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This qualitative study explored how counsellors who work with women currently or formerly involved in sex work perceive these women's future. From May to July 2016, we conducted semi‐structured interviews with 21 counsellors providing psychosocial services in Canadian agencies with recognized mandates to support such women. The interview protocol was based on the Possible Selves Mapping Interview, adapted to explore the counsellors' hopes and fears for these clients. We subjected the interview transcripts to an interpretive descriptive analysis. Our findings centred on three themes: the counsellors' hopes for their clients' future, in light of their personal and social resources; the counsellors' fears about the cumulative devastating effects that their clients' work environment might have on them; and the counsellors' fears that these women would lose hope for the future. This study clearly demonstrates the importance of addressing the safety and well‐being of women involved in sex work and of recognizing the impacts of social inequalities and structural barriers on these women's life paths. The implications of these findings for policies and practices are discussed at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homelessness is an ongoing societal and public health problem in Canada and other countries. Housing services help homeless individuals along the transition towards stable housing, yet few studies have assessed factors that predict change in individual housing trajectories. This study identified predictors of change in housing status over 12 months for a sample of 270 currently or formerly homeless individuals using emergency shelters, temporary housing (TH) or permanent housing (PH) resources in Quebec. Participants recruited from 27 community or public organisations were interviewed between January and September 2017, and again 12 months later. Sociodemographic variables, housing history, health conditions, service use and client satisfaction were measured. Directors and programme coordinators from the selected organisations also completed a baseline questionnaire measuring strictness in residential codes of living/conduct, interorganisational collaboration and overall budget. Independent variables were organised into predisposing, enabling and needs factors, based on the Gelberg‐Andersen Behavioral Model. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to test associations with the dependent variable: change in housing status over 12 months, whether positive (e.g. shelter to TH) or negative (e.g. PH to shelter). Predictors of positive change in housing status were as follows: residing in PH, being female, having children (predisposing factors); having consulted a psychologist, higher frequency in use of public ambulatory services (enabling factors); and not having physical illnesses (needs factor). The findings support strategies for helping this clientele obtain and maintain stable housing. They include deploying case managers to promote access to public ambulatory services, mainly among men or individuals without children who are less likely to seek help; greater use of primary care mental health teams; the establishment of more suitable housing for accommodating physical health problems; and reinforcing access to subsidised PH programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this paper was to examine leadership practices in effective schools located in economically disadvantaged areas of three Canadian provinces: Ontario, Qu'ebec, and New Brunswick. Research Design. Our study was conducted in five successful schools selected on the basis of student outcomes on province-wide standardized exams, as well as on some risk factors such as rural area, low socioeconomic level, and proportion of Francophones (Ontario and New Brunswick). To increase the study's validity, we used triangulation and various data sources: (1) individual interviews; (2) observation of school principals; (3) field documentation; (4) student essays; (5) internal school documents such as mission statement, rules, and directives. Participants. Participants included Department of Education heads and school board administrators, school principals and vice principals, teachers, school counsellors, educational psychologists, parent school board members, and students. Findings. Results show that leadership practices in effective schools can be grouped together around five dimensions: establishing goals and expectations; strategic resourcing; curriculum planning, coordination, and evaluation; promoting and participating in teacher supervision and development; ensuring order and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Our aim was to investigate direct-care nurses' interests in formal management roles and factors that facilitate their decision-making. Background Based on a projected shortage of nurses by 2022, the profession could be short of 4200 nurse managers in Canada within the next decade. However, no data are currently available that identify nurses' interests in assuming manager roles. Methods Using focus group methodology, we conducted 18 focus groups with 125 staff nurses and managers in four regions across Canada. Results Major themes and subthemes influencing nurses' decisions to pursue management roles included personal demographic (education, age, clinical experience and life circumstances), personal disposition (leadership skills, intrinsic rewards and professional commitment) and situation (leadership development opportunities, manager role perceptions and presence of mentors). Although nurses see management roles as positive opportunities, they did not perceive the rewards to be great enough to outweigh their concerns. Conclusions Findings suggested that organizations need to provide support, leadership development and succession opportunities and to redesign manager roles for optimum success. Implications for nursing management Leaders need to ensure that they convey positive images of manager roles and actively identify and support staff nurses with leadership potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognising their valuable role as key informants, this study examines the perspectives of front-line palliative care providers (FLPCP) regarding a social benefit programme in Canada designed to support family caregivers at end-of-life, namely the Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB). The CCB's purpose is to provide income assistance and job security to family caregivers who take temporary leave from employment to care for a dying family member. Contributing to an evaluative study that aims to provide policy-relevant recommendations about the CCB, this analysis draws on semi-structured interviews undertaken in 2007/2008 with FLPCPs ( n = 50) from across Canada. Although participants were not explicitly asked during interviews about their expectations of the CCB, thematic content analysis revealed 'expectations' as a key finding. Through participants' discussions of their knowledge of and familiarity with the CCB, specific expectations were identified and grouped into four categories: (1) temporal; (2) financial; (3) informational; and (4) administrative. Findings demonstrate that participants expect the CCB to provide: (1) an adequate length of leave time from work, which is reflective of the uncertain nature of caregiving at end-of-life; (2) adequate financial support; (3) information on the programme to be disseminated to FLPCPs so that they may share it with others; and (4) a simple, clear, and quick application process. FLPCPs hold unique expertise, and ultimately the power to shape uptake of the CCB. As such, their expectations of the CCB contribute valuable knowledge from which relevant policy recommendations can be made to better meet the needs of family caregivers and FLPCPs alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that preventive and health promotion (PHP) services offered by community health centres are often vulnerable in times of health reform or budgetary cutbacks. The present study was conducted in Québec, Canada, approximately 10 years after the start of a major transformation of health care services. The objectives were: (1) to examine the diversity of infant/toddler prevention and health promotion services offered by centres locaux de services communautaires (CLSCs, local community health and social services centres); and (2) to investigate the organisational and environmental correlates of such diversity. All Québec CLSCs were invited to complete a survey questionnaire regarding their PHP services (response rate = 69%). Data on environmental and organisational factors were extracted from existing Québec government data sets. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the correlates of the CLSCs’ level of diversity of PHP services. The results revealed that CLSCs varied greatly in terms of their diversity of PHP services. The number of full-time equivalents in the Child and Family Services Programme (one of two programmes aimed at reaching the targeted clientele) and the degree of CLSC collaboration with other community-based organisations in the planning and delivery of PHP activities were positively associated with the level of diversity, whereas the unemployment rate in the population served was a negative predictor. This study makes an important contribution in being one of the very few which contribute to building our knowledge about the performance of community health centres. Identifying the correlates of diversity among PHP services offered by CLSCs helps us to begin to understand the processes at work in the production of PHP activities, as well as the potential leveraging forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In 1998, a 5-year research project was begun to address the lack of information on the life history of St Lawrence River Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus ), an important commercial species in Québec, Canada. Since 1994, restrictive fishing regulations have been progressively imposed regarding season, size limit, quota and gear in the commercial fishery in order to increase spawner escapement. In this study, gill net sampling permitted the catch of 209 sturgeon over a 3-year period; among the 184 fish released with spaghetti tags, 69 were equipped with ultrasonic transmitters. Reproductive males ranged in size from 137 to 190 cm fork length (FL), and in age from 16 to 26 years. Size range of reproductive and maturing females were, respectively, 190–200 cm and 167–199 cm FL. No ages were available for the females. Using telemetry data, it was estimated that the spawning interval could be at least 3 years or more for a large majority of males. In the research catch, 88% of the adults were over the maximum permitted size limit of 150 cm FL. Recapture of telemetered sturgeon by commercial fishers was 10%; 100% survival rate was observed after handling. Biological characteristics of this northern population, slow growth, first spawning at old age and the long spawning interval means many years of exposure to the fishery before and after first spawning. It is concluded that regulations about season, quota and gear are not sufficient in and of themselves to protect spawners against exploitation, but the obligation to release all sturgeon larger than 150 cm, together with the other measures, is an effective means to protect the adult segment of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary With fluctuating landings, Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus ) have been commercially harvested for decades in the St Lawrence River Estuary in Canada. During this period, younger fishermen replaced their senior colleagues with more active fishing methods that must be considered in order to assess the situation of the Atlantic sturgeon. The species is sought for its flesh only, not for caviar (females with ripened eggs are rarely caught). At present, better management of this fishery is limited by the lack of basic knowledge on population dynamics (e.g. mortality, recruitment, fecundity and spawning periodicity) and habitat requirements. The spawning grounds have yet to be identified and the impact of navigation channel dredging on fish habitat is unknown, but under study. The fishery is now strictly regulated and tends to protect the reproductive segment of the population. Regulatory measures have been progressively implemented to reduce mortality and limit fishing to a maximum of 60 metric tonnes. Regulatory measures include shorter seasons, a quota for each fishing zone, selected mesh size, identification and length limitations of the gill nets, a 150 cm fork length maximum size, and tagging and registration of all fish. Between 1994 and 2000, commercial fishing operations were monitored to measure the effectiveness of regulations. Length-frequencies have been evaluated and catch per unit effort calculated in addition to recording all other relevant observations possibly useful in interpreting results. Ages were assigned using the pectoral fin spine. Results show adult fish, especially males, ready for reproduction, but also an ageing sturgeon population with few recruits to sustain the future fishery, possibly a result of habitat problems and overfishing in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]