New E-publications

Action For Children (2010). Deprivation and risk: the case for early intervention. In three sections: policy analysis, life stories and a summary of effective practice in tackling child deprivation.
Statham, J. & Smith, M. (2010). Issues in earlier intervention: identifying and supporting children with additional needs. Department for Children, Schools and Families. Focuses on two broad types of need: the risk of abuse or neglect and the risk of emotional/behavioural/mental health difficulties.
Walker, J. et al. (2010). Relationships matter: understanding the needs of adults (particularily parents) regarding relationship support. Department for Children, Schools and Families. A qualitative study designed to inform policy formulated to support relationships between parents, in order to minimise the risks, for children, associated with parental separation.
Department for Children, Schools and Families. (2010). Building a safe and confident future: implementing the recommendations of the Social Work Task Force. A joint policy implementation plan from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Department of Health and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in partnership with the Social Work Reform Board.
DCSF Violence Agains Women and Girls Advisory Group. (2010). Advisory Group final report and recommendations. this group was set up to advise ministers on how schools can help to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls.
May, T. et al. (2010). Differential treatment in the youth justice system. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Examines the inequlity of treatment of different ethnic groups by the youth justice system.

Sexualisation of young people

Papadopoulos, L. (2010) Sexualisation of young people review. Published by the home office. Papadopoulos examines the current state of affairs folowing a review of literature, media and research with those working with and foryoung people, and makes recommendations.

Literature review of attitudes towards violent extremism amongst Muslim communities in the UK

Research conducted by S. Sheikh et al, for The Department for Communities and Local Government. The report concludes that here are major gaps in the availablility of quality research data on the subject and inconsistencies in terminology used around the subject of violent extremism. The authors make recommendations that future research should involve muslims in the design and delivery and point out that muslim communities seek to be actively involved in any work which challenges those who support violent extremism.

The Norway town that forgave it's child killers.

Some years ago I read about the case of the murder of five year old Silje Redergard by two young boys, no doubt in comparison to the media frenzy surrounding the trial, in an adult court, of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson for the murder of James Bulger. Given the recent media coverage of Jon Venables readmission to custody following alleged breaches of licence, it seems pertinent again to compare the treatment of children committing the most serious of crimes in this country, where the tabloid press excert such power in public opinion and can influence the actions of the home secretary, with the Norwegian case. See Guardian, March 20, 2010.

Social Work Education

Raising Standards: social work education in england 2007-08 published by the General Social Care Council, should be of interest ot everyone involved in the education and training of social workers, particularily in the wake of the "Baby P" case and the government Social Work Taskforce review. The author's maintain that it is important that employers and other stakeholders have realistic view of the readiness of newly qualified social workwers to under take the complex task of social work.

Teenage mothers access to education

In Not The End Of The Story: supporting teenage mothers back into education, Jane Evans and Martha Slowely assert that schools act to  unofficially exclude young mothers from education for spurious "health and safety" reasons, further damaging the life chances of mothers and their children who may already have had poor experiences of schooling prior to pregnancy.

Improving Social Work in Scotland

12th of March saw the publication of the Social Work Inspection Agency's overview of inspections in scotland from 2005-2009, Improving Social Work in Scotland. While inspections generally found social work services to be of good standard, reliable and improving, there are some areas of concern. In the area of supervision and management of violent offenders, inspectors found plans failing to focus on risk management and confusion among social work staff as to whether their role was to prevent reconviction or to protect the public from violent offenders. There were also concerns about the ability of services for older people and children to meet the growing demand for services. See also the Herald report, March 12.