new one every day.† â€Å"Doesn't matter, if they believe it. They're still going to come after me.† â€Å"You should stay with us. I'll help protect you.† I stood up, glancing at my mother. No way would I expose her to more gentry. â€Å"No. This is my problem. Besides, don't take this too badly† – I felt myself start to choke up – â€Å"but I don't really want to see you guys for a while. I guess you meant well, but†¦I need to†¦I don't know. I need to think.† â€Å"Eugenie – † I saw raw pain on his face. My mom's sobs grew louder. I stood up, averting my eyes from both of them. Suddenly, I couldn't stay here anymore. â€Å"I've got to go.† Roland was still calling after me when I practically ran out of the house. But I needed to get away, or I'd say something stupid. I didn't want to hurt them, even though I probably had. But they'd hurt me too, and we all needed to deal with that. While opening my car door, I looked up and saw a red fox watching me from the same spot as last time. I strode toward him, close but not too close. â€Å"Go away!† I shouted. He stared at me, unmoving. â€Å"I mean it. I'm not speaking to you. You're as bad as the rest of them.† He lay down, resting his chin on crossed paws while he continued to regard me solemnly. â€Å"I don't care how cute you are, okay? I'm through with you.† A woman working in her yard next door gave me an uneasy look. I turned my back on the fox, got in the car, and drove home. Yet, as I did, I couldn't help but feel relieved Kiyo had survived. I honestly hadn't known if he would. Strong and vicious he might be, but Aeson had been slinging fire at him. The question was, had Kiyo merely escaped? Or had he managed to kill the king? What had happened to Jasmine? Tim still wasn't back when I got home. I decided then I didn't want to leave my house that day or make any pretense of productivity. I wanted to hit the sauna, put on pajamas, and then watch bad TV while eating Milky Ways. It seemed like a pretty solid plan, and I set out to make it happen. Twenty minutes later, I sat immersed in hot steam, draped in humidity. Heat was great for loosening muscles, although that only made me realize how much I'd hurt them. At least I'd made it out alive. That was the real miracle, considering what a disaster last night had turned into. I didn't want to think much about it or about Mom and Roland, but it was hard not to. Part of me still believed – still hoped – that all of this was a mistake. After all, wasn't it just everyone's say-so? Of course, somehow I doubted my parents would make all that up. But really. Where was the DNA test? The photographic evidence? I had nothing tangible. Nothing I could see and believe. Except my own memories. The memories Roland had covered up for me. Hypnotism wasn't uncommon in our line of work. It was just another state of unconsciousness. Shamans who served as religious leaders and healers used similar techniques on their followers and patients to heal the body and mind. Roland and I, as â€Å"freelance shamans,† didn't really have much need for it. Our contact with the spirit world often became more physical and direct. But I had done some healings and soul retrievals, so I knew the basics. Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes and thought about the tattoo of Selene on my back. She was my earthly connection, the grounding of my body and soul and mind in this world. I focused on her image and what she represented and then slowly altered my state of mind. Rather than slipping out to another plane, I crossed inward, back into the far reaches of myself and the parts of me buried in my unconscious. It probably didn't take long, but in that state, it was painstakingly slow. I browsed through pieces of me, both memories and hidden truths alike. All the things that made me Eugenie Markham. I concentrated on lightning, hoping it would snag my attention. Surely a lightning strike couldn't be buried forever. There. A faint tug. I dove in after it, trying to grasp it and the memory it linked to. It was difficult. The image was slippery, like trying to hold on to a fish. Each time I thought I had it, it wriggled away. Roland had done a good job. Steeling myself, I fought against the layers, clawing and fighting until – I woke up in bed. But it wasn't the bed in my house. It was a different bed, a smaller bed covered in a pink comforter. The bed of my childhood. I lay in it, staring up at a ceiling covered in plastic stars just like the one I had as an adult. It was the middle of the night, and I couldn't sleep. I'd been an insomniac then, just as now. This time, however, it was different. Something other than my churning mind was keeping me awake. Somewhere, outside, I could hear a voice calling me. No, not a voice exactly, but it was a pull. A pull I couldn't shut out. Climbing out of bed, I slipped my feet into dirty sneakers and put a light jacket on over my pajamas. In the hallway, the door to Mom and Roland's room was closed. I moved past as quietly as possible, down the stairs and then out the door. Outside, the air was still warm. It was high summer. Earlier temperatures had been in the 100s; even now, they had dropped only to the 80s. I walked down the quiet street of our neighborhood, past all the familiar cars and houses. With each step, the call grew louder. I followed, my feet moving on their own. The call led me away from our street, our subdivision, and even the small suburb we lived in. I traveled off of main roads, moving onto trails I'd never known existed. Then, after almost two hours, I stopped. I didn't know where I was. The desert, obviously, because that and the mountains were all that surrounded Tucson. The foothills were larger than at home, so I must have gone north. Otherwise, there were no distinguishing features. Prickly pears and saguaros spread out around me in quiet watchfulness. Suddenly, I felt the air around me charge. There was a presence with me. A person. I turned and saw a man standing and watching me, far taller than my twelve-year-old self. His features were indistinct; I could not make them out no matter how hard I tried. He was only a dark shape, crackling with power. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I took three steps back, but he held his hand out to me. â€Å"Eugenie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook off the thrall that had brought me out here. Desperately, I realized I had to get away as quickly as I could. But I no longer knew the way back. The trails I'd followed were a blur. So, I backed up farther, but he kept coming, beckoning to me. My feet stumbled, and I fell. Still facing him, I tried to get up, but he stood over me now. In his indistinct features, I could make out a crown on his head, glittering silver and purple. â€Å"Come,† he said, extending his arm to help me up. â€Å"It's time to go.† I was trapped. Helpless and trapped and out of options. I had never felt so desperate in my young life. It terrified me. I decided then and there that if I survived this, I would make sure I could never be helpless again. His hand touched my shoulder, and I screamed. As I did, some part of me reached out beyond my body and grasped the power lying around us – I blinked. Steam swirled around me in the sauna, and I felt lightheaded. I'd been in there too long; it was a wonder I hadn't passed out. Standing up, I had to grip the wall for support and close my eyes. My heart raced from the vision, the vision that finally convinced me all of this was true. I knew – knew with absolute certainty – that the dark man had been Storm King, my father. I could feel it within me. In my soul. Overcome, I sat back down, needing a few more moments to consider all this and get my bearings. Yet, the longer I sat there, the more I began to despair. Storm King really was my father. And as for the rest of my life†¦well, things were bad. And they were only going to get worse. Every horny gentry wanted to knock me up; the rest probably still wanted to kill me. I'd never have a moment of peace again. Minutes passed as I ruminated on all this, falling deeper and deeper into depression – as well as exhaustion. I felt fatigued, too apathetic to care about any of it now. What was the point? I had snubbed my parents today. I'd let Jasmine Delaney down. I had nothing to look forward to ever again except a life of fighting and running. And really, why should I even bother fighting anymore? Nothing mattered. It was hopeless. I should just cross over to the Otherworld and give myself up. At least it'd stop the agony of – I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright. What was wrong with me? Things were grim, but this†¦this wasn't natural. I blinked rapidly, trying to gain focus as I took deep breaths. There it was. I could feel it. A thick, unseen darkness wrapping itself around me. It touched me, crawling along my skin. It was trying to drag me down, to suck away all of my energy. All of my hope. Standing up, no longer dizzy, I pulled my robe off its hook and put it on. Slowly, I opened the door of the sauna and stuck my head out. I saw nothing too disconcerting, but that bleak feeling continued to swirl around me. The light almost seemed dimmer, darker than it should be for late afternoon. I squinted, trying to break the illusion, for that's what it was. Stepping completely out of the sauna, I tried to assess the source. The sauna was in the center of my house. Turn left to go to the kitchen and living room, right toward the bathroom and bedrooms. My weapons were in my bedroom; that was where I wanted to be. But if the thing was in the front of the house, I didn't want to turn my back on it. At last, I compromised by putting my back up to the hall's wall and sliding down it toward my bedroom. The distance wasn't far, but when you had to inch your way there, it felt like miles. Creeping, I passed Tim's closed bedroom door, grateful he wasn't here. He knew about my shamanic adventures, but that didn't mean I wanted him exposed to them. Next came the bathroom. Yeah, the only bathroom. The thing about cute little houses was the â€Å"little† part. I loved everything else about this place, but next time, I'd make sure my house had at least as many bathrooms as occupants. Tim and I had gotten into some nasty rumbles when – A hand reached out for me from within the dark bathroom, but I saw it coming out of my periphery. I ducked and slid across the hall as he lumbered out. A Gray Man. That had been one of my top three culprits for the negativity zone my house had become. Gray Men cast an aura of despair around them, feeding off physical energy and positive feelings. This one was, well, gray, of course. Other than that, he looked more or less human-shaped, with dark eyes and scraggly white hair. He was even dressed, which I took as a plus since other monsters and sometimes elemental gentry often came over in loincloths or nothing at all, depending on their strength. Considering what everyone wanted to do to me, I was pretty happy about keeping genitalia covered up. I tried to scramble toward my bedroom, but his long arm reached out and grabbed me by the hair. I yelled out as he dragged me toward him, pressing me to his body. At least he didn't say anything suggestive; Gray Men were apparently strong, silent types. But the way he grappled with my robe left little to the imagination about what he wanted to do. Struggling in his strong grasp, I tried to break free but mostly managed to loosen my robe more. Swearing, I decided if I couldn't get away, then I'd at least delay his amorous actions. My knee jutted up in one hard motion, hitting him in the groin. His hold on me loosened, and he groaned as one hand instinctively reached down between his legs. I broke away from him, still trying to make for my bedroom. Deciding he could ignore the pain, he lunged toward me, just stopping me from getting to my bedroom doorway. Gripping me by both shoulders, he shoved me up against the wall so that I faced it. Using that hard surface as a constraint, he held me with one arm against it while his other finished pulling off the robe. I felt his tongue lick my neck, but the truly disgusting nature of that couldn't really permeate me. I was in survival mode now. I struggled against him, hoping to make it difficult for him to get his own pants off. Being pinned liked this gave me fewer options for escape. Moving my hands against the wall, I groped around for something – anything – I could use as a weapon. Then my fingers brushed over a small decorative mirror that had been my grandmother's. It wasn't very big, but its frame was shaped like a sun – with sharp, pointed metal rays. Not only that, they were silver rays. Grabbing it from the wall, I held it in my left hand, not my dominant hand, but the hand I wore my amethyst ring on. The amethyst could cut through magic and glamour and also focus my own intentions. It wasn't as good as a wand, but it had to do. Concentrating on the stone, I let my will pour into it. The stone amplified my energy and then sent it into the silver frame. In as fluid a motion as I could manage in my confined state, I swung the mirror back, driving it into any flesh I could find. The Gray Man screamed, and I smelled something burning. He released me, and I turned around, not wasting any time, though I uneasily realized I'd dumped more energy into that silver than I should have been capable of. The mirror had stuck in his side and was smoking. It wouldn't kill him, but having it lodged in there was pretty serious. He reached out toward it with hesitant fingers, knowing he had to touch it to pull it out. I sprinted to my bedroom. He was only seconds behind me, but it was all I needed to arm myself in my bedroom. He came running in after me, but this time I was on the offensive. I used the silver athame to draw the death symbol on his chest, eliciting a tortured scream from him. Iron was the bane of gentry, but for whatever other reasons, silver hurt anything else Otherworldly. I didn't know why, but I didn't question it either. Especially when it had just proven so handy. Hurt or no, he pushed me backward. I landed on my bed, head hitting with a crack against the wall. It slowed me, but I had already started connecting beyond this world. I reached out, touched the world of death, and sent that connection through the wand. It leapt out at the Gray Man, sucking him in. He fought it, thrashing as though physical action might fight the pull. It couldn't. A moment later, he vanished. Almost immediately, the spell of despair in my house disappeared. It was like emerging from underwater. I could breathe again. I let my body slump and relax. I wanted to lean my head against the wall but knew that wouldn't feel too good after the hard blow I'd just sustained. A loud sound cracked out from the front of my house, like the door being kicked open. I jerked up, adrenaline going a second round as I heard footsteps pounding down the hall. I was reaching for the gun when a familiar voice yelled, â€Å"Eugenie?† Relaxing – only slightly – I watched as Kiyo burst into my room.