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Objectives In line with the aims of this special issue, the purpose of this paper is to forward a position on the concept of sport parenting expertise through the presentation of six key postulates. Design Literature review and position statement. Method By adopting methods associated with an academic position paper, a statement is presented that we believe encapsulates sport parenting expertise. Six key postulates of parenting expertise, formulated from critically reviewing and interpreting relevant literature, are then presented. Results We propose that sport parenting expertise is dependent on the degree to which parents demonstrate a range of competencies; namely that parents, (a) select appropriate sporting opportunities and provide necessary types of support, (b) understand and apply appropriate parenting styles, (c) manage the emotional demands of competitions, (d) foster healthy relationships with significant others, (e) manage organizational and developmental demands associated with sport participation, and, (f) adapt their involvement to different stages of their child's athletic career. Conclusion Expertise in sport parenting requires parents to develop knowledge and utilize a range of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational skills in order to support their child, manage themselves, and operate effectively in the wider youth sport environment. Recommendations for applied researchers to further investigate these postulates and substantiate the components of sport parenting expertise are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employment subsidies are important active labour market policy (ALMP) tools, suited to a variety of labour market challenges. This paper engages with recent ALMP categorisation debates by appraising Cronert's (2019) recent typology of employment subsidies. It uses empirical material to assess the typology's explanatory power and produce insights to inform further typological development. The illustrative case of the British ' Wage Incentive' (2012-2014) is used to assess the typology's analytical purchase. Cronert's typology helpfully identifies key distinctions in the distributional profiles of employment subsidies, but further understanding of the category is impeded by the practice of defining them as demand-side interventions. The paper argues for a reappraisal of their supply-side characteristics, maintaining that the (potential) worker should be included in the analysis, and that employment subsidies' relationship with training and job creation should be acknowledged. It proposes a redefinition of employment subsidies reflecting their real-world use, and suggests a framework for further exploring varieties of employment subsidy design from the perspective of beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper develops an analysis of how "educability" and "physical ability" are socially configured through the practices of physical education (PE) in schools. We pursue this interest as part of a broader project, shared by many in the wider community of social science researchers in PE, to better understand how "knowledge of the body" is produced, transmitted and "received" in and through the educational practices of schools, and how these processes relate to social justice, inequality, cultural reproduction and change. Purpose: Our specific interest here is in how the physical education curriculum is "encoded" with particular conceptions of education, childhood, development and "educability" and how these, when expressed through various pedagogical modes, may impact a child's opportunity to display or perform "ability" in PE classrooms and, ultimately, their "desire" to learn. Research design: Drawing on sociological concepts from Bernstein, the paper undertakes a comparative, narrative analysis of two curriculum texts, "Movement and Growing" (HMSO) and the "National Curriculum PE" (DFEE), both of which have sought to define thinking and practice in PE in the UK over the last 50 years. The former, influential in the 1950s and 1960s, is now a "redundant pedagogy"; the latter has defined PE in England and Wales since the 1990s. Findings: The analysis suggests that in the contrast between these texts we can identify two forms of pedagogy, each representing and reflecting distinctive political ideologies, versions of education and social control. The former ("Movement and Growing") predicates "horizontal relationships", the recognition and acceptance of diverse "abilities", shared needs and interests, and the achievement of personal value and status. The latter ("National Curriculum PE"), "vertical relationships", differentiation and the creation of "ability" hierarchies, and the ascription of positional status and value. Conclusion: The analysis invites teachers to consider whether modern variants of PE have liberalised or limited teachers' understandings of "ability", "educability" and how children learn to succeed and fail in PE. (Contains 4 notes.)

This paper brings a speculative, sociological perspective to the nature of "ability" in physical education (PE) and asks why this aspect of embodiment, with notable exceptions, has received so little critical attention in the professional discourse of PE and associated research in recent years. It is suggested that thinking about "ability" has become a taken for granted absent presence in the discursive practices of PE in the UK that variously helps configure attitudes towards the body, a sense of status, value, distinction, inclusion/exclusion and embodied self. Drawing on ideas from the theoretical work of Bernstein and Bourdieu the paper raises a number of issues about the ways in which "ability" is constructed within the disciplines that feed the various subcultures of the PE profession, influencing teaching in schools and teacher education. The paper suggests that unless greater attention is given to "physical education", rather than the interests of sport and health, the profession is unlikely to make an impact either on the "abilities" or other culturally informed differences that children and young people bring to schools. (Contains 1 figure and 3 notes.)

Research shows that, in mental healthcare, empathy and active listening skills play a fundamental role in the therapeutic relationship. Despite this, clinicians receive little training in cultivating these qualities, and there is a dearth of training in therapeutic relationships and relational care in this field more generally. In response to this paucity of training, a new intensive three-day training programme has been developed called Compassionate and Relational Enquiry (CARE). The CARE training programme has recently been delivered to a number of mental health teams in different boroughs of an NHS Trust and has undergone several rounds of redevelopment. This paper outlines the CARE training programme's objectives and mode of delivery, and subsequently presents questionnaire results from recent CARE trainees regarding their experience of the nature and utility of the training. Four main themes emerged from responses to the question of the utility of the training, these were 'A shift towards more person-centred care', 'Strengthens the therapeutic relationship', 'Facilitates more collaborative care with patients and their families' and 'Development of new skills and therapeutic techniques'. The paper concludes by discussing the potential of this training to help forge a substantial shift in the culture of mental health services in a systemic way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Degree apprenticeships (DA) help employees gain new knowledge and skills by allowing them to study towards a university degree while working full time. For these programmes to be effective, the learning design should be adapted to the needs of these students, who are goal oriented (i.e. they want to gain only knowledge that can be applied within their workplace), have limited time for studying, and usually have not attended formal education for some time. As these programmes are relatively new, there is limited research on how these students can be supported to achieve the programmes' learning goals by using information and communication technologies. Objectives: This paper aims to understand whether a learning design that combines game‐based learning with online flipped classrooms can engage DA students in their learning and help them develop their reflective skills. Methods: Two focus groups were conducted with DA students that study at a UK Business School towards gaining the Chartered Manager status. The focus groups recordings have been analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results and Conclusions: The three main themes, "change can be helpful and challenging at the same time", "the ideal game", and "the effect of others", show that DA students find game‐based learning and online flipped classrooms useful, with the right support. Simulation games can be more fulfilling to DA students than quiz games, even if they take more of their out‐of‐class time. In addition, instructors are advised to work more closely with diverse teams to enable students share their work experiences and learn from each other. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Online flipped classrooms offer flexibility in learning, but instructors need to find solutions to challenges, like students' limited e‐learning readiness and lack of motivation.Game‐based learning has been found to facilitate learning in general, but there is a need to identify the specific circumstances (i.e. settings, gaming elements) under which it is effective.Degree apprenticeship students need more support with their learning compared to traditional university students, as they face additional challenges in terms of family life‐work balance and connecting their learning to their working experience. What this paper adds?: Game‐based learning can be useful to degree apprenticeship students providing that focuses on the application of knowledge and provides feedback.Despite facing challenges related to maintaining work‐study‐life balance, degree apprenticeship students are willing to complete the flipped classroom's out‐of‐class activities, if they see a clear benefit from doing so.Online group activities can be challenging for degree apprenticeship students, if they are not able to form teams with other learners that work for the same organisation. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Avoid quiz‐like games and select the ones that use real‐life scenarios for degree apprenticeship students to help them link their learning to their practice.Formative feedback should be provided by both the instructor and the game to motivate degree apprenticeship students to spend the additional time to complete the out‐of‐class activities.Students should be reminded frequently of the purpose of any new learning elements (e.g. learning analytics) as they may not have the time to explore them on their own.When forming student teams based on students' workplace is not possible, spend more time in each breakout room to facilitate the online group discussion and help students bring their different working experiences together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author argues that the debate on declining social mobility has neglected the role of the examination and testing system. At all levels of education working class children are failing and middle class children achieving whatever ability levels are involved. The article focusses on the A-Level examination and the controversy over the way the expansion of higher education has benefited the middle classes. The author argues the expansion of higher education in the 1980s and changes to examinations benefited the middle class. Further, new Labour reforms of A-Level, and 16-plus examinations to include vocational subjects, paradoxically undermined their own desire for meritocracy. Coupled with wider changes, notably tuition fees and the power of elite universities to control their admissions policies to favour the privileged, A-Level reform threatens to turn higher education back to the "Brideshead Revisited" state of affairs of the 1930s. (Contains 2 tables and 29 notes.)

Aim: The aim of this scoping review is to synthesise current evidence around the clinical skill development of preregistration registered nurses (RNs) in Australia, United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, United States (US), Canada and New Zealand, to inform nurse education, policy and clinical practice. Background: Nursing is a practical profession, and registered nurses require specific skills, knowledge and attributes in order to care for patients safely. The context for health care delivery is shifting, and the education of nurses must adapt to effectively equip the registered nurse of the future. Design: A scoping review was conducted of clinical skill development in preregistration nurses. CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, Health Source (Nursing/Academic edition) and Scopus were searched. Included studies were primary Australian studies and international literature reviews, which focussed on preregistration nursing education. Papers were written in the English language and focussed on clinical skill development. Results were synthesised narratively. The review is reported here in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐analyses Scoping Review extension (PRISMA‐ScR) guidelines. Results: One hundred fifty‐five Australia studies and 89 international reviews were included in the review. Six key themes were identified, namely clinical skills, approaches to teaching and learning, interprofessional education, assessment of learning, clinical placement and simulation. Conclusion: There is substantial variation in strategies and programmes to facilitate clinical skill development both within Australia and internationally, indicating a genuine shift away from traditional didactic pedagogy. New graduate registered nurses were expected to be "work‐ready," albeit at a novice level, when they enter the workplace. Future research should consider measures of impact on actual clinical practice and focus on developing work‐ready graduates for the range of clinical settings in which they may practice. Educators, policymakers and educational institutions can use these findings to inform curriculum developments to ensure that clinical skill development is evidence‐based. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the different kinds of singing competency of children aged 4 to 8 that were evinced by a range of singing tasks. Suggests that: (1) vocal pitch accuracy is task-specific; (2) a greater homogeneity in vocal pitch matching abilities between boys and girls; and (3) sex difference emerge at age 7 favoring girls. (CMK)

There is a strong evidence base that demonstrates the beneficial impact of engaging in therapeutic writing tasks, often with reference to the successful emotional processing of traumatic life events. This paper looks to explore the experiences and impact of a community‐based therapeutic expressive writing group, which embraced a direct psychoeducational model to enhance emotional well‐being in a group of women. From an experiential qualitative position that embraces a "hermeneutics of empathy", this study uses a thematic analysis (TA) methodology (informed by the work of Braun & Clarke (2013) to explore the group members' narratives obtained through semistructured interviews. The study reveals the significance of a number of key factors, including the importance of the group setting, the identification of core therapeutic writing activities, the beneficial impact of skilled and supportive therapist facilitation, and the emotional value in "letting go" of unhelpful thoughts and feelings in order to strengthen psychological well‐being and resilience. The findings have important implications for service commissioning and the proactive delivery of effective time‐limited, low‐cost mental health interventions within primary settings across society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the literature on grant writing does not explicitly identify the skills needed to be an accomplished grant writer, or how these skills are acquired. This paper reviews literature on grant writing and argues the need to identify key grant writing skills to improve the quality of grant applications. The ability to persuade, to weave a clear and compelling narrative, to structure and edit text and to be empathic to researchers, are all key grant writing skills. Effective grant writers also need to understand the funding landscape, individual sponsor requirements, and how to transform a research idea into a project. This paper examines these skills in more detail, drawing on existing research and provision to identify knowledge gaps and potential areas for further development. The paper also considers how UK higher education institutions in particular can develop a stronger grant writing culture. It explores the existing pathways for developing grant writing skills, arguing that the often-bifurcated nature of these pathways results in only partial attainment of the knowledge, skills and experience required to become an effective grant writer. In so doing, the paper argues the need for a more strategic, flexible and responsive approach that recognises and embeds grant writing skills into organisations through a structured development program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Endotracheal intubation has been considered a core skill for all paramedics since the inception of the profession in the 1970s, and continues to be taught within the majority of pre-registration paramedic training programmes. However, the standards of both training and assessment of competence in intubation vary considerably between institutions,this has been compounded by reduced opportunities for supervised clinical practice within the operating theatre environment. The College of Paramedics' Airway Working Group commissioned a rapid evidence review, to inform a consensus statement on paramedic intubation, with the research question: How do paramedics learn and maintain the skill of tracheal intubation? Methods: Rapid evidence reviews are literature reviews that use methods to accelerate or streamline the traditional systematic review process. Randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational studies, systematic reviews and qualitative studies, published from 1970 onwards, were all eligible for inclusion. The search was restricted to paramedics/paramedic students and learning/maintaining the skill of tracheal intubation. Results: A comprehensive search of CINAHL, MEDLINE and Google Scholar was undertaken. Ten papers were classed as sufficiently relevant for inclusion. They identified that there is no clear definition of a paramedic having 'learnt' the skill of intubation. Suggested measures include first-pass success of 90% for pre-hospital intubation, or a range of measures, such as intubation success and complication rates, laryngoscopy technique and decision-making. Intubation training should use a range of modalities, including didactic lectures, videos and practical sessions on multiple types of airway manikins. Supervision by experienced faculty is required. Little is known about how paramedics maintain their skill in intubation, given the lack of clinical opportunity. Yearly skills retraining can help, and can be enhanced by demonstrations/lectures from experienced faculty. Conclusion: Further research is needed to understand how paramedics maintain their skill in intubation, given the limited opportunities to use the skill in a clinical setting and lack of opportunities with UK ambulance services for retraining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sport of gymnastics is undergoing a global examination of its culture and the relationship between the gymnast, coach and environment is a central focus. The aim of this review is to explore biomechanics and motor control research in skill development and technique selection in artistic gymnastics with a focus on the underlying concepts and scientific principles that allow performance enhancement, skill development and injury risk reduction. The current review examines peer reviewed papers from 2000 onwards, with a focus on contemporary approaches in the field of gymnastics research, and highlights several key directions for future gymnastics research. Based on our review and the integration of the models of Newell (1986) and Irwin et al. (2005), we recommend that future gymnastics research should embrace at the very least a multidisciplinary approach and aim for an interdisciplinary paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Speech and language therapy (SLT) education must meet the needs of the future workforce, training enough students who are competent practitioners able to meet the workforce demands. Increasing student numbers and the impact on placement providers mean students must be equipped for learning on placement. Simulation is a way of supporting students to develop their clinical skills and decision‐making in a safe, supportive environment. Aims: To explore the perspectives of SLT students who were introduced to simulation during their undergraduate degree at a UK university as part of a pilot study. The aim of the pilot was to listen to the students' voices to begin to understand their lived experiences of simulation and to gather views on how simulation can support their clinical learning. Methods & Procedures: Focus groups and semi‐structured interviews were carried out with second‐year BSc SLT students in semester 2 following the simulated learning activities and clinical placement. Qualitative data were gathered and thematic analysis was applied to the data to identify the barriers and enablers to students' clinical learning in simulation. Outcomes & Results: A total of 11 students responded out of a cohort of 38. Three key themes were identified from the analysis: individual learning needs, facilitator skill and programme‐level organization. Conclusions & Implications: Student experience of simulation was positive. One of the key elements students found to support their clinical skills was the importance of the safe space; support for learning instead of correction led them to engage in active learning. Key barriers to simulation related to having sufficient prior knowledge, the skills of the facilitator, group size and the wider learning landscape of the programme. In response to this pilot, there are plans to continue developing this model of simulation and embed simulation across the programme, led by a sound pedagogical approach with clear preparation and planning and building the necessary infrastructure. Other SLT programmes and practice educators developing simulation as part of their programmes or placement may wish to consider some of these findings to support the use of simulation in their workplace. What this paper adds: What is already known on this subject: Simulation as a teaching methodology is widely used in medicine and nursing programmes. It is now used in various allied health professions and in some SLT programmes. There is evidence to suggest simulation increases student confidence and clinical skills without increasing the capacity on those offering clinical placements in practice. What is already known on this subject: This study offers a practical example of introducing simulation in an established undergraduate programme for SLT students. It explains the background to this innovative way of teaching clinical skills and explains why this approach could be beneficial for the future speech and language therapist. What are the clinical implications of this work?: This study gives practical examples of how simulation can work to facilitate student clinical learning and knowledge. It may offer ideas to those working in clinical practice to organize placements differently or add simulation elements to improve the student experience. Other educational establishments and placement educators may find the recommendations helpful in developing their own simulation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Without effective support and intervention, young people with learning disabilities and severe challenging behaviour are at risk of placement in out-of-area residential settings or highly specialist child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) units. Such placements may be inappropriate and result in significant reductions to the quality of life of young people and their families. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bradford positive behaviour support (PBS) service model in terms of its aims to improve quality of life, develop skills and maintain children living with their families in their own homes. Design/methodology/approach: A service evaluation using quantitative and qualitative data from a range of sources to review the effectiveness of the PBS model being applied in Bradford and Calderdale was the methodology used. Findings: When consistently implemented, the Bradford positive behaviour support–in reach service may improve quality of life, facilitate skill development in young people and their carers and reduce placements in residential and CAMHS inpatient units. Avoidance of such placements is likely to reduce the overall costs of service commissioning in Bradford. Originality/value: This paper evaluates a novel approach being applied by a third sector agency to implement effective PBS with a small group of children, their families and networks. There is scope for this model to be successfully implemented in other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of a growing literature bemoaning the level of quantitative methods provision within the U.K. Higher Education sector, noting its negative impact upon the subsequent skills of graduates and their preparedness for the workplace. The present paper documents and evaluates an attempt to counter these issues via the introduction of an increasing element of flexible learning on a business and financial forecasting module. Using a mixture of empirical methods, it is shown that flexible learning results in improvements in student performance and ability across a range of metrics. It is argued that 'broad' forms of flexible learning can be employed to overcome the concerns of an increasingly negative literature on quantitative methods provision and the subsequent skills levels of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review explores the professional literature in allied healthcare to determine which self-assessments of mentor skills are the most valid and reliable for use in occupational therapy doctoral capstone programs. The aims of this scoping review include mapping evidence related to mentor assessments in healthcare, exploring implications for occupational therapy doctoral mentor training programs, and identifying common characteristics of mentor self-assessments for occupational therapy programs to consider when developing capstone mentoring resources. Researchers applied and reported via PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A librarian and authors formulated keywords and database selections to search PubMed/MEDLINE/PMC, and Embase were searched from across healthcare professions for training outcomes, mentor self-assessment, mentor attributes, and use of researcher-developed assessments. The search was limited to English publications from the last 20 years. Data were extracted for quantitative information regarding study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring skills. A total of 852 results were delivered across all databases. Nineteen papers met the final eligibility criteria and were included in the data extraction. Populations were included from several healthcare professions, including 11 nursing, four healthcare researchers, one pharmacy, one midwifery, one medicine, and one medical dietetics. Countries included the United States (n = 7), Finland (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 4), Japan (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1) and Canada (n = 1). The authors identified four valid self-assessment tools, demonstrating III and IV levels of evidence, that may be implemented by occupational therapy programs as they develop resources for mentor programs. Occupational therapy programs can use the mentor attributes found in this scoping review to create their own mentor assessment measures or may choose to use a validated tool. The authors recommend additional research in mentor education and mentor skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable interest in the education of gifted and talented youth in countries around the world. Gifted programs in Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Israel are described, as examples of the approaches used globally. Identification procedures, teacher education, and general educational principles for gifted education are also discussed. (RM)

The impact of employment for individuals with mental health problems is complex. However, research suggests that when support is provided for accessing employment and gaining roles and skills that are valued by others, a positive effect can be seen on recovery. Employment-related support can take many forms and there is a need for further research into the experience of accessing different kinds of services. The current paper examines the lived experience of 11 people participating in a UK social enterprise providing work experience, training, and skills development for those with mental health problems. Although 'sheltered', the organisational ethos strongly emphasised service-user empowerment, co-production, equality with staff, provision of valued social roles and person-centred support. Phenomenological analysis revealed that participants valued a sense of belonging and authentic relationships within the service, whilst being given the opportunity to rediscover an identity that may have been lost because of their mental health problem. However, participants also discussed how, although the service improved their self-value, some feared the 'real world' outside of the service and were unsure whether they would be met with the same support. Tensions between field dominant approaches in supported employment and the experiences and values of the participants are explored. We argue that the findings highlight the importance of a nurturing working environment and the value for recovery of a range of meaningful roles, beyond competitive employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to estimate the extent of |!|#34;over-qualification|!|#34; (i.e. holding a qualification which is above that required to gain entry to the job being done) and |!|#34;skills under-utilisation|!|#34; (i.e. being in a job which does not make use of the knowledge and skills possessed) in the United Kingdom and to examine whether these conditions are correlated with age. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The paper makes use of the 2006 Skills Survey. Cross tabulations of both conditions with age are produced and binomial probit estimates of both conditions are reported. Findings |!|#8211; It is estimated that 38 per cent are over qualified; 15 per cent are in jobs which do not make use of the knowledge and skills they possess; and age is correlated with the probability of being over qualified but not with the condition of under-utilising the knowledge and skills possessed. Social implications |!|#8211; Skills policy in the United Kingdom focuses almost exclusively upon increasing the supply of more highly qualified individuals. Given the extent of over-qualification and skills under-utilisation demonstrated in the paper, more effort should be made by policy makers to design and implement policies which increase the demand for highly skilled labour. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper answers three questions: How prevalent are qualification mismatches? How prevalent are skills mismatches? To what extent are the two conditions of being over-qualified and being in a job which does not offer scope to make use of the knowledge and skills possessed correlated with age? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of minimal intervention in historic structures has served as a cornerstone of conservation theory for more than one hundred years. But how has this concept affected the persistence of traditional craft skills, and what role do craftspeople serve on modern conservation sites? This paper observes the philosophical underpinning of conservation theory in the United Kingdom and the United States and its impact on heritage craft skills transfer. By studying historical and modern observations of "minimal intervention" concepts, along with the development of international standards, which incorporate wider concepts of "heritage" and "authenticity," this paper argues that cultures that adhere to the nineteenth-century concepts of materiality should expand their concepts of heritage to include the intangible aspects of craft practice. Additionally, it argues that the hierarchical frameworks that currently exist onsite between practitioners and professionals should be reexamined to identify the enhanced role that craft workers can serve within the decision and execution processes of historic structure conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional ‘lone scholar’ view of an Arts and Humanities doctoral student sits uneasily with the skills-based discourse underpinning policies aimed at enhancing researcher development and employability. This paper reports on a case study of a research training programme for doctoral students in the Arts and Humanities at a UK university. It calls for the embedding of the generic skills agenda within a more clearly articulated pedagogic discourse and formulates four pedagogic principles for research training programme design. Additionally, the paper problematises the research trainer role and highlights the importance of paying attention to the students' own learning agendas and the learning value they are prepared to derive from training. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper sets the scene for a collection of papers based on The impact of policy on learning and inclusion in the learning and skills sector, a research project funded from January 2004 until July 2007 by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of their Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP). We raise some general issues about researching the impact of policy, and offer a brief description of the learning and skills sector in England, highlighting two important features: its turbulent recent history, and the diversity and divisions within the sector. We then outline the scope of our research and discuss aspects of our methodology, which has sought to engage practitioners and policymakers in a variety of ways throughout the project. Finally we introduce the six other papers produced by members of the project team in the second and third year of the research, and the two commentaries from our external discussants, Mary Hamilton and Phil Hodkinson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-governance and responsibilisation are integral to Basic Key Skills Builder (BKSB) assessments and Functional Skills qualifications. However, very little is known of its neoliberalist effects and the governance practices of tutors teaching disengaged youth taking Functional Skills as part of the overall employability certificate. Adopting a case study approach within a large further education (FE) college, qualitative research was conducted over two academic years (2013–2015) with tutors and students enrolled on the Level 1 Achieving Skills Course, an employability course designed as a Raising of Participation Age (RPA) re-engagement provision to engage former NEET and disengaged youth in FE. Drawing on Foucault's theory of governmentality for analysis, key empirical findings revealed chaos, controversy and contradictions inasmuch as exposing the problematic ways in which course tutors implemented BKSB assessments and Functional Skills. Evidently, BKSB and Functional Skills operated as powerful, governance mechanisms of management ordering students according to their capabilities whilst simultaneously bringing students face-to-face with their individual shortcomings. The paper concludes that although in principle the participants were positioned in a setting which could ideally offer them a through-way from pre-vocational studies to university or apprenticeships, in actual reality this opportunity was not granted for many participants. This was exacerbated by the fact that this qualification held lowered academic status. It is on this basis that I argue for a revamp and restructure of the educational framework so that it integrates and position pre-vocational courses as the first formal rung of qualifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper by Breen and Goldthorpe recently claimed to have exposed 'fatal flaws' in my work on meritocracy in Britain. This paper responds to their criticisms. The results of their re-analysis of the NCDS data set are shown to be consistent with my earlier findings and arguments. Furthermore, re-running some of my earlier models using measures that they favour and a method designed to privilege their position, the results once again demonstrate that, while class origins have some effect on class destinations (in particular, for those born into the middle class), ability and effort exert a much greater effect. Based on these results, the paper identifies three core propositions about meritocracy in Britain on which all parties to this debate should now be able to agree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: High-fidelity simulation has well-established educational value. However, its use in psychiatry remains underexplored. This study explores medical students' experiences of high-fidelity simulation teaching during their psychiatry placements. A session was delivered on "psychiatric emergencies", set in a simulated emergency department, with equal emphasis on the management of physical and psychiatric aspects of patient care. This paper aims to report on student attitudes to high-fidelity simulation teaching in psychiatry, as well as student attitudes to "integrated" teaching (i.e. covering both physical and psychiatric knowledge). Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with medical students at a UK university. This exploratory approach generated rich qualitative data. Thematic analysis was used. Findings: High-fidelity simulation teaching in psychiatry is well regarded by medical students, and helps students recognise that psychiatric problems can present in any clinical setting. This study has demonstrated that students value this type of "integrated" teaching, and there is potential for this approach to be more widely adopted in undergraduate health-care professional education. High-fidelity simulation could also be considered for incorporation in undergraduate examinations. Originality/value: To the best of their knowledge, the authors are the first to conduct an in-depth exploration of attitudes to simulation teaching specifically in psychiatry. The authors are also the first to directly explore student attitudes to "integrated" teaching of psychiatry and physical health topics. The results will support the effective planning and delivery of simulation teaching in psychiatry, the planning of undergraduate summative assessments and will likely be of interest to health-care professionals, educational leads, simulation practitioners and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a commentary regarding the centrality of critical reflection in social work before discussing a research project drawing on a sample of ten social work students as they approached the end of their social work training in one English university. The original intention of the research was to focus solely on students' perceptions of critical reflection, but when using a more reflexive approach, we identified that participants utilised the focus groups as an opportunity to discuss their practice learning experiences per se before considering and discussing critical reflection. Most students were placed in child protection social work teams and discussed how they felt unprepared for such a fast-paced and stressful environment. Participants felt that the expectations some practitioners had of students were unrealistic, and not always commensurate with the Professional Capabilities Framework. Students highlighted the use of practice scenarios in developing their knowledge and skills particularly when considering their application of critical reflection. This study highlights the significance of adequate preparation for practice and argues for a more focussed agenda for future research exploring the culture of learning, including those factors that inhibit students sharing their concerns as well as the training needs of educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In England and Wales government pressures to raise attainment has led many schools to implement structured “ability” grouping in the form of setting. The introduction of selective grouping has been justified with the assumption that the differentiation of students by “ability” advances students’ motivation, social skills, independence and academic success in national tests and examinations because students are “better engaged in their own learning”. This paper critically engages with this assumption. Drawing upon qualitative research conducted in primary and secondary mathematics, science and English setted classrooms in England the aim of this literature review is to consider how teachers’ pedagogic practices with low, middle and high “ability” sets facilitates and/or constrains students’ learning and potential achievement. We also explore why, despite strenuous criticism and moves towards egalitarianism in schools, the segregation of students on the basis of “ability” continues to be a common feature in schools in England and Wales. This literature review draws attention to a number of substantive issues including (but not restricted to) fixed and permanent grouping; the potential misplacement of students to sets and a culture of stereotyping where learners within a set are taught as a single homogenous unit. We conclude the paper by suggesting foci for future research in the hope of eliciting renewed critical interest in and investigation of setting by “ability” in a broader range of subjects of the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for clinical governance, in particular, the compliance of data privacy in a healthcare organisation. Design/methodology/approach -- The approach of the research was to highlight problem areas in compliance and governance risk management (governance, risk and compliance (GRC)) in general, and then identify knowledge in other domains that could be combined and applied to improve GRC management, and ultimately improve governance outcomes. Findings -- There is a gap in the literature is respect of systems and frameworks to assist organisations in managing the complex minutiae associated with compliance. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a "compliance action framework" which builds on work existing in other domains in relation to education, process control and governance. Research limitations/implications -- The present research provides a starting point for an implementation of the framework within a number of organisations, and opens questions for further research in the field. Originality/value -- The GRC framework proposed in this paper contributes to the state of the art, by proposing processes for improving the governance capability and compliance outcomes within an organisation for governance of data privacy risk and data protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores differences in the likelihood of engaging in self-employment among migrants who moved for different reasons to the UK. The results suggest that, conditional on being in employment, those who initially migrated for asylum reasons are six percentage points more likely to engage in self-employment than the UK-born, while those who migrated for work reasons are not significantly different from UK-born workers in this regard. We also find that mediating factors, such as the presence of networks and years since migration, relate differently to the likelihood of self-employment for each group of migrants. Finally, there are also differences when looking at the number of persons employed by the self-employed and the skill level associated with the activity of self-employment. Those who migrated for asylum are not significantly different from the UK-born in their likelihood of employing someone else, while those who migrated for work are two percentage points less likely to employ others relative to the UK-born. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are increasingly recognized as secondary victims of intimate partner violence. This paper uses a unique UK longitudinal child development survey to study the relationship between verbal and physical abuse experienced by mothers and children's development up to the age of seven. Estimating production functions for cognitive, social, and socio-emotional skills, we find that exposure during pre-school years has a quantitatively important negative effect on socio-emotional skills among toddlers and negatively affects cognitive and social skills after the age of three. The estimated impact on cognitive development is consistent with measures of cognitive skills based on school-based tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper has the purpose of exploring the potential for entrepreneurship education within veterinary medicine. It aims to examine some of the key themes in the entrepreneurship education literature, discuss the make-up of the UK veterinary sector, consider veterinary curricula requirements and illustrate how entrepreneurship education can benefit veterinary students. Design/methodology/approach - The approach adopted by the authors includes a literature review, in-depth discussion and the development of hypotheses for further study. Findings - Entrepreneurship education has the potential to make a valuable contribution to veterinary medicine curricula. This is due to the fact that the majority of veterinary graduates will work in or even own/co-own a veterinary business (i.e. a small veterinary practice) at some point in their career. In this context, the authors illustrate how entrepreneurship education can enhance both employable and day one/year one skills. The high entry requirements for veterinary programmes and the gender shift towards a predominantly female under- and postgraduate population add further interesting dimensions to the paper and present possible avenues for further research. Research limitations/implications - This is a conceptual paper and it is fully recognised that the concepts and hypotheses proposed need to be further developed and tested at the empirical level. Some interesting avenues for future research that could contribute significantly to this field are also identified. Originality/value - The paper highlights the potential value of incorporating entrepreneurship education within veterinary curricula. It also identifies how such incorporation can enhance students' employable skills and deliver many of the skills included in veterinary medicine's day one/year one competences' agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that successive governments since the 1980s have struggled to establish the necessary foundations to enable the majority of young people to make effective and supported transitions from education to the labour market and, further, to create labour market conditions that protect and nurture young people's potential. The paper sets its analysis within a time-frame that began in 1981 and has come full circle in 2010 with the Labour Government's announcement of the Young Person's Guarantee. Whilst acknowledging that current economic conditions, and the predicted severe cuts in public spending, will make it difficult for an incoming government to make significant changes, the paper argues that new approaches are required to revitalise both the economy and individual life chances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on capacity building in teacher education research. It notes that the journal is concerned on the aspect of capacity and capacity building. It mentions that capacity may be taken to relate the range of skills available, the research infrastructure, and the number of researchers. Also mention is that several attempts are considered to support the development of research capacity in education throughout the Great Britain. Capacity building strategies are concerned in the need to improve the quality of educational research, to make it more productive and to ensure its infrastructure is strong and sustainable. Reasons on why teacher education research is important in education research is also mentioned.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to outline some of the key issues related to migrant workers, work, public policy and HRM while introducing the five articles included in the special issue. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reports on the issue which is made up of articles that present research based on surveys, interviews and longitudinal census data. Findings - It is evident that high-performing economies attract migrants from lower-performing economies. However, with influxes of migrant labour there are a number of challenges that need to be met at the organisational and policy levels. Research limitations/implications - The indications are that some economies are beginning to slow and this means that migrant flows will also slow or reverse. The implications for migrant-dependent sectors and countries are not clear, although all five papers indicate areas for further research. Practical implications - Each article includes practical implications depending on the sector, skill and country being examined. Practical implications include the role of day labour centres as HR mediators between organisations and employees, the need for culturally sensitive and tailored training programs to assist professional migrants and the need for policies geared towards the assimilation of migrants and return migrants in order to assist their integration into the labour market. Originality/value - The five articles presented here represent a wide range of approaches, skill levels and sectors within the five counties examined: the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and Finland. Some, such as the US paper which includes the first national survey of day labour worker centres, present findings from a highly under-represented area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of ability grouping is often debated despite being adopted in primary and secondary schools across the UK for the past 80 years. Setting is one form of ability grouping which is widely implemented in English schools; it involves dividing pupils from the same cohort into classes according to ability in a specific subject. While the existing evidence identifies a negative effect on cognitive outcomes, especially for low-ability pupils, little research has been undertaken to understand the impact of setting on non-cognitive outcomes. This paper provides the first evidence of the effect of setting on non-cognitive outcomes when utilizing a nationally representative sample of primary-aged pupils and adopting fixed effects and instrumental variable methodologies. For boys, setting in maths negatively impacts non-cognitive outcomes, driven by a worsening of internalizing behaviours. No evidence of a significant impact of lowest set placement on non-cognitive outcomes is identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrinking state spending in the UK has been accompanied by a profound restructuring of the welfare system, leading to financial insecurity for many people, culminating in extreme stress and serious deterioration of physical and mental health. Theory surrounding the impact of welfare advice on stress is lacking; this paper undertakes an in depth exploration of the experiences of stress among welfare advice seekers, considering these in light of existing substantive theories of stress and coping to generate new insight. A thematic analysis explored the experiences of stress in welfare advice seekers. Four overarching themes and twelve subthemes emerged. They are further understood utilising traditional theories of stress (Transactional Model of Stress and Coping and the Conservation of Resources theory), which then underpin the development of a 'Stress Support Matrix' and a holistic theory related specifically to welfare, stress and coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reply by Richard Breen and John H. Goldthorpe to Peter Saunders' criticisms about their work on meritocracy in Great Britain. Saunders has argued, on the basis of analyses of the National Child Development Study data-set, that present-day Britain is to a large extent a meritocratic society: where individuals end up within the class structure is largely determined by their ability and effort. Saunders' difficulties stem in large part from his original concern to expose British sociologists' commitment to what he has labelled the social advantages and disadvantages (SAD) thesis. In both our previous papers our aim has been simply to test the meritocracy thesis--not to support the SAD thesis, nor to run a competition between the two theses. In our first paper our strategy was to begin by establishing the level and pattern of the class origins-class destinations association and then to see what happens to this association when the individual merit variables of ability, effort and educational attainment, as best these can be constructed, are brought into the analysis. Saunders now contends that this approach is flawed and in fact biased against the meritocracy thesis because of problems of measurement error and of omitted variables. But in neither respect do his arguments stand up to examination. It is apparent that Saunders' misunderstandings arise from the fact that he seeks to impose upon us the strategy of the variable race that he himself favors. Thus, he contends that in our approach any residual variation in class outcomes is automatically attributed to class origins or, in other words, the default is set to favor the SAD thesis. Finally in this connection we would note that in our second paper addressing the meritocracy thesis, we develop our original approach to try to mitigate both problems of measurement error and those of deciding just how closely a particular society at a particular point in time approximates the meritocratic ideal.

An increasing number of local economic development agencies in the UK are turning to tourism as a means of urban regeneration and employment creation. Although initiatives vary, there is a nationally inspired emphasis on the development of employee skills as a core element of many regeneration strategies. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study of the demand for and utilisation of skills by tourism firms in East London, an area that is the recipient of substantial urban aid funding, a proportion of which has an overt focus on skills enhancement designed to develop the tourism sector. It then examines the processes of skills supply within the locality. The paper concludes by identifying the key issues likely to be important if regeneration programmes are to be effective. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – It is now widely acknowledged that health care professionals on the front line of care delivery will often be among the first to whom patients or clients who have experienced abuse will present or disclose abuse in a clinical context. It is therefore of pivotal importance that all health care professionals, including nurses, are adequately prepared at the earliest opportunity to effectively respond to a disclosure of abuse or identify where abuse may be suspected. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In order to address this contemporary challenge within health care the authors present a model, developed in the UK, for the embedding of safeguarding knowledge, skills and attitudes within undergraduate pre-registration nursing curricula. This model is integrative and focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the field of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Findings – Student evaluation to date has been extremely positive with the majority of student responses indicating that individuals felt that they had received the requisite level of educational support and knowledge to enable them to recognise concerns. However, it was also clear that students felt that the knowledge gained within the classroom setting needed to be effectively supported and translated in the practice setting. Practical implications – Safeguarding clearly forms a central part of professional accountability and responsibility. It is therefore pivotal that professionals receive the requisite education, skills and knowledge at the earliest opportunity. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge this initiative is novel in approach and as such has the potential to inform similar education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have emotion recognition and regulation difficulties, but there are currently no known interventions enhancing emotional awareness in this population. This study explores the impact of parents' perspectives regarding children with DLD emotional understanding through a parent-led online emotion recognition (ER) intervention. Ten parents of children with DLD aged 6–11 participated in the study. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was employed, allowing for a rigorous analysis of changes in parental beliefs over time. Weekly data were collected through the Parents' Beliefs About Children's Emotions Questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted to gain deeper insights into parents' perceptions regarding the ER skills of their children. Results indicated that parents' beliefs about the need for guiding and supporting their child's ER skills increased over the intervention. Interviews also supported this, and three main themes were generated. The intervention program increased parents' awareness of (a) the importance of ER for children with DLD, (b) emotion-focused communication and engagement with their child, and (c) the integration of emotions into daily life. This study is the first known study that explores parents' beliefs about children with DLD ER skills, highlighting the importance of supporting parents through accessible interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interview has, for a long time, been the central method for the assessment of applicants for nurse training in the United Kingdom. The lack of a clear person specification, and, in particular, training in the skills involved in assessing personality, have been excused on the grounds of the universality of types required in nursing. This paper outlines some initial work that has been done on identifying a 'personality mix or constellation' and ways of exploring and assessing it in face-to-face interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short report will outline a remote work experience scheme that has successfully been running for three years in the psychology group within the Leeds School of Social Sciences. It is designed to aid transition to university for pre-tertiary students by introducing them to undergraduate literacy skills and making their expectations of university level study more realistic. Students act as remote research assistants by working on a brief provided by an academic within the psychology group. The brief summarises a research topic and asks for students to source relevant research and produce a reflective report of their thoughts on the area. The lead academic then provides a brief reference on the work received to the student and their school or college. The scheme is still growing and being refined year on year. This paper describes the scheme in its current form and discusses its effectiveness and potential future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication; cancer; existential; spiritual; religious; general practitioners; vocational training; continuing medical education. Design: The UK Medical Research Council's (MRC) framework for complex intervention research was used as a guide for course development and evaluation and was furthermore used to structure this paper. The development phase included: identification of existing evidence, description of the theoretical framework of the course, designing the intervention and deciding for types of evaluation. In the evaluation phase we measured self-efficacy before and after course participation. To explore further processes of change we conducted individual, semi-structured telephone interviews with participants. Subjects and setting: Twenty practising GPs and residentials in training to become GPs from one Danish region (mean age 49). Results: The development phase resulted in a one-day vocational training/continuing medical education (VT/CME) course including the main elements of knowledge building, self-reflection and communication training. Twenty GPs participated in the testing of the course, nineteen GPs answered questionnaires measuring self-efficacy, and fifteen GPs were interviewed. The mean scores of self-efficacy increased significantly. The qualitative results pointed to positive post course changes such as an increase in the participants' existential self-awareness, an increase in awareness of patients in need of existential communication, and an increase in the participants' confidence in the ability to carry out existential communication. Conclusions: A one-day VT/CME course targeting GPs and including the main elements of knowledge building, self-reflection and communication training showed to make participants more confident about their ability to communicate with patients about existential issues and concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the claim, put forward by Roy Lowe over three decades ago, that members of the twentieth-century eugenics movement exerted a major, perhaps even decisive, influence on the structure of secondary schooling in England and Wales – and particularly with regard to the intellectual justification for fairly rigid tracking systems, whereby children were to be directed through separate school routes towards differing career outcomes and contrasting adult lifestyles. Can it, in fact, be argued that Sir Francis Galton and his disciples, and notably Cyril Burt, were directly or indirectly responsible for the nature of the divided system of secondary education that developed in England and Wales in the years following the Second World War? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY The aim of this paper is to test for stochastic monotonicity in intergenerational socio-economic mobility tables. In other words, we question whether having a parent from a high socio-economic status is never worse than having one with a lower status. Using existing inferential procedures for testing unconditional stochastic monotonicity, we first test a set of 149 intergenerational mobility tables in 35 different countries and find that monotonicity cannot be rejected in hardly any table. In addition, we propose new testing procedures for testing conditional stochastic monotonicity and investigate whether monotonicity still holds after conditioning on a number of covariates such as education, cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Based on the NCDS cohort data from the UK, our results provide evidence that monotonicity holds, even conditionally. Moreover, we do not find large differences in our results when comparing social class and wage class mobility. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]