Qualitative exploration of supporting figures in the lives of emerging adults who left care compared with their noncare‐leaving peers

Studies on youth leaving care have emphasized their limited social support and their need for continuing support after emancipation. However, less is known about the nature of their existing social networks after emancipation and their roles during their transition to adulthood compared with their noncare‐leaving peers. With this in mind, 32 young adults aged 18 to 25 participated in semi‐structured interviews regarding their current support figures in order to learn whether they were congruent with their needs after emancipation. Thematic analysis revealed four main features of the two groups' social networks: (a) stability versus uncertainty as to the lasting presence of the supportive figure, (b) reliance on parents as main supportive figures versus relying on different supportive figures, (c) confidence versus uncertainty in the supportive figures' ability to help, and (d) holistic versus fragmented support of the young adults' needs. The discussion addresses the unique characteristics of care leavers in emerging adulthood and the implications of their social networks' features for their adjustment after emancipation. One of the study's recommendations is to proactively connect them to new supportive figures such as professionals or mentors by offering them mentoring programs cognizant of the instrumental and developmental tasks of emerging adulthood.     

Work-related factors associated with psychological distress among social workers

The current study assesses the association between several work-related factors and psychological distress among social workers (SWs) in Israel. The data were collected through structured questionnaires, administered to a sample of 494 SWs. The findings suggest that most of the examined work-related factors (namely, years of professional experience, personal work-related subjection to violence, burnout, compassion fatigue, and sense of coherence), with the exception of compassion satisfaction, significantly predicted psychological distress among SWs. The conclusion is that it is important to embed within the social work practice strategies for reducing sources of psychological distress (job demands) and increasing material, professional, and personal resources. Reducing the levels of psychological distress experienced by SWs will benefit not only themselves, but also their families and colleagues, as well as their clients. Moreover, this has potential benefits for the social work profession and for the general community.     

Everything for the Children: Orphans Growing Up in Informal Adoptive Families in China

Most orphaned children in China are cared for by their extended families or become state wards under the guardianship of child welfare institutions. Some exceptions are children who are found and cared for by families in the community, without a formalized adoption or foster relationship. In some locations, institutions now accept guardianship for these children and support the informal adoptive family to continue to care for them. This article examines the outcomes for these children as they became young adults by comparing these 12 children raised within the system as they approach or have approached young adulthood (now aged 16–40 years-old). Some of the participants were either informally adopted or lived in institutional care. The results of this study found that the family environment was more conducive to the young people’s wellbeing as they approached or entered adulthood. The participants raised in informal care appeared to be treated similar to the biological children in these families. When the institution formalized the state guardianship responsibility, it also meant the families had state resources for support to protect the children’s rights to economic security, education, health care, and social participation. This practice by the institution supported the addition of informal adoption, as one step closer to permanency than foster care. Future implications include considering this option to help promote the family system assisting these children, families, and the state.     

Divorce,living arrangements,and material well-being during the transition to adulthood in rural Malawi

In this paper, we use longitudinal data to investigate how parental death and divorce influence young women’s own experience of divorce in Malawi, a setting where women marry relatively early and unions are fragile. We find that maternal death and parental divorce are positively associated with divorce for young women but, after controlling for socio-demographic and marital characteristics, only the association with maternal death remains statistically significant. Maternal and paternal death are both strongly associated with women’s post-divorce living arrangements, which in turn affects their material well-being. This finding suggests that divorcing at a young age shapes the subsequent life chances of women; although some women return to their parental home and may have the opportunity to reset the transition to adulthood, other women begin their 20s as head of their own household and with considerable material disadvantage.     

北京对外贸易积极应对国外TBT的措施探究

TBT(技术性贸易壁垒)目前严重影响我国产品出口,首都北京的外贸企业也遭遇TBT,形势严峻。为促进北京市对外贸易的可持续发展,探究北京对外贸易应对国外TBT的措施,可分别从企业、政府、行业协会等多角度提出相应的积极对策。     

广西北部湾港集装箱运输发展研究

广西北部湾港集装箱运输区域空间布局已得到进一步优化,表现为集装箱运输分工态势显现以及环北部湾港口集装箱运输格局发生的变化。这种优化得益于钦、防、北三港的整合,政府的政策推动以及路港之间的共同协作。而"一带一路"、中国东盟合作和大规模铁路建设也为北部湾港集装箱运输发展带来了新的机遇。尽管如此,北部湾港集装箱运输却仍然存在着进驻班轮公司少、港口装卸效率低和口岸服务效率不高等问题,并且面临着来自于自腹地内综合运输网络和环北部湾其他港口的挑战。因此,北部湾港集装箱运输应加速打造区域性集装箱枢纽港,加强营销并科学组织货源,大力开展"散改集"业务,加强与国际大型班轮公司的合作,加快中转业务的发展。     

取消民族成份作假考生录取资格的合法性质疑

对于民族成份作假骗取高考加分的考生,教育行政部门作出的取消录取资格的处理,在性质上属于行政处罚,应当遵守《行政处罚法》的有关规定。有关行政规范性文件不属于法的渊源,民族成份作假考生的行为不是应当受到行政处罚的违法行为,对考生实施行政处罚缺乏事实根据。行政规范性文件无权设定行政处罚,依据有关行政规范性文件取消考生录取资格,缺乏法律依据。有关部门取消考生录取资格也没有遵循《行政处罚法》规定的程序,不具有合法性。     

专利法的若干问题及其立法建议

专利法的两次修正使我国专利保护水平在整体上得到了历史性提升。但是 ,某些具体规则的内容尚有值得探讨之处。专利法与合同法对合作发明创造的权利归属规则应协调一致 ;专利申请权与申请专利的权利性质不同 ,转让程序也不同 ,两者不能混淆 ;外观设计专利授权条件中的美感应改为装饰性 ,以反映外观设计的本质特点     

重新重工业化不等于粗放增长和走旧型工业化道路——对吴敬琏研究员相关论述的质疑

霍夫曼定理是已被历史证明的工业化发展的客观规律。重工业并不必然是资源消耗型、环境污染型产业。重工业的发展并不必然是粗放增长、外廷扩大,也不就是坚持走已经过时的旧型工业化道路。中国重新重工业化绕不开,也跨不过。反对重新重工业化,只会延误中国工业化、城镇化、现代化的进程。中国现在还不可能以服务业为主导,而且发展重工业并不排斥服务业特别是生产性服务业的发展。从总体和长期来看,重新开始重工业化有利于就业问题的解决。中国的比较优势已经发生了变化,具备了发展重工业的资本条件。重新重工业化,主要不是政府调节的产物,而是市场调节的结果。现在如果不再次大力发展重工业,到2020年就不可能完成基本实现工业化和城市化的任务。     

解蔽与成圣:荀子认识论新探

荀子明确将自然对象排斥于人的认识领域之外 ,而把认识对象规定为三位一体的“五经”、礼义和道。荀子的认识方法 ,一是通过具有理性思维能力的心灵 ,以静观的方式来认识对象 ;二是认识主体以“行”即践履的方式来把握对象。荀子的认识目标有两个层面 :其一是知性层面的“解蔽” ;其二是德性层面的“成圣”。从上述认识对象、认识方法、认识目标的具体规定来看 ,荀子的认识论是一种“社会道德认识论” ,而不是所谓的朴素唯物主义反映论