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This paper aims to overview the main topics discussed in the academic papers related to public policies and corporate sustainability. Based on the literature, our scope is to set up a framework for future research on public policies and corporate sustainability by constructing bibliometric networks. The study will evidence the authors with some of the most important research in this field, based on the citations of their papers, and the countries with the highest number of publications and citations. Through the VOSviewer software we studied the topic of corporate sustainability and public policy based on keywords, citations, geographical distribution, and authorship. After observing 289 papers indexed in Web of Science, we found as frequent keywords corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, performance, management, legitimacy, or disclosure. The highest number of papers were published in American Journals, but also in England, Australia and Canada, but the most cited papers were the American and Canadian ones. Finally, T. Sueyoshi and M. E. Porter are the most cited authors for papers on corporate sustainability and public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking its cue from recent government advice on design, and referring back to previously published work on the history of design control, this paper reviews the state of urban design in contemporary planning practice in England. It focuses primarily upon more recent development since 1985 through the Conservatives' Quality Initiatives, New Labour's Urban Renaissance, and an unprecedented flow of design advice (from CABE). It asks a rhetorical question: is 'good design indivisible from good planning' as government policy now proclaims, or does it remain largely invisible by virtue of a potent mix of political short-termism, economic imperatives and low skill levels. The paper reflects on the evolution of design control practices from obsession with elevations through to broader notions of urban design and the public realm, place making and now the pursuit of sustainable urban forms. It reflects on the relatively new consensus about appropriate urban design principles and practices, and the widening scope of government advice. However, it questions whether the majority of local councils are adequately committed to positive planning and proactive development management, and whether local planning authorities have the resources, skills and policy/guidance frameworks to deliver the high-quality, sustainable urban design and place making to which central government now aspires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The English Public Health White Paper proposes introducing smoke-free workplaces except in pubs and bars that do not prepare and serve food. The bar area will be non-smoking in exempted pubs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) in Great Britain study was conducted during 2017–2019 comprising three country studies: BBF England, Wales and Scotland. It was part of an international project being coordinated during the same period by the Yale School of Public Health across five world regions to inform countries and guide policies to improve the environment for the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding. This paper reports on the application of the BBF process that is based on an implementation science approach, across the countries that constitute Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). The process involves assessing 54 benchmarks across eight interlocking gears that drive a country's 'engine' towards a sustainable policy approach to supporting, promoting and protecting breastfeeding. It takes a consensus‐oriented approach to the evaluation of benchmarks and the development of recommendations. This paper provides a critical overview of how the process was conducted, the findings and recommendations that emerged and how these were managed. We draw on critical theory as a theoretical framework for explaining the different outcomes for each country and some considerations for future action. Key messages: Undertaking an international, comparable approach to develop evidence‐based policy recommendations for scaling up the breastfeeding environment can provide useful data on which to draw explanations and conclusions on national variation.The findings from the BBF process across England, Scotland and Wales suggest that improving breastfeeding in Great Britain is dependent on the degree of political will and having a coordinated national breastfeeding strategy in place or not, along with access to robust breastfeeding data.A critical theory lens helps to bring to light some differences in the research and policy process that can explain differences between countries in the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, there has been a growing trend towards the use of 'big qualitative data' in applied health research, particularly when used as part of mixed methods evaluations of health policy in England. These 'big qualitative' studies tend to be longitudinal, complex (multi-site and multi-stakeholder) and involve the use of multiple methods (interviews, observations, documents) and large numbers of participants (n = 100+). Despite their growing popularity, there is no methodological guidance or methodological reflection on how to undertake such studies. Qualitative researchers are therefore faced with a series of unknowns when designing large qualitative studies, particularly in terms of knowing whether existing qualitative sampling and analysis methods are appropriate in this context. In this paper, we use our experience of undertaking a big qualitative study, as part of a national mixed methods evaluation of a health policy in England to reflect on some of the key challenges that we faced in our qualitative study, which broadly related to: sample size, data analysis and the role of patient and public engagement. Underpinning these difficulties was the challenge of being flexible and innovative within the largely positivist research climate of applied health research and being comfortable with uncertainty relating to the three issues outlined. The reflections we present are not to be viewed as a method 'how to' guide, but rather as a platform to raise key issues relating to the qualitative methods that we found challenging, in order to stimulate discussion and debate amongst the qualitative community. Through this paper, we therefore hope to demystify what it is like to undertake such a study and hope to spark much needed discussion and innovation to support the future design and conduct of qualitative research at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nature policy may be integrated through Local Environmental Governance Organisations. • Two separate movements drive nature recovery: local initiatives and government policy. • Natural Cambridgeshire brings stakeholders together but needs secure core funding. • Central government should adopt a framework to support local environmental governance. There are demands on land to provide a variety of ecosystem services alongside agricultural products. In the absence of markets, delivery is generally overseen through separate agencies. However, synergies and trade-offs amongst ecosystem services and variation across space lead to different priorities and opportunities in different areas. This creates a complex challenge for governance and implies a need to devolve decision-making. The objective of this paper is to explore the devolution of decision-making through the introduction of Local Environmental Governance Organisations (LEGO). A LEGO would assemble evidence on natural capital and co-ordinate stakeholders to identify local priorities. It would search for synergies and collaborative partnerships and raise funds to support priority actions. The paper first sets out a theoretical framework to identify the elements required for local governance. It then proposes two alternatives: a 'national park' approach for areas of higher environmental quality and a 'local nature partnership' approach elsewhere. The paper then provides a case study of Natural Cambridgeshire, a local nature partnership in England, as a potential LEGO, assessing the extent to which it meets the requirements identified. It has already done much to develop a stakeholder community and has begun to establish priorities for nature enhancement. However, it lacks programmes and long term funding that can incentivise the necessary actions or a forum that can bring together partners for Nature-based Solutions at scale. Central government would need to establish a framework for the operation of a system of LEGOs. It would also continue to support national standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prisons offer policymakers an opportunity to address the pre-existing high prevalence of physical and mental health issues among prisoners. This notion has been widely integrated into international and national prison health policies, including the Healthy Prisons Agenda, which calls for governments to address the health needs of prisoners and safeguard their health entitlement during imprisonment, and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 concerning reducing inequality among disadvantaged populations. However, the implementation of the austerity policy in the United Kingdom since the re-emergence of the global financial crisis in 2008 has impeded this aspiration. This interdisciplinary paper critically evaluates the impact of austerity on prison health. The aforementioned policy has obstructed prisoners' access to healthcare, exacerbated the degradation of their living conditions, impeded their purposeful activities and subjected them to an increasing level of violence. This paper calls for alternatives to imprisonment, initiating a more informed economic recovery policy, and relying on transnational and national organizations to scrutinize prisoners' entitlement to health. These systemic solutions could act as a springboard for political and policy discussions at national and international forums with regard to improving prisoners' health and simultaneously meeting the aspirations of the Healthy Prisons Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are likely to be differences in alcohol consumption levels and patterns across local areas within a country, yet survey data is often collected at the national or sub-national/regional level and is not representative for small geographic areas. Methods: This paper presents a method for reweighting national survey data—the Health Survey for England—by combining survey and routine data to produce simulated locally representative survey data and provide statistics of alcohol consumption for each Local Authority in England. Results: We find a 2-fold difference in estimated mean alcohol consumption between the lightest and heaviest drinking Local Authorities, a 4.5-fold difference in abstention rates, and a 3.5-fold difference in harmful drinking. The method compares well to direct estimates from the data at regional level. Conclusions: The results have important policy implications in itself, but the reweighted data can also be used to model local policy effects. This method can also be used for other public health small area estimation where locally representative data are not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the decision of the House of Lords in Re F in [1990] clarified somewhat the law concerning the treatment of the mentally incapacitated adult, many uncertainties remained. This paper explores proposals discussed in a recent government green paper for reform of the law in an area involving many difficult ethical dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community mental healthcare has significantly grown since de-institutionalization. Despite progress, service fragmentation and gaps in service provision remain key barriers to effective community care in England. Recent mental healthcare policies highlighted the need to transform service provision by developing patient-centred, joined-up community mental healthcare. In response to policy guidance, a system-wide community mental healthcare model was developed in Peterborough (England). The "Peterborough Exemplar" is based on two main pillars: (1) the creation of knowledge exchange pathways to strengthen interorganizational relationships, and (2) the development of new, accessible community services addressing existing service gaps. This paper presents the protocol developed to evaluate the Peterborough Exemplar.Methods: A quasi-experimental design with an intervention group and a nonequivalent comparator group has been developed to compare service provision provided in Peterborough pre- and post-intervention with services provided in Fenland, a neighbouring area where service users access usual care. Two evaluation methods will be employed to compare service provision between the two groups: (1) outcome measures completed by service users and carers will be analysed to assess quality of life and service satisfaction, and (2) service activity data will be analysed to assess service usage. In addition, qualitative interviews will be conducted with staff members of participating organizations to explore the implementation of the Exemplar in Peterborough and evaluate knowledge exchange processes among local service providers. A matched control approach will be used to compare outcome measures between the two areas. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests, will be used to analyse service activity data and examine differences between the two areas. A thematic analysis will be adopted to analyse qualitative data.Discussion: Outcomes of the evaluation will contribute to understanding the contribution of the Peterborough Exemplar on mental health service provision locally. Evaluation findings and intermediate reporting will be shared with organizations involved in the implementation of the Peterborough Exemplar and with local decision-makers to inform the Exemplar delivery. As the Peterborough Exemplar is an Early Implementer (EI) site funded by NHS England, findings will be shared with policy-makers to inform national policy on community mental healthcare and integrated care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) Programme was designed to promote the digitisation of hospital services in England. Selected provider organisations that were reasonably digitally-mature were funded with the expectation that they would achieve internationally recognised levels of excellence and act as exemplars ('GDE sites') and share their learning with somewhat less digitally-mature Fast Follower (FF) sites. Aims: This paper explores how partnerships between GDE and FF sites have promoted knowledge sharing and learning between organisations. Methods: We conducted an independent qualitative longitudinal evaluation of the GDE Programme, collecting data across 36 provider organisations (including acute, mental health and speciality), 12 of which we studied as in-depth ethnographic case studies. We used a combination of semi-structured interviews with programme leads, vendors and national policy leads, non-participant observations of meetings and workshops, and analysed national and local documents. This allowed us to explore both how inter-organisational learning and knowledge sharing was planned, and how it played out in practice. Thematic qualitative analysis, combining findings from diverse data sources, was facilitated by NVivo 11 and drew on sociotechnical systems theory. Results: Formally established GDE and FF partnerships were perceived to enhance learning and accelerate adoption of technologies in most pairings. They were seen to be most successful where they had encouraged, and were supported by, informal knowledge networking, driven by the mutual benefits of information sharing. Informal networking was enhanced where the benefits were maximised (for example where paired sites had implemented the same technological system) and networking costs minimised (for example by geographical proximity, prior links and institutional alignment). Although the intervention anticipated uni-directional learning between exemplar sites and 'followers', in most cases we observed a two-way flow of information, with GDEs also learning from FFs, through informal networking which also extended to other health service providers outside the Programme. The efforts of the GDE Programme to establish a learning ecosystem has enhanced the profile of shared learning within the NHS. Conclusions: Inter-organisational partnerships have produced significant gains for both follower (FF) and exemplar (GDE) sites. Formal linkages were most effective where they had facilitated, and were supported by, informal networking. Informal networking was driven by the mutual benefits of information sharing and was optimised where sites were well aligned in terms of technology, geography and culture. Misalignments that created barriers to networking between organisations in a few cases were attributed to inappropriate choice of partners. Policy makers seeking to promote learning through centrally directed mechanisms need to create a framework that enables networking and informal knowledge transfer, allowing local organisations to develop bottom-up collaboration and exchanges, where they are productive, in an organic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an argument for the abolition of child imprisonment in England and Wales. England and Wales is not Ireland, but the cultural and social similarities suggest that children face a great deal of the same pressures, difficulties, trials and tribulations regardless of which side of the Irish Sea they live on. Therefore, it may provide a useful analogy for Irish policy makers. The paper argues that the incarceration of children has a wide range of negative effects on children and is provided at an excessive cost to the exchequer. Restorative justice is put forward as a viable alternative which is highly cost effective and has yielded positive results in terms of recidivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urban environments impact negatively on the risks of non-communicable diseases and perpetuate health inequalities. Against this, law could play a critical role, notably through implementing and securing visions of health and well-being, and evidence-based interventions. Methods: Seven teams conducted 123 interviews with 132 actors in urban planning in England. Teams had expertise in urban planning, transport, real estate, public health, public policy, administration, and management. An additional team with expertise in law analysed data from all interviews to explore how the law is perceived and used to promote health in urban planning. Results: Six issues were identified as preventing actors from using the law to improve health in urban planning: (i) density and complexity of the law; (ii) weak and outdated regulatory standards; (iii) absence of health from legal requirements in the decision-making process; (iv) inconsistent interpretations by actors with competing interests; (v) lack of strong health evidence-based local planning policies; and (vi) inertia of the law. Conclusions: The legal determinants of health listed in the Lancet-O'Neill Commission's report need to be strengthened at the local level to effectively deploy law in English urban development. The findings call for strong, evidence-based local planning policies and decision-making frameworks, placing health as (one of the) core value(s) of urban planning and showing what types of development benefit health, i.e., prevent NCDs risks and reduce health inequalities on the long term. The legal capacity of local government should be strengthened to empower decision-makers in shaping urban development that promotes health for everyone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the experiences of predominantly black minority ethnic (BME) students navigating their way from further education (FE) college Access courses to undergraduate social work programmes. It discusses tensions associated with balancing academic and professional entry requirements for social work education with principles of social justice enshrined in policy to widen participation to higher education (HE) and to the professions for those from less privileged social backgrounds. Drawing upon her doctoral study (Dillon, 2010a, 2010b) and insights from social reproduction, life course development and critical race theories, the author argues that entry to social work education is not without problems for some students. The central contention of this paper is that increased competition for social work education places and an overemphasis on academic qualifications and credentials may have had some unintended consequences for less privileged students, but particularly for BME students. The introduction of new national social work admission criteria giving equal weighting to academic and non-academic skills related to life course experiences and other ‘softer skills’ denoting personal suitability for social work is advocated to address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is based on a literature review undertaken for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2004 (Buchanan et al., 2004) on the impact of government policy in England and Wales for children aged from birth to thirteen at high risk of social exclusion as recorded up until May 2004. It describes the concept of 'social exclusion'; its meaning for children; the aims of government policy; the specific impact of government policy on vulnerable families and children in need (including children needing child protection and all 'looked after' children) as defined by the 1989 Children Act. The paper demonstrates that although progress has been made, there are still major areas of concern. The more discursive parts at the end of the paper reflect the views of the author and later thinking, and were not part of the original submission to the Social Exclusion Unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the need for integrated social services that cross organizational and professional boundaries, and the focus on risk assessment as present in this issue of "British Journal of Social Work." He notes that the government in England and Wales has had success in reducing child poverty, increasing employment rates, and improving tax credit levels.

Objective: To prioritise policy actions for government to improve the food environment and contribute to reduced obesity and related diseases.Design: Cross-sectional study applying the Food Environment Policy Index (Food EPI) in two stages. First, the evidence on all relevant policies was compiled, through an Internet search of government documents, and reviewed for accuracy and completeness by government officials. Second, independent experts were brought together to identify critical gaps and prioritise actions to fill those gaps, through a two-stage rating process.Setting: England.Subjects: A total of seventy-three independent experts from forty-one organisations were involved in the exercise.Results: The top priority policy actions for government identified were: (i) control the advertising of unhealthy foods to children; (ii) implement the levy on sugary drinks; (iii) reduce the sugar, fat and salt content in processed foods (leading to an energy reduction); (iv) monitor school and nursery food standards; (v) prioritise health and the environment in the 25-year Food and Farming Plan; (vi) adopt a national food action plan; (vii) monitor the food environment; (viii) apply buying standards to all public institutions; (ix) strengthen planning laws to discourage less healthy food offers; and (x) evaluate food-related programmes and policies.Conclusions: Applying the Food EPI resulted in agreement on the ten priority actions required to improve the food environment. The Food EPI has proved to be a useful tool in developing consensus for action to address the obesity epidemic among a broad group of experts in a complex legislative environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of living wages on organisational pay systems.Design/methodology/approach The research draws on 23 semi-structured interviews with HR managers, trade union representatives, and politicians at four UK local government case study sites.Findings The findings suggest that living wages can have a positive impact on directly employed workers in cleaning, catering and care services, but the research also finds that the localised adoption of living wages can lead to significant wage compression, resulting in a broad band of “low skill-low wage jobs”.Originality/value The theoretical contribution is twofold. In-line with earlier research the “first-order” effects of living wages are clear: hourly wages for a large number of women in part-time roles increased sharply. However, this is only part of the story as “second-order” effects such as ripples and spill-overs are less extensive than suggested by other studies. This is due to the limited scope for trade unions to restore wage differentials through collective bargaining, the slow progress in extending the living wage to contracted staff, and parallel processes of downsizing and outsourcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current policies on neighbourhood renewal in England are unrecognisable from those that were in place ten years ago. In this paper, I argue that this is not because Labour's policies failed. Indeed there is a clear picture both of absolute improvement in the poorest neighbourhoods and closing gaps with other neighbourhoods, although large gaps still remained. However, despite this, Labour changed its mind over neighbourhood renewal, losing sight of what this policy regime was for, as distinct from policies on economic regeneration. The Coalition has, in important respects, picked up the baton laid down by Gordon Brown, although not the one carried by Tony Blair. Those who would like to see a return to some of the aspects of neighbourhood renewal policy pursued in the early 2000s need, therefore, to revisit fundamental arguments about policy purposes, as well as the mechanisms by which policies are pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debates surrounding the ostensibly ‘transformative’ potential of personalisation for social work services, and service users, have variously illustrated the risks and opportunities this presents, although the implications for criminal justice social work services have received comparatively limited attention. By extending the concept of ‘service user’ to include not only offenders, but wider stakeholders (victims and communities), this paper considers the practical application of theories of personalisation and co-production by reviewing proposed and extant strategies for maximising stakeholder involvement in criminal justice services. It is argued that, in progressing beyond the more individualistic interpretations of this somewhat controversial reform agenda—in prioritising not only the individual, their rights, strengths and subjective identities, but locating the individual in situ, in the concrete realities and textures of their lives and communities—the strength of the personalisation agenda rests in its potential to develop and strengthen the collective organisation of service users, service providers and communities in a co-productive endeavour. It is argued that both this reading and the principles underpinning it resonate more widely with the empirical and theoretical literature on just and effective penal practices and, in so doing, this paper exposes the complexities that lie behind the apparent simplicity of this argument. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper critically reflects on policy developments and debates in England in relation to child protection and safeguarding over the past twenty years. It argues that the period from the early 1990s to late 2008 saw policy change in significant ways. The state developed a much broader focus of concern about what constituted risk to children and what the role of professionals should be in relation to this; increasingly, the emphasis was upon ‘safeguarding’ rather than ‘child protection’. However, the period since late 2008 has not only seen the focus shift more centrally to child protection, but there has been a renewed official priority given to social work. These developments have been given an added impetus with the election of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government in May 2010. The paper concludes by considering the current state and possible future directions for child protection and safeguarding in England and the role of social work in this. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes an innovative systems methodology for evaluating child protection social work practice and improving organisational learning. It draws on learning in other high-risk areas where the importance of understanding performance in context has been recognised. Using a case study for illustration, the methodology is presented. This evaluative approach engages management, staff, service users and other stakeholders in assessing the factors that influence practice and outcomes. The data collection tools developed included surveys to reach staff, multi-agency professionals and service users, together with in-depth interviews to get a deep understanding of causal factors and their interactions. Data included organisational cultural factors that influence the effectiveness of decision making, improve patterns of interaction with families and other professionals, remove constraints on practice, help prioritisation and improve consistency of care. The paper discusses some of the practical implications of applying the instruments, such as avoiding bias and dealing with unresponsiveness. It also supports the gathering of feedback from vulnerable service users. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background In November 2008, the Secretary of State for Health (England) commissioned an independent review to propose effective strategies for reducing health inequalities. Review task groups were given just 3 months to make preliminary evidence-based recommendations. In this paper, we describe the methodology used, and the recommendations made, by the group tasked with inequalities in priority public health conditions. Methods A series of rapid literature reviews of the policy-relevant international evidence base was undertaken. Quantitative studies of any design, which looked at the effects on health inequalities, the social gradient or overall population health effects, of interventions designed to address the social determinants of selected public health priority conditions were examined. Recommendations were distilled using a Delphi approach. Results Five key policy proposals were made: reduce smoking in the most deprived groups; improve availability of and access to healthier food choices amongst low income groups; improve the early detection and treatment of diseases; introduce a minimum price per unit for alcohol and improve the links between physical and mental health care. Conclusion The combination of rapid review and Delphi distillation produced a shortlist of evidence-based recommendations within the allocated time frame. There was a dearth of robust evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the interventions we examined: our proposals had to be based on extrapolation from general population health effects. Extensive, specific and robust evidence is urgently needed to guide policy and programmes. In the meantime, our methodology provides a reasonably sound and pragmatic basis for evidence-based policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Driven by a concern about the negative side effects of ethnic concentration neighbourhoods, many European governments aim to create more ethnically and socio-economically mixed neighbourhoods. At the same time, housing policy aims to give tenants more choice in how and where they live. The objectives of these two policies might conflict as offering people choice has the potential to increase self-segregation, especially across ethnic groups. This paper studies the effect of choice-based letting on (self) segregation in housing association stock in England. We analyse whether households who let their property under choice-based letting end up in neighbourhoods with different levels of ethnic concentrations than households who are matched to a dwelling using the traditional allocation system. We focus on how the effect of choice-based letting differs for ethnic minority households and non-ethnic minority households. Using unique data on all lettings made in the housing association sector in England in 2006/2007 and an ordered logit regression model we show that ethnic minority households are more likely to let a property in an ethnic concentration neighbourhood than non-ethnic minority households. Ethnic minorities letting their property under choice-based letting are the most likely to accept a dwelling in an ethnic concentration neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at how steps are being taken to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers across England. The broad task of meeting these needs requires evidence from specialist needs assessments to be incorporated within the usual route of land allocation as part of local authorities' Local Planning Documents and Regional Spatial Strategy. The paper takes these steps into consideration and explores how evidence is being created, made sense of, integrated and validated in order to achieve evidence-based planning policy. This system is still developing and reconciling evidence is proving challenging for many regions and localities. The paper concludes that ultimately more robust 'evidence' is required - although it is clear that 'evidence' will never be the sole basis for decisions in such a contentious area of policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the Children Act 2004 and the launch of the ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ programme, England has embarked on the most ambitious changes in children's services for over a generation. While the government presented the changes as a response to the Laming Report into the death of Victoria Climbié, they are much more than this. They build on a number of ideas and policies that had been developed over a number of years, which emphasize the importance of intervening in children's lives at an early stage in order to prevent problems in later life. This paper provides a critical analysis of the assumptions that underpin the changes and argues that the relationships between parents, children, professionals, and the state, and their respective responsibilities, are being reconfigured as a result, and that the priority given to the accumulation, monitoring, and exchange of electronic information has taken on a central significance. What we are witnessing is the emergence of the ‘preventive-surveillance’ state, where the role of the state is becoming broader, more interventive, and regulatory at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the governance of families in the context of a political philosophy that endorses a rights perspective in social policy and the need to promote transparent government. The status of parenting as a function of government has grown substantially under the present Labour administration and now commands cross-party support as a priority issue. However, it would be wrong to claim that there is a national consensus regarding the role of the state in supporting and regulating families in their upbringing of children. This paper assesses current parental rights and responsibilities in relation to financial support, and the physical and emotional care and control of children. Emerging themes and ambiguities are drawn out, and consideration is given to the need for a strategic policy statement embracing the broad ambit of government legislation, discussion documents, and commentaries. In conclusion, the case is made for a regular policy review and for a national debate as to whether there should an official statement of parents’ rights and responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although young people's transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) in England is a significant health issue for service users, commissioners and providers, there is little evidence available to guide service development. The TRACK study aims to identify factors which facilitate or impede effective transition from CAHMS to AMHS. This paper presents findings from a survey of transition protocols in Greater London. Methods: A questionnaire survey (Jan-April 2005) of Greater London CAMHS to identify transition protocols and collect data on team size, structure, transition protocols, population served and referral rates to AMHS. Identified transition protocols were subjected to content analysis. Results: Forty two of the 65 teams contacted (65%) responded to the survey. Teams varied in type (generic/targeted/in-patient), catchment area (locality-based, wider or national) and transition boundaries with AMHS. Estimated annual average number of cases considered suitable for transfer to AMHS, per CAMHS team (mean 12.3, range 0-70, SD 14.5, n = 37) was greater than the annual average number of cases actually accepted by AMHS (mean 8.3, range 0-50, SD 9.5, n = 33). In April 2005, there were 13 active and 2 draft protocols in Greater London. Protocols were largely similar in stated aims and policies, but differed in key procedural details, such as joint working between CAHMS and AMHS and whether protocols were shared at Trust or locality level. While the centrality of service users' involvement in the transition process was identified, no protocol specified how users should be prepared for transition. A major omission from protocols was procedures to ensure continuity of care for patients not accepted by AMHS. Conclusion: At least 13 transition protocols were in operation in Greater London in April 2005. Not all protocols meet all requirements set by government policy. Variation in protocol-sharing organisational units and transition process suggest that practice may vary. There is discontinuity of care provision for some patients who 'graduate' from CAMHS services but are not accepted by adult services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The English Learning and Skills Sector (LSS) contains a highly diverse range of learners and covers all aspects of post-16 learning with the exception of higher education. In the research on which this paper is based we are concerned with the effects of policy on three types of learners - unemployed adults attempting to improve their basic skills in community learning settings, younger learners on Level 1 and 2 courses in further education colleges, and employees in basic skills provision in the workplace. What is distinctive about all three groups is that they have historically failed in, or been failed by, compulsory education. What is interesting is that they are constructed as 'problem learners' in learning and skills sector policy documents. We use data from 194 learner interviews, conducted during 2004/5, in 24 learning sites in London and the North East of England, to argue that government policy assumptions about these learners may only be 'half right'. We argue that such assumptions might be leading to half-right policy based on incomplete understandings or surface views of learner needs that are more politically constructed than real. We suggest that policy-makers should focus more on systemic problems in the learning and skills sector and less on problematising groups of learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines optimal price (i.e. ‘sliding scale’) regulation of a monopoly when productivity and managerial effort are not observed. We show generally how to operationalize this model of incentive regulation and use actual data from electricity distribution in England and Wales to estimate key parameters and make welfare comparisons of sliding scale regulation with a stylized price cap regime and the First-Best (the full information case). Our method enables us to quantify technical uncertainty as faced by the electricity regulator in the 1990s and shows that there are significant welfare gains from a sliding scale relative to the stylized price cap regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to investigate how local level flood policies consider Natural Flood Management (NFM) as a risk reduction mechanism in England. Methods used include a review of European and English national legislative and other flood management policy instruments as well as a case study of Cumbria County's local flood management policies. The legislative and other policy instruments at both European and English national level demonstrated increasing level of NFM consideration for local flood risk management. In Cumbrian context, flood management policies are mostly aligned to the traditional structural defence-based approach; however, emergence and importance of non-structural measures including NFM are clearly evident, are visibly influenced by the European and national policies. The numbers of potential NFM actions in local flood policies are nonetheless insignificant compared to the NFM potentials, but these can be worked in as a starting point for wider scale consideration and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable interest and discussion surrounding institutional design and governance in the areas of planning, political studies and policy development and more recently natural resource management. Within England, like much of Europe, an integrated catchment management, called the catchment-based approach (CaBA), has been developed when implementing the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD). This is seen as both a driver for stricter standards for water quality and ecological status in water course and encouraging the active involvement of stakeholders and communities in both planning and action. This paper analyses institutional design at the local level from the perspective of two concepts, namely institutional governance and social–ecological systems. The intension is to highlight synergies between the two concepts. Through this a new aspect of institutional design is revealed, the micro-level or ‘crafting’ of institutions by local actors. The paper identifies criteria that are associated with this aspect and analyses an integrated catchment case study in England. The paper concludes that the current policy approach in England, and potentially elsewhere in Europe, offers potential for the ‘crafting’ of institutions and at the local social–ecological systems scale this has potential for positive benefits such as great understanding and locally effective governance. Both would assist in achieving policy objectives, such as those of the WFD. The case study utilised an effective participatory approach that was, according to the criteria, robust and transferable in developing an adaptive governance approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) in England is a public-private partnership involving voluntary pledges between government, industry, and other organisations to improve public health by addressing alcohol, food, health at work, and physical activity. This paper analyses the RD physical activity (PA) pledges in terms of the evidence of their potential effectiveness, and the likelihood that they have motivated actions among organisations that would not otherwise have taken place. Methods: We systematically reviewed evidence of the effectiveness of interventions proposed in four PA pledges of the RD, namely, those on physical activity in the community; physical activity guidelines; active travel; and physical activity in the workplace. We then analysed publically available data on RD signatory organisations' plans and progress towards achieving the physical activity pledges, and assessed the extent to which activities among organisations could be attributed to the RD. Results: Where combined with environmental approaches, interventions such as mass media campaigns to communicate the benefits of physical activity, active travel in children and adults, and workplace-related interventions could in principle be effective, if fully implemented. However, most activities proposed by each PA pledge involved providing information or enabling choice, which has limited effectiveness. Moreover, it was difficult to establish the extent of implementation of pledges within organisations, given that progress reports were mostly unavailable, and, where provided, it was difficult to ascertain their relevance to the RD pledges. Finally, 15 % of interventions listed in organisations' delivery plans were judged to be the result of participation in the RD, meaning that most actions taken by organisations were likely already under way, regardless of the RD. Conclusions: Irrespective of the nature of a public health policy to encourage physical activity, targets need to be evidence-based, well-defined, measurable and encourage organisations to go beyond business as usual. RD physical activity targets do not adequately fulfill these criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the role played by the V&A and the exhibition The Destruction of the Country House in the political activities and increasing prominence of the 'heritage lobby' in England in the 1970s. It argues that the V&A had a significant role in shaping the discourse and advancing the public awareness and political efficacy of the heritage movement, and that it assisted in reinforcing the association of, and perhaps even conflating, English heritage with the country house. The paper also reflects on changing attitudes and policy relating to heritage in England since the late twentieth century, drawing on a range of relevant critical literature and theoretical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In 2008, the Healthy Community Challenge Fund commissioned nine 'healthy towns' in England to implement and evaluate community-based environmental interventions to prevent obesity. This paper examines the role of evidence in informing intervention development, innovation and the potential for programmes to contribute to the evidence base on the effectiveness of interventions that tackle population obesity. Method Twenty qualitative interviews with local programme stakeholders and national policy actors were conducted. Interview transcripts were coded and thematically analysed. Initial analyses were guided by research questions regarding the nature and role of evidence in the development and implementation of the healthy towns programme and the capacity for evidence generation to inform future intervention design, policy and practice. Findings Stakeholders relied on local anecdotal and observational evidence to guide programme development. While the programme was considered an opportunity to trial new and innovative approaches, the requirement to predict likely health impacts and adopt evidence-based practice was viewed contradictory to this aim. Stakeholders believed there were missed opportunities to add to the existing empirical evidence base due to a lack of clarity and planning, particularly around timing, in local and national evaluations. Conclusions A strong emphasis on relying on existing evidence-based practice and producing positive impacts and outcomes may have impeded the opportunity to implement truly innovative programmes because of fear of failure. Building more time for development, implementation and evaluation into future initiatives would maximise the use and generation of robust and relevant evidence for public health policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on the policy report called "Science as an Open Enterprise" from the Royal Society in London, England concerning access to scientific papers and theories. He mentions that open inquiry to scientific research and publication of scientific papers and theories allow others to identify errors, refine theories and reuse of data. He states that everyone will benefit from a more open information access.

Contemporary welfare is closely linked to policies designed to foster individual responsibility and self-development. This agenda, however, encounters problems when adults lack the capacity to make decisions about their lives, and/or are unable to protect themselves from the malign actions of their fellow citizens. These problems are addressed by the 2005 Mental Capacity Act (England and Wales) and adult safeguarding procedures. Specifically, the 2005 Mental Capacity Act (England and Wales) (MCA) introduced a statutory advocacy service, which empowers local authorities to appoint an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) to represent the interests of adult lacking capacity to make decisions about adult safeguarding procedures. This paper presents (i) a general overview of the development of adult safeguarding and the introduction of the MCA's IMCA service into these procedures; (ii) findings from a research project investigating the integration of IMCAs into these procedures; and (iii) a discussion of the challenges facing IMCAs involved in adult safeguarding procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives To explore similarities and differences in policy content and the political context of the three main English government reports on health inequalities: the Black Report (1980), the Acheson Enquiry (1998), and the Marmot Review (2010). Methods Thematic policy and context analysis of the Black Report (1980), the Acheson Enquiry (1998), and the Marmot Review (2010) in terms of: (i) underpinningtheoretical principles; (ii) policy recommendations; (iii) the political contexts in which each was released; and (iv) their actual or potential influence on research and policy. Results There were great similarities and very few differences in terms of both the theoretical principles guiding the recommendations of these reports and the focus of the recommendations themselves. However, there were clear differences in terms of the political contexts of each report, as well as their subsequent impacts on research and policy. Conclusion The paper calls into question the progress of health inequalities research, the use of evidence and of the links between research, politics and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the meaning and implications of a policy-driven professionalisation of adult basic skills practice. Written amidst competing theoretical conceptualisations of professionalism, the paper focuses on a particular policy moment in Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy (ALLN) practice in England: Skills for Life. The paper argues that the possibility of implementation of this policy is limited. The policy is filtered through the fragmented nature of the field, the embeddedness of literacy and what this paper calls an 'anti-professional' stance of ALLN practice. For policy makers, professionalisation is desirable, and its impact is far-reaching. It enables control of a key aspect of the service sector implicated in the supply of flexi-workers required by a globalised economy. In discussing the inevitability of professionalisation the paper draws on a small-scale research project to locate a space for the professional imagination, a space in which ALLN practitioners express motivations at odds with policy imperatives and enact professionalisation in ways that arguably hijack the momentum and resource that the policy provides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A current objective of social care policy in England is to provide more personalised care services. This has implications for the provision of community based care for frail older people. Using data from a national postal survey of local authorities in England, this paper explores whether a typology of commissioning, contracting and care management arrangements, key components in the delivery of social care, can be discerned through the analysis of a series of indicators. Over two thirds of local authorities responded and arrangements were categorised on an empirical basis, resulting in the formulation of seven categories of authority. These were found to vary in the level of activity in three domains: commissioning and contracting arrangements; employment practices; and flexibility in service provision at the level of the service user. The extent to which the typology constitutes a viable ideal type is explored, together with its relevance to the emergent policy agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to argue that action learning (AL) may provide a means of successfully developing small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach -- The literature around SME learning suggests a number of processes are important for SME learning which similarity, it is argued, are encompassed in AL. AL may therefore offer a means of developing SME. This argument is then supported through the results of a longitudinal qualitative evaluation study conducted in the north-west of England, which involved the use of AL in 100 SMEs. Findings -- The paper finds that the discursive and critical reflection aspects of the set environment appeared to be of great utility and importance to the SMEs. Sets also had an optimum level of which helped them find "common ground". Once common ground was established set members often continued to network and form alliances outside of the set environment. SME owner-managers could discuss both personal and business. Finally, AL offered the opportunity to take time out of the business and "disengage" with the operational allowing them to become more strategic. Practical implications -- In this paper both the literature review and the results of the evaluation suggest AL may offer a means of engaging SMEs in training, which is relevant and useful to them. AL offers a way for policy makers and support agencies to get involved with SME management development while retaining context and naturalistic conditions. Originality/value -- This paper attempts to move beyond other articles which assess SME response to government initiatives, through examining the literature around SME learning and constructing a rationale which proposes that AL encompasses many of the learning processes suggested in the literature as effective for SME development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1934 and 1939, over 5000 people, mainly ex-miners and their families, were settled in government-owned land settlements in England and Wales. This policy emerged as a response to mass unemployment, and complemented other schemes for the unemployed developed by the inter-war National Government. This paper will consider the geographical conditions that were imagined, realized and contested in these settlements. Acknowledging the hybrid and liminal nature of these spaces, the paper mobilizes new work in cultural and historical geography and draws out the heterotopic potential of the settlement programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity targets are a key tool, used at a global and national policy level, to align biodiversity goals, promote conservation action, and recover nature. Yet most biodiversity targets are not met. In England, the government has committed to legally‐binding targets to halt and recover the decline in species abundance by 2030 and 2042. We present evidence from recent population trends of 670 terrestrial animal species (for which abundance time series are available) as a species abundance indicator, together with a synthesis of case studies on species recovery, to assess the degree to which these targets are achievable. The case studies demonstrate that recovery is possible through a range of approaches. The indicator demonstrates that theoretically targets can be achieved by addressing severe declines in a relatively small number of species, as well as creating smaller benefits for many species through landscape‐scale interventions. The fact that multiple pathways exist to achieve the species abundance targets in England presents choices but also raises the possibility that targets might be reached with perverse consequences. We demonstrate that evidence on achievability is a necessary but not sufficient condition for determining what is required to deliver conservation outcomes and restore biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opposition of the American Federation of Labor to minimum wage legislation, is due largely to a failure to distinguish between a legal minimum wage which is meant to be merely a subsistence wage and a union minimum wage which is usually a standard wage aiming to provide more than a minimum necessary for existence. The legal minimum wage is applied in the sweated trades in England, and in the few states in this country in which it has been recently enacted aims to secure a subsistence wage for those who are earning less than the minimum amount necessary to support life. In other words, it comes to the aid of those whom the union apparently has so far been unable to organize or, having organized, has been unable to gain for them a living wage. It does not interfere in the least with the union attempting to secure more than a minimum for those of the workers who, through higher skill or through ability to force concessions from the employers, can secure bettor terms. In the Dress and Waist industry, for example, there are the minimum union rates, and a considerable proportion of the women are earning still higher rates of wages. It is manifest that no wage board under a minimum wage law would award such rates of wages at this time.

Government exhortations for full community involvement in their locales in England and Wales have particular significance for rural elders as the literature suggests that they are amongst the most active in this sphere. But different people have different propensities to ‘join in’. A taxonomy of different degrees of involvement in community is derived: antagonising, absenting, being, belonging, bestowing and communing. Being, belonging and bestowing are explored empirically, because they are the elements of principal concern to policy, making use of surveys of rural elders in six locations in England and Wales. A minority of respondents undertook bestowing activity (actively assisting others or taking part in voluntary activity) but most felt there were benefits from being (just living in a place) or belonging (having an identity with place) to a community. Of those who did not join in, most claimed that this was because they did not want to. Education and qualifications had the strongest association with ‘joining in’, although income and wealth per se had little impact. Two lessons for government community policy are important. First, many older people do not wish to ‘join in’, and second, the variables that tended to be associated with participation may not be that easy to influence through community policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agricultural diffuse pollution is a significant contributor to water and air quality in many catchments and the need to control harmful emissions remains paramount for government policy. In England, the Demonstration Test Catchments (DTCs) have been established to provide a basis for testing on-farm mitigation measures using collaborative multi-partner research and some of this work is targeting the Hampshire Avon (∼1700km2) catchment. To help provide integrated farm advice across England and Wales, a new Excel-based tool, FARM Scale Optimisation of Pollutant Emission Reductions (FARMSCOPER), has recently been developed for characterising diffuse agricultural pollutant emissions from representative farm types and quantifying the expected impacts of control options on those losses to the environment. Against this background, this paper describes the application of FARMSCOPER in the Hampshire Avon DTC in order to assess its utility at catchment scale and the potential benefits of relevant and practical mitigation options. Spatial datasets and the Agricultural Census returns for 2009 specific to the River Avon catchment were integrated to produce a collection of representative farm types which capture the characteristics of the local physical environment, land use patterns and farm management practices. FARMSCOPER was used to estimate the annual emissions of nitrate, phosphorus, sediment, nitrous oxide, methane and ammonia for each representative farm type. The scenarios investigated comprised baseline losses with no mitigation measures implemented, current emissions using information on the present implementation of options under existing schemes and initiatives and, the maximum potential reduction possible on the basis of implementing all available and relevant options. Model outputs suggested that reductions in pollutant loads in response to the existing uptake of mitigation methods are small (e.g. 10% for phosphorus, 7% for sediment, 4% for nitrate and 5% for nitrous oxide). FARMSCOPER suggested that technically feasible pollutant reductions on the basis of the implementation of more mitigation options could be of the order of 47% for phosphorus, 66% for sediment, 22% for nitrate and 16% for nitrous oxide. This work represents the first catchment scale application of the FARMSCOPER tool. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: There appears to be considerable variation between different national jurisdictions and between different sectors of public policy in the use of evidence and particularly the use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate non-healthcare sector programmes. Methods: As part of a wider study attempting to identify RCTs of public policy sector programmes and the reasons for variation between countries and sectors in their use, we carried out a pilot study which interviewed 10 policy makers and researchers in six countries to elicit views on barriers to and facilitators of the use of RCTs for social programmes. Results: While in common with earlier studies, those interviewed expressed a need for unambiguous findings, timely results and significant effect sizes, users could, in fact, be ambivalent about robust methods and robust answers about what works, does not work or makes no difference, particularly where investment or a policy announcement was planned. Different national and policy sector cultures varied in their use of and support for RCTs. Conclusions: In order to maximise the use of robust evaluations of public programmes across the world it would be useful to examine, systematically, cross-national and cross-sectoral variations in the use of different methods including RCTs and barriers to and facilitators of their use. Sound research methods, whatever their scientific value, are no guarantee that findings will be useful or used. 'Stories' have been shown to influence policy; those advocating the use of RCTs may need to provide convincing narratives to avoid repetition about their value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the level of support for a total sales ban on tobacco products in England. The study found that a total ban was supported by more women than men, by more non-smokers and former smokers than smokers, and by those in the lower socioeconomic group. A decrease in prevalence and social acceptance is deemed likely. The possibility of the creation of a policy banning tobacco sales is suggested.

This paper explores whether expert judgements can be taken as a proxy for citizen preferences for determining investment strategies for public goods. As an illustration, we focus on the provision of Public Rights Of Way (PROW) by Local Government Authorities in England. These provide rights of passage over property to those other than the owners, and little information is available on the welfare effects of changes in the provision and use of PROW. Given limited funds, reliance on expert judgement could be a cost effective alternative for decision-making compared with stated preference surveys of citizens. Two methods are compared. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to elicit expert judgement to proxy citizen preferences for different attributes of PROW. The Choice Experiment (CE) technique is then used to derive preferences directly through personal interviews with citizens. Overall it was found that judicious use of AHP by experts can, in this instance, be used to represent citizen views. However, this result may not be easily generalisable to other settings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]