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Existing studies demonstrate that threat perceptions matter for immigration attitudes. However, while these perceptions are potentially sensitive to information about immigrants' impacts, questions remain about whether inserting such information into public debates changes attitudes and policy preferences—especially on polarizing issues like immigration. Moreover, few studies have considered messages featuring the type of nonphotorealistic visual elements that increasingly appear in media. Using a survey experiment fielded in the United Kingdom, we examined whether evidence about European Union immigrants' modestly positive economic impacts on the United Kingdom—presented either as text, with visualizations, or as an animated film—changed immigration attitudes and policy preferences. Although visual elements did not have an effect over and above text, all the informational treatments moved attitudes and preferences in positive directions, even among Leave voters. Our study brings together research on immigration public opinion and visual media and has implications for policymaking and journalism practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents findings from research aimed at identifying effective approaches to the recruitment and retention of child care workers, conducted to assist the UK Government's Childcare Strategy. The paper explores the practices and views of child care employers, Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs) and child care workers in a range of settings (including day nurseries, playgroups and out-of-school care). Two key issues explored in the paper are the need for greater employer responsibility for increasing diversity in the child care workforce; and for a stronger emphasis on staff retention, through improved human resource practices in parts of the child care sector.

In the last ten years, EU migrants have come to play an important role in the UK labour force. They have become increasingly present in low-skilled occupations, where the largest proportional increase has been migration from Eastern and Central European countries. Drawing on research carried out between November 2015 and July 2016 on the employment of EU migrants in the sectors of hospitality, food and drink and construction, we find that EU migrants have met employers' needs for a flexible labour force but that the use of mobile workers in these sectors is long-standing. The prospect of a reduced supply of EU migrants following the UK's vote to leave the EU and the government's target of reducing net migration poses a challenge for employers. We explore the tension between political pressure and economic need through posing a range of options for new immigration policy post-Brexit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decline in birding visitation to Point Pelee National Park stimulated investigation of recreation specialisation to better prepare programmes for birdwatchers. This research identified characteristics of birdwatchers' at three specialisation levels and advised park managers in the design and management of birding programmes. Research found that the intermediate and expert birders were similar to each other, and were different from the beginners. The beginners were a distinct group, from the more experienced groups, as they were more likely to be in their first year of bird watching, stayed the least number of nights in the local area, had the lowest expenditures, participated more in activities outside the national park, used more sources of information, and participated more in non-birding activities during their trip to the national park. The research found that this beginner group required programmes aimed at an introduction to the park, the regional area, birding, and a wide range of activities and sites. The more experienced birders required specialised programmes on bird identification, bird biology, and bird watching. The research concluded that bird watching management should be an integrated, regional activity, involving many public and private organisations, many of which occur outside the national park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the practices used by law firms to recruit trainees in Great Britain. Importance of work experience and personal contacts; Preference of large law firms for trainees coming from old and elite universities; Suggestion that recruitment practices of law firms disadvantage young people from ethnic minorities and lower social class groups.

This paper explores the effects of changes in funding arrangements, and particularly in tuition fees, on universities and their strategic responses to these changes. Using data from interviews with senior managers in four universities, it finds the most prestigious, pre-1992, university largely unaffected by tuition fees and the others responding to changes in application patterns and intake. However, the effects of tuition fees on university strategy are not easily separated from other changes in the funding of Higher Education, and universities’ strategies were strongly influenced by the need to reduce costs and to generate income. A second major concern of all four universities was quality, both of inputs such as students and staff and of outputs, in degree results and ratings in employability, research, teaching and other activities. Marketing was assuming a position of increasing importance, with universities striving to develop a ‘brand’ to attract students, staff and funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses qualitative data from interviews with university lecturers to explore the effects of changes in financial support on students' demands and expectations. Four main changes were identified: a higher proportion of students enter higher education for career reasons than in the past; students are more interested in vocational aspects of their courses than in academic study; they are less willing to undertake independent study and are more demanding of teaching staff's time. A further change was identified in the extent of part-time working by students which affects attendance and study. The replacement of maintenance grants with loans and introduction of fees were seen to have encouraged 'consumerist' attitudes towards higher education. Changes in attitudes and expectations were also explained with reference to the expansion of higher education. These had adverse effects on university lecturers, with implications for job satisfaction and for recruitment and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]