Recent developments in ‘children's rights’: liberation for whom?

This article reviews some developments in'children's rights' in the 1980s and 1990s. It explores the notion of'children's rights' itself and considers how far an emphasis on children's rights is reflected in different areas of recent government policy relating to children in four different respects. First, the significance of the Children Act 1989 for children's rights is examined. Secondly, there are a number of other areas of policy which may be seen to reinforce childrens's rights. These include changes in the treatment of child witnesses and the gradual prohibition of physical punishment. Thirdly, the Child Support Act 1991 is considered - here, in contrast to other policies, children's rights barely figure at all. Fourthly, the article notes how government policies have tended to exacerbate child poverty, which is also in conflict with children's rights. The article then discusses the ambiguous direction of government policy in relation to children's rights. Two different themes are identified: first, greater autonomy for the child plus protection of child welfare; and secondly, liberation for the state from responsibility for children.     

On the exact distribution of the sum of the largest n−k out of n normal random variables with differing mean values

Motivated by an application in Electrical Engineering, we derive the exact distribution of the sum of the largest n?k out of n normally distributed random variables, with differing mean values. Comparisons are made with two normal approximations to this distribution—one arising from the asymptotic negligibility of the omitted order statistics and one from the theory of L-statistics. The latter approximation is found to be in excellent agreement with the exact distribution.     

New insights into the fertility patterns of recent Polish migrants in the United Kingdom

There have been important changes in the United Kingdom’s fertility and immigration in the past decade, with a large share contributed by migrants from Poland. A detailed understanding of Polish migrant fertility is lacking, however, because the relevant data are not routinely collected. This paper provides new insights into the fertility patterns of Polish migrants in the UK, and compares these patterns with those of other large immigrant groups, the UK-born population and in Poland. We use the UK Labour Force Survey with the Own Children Method, illustrating the potential of survey data for estimating immigrant fertility in settings where other data are unavailable. We first compare the fertility patterns of recent Polish migrants with those of other key recent immigrant groups and the UK-born population; estimating Age-Specific Fertility Rates (ASFRs), and Total Fertility Rates (TFRs), by country of birth for the 2004–2012 period; the proportions in each immigrant group that arrive without children; and of those childless at arrival the proportions of women who go on to have births within a short period after arrival. Next, we compare the ASFRs and TFR for Polish migrant women with those observed in Poland. Our results show that the fertility of Polish migrants is among the lowest for all population subgroups in the UK, and that Polish migrants are less likely to have children soon after arrival than other immigrant groups. The findings are consistent with migration not being so closely linked to family formation for Polish migrants as it is for immigrants in the comparison groups. We also find that the fertility patterns of Polish migrants are different from those observed in Poland with a later childbearing profile and a slightly higher TFR.     

Opportunities Lost––Why Some Parents of Young Children Are Not Well-Connected to the Service Systems Designed to Assist Them

Abstract

Evidence on how to engage isolated parents in formal services tends to rely on professional commentary, practitioner discourse, and parents who use services. It is critical to also hear the perspectives of isolated parents to inform practice and service design, yet there are clearly practical difficulties in researchers talking directly to families who do not use services–– not the least of which is how to find them. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with 20 financially disadvantaged sole parents of young children in the inner north of Canberra who define themselves as not well-connected to services. The study finds that these parents often lack the social networks needed to “introduce” them to services; their contacts with formal services in the past have left them feeling judged and under surveillance, and the services which they regularly “brush up” against miss critical opportunities to link them with avenues for support. A small but significant group who resist all formal services indicate they are most likely to be assisted in everyday environments that are normal and nonstigmatising, rather than through formal agency settings.     

Charting Trends in Rural Sociology: 1986–1995

Abstract Christenson and Garkovich (1985) reported on trends in the first 50 years of Rural Sociology; this note employs a similar analytic framework for the 292 articles and research commentaries published from 1986 to 1995. While particular topics ebb and flow in terms of their importance, there continues to be a consistent focus on the substantive issues of traditional concern. Predictions in 1985 as to what the next retrospective would show proved to be fairly accurate. Applied empirical and quantitative studies continue to dominate the pages of the journal, but other types (e.g., qualitative and historical studies) now appear with greater frequency. The theoretical foundation of rural sociology has been enriched with conceptual frameworks from general sociology and other social sciences. New twists on the traditional concerns of agricultural constituencies and rural community leaders have broadened the range of topics addressed, reflecting the major social structures, processes, and issues currently affecting rural peoples and communities. The article concludes with an interpretation of recent trends and speculations on future directions.     

The mistreatment of older adults: perpetrator-victim relationships and interventions

ABSTRACT The characteristics of the mistreatment of older adults were investigated in a sample of 128 older adults identified as potential mistreatment cases in three community-based agencies in Quebec. Practitioners completed questionnaires to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The study also examined: (1) difficulties in identifying mistreatment, (2) interventions and outcomes, and (3) reasons for the refusal of services. The major finding (with important implications for practice) was the association between type of treatment and perpetrator relationship to victim. The harm reduction model is suggested as a useful approach to guide interventions.     

Ideational conflict: the key to promoting creative activity in the workplace

This article defines the concept of ideational conflict as it applies to the process of identifying a problem and developing a plan of action for resolving the problem. Then the article examines and illustrates how the ideational conflict that is generated by brainstorming can lead to creative thinking that resolves disparate points of view. The illustration extends the generally accepted view of brainstorming and applies it to identifying a problem related to the university/college work environment. The problem situation is that of the loss of high ability faculty and sutdents to other institutions.