Helpful actions seen through the eyes of parents of children with disabilities

Parents of children with disabilities interact with a wide range of service providers in order to assure appropriate services for their children. While some actions performed by professionals are viewed as helpful, many are viewed as obstructive. Surveys completed by over 120 parents identified past actions perceived to be helpful and those thought to be unhelpful as well as identification of professionals associated with those actions. Using the critical incident technique, narrative responses were based on actual experiences that parents described. Parents were also asked to articulate specific actions they would like professionals to take in the future. Over half of the responses request desired relationships with professionals that focus on respect, collaboration, communication and information sharing. Implications for pre-professional training are discussed.     

Professional Ideology and Learning Disability: an analysis of internal conflict

Normalisation is the guiding principle for professionals who work with people with learning disabilities. However, professionals hold varying degrees of adherence to this prevailing orthodoxy. In addition, some professionals openly dispute its merits and adopt a more paternalistic perspective of people with learning disabilities. Consequently, their views are more similar to the parents of people with learning disabilities than to their professional colleagues. Based on ideological differences, these contradictory views create tension and potential conflict between professionals. This paper explores the ideological differences between professionals who follow the prevailing orthodoxy, identified in the study as 'normalisers', and professionals who adhere to a superseded ideology, identified as 'paternalists'. Similar to the problematic relationship between parents and professionals, a solution to the internal conflict of professionals may also be found in seeking a shared ideology of care.     

Feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for childcare professionals: comparison of a web-based and in-person training

Recent prevention research has established the efficacy of some child sexual abuse prevention programs targeting adults; however, less is known about the feasibility of implementing such programs. The current study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for child care professionals provided in two different formats: in person and Web based. The sample consisted of 188 child care professionals from a large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial. Findings indicate that both in-person and online training formats are feasible to implement and acceptable to professionals. When comparing formats, the in-person format was favored in terms of comfort level and likelihood of sharing information with others. These findings have significant implications for dissemination of child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care professionals.     

Evaluating attributes concepts for build environment

Based on semi-structured interviews answered by professionals in Architecture and Interior Design areas, this research aimed to investigate, how these professionals develop their projects. Considering a real situation, the research tried to find out how these professionals consider users necessities and opinions. It was also verified which attributes are considered most relevant and how these professionals correlate them to uses demands about ergonomic aspects and intrinsic characteristics of each project. The paper is concluded presenting a list of attributes that were identified as the most important when developing a design for a home kitchen (as example), and some considerations about this topic are also presented.     

International mobility of professional knowledge from the Global South: Indian IT workers in the Netherlands

Although there are many studies on both expatriates and the phenomenon of brain drain, there are few on those professionals who move from a less to a more advanced economy through a transfer from one division of a transnational corporation to another. In a study of Indian IT professionals employed by the Dutch division of the producer‐service company Capgemini, we assessed the reasons for their recruitment and the type of professional knowledge they bring to the job. Our main findings are that the international mobility of Indian professionals is not just a matter of reducing labour costs and that, though some Indian IT professionals engage in routine programming activities, others are involved in activities that require tacit forms of knowledge. This applies to those who link the Dutch and Indian offices of Capgemini and to those who acquire assignments operating in the epistemic community of the international business milieu.     

Market diversification and social benefits: Motivations of farmers participating in farm to school programs

Activists and academics are increasingly advocating for public procurement of locally grown food as a key market opportunity for farmers. In the United States, linking farmers directly with school cafeterias through farm to school programs are among the efforts that advocates say can provide a significant boost to rural economies. Through an empirical analysis of farmers' perspectives of farm to school programs, this paper explores why farmers participate in these efforts. The data presented are part of a larger study exploring the opportunities and challenges of farm to school programs located in the United States from the perspectives of farmers, food service professionals, and food distributors. Our findings suggest that farmers sold their products to schools for two primary reasons: to diversify their marketing strategies and to contribute to social benefits through direct action. The concepts of embeddedness, marketness, and economic instrumentalism provide a framework for understanding their participation in farm to school programs. Our findings also provide insight into the kind of support necessary to sustain long-term connections between farmers and school food service professionals. As advocates seek to institutionalize public procurement of locally grown foods, it is critical that farmers' needs and motivations are considered.     

Three Case Studies of Elder Mistreatment:

Three case studies involving ethical issues in elder mistreatment are presented. They were created from a variety of actual situations to illustrate the range and complexity of ethical issues that professionals encounter in elder mistreatment and to serve as the basis for discussion of ethical issues by professionals from a variety of disciplines in subsequent chapters of the publication. Problems of physical and mental disability, relational loss, and mistreatment in institutional settings are illustrated. Elements of self neglect as well as neglect and abuse by others are contained in the cases, and intentional and unintentional mistreatment are portrayed. The author highlights some of the ethical dilemmas presented by each of the three cases.     

美国与欧洲实验室生物安全专业／月能力要求的对比分析

目的分析和阐述当前美国与欧洲实验室生物安全专业能力要求。方法对美国疾病预防控制中心（CDC）与公共卫生实验室协会（APHL）《生物安全实验室能力指南》和欧洲标准化委员会工作组协议《生物安全专业人员能力》（CWA16335）两个关于实验室生物安全专业人员能力要求的技术规范进行对比分析。结果与结论美国和欧洲关于实验室生物安全专业能力的要求从不同角度出发,提出了从事实验室生物安全工作的人员所应具备专业能力的内容,鉴于针对从事实验室生物安全专业工作人员的定义和覆盖面不尽相同,因此两者在结构和具体内容上有一定差别。     

Understanding the emotional aspects of infertility: implications for nursing practice

Approximately 10% to 15% of childbearing-age couples experience infertility. Infertility has multiple aspects, including physical, emotional, financial, social, and psychological effects. Although most health care professionals are more aware of problems related to physical aspects of infertility, the difficulties and needs that arise from the emotional aspects are often more significant for couples. Thus, it is crucial that health care professionals, particularly nurses, understand these needs. This article provides some practical information to help nurses do just that.     

Trap of Conflicting Needs: Helping Professionals in the Wake of a Shared Traumatic Reality

Many professionals working in the wake of communal disasters are doubly exposed to the disaster, both as professionals and as members of the stricken community. Yet most studies of widely reported distress of these professionals examine manifestations like compassion fatigue, secondary traumatization, and vicarious traumatization, which do not take this double exposure into account. Moreover, these measures reflect the assumption that their distress is rooted in empathy with their clients or helpees. This paper argues that at least some of their distress derives from a self-perceived lapse of empathy. It contends that professionals living and working in a disaster stricken community are caught in a trap of conflicting inner needs stemming from the defenses they mobilize to cope with the heightened mortality salience aroused by communal disasters. Furthermore, it proposes an etiology of their distress.     

Collaboration patterns among Swedish professionals in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children: an explorative study

This study explores patterns of collaboration between Swedish professionals involved in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children. A qualitative case study methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 20 statutory social workers, social workers at care homes, police officers, Swedish Migration Board officers, and legal guardians. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. The results showed low levels of collaboration among the professionals and the use of different strategies by the professionals to manage their work tasks. Patterns were found among the professionals: some tended to isolate themselves from interaction and acted on the basis of personal preference, and others tended to behave sensitively, withdraw, and become passive observers rather than active partners in the repatriation process. These behaviours made it difficult for the relevant professionals to employ dignity and efficiency in the repatriation of unaccompanied asylum-seeking refugee children.     

How Rehabilitation Professionals Define the Concepts of Spirituality and Religion When Working with Individuals with Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Recently, some helping professionals have called for the inclusion of spirituality and religion in practice. This has created an important debate. As a result, it has become apparent that individual educators and practitioners are unclear about what is meant by these concepts as they relate to practice. This study utilized in-depth interviews to understand the essential meanings that fifteen rehabilitation professionals assigned to the concepts of spirituality and religion in their practices with individuals with disabilities. Two essential themes developed for spirituality, and three developed for religion. Implications for the future use of these concepts in practice are discussed.     

Stepping‐Stone to Intergenerational Mobility? The Springboard,Safety Net,or Mobility Trap Functions of Korean Immigrant Entrepreneurship for the Second Generation1

Much research has viewed immigrant entrepreneurship positively because of its reputed role in immigrant economic adaptation. With the growing professionalization of children of Korean immigrant proprietors, small business ownership is seen as a stepping‐stone to intergenerational mobility. To assess whether immigrant entrepreneurship serves as springboard to upward mobility for the second generation, this article compares the educational and occupational achievements between children of entrepreneurs and children of professionals. The comparisons reveal that a higher proportion of children of professionals attended selective colleges, obtained professional occupations, and earned competitive salaries. Results from multiple regression analyses also indicate that entrepreneurship was not a good predictor of college selectivity and earnings for the second generation. Nevertheless, children of entrepreneurs attained comparable educational and occupational achievements as those of children of professionals, suggesting that rapid financial security through entrepreneurship can replicate similar residential and educational opportunities for children of entrepreneurs. While the springboard and safety net functions of small business on intergenerational mobility are salient, in some circumstances, obligations to help out in a family business can lead to personal sacrifice on the part of children of entrepreneurs, constraining their educational and occupational choices and leading some toward downward mobility.     

Helping Dutch Neighborhood Watch Schemes to Survive the Rainy Season: Studying Mutual Perceptions on Citizens’ and Professionals’ Engagement in the Co-Production of Community Safety

Despite the growing research interest in co-production, some important gaps in our knowledge remain. Current literature is mainly concerned with either the citizens or professionals being involved in co-production, leaving unanswered the question how co-producers and professionals perceive each other’s engagement, and how this is reflected in their collaboration. This study aims to answer that question, conducting an exploratory case study on neighborhood watch schemes in a Dutch municipality. Empirical data are collected through group/individual interviews, participant observations, and document analysis. The results show that the perceptions citizens and professionals hold on their co-production partner’s engagement indeed impact on the collaboration. Moreover, for actual collaboration to occur, citizens and professionals not only need to be engaged but also to make this engagement visible to their co-production partner. The article concludes with a discussion of the practical implications of these findings.     

Participation and Emotions: Troubling Encounters Between Children and Social Welfare Professionals

This paper explores the emotional aspects of participation within social welfare contexts. The focus is on individual professionals, such as social workers and children’s rights workers and their articulation, management and negotiation of the emotional when working with children and young people. The institutions of welfare are also shown to be ambiguous in their approaches to participation. Lastly, the dimensions of power that are enacted in relations between professionals and children reveal some of the complex dynamics in this fraught area of social welfare policy and practice.     

Considering religion and beliefs in child protection and safeguarding work: is any consensus emerging?

Diverse, but significant, phenomena have combined to raise both the profile of issues related to religion and child abuse and the need for professionals to understand and respond appropriately to them. The nature of some of these issues is explored and attempts made to clarify them. Data collected by the author primarily from questionnaires completed by professionals involved in child protection and safeguarding work are analysed and discussed. Some patterns are identified and explored. Finally, it is suggested that, despite the apparent emergence of a more general recognition and acknowledgement of these issues amongst many professionals, relevant day‐to‐day practice remains largely dependent on individual views and attitudes. Moreover, practitioners are able to continue with ‘religion‐blind’ and ‘belief‐blind’ approaches without these being significantly challenged by agency policies or by professional cultures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multidisciplinary Child Protection Decision Making About Physical Abuse: Determining Substantiation Thresholds and Biases

The current study examined the threshold at which multidisciplinary child protection team (CPT) professionals substantiate physical abuse allegations and the extent that they utilize potentially biased constructs in their decision making when presented with the same case evidence. State legal definitions of child maltreatment are broad. Therefore, the burden of interpretation is largely on CPT professionals who must determine at what threshold physical acts by parents surpass corporal discipline and constitute child physical abuse. Biased or subjective decisions may be made if certain case-specific characteristics or CPT professionals' personal characteristics are used in making physical abuse determinations. Case vignettes with visual depictions of inflicted injuries were sent to CPT professionals in Florida and their substantiation decisions, personal beliefs about corporal discipline, and coercive discipline were collected. Results of the study demonstrated relatively high agreement among professionals across vignettes about what constitutes physical abuse. Further, CPT professionals strongly considered their perceptions of the severity of inflicted injuries in substantiation decisions. Although case specific characteristics did not bias decisions in a systematic way, some CPT professional characteristics influenced the substantiation of physical abuse. Practice implications and future directions of research are discussed.     

Child Welfare Professionals’ Experiences in Engaging Fathers in Services

The purpose of this exploratory focus group study was to examine child welfare professionals’ (n = 22) experiences with and perspectives towards working with fathers. The six themes that emerged from the thematic analysis contrasted sharply with earlier research findings and indicated that child welfare professionals skillfully engage fathers and that some fathers trust the system and are motivated to be involved. The findings revealed insights about foster fathers and working with foster parents. Unique regional issues also emerged as a factor that affect fathers and families. Recommendations for designing training, especially in areas with limited fatherhood specific services are provided.     

The Crafting of Care: Rationality,Gender and Social Relations in Educational Decision-Making

This article examines discourses on care and the way they operate within four education case conferences. It examines the multiple subject positions afforded to participants in the meetings, and the constitutive aspects of language associated with discourses on care. The paper covers the following domains. Firstly, caring is explored as a specific form of gendered activity within dominant constructions of the family and organizations in contemporary Western (white, heterosexual) society. Secondly, caring is examined as a relationship and a discursive category rather than as an individual attribute. The implications this has for the participants’ identities and roles in the context of the education case conferences are explored. Thirdly, some examples of the way caring operates in specific case conferences are discussed. I conclude by suggesting that caring is employed by women professionals in the meetings discussed, as a way of mystifying differences. In some instances, it seems to function as a coping rhetorical strategy (see Davis 1994), which places a burden of responsibility onto women professionals and may project failure onto mothers and pupils within the meetings.