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In this paper, we report findings from a qualitative, multidisciplinary analysis of 20 Child Practice Reviews (CPRs) (previously Serious Case Review) in Wales. The reviews were analysed from three different disciplinary perspectives: law, criminology and practice (social work). The following cross‐cutting themes were identified from our coding of the reviews: (i) hierarchy of knowledge, where certain sources of knowledge were privileged over others; (ii) information sharing/recording, where deficiencies of sharing or recording of information were evident; (iii) partial assessment, where certain assessments were not always holistic; and lastly, (iv) voice of the child, where the experience or perspective of the child was not always considered. In addition, our analysis revealed a range of challenges to the CPR process as implemented. This paper is the first to explore themes emerging from (Welsh) CPRs and is also the first to do so from a multidisciplinary perspective. We conclude by highlighting the recommendations for practice, such as the need for greater learning pan‐Wales, regular publication of the major themes emerging from CPRs and the need for deposit of CPRs in a central repository to facilitate learning from reviews. 'Report[s] findings from a qualitative, multidisciplinary analysis of 20 Child Practice Reviews... in Wales' Key Practitioner Messages: There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary training on contemporary data protection requirements as per the General Data Protection Regulation for all safeguarding boards.Creative methods are required to disseminate the messages from Child Practice Reviews more widely.Child Practice Reviews should be deposited and indexed in a central repository to facilitate learning across Wales.Guidance and training for Child Practice Reviews should be revisited, so that the child is repositioned at the centre of the process and the voice of the child is heard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female aggression in night-time economies (NTE) is a relatively under-researched area of criminological inquiry. This article focuses on a group of White, working-class local women (Locals) drawing on a mixed-method qualitative study of 78 women (18–58 years) who participated in the NTE of a Welsh city centre. This article explores the women's accounts and understandings of engaging in aggressive behaviours in this particular situational context. Foregrounding their voices, the research found that stereotypical assumptions surrounding the women's reputation for unprovoked aggression is not supported. Rather, the women themselves understand their aggression as justifiable responses to breaches of shared group norms and values in relation to both reputation and manners. This group of women's aggressive behaviour often was oriented towards maintaining their relationships and loyalty to each other and their group. This further challenges research in which women's violence is framed as a response to or modelled on the behaviour of men. This article reports on a subgroup ('Locals') of a larger study that included two additional female groups, Professionals and Students, the perspectives of which are occasionally included to draw out distinctions with the working-class women focused on here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the 50th anniversary of its original publication, this article revisits The Established and the Outsiders, a largely forgotten and in our view unfairly neglected community study by Elias and Scotson (1965). Drawing from our ethnographic research on an urban community in South Wales, the contemporary significance of the theoretical and empirical contributions to the analysis of insider-outsider relations in bounded, household-based communities made by the original work is foregrounded. The findings from our research on 'Cornerville' confirms many of the empirically based conceptual claims of Elias and Scotson's earlier diagnosis of largely intra-working class relations, distribution of status honour, and processes of micro-sociality. The article concludes by drawing out some of the implications of community-based research for advancing sociological criminology's contribution to the specific analysis of group stigmatization and more broadly of social processes of communal ordering and informal rule-making and rule-breaking in contemporary localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the work of the Street Pastors, a Christian organisation offering support to people in the night time economy (NTE), through the perceptions of students. The role played by this organisation is becoming more important as a shift from policing “by”, “through” and “beyond” to policing from “below” occurs (Jones and Lister, 2015). While the Street Pastors would not regard themselves as “police agents” there is undoubtedly a close connection albeit with geographical variation (Johns et al., 2009b). An evaluation of their activities and of public attitudes particularly around issues of trust is therefore important. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey using the university’s student “portal” invited students to participate. A small incentive was offered, in the form of a prize draw for £50 worth of shopping vouchers. The survey took place during the first part of the Spring term during 2012 (January and February). The study analyses the 361 responses in reference to their knowledge of the Street Pastors, whether they had any “interactions” with them and whether they were regular users of the NTE. Findings – Overwhelmingly respondents were either positive or completely ambivalent about the Street Pastors. The responses to the attitude statements indicated that the Street Pastors are seen as “independent” of police officers. The links between Street Pastors and crime reduction are not clear, however, respondents agreed that the Street Pastors did contribute to safety in the city. Research limitations/implications – There are more than 20,000 students in the city and the findings can therefore be seen as tentative and indicative rather than generalisable to the entire student population. With the increasing emphasis on community involvement in “policing”, the findings from the research does suggest that the street pastor’s voluntary patrols are beneficial in terms of enhancing perceptions of safety. Practical implications – Street Pastors do have an important role in the policing of the NTE, from handing out water and flip flops to comforting those who are in distress. Within the broader “police family” their role can then make a positive contribution to the practical challenges associated with a volatile environment. Social implications – The NTE is associated with considerable public health and safety issues and the contribution of a voluntary group to easing some of these problems is significant. Whilst their presence is not entirely unproblematic, particularly in raising questions of accountability, their activities could be argued to contribute to the well-being of revellers. Originality/value – Research on policing “below” the level of the state is street pastors is an under-explored area. Street pastors have attracted very little attention despite their being a large organisation that are a feature of NTEs throughout the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a model of multi-agency consultation created for social workers and other allied professionals working with Looked After Children. THINKSPACE is based on a reflecting team model as developed by Andersen (1987). This paper describes some of the dilemmas and solutions faced when implementing the model and incorporates feedback from those providing and using the service.THINKSPACE has had a significant impact on creating a shared understanding of a child’s behaviour and needs across agencies, containing the system’s anxiety about a case, and at times ensuring that the relevant agencies are informed and appropriately involved in a child’s care plan. It is a successful example of the Government’s drive for multi-agency working and has allowed professionals to work together effectively across agencies to support some of the most vulnerable Looked After Children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Amy Taylor, Rachel Swann and Fiona Warren report on a study that aimed to explore foster carers' beliefs about the causes of foster children's emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), with a view to creating a theory to explain how this particular group of people make sense of these problems. Fourteen foster carers, with either past or present experience of caring for foster children with EBD, volunteered to take part in an interview to discuss their views. The interviews were transcribed and the data analysed using Grounded Theory methodology (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Nine major causal categories emerged from the data and a theoretical model was constructed to help explicate these categories and the links between them. The results demonstrated that foster carers believed that much of foster children's difficulties were caused by early experiences of adversity (eg abuse) or inadequate care (eg neglect) prior to being fostered. However, there seemed to be a sense that these difficulties could be exacerbated by subsequent experiences within the care system itself. The clinical implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine, from an inmate perspective, their use of drugs and the perceived effect of the prison environment upon their drug using behaviour. Design of the study was an analytic survey, presented to the respondents as an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. The results suggest that the prison environment is not a supportive environment for those individuals that wish to abstain from drug use and indeed for most respondents, actually encouraged drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]