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Funding: Funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme of the European Commission (European Commission 2019–2021). Child maltreatment has detrimental social and health effects for individuals, families and communities. The ERICA project is a pan-European training programme that equips non-specialist threshold practitioners with knowledge and skills to prevent and detect child maltreatment. This paper describes and presents the findings of a rapid review of good practice examples across seven participating countries including local services, programmes and risk assessment tools used in the detection and prevention of child maltreatment in the family. Learning was applied to the development of the generic training project. A template for mapping the good practice examples was collaboratively developed by the seven participating partner countries. A descriptive data analysis was undertaken organised by an a priori analysis framework. Examples were organised into three areas: programmes tackling child abuse and neglect, local practices in assessment and referral, risk assessment tools. Key findings were identified using a thematic approach. Seventy-two good practice examples were identified and categorised according to area, subcategory and number. A typology was developed as follows: legislative frameworks, child health promotion programmes, national guidance on child maltreatment, local practice guidance, risk assessment tools, local support services, early intervention programmes, telephone or internet-based support services, COVID-19 related good practices. Improved integration of guidance into practice and professional training in child development were highlighted as overarching needs. The impact of COVID-19 on safeguarding issues was apparent. The ERICA training programme formally responded to the learning identified in this international good practice review. Publisher PDF

This monograph aims at presenting information and suggestions on alternative provisions and procedures for planning and effecting needed changes in education. It outlines the kinds of studies that need to be made to facilitate rational planning, describes how these studies should be conducted, and identifies the personnel to make the studies. Although the major focus is on effecting improvements in provisions for financing schools, many of the observations and suggestions should be helpful to State officials and legislators, planning agencies, and other groups concerned with studies and proposals relating to provisions for all aspects of education. The subjects covered include (1) organization for State planning and coordination: some alternatives; (2) organization and procedures for planning and effecting improvements in education; (3) studies of educational needs and programs; (4) studies of financial provisions and needs; (5) analysis of alternatives; and (6) constitutionality of alternative models. Related documents are ED 036 007, ED 052 514-515, ED 052 548, and ED 059 525. (Author/JF)

Ten chapters that present and evaluate alternative models for State school finance plans and for Federal aid, and school fiscal policy recommendations comprise this document, Volume Five of the NEFP series. Volume One of this series deals with educational needs, Volume Two with economic factors and education, Volume Three with various aspects of financial planning for educational services, and Volume Four with the impact of educational financing programs. Also included in this document are a description of districts in the prototype State and a summary of the findings reported in the preceding volumes. The conclusions and recommendations set forth in this volume represent the consensus of the central staff and the Project Committee. Funding for this research was provided by an ESEA Title V grant. (Related documents are EA 003 537-540, 543, and 673.) (MLF)

Ten articles on various aspects of educational finance programs comprise this document, volume four of the NEFP series. Volume one of this series deals with educational needs, volume two with economic factors in educational finance, and volume three with educational planning and finance. The material in this volume provides valuable information on the status of educational financing and the impact of both State and Federal school finance programs on the equalization of educational opportunity. The first six chapters focus on methods, purposes, and equalization of State school finance programs in all 50 States and the last four chapters describe and assess the equalization impact of Federal aid programs on elementary and secondary education. Related documents are ED 036 007 and EA 003 536-538. Funds for this research were provided by an ESEA Title V grant. (Author/RA)

Eleven articles on various aspects of financial planning for educational services comprise this document, volume three of the NEFP series. Volume one of this series deals with educational needs, volume two with economic factors and education, and volume four with the impact of educational financing programs. The material in this volume describes financing programs and discusses problems in financial planning for public instruction programs from preschool through community college and adult education, including programs for exceptional children, the culturally deprived, and vocational education. Additional discussions on planning school facilities finance, food service costs, and student transportation, as well as on fiscal capacity and district reorganization are provided. Related documents are EA 003 536, EA 003 539-543, PS 004 503, ED 043 697, ED 047 230, ED 045 068, ED 043 968, ED 046 071-072, EA 003 537, ED 036 007, and EA 003 673. Funding for this research was provided by an ESEA Title V grant. (RA)

Eleven articles on various aspects of educational finance comprise this document, volume two of the NEFP series. Volume one of this series deals with educational needs, volume three with educational planning and finance, and volume four with the impact of educational finance programs. In general, the material in this volume treats education as a product--subject to the constraints of supply and demand. Each article explores a factor or sets of factors considered influential in determining the nature and types of future educational services. Discussed are (1) the relative roles of public and private financial support, (2) the influence of the economy on education, (3) the influence of the social milieu on education, (4) the investment nature of education, (5) the limits of taxation financing, and (6) the impact of educational objectives on educational development. Related documents are ED 036 007, EA 003 536, EA003 538, and EA 003 673. Funds for this research were provided by an ESEA Title V grant. (RA)

Roe L. Johns and J. Alan Thomas survey the problem of educational need; and Kern Alexander considers the implications of the dimensions of educational need for school financing. Dimensions of need in the following areas are defined: early childhood and basic elementary and secondary education, by William P. McLure; educational programs for exceptional children, by Richard A. Rossmiller, and for the culturally deprived, by Arvid J. Burke; vocational education, by Erick L. Lindman and Edwin L. Kurth; community junior college education, by James L. Wattenbarger; and adult and continuing education, by J. Alan Thomas and William S. Griffith. In addition, Roe L. Johns discusses the extended school year. An abstract of the research design for the National Educational Finance Project is appended. (JD)

In a study of the critical factors affecting local decision making on school fiscal policy, socioeconomic factors, educational leadership, and community power structure were related to one another and to local financial effort in relation to ability. The study included 122 school districts of 20,000 population and above located in the states of Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Illinois. Twenty-four districts (three highand three low effort districts from each state) were selected for intensive study. The 12 major hypotheses tested dealt with consistency of local school fiscal policy, the relationship of socioeconomic factors and kinds of community power structures to effort, and the characteristics of community leaders and voter behavior in competitive and noncompetitive power structures. Principal findings included: (1) Most school districts followed consistently high or low effort patterns throughout the 18 years studied, (2) there was no consistent relationship between socioeconomic factors and financial effort, (3) low financial effort districts tended to have noncompetitive power structures, and (4) low effort, noncompetitive districts tended to have closed social systems with politically less active voters. (Author/JK)

Discusses some of the most useful and most commonly used analytical tools for evaluating state school finance programs. (JG)

Analyzes the use of different measures of sparsity of pupil population and discusses the relationship of pupil population density to the equality of educational programs. Describes in detail development of an index used in Florida to measure the extra cost of providing equal educational opportunity in sparsely settled school districts. (JG)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of health checks, performed by nurses in primary care, in reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease and cancer. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Five urban general practices in Bedfordshire. SUBJECTS: 2205 men and women who were randomly allocated a first health check in 1989-90 and a re-examination in 1992-3 (the intervention group); 1916 men and women who were randomly allocated an initial health check in 1992-3 (the control group). All subjects were aged 35-64 at recruitment in 1989. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum total cholesterol concentration, blood pressure, body mass index, and smoking prevalence (with biochemical validation of cessation); self reported dietary, exercise, and alcohol habits. RESULTS: Mean serum total cholesterol was 3.1% lower in the intervention group than controls (difference 0.19 mmol/l (95% confidence interval 0.12 to 0.26)); in women it was 4.5% lower (P < 0.0001) and in men 1.6% (P < 0.05), a significant difference between the sexes (P < 0.01). Self reported saturated fat intake was also significantly lower in the intervention group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures and body mass index were respectively 1.9%, 1.9%, and 1.4% lower in the intervention group (P < 0.005 in all cases). There was a 3.9% (2.4 to 5.3) difference in the percentage of subjects with a cholesterol concentration > or = 8 mmol/l, but no significant differences in the number with diastolic blood pressure > or = 100 mm Hg or body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2. There was no significant difference between the two groups in prevalence of smoking or excessive alcohol use. Annual rechecks were no more effective than a single recheck at three years, but health checks led to a significant increase in visits to the nurse according to patients' degree of cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of health checks were sustained over three years. The main effects were to promote dietary change and reduce cholesterol concentrations; small differences in blood pressure may have been attributable to accommodation to measurement. The benefits of systematic health promotion in primary care are real, but must be weighed against the costs in relation to other priorities.