Alternative Provision Research Articles

Evaluating the carbon emissions of alternative food provision systems: A comparative analysis of recipe box and supermarket equivalents

Given the rapid growth of the online recipe box market, this research evaluates the relative environmental performances of an online recipe box delivery model and supermarket grocery retail shopping. The evaluation was conducted via a thorough comparison of the associated carbon emissions of meals provided by an online recipe delivery service to the equivalent meals from a supermarket, accounting for differences in respective supply chains and their food loss and waste. The comparative results show that, on average, the carbon emissions of the five meals studied within the recipe box model are 10.8% less than those of the equivalent meals bought from a supermarket retail store. Overall, online recipe box delivery services can improve resource efficiency compared to supermarket grocery shopping, especially at the retail operation and household consumption stages. Our findings can inform environmentally conscious consumers and provide guidance to food organisations, including recipe box firms and supermarkets, in achieving their sustainability goals.

SECTION 4(1)(b) OF THE DEEDS REGISTRIES ACT 47 OF 1937 AS A REMEDY FOR THE MISTAKEN TRANSFER OF LAND Bester NNO v Schmidt Bou Ontwikkelings CC [2012] ZASCA 125 (21 September 2012)

The deeds office practice was recently (dis)honoured by the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) decision in Bester NNO v Schmidt Bou Ontwikkelings CC, which was expected to address an “interpretative dearth” with regard to the application of section 4(1)(b) of the Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937 (DRA). The main issue (for the purpose of this note) in this case related to two questions. The first question before the court was the applicability of the abstract theory of ownership to immovable property and how it impacts on the registration of such ownership in the deeds office. The second question dealt with the correct procedure in terms of the DRA to rectify a mistaken transferarising from an incorrect property description in the title deed. With reference to the second question, the SCA applied section 4(1)(b) as a remedy to rectify the mistaken transfer of the property. This note analyses the decision in Bester v Schmidt Bou with regard to the manner in which the respondent, Schmidt Bou Ontwikkellings CC (Schmidt Bou), applied for an order for rectification of the mistaken transfer of an incorrect property, and the court’s application of the relevant provisions of the DRA. The note will conclude with a discussion of alternative provisions of the DRA which could be applied to remedy the dispute in this case.

Parents’ experiences of choosing a special school for their children

ABSTRACT This paper is about English parents’ experiences of making decisions about special school placements in the national context of rising special school placements and more parental choice and school diversity. The aim of this research was to investigate whether the current legislative focus on optimising parent choice operates as intended from the parents’ perspective. More specifically, it aimed to examine the views of parents of pupils in special schools in the South West of England: their reasons for choosing special school, the extent to which they felt they had an independent choice and their views on alternative provision. Fifty seven parents with children in special schools in three local authority special schools completed an online questionnaire that collected numerical and textual data. Analysis showed that the top three factors influencing decisions were school atmosphere, caring approach to pupils and class size, a finding that connected with their concepts of inclusive education. These and other findings point to the limitations of the choice-diversity model implemented over the last few decades in England. The research illustrates distinctive parental perspectives on schooling, inclusive education and the dilemmas they experience in choosing provision for their children.

Mental observation wards: an alternative provision for emergency psychiatric care in England in the first half of the twentieth century.

In England in the early twentieth century, mental observation wards in workhouses developed as a parallel service to the asylums for emergency mental health admissions under the 1890 Lunacy Act, particularly in urban areas and especially London on account of local policy. The purpose of the wards was initial patient assessment and early discharge or certification, and there was controversy between their medical supporters and the Board of Control about any extension of their remit which might usurp the role of the mental hospitals. Their significance declined with changing policy in the NHS era, as more emergency admissions went to mental hospitals, and local treatment units emerged. This article explores the history of these services in the context of the changing legal and policy frameworks.

IRS Secures Appeals Court Win In Conservation Easement Case

The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, by decision dated June 23, held that a charitable deduction for a gift of a conservation easement is not available because the conservation purpose was not protected in perpetuity by reason of a defective extinguishment provision in the easement deed and that an alternative provision in the deed was an unenforceable condition subsequent savings clause (TOT Property Holdings, LLC v. Commissioner). This appellate court affirmed the US Tax Court decision in the case (summarized in the March 2020 issue).

Atmospheres, spaces and job crafting: home visits in Alternative Provision

ABSTRACT Neglected in policy and the public consciousness, Alternative Provision is the expanding putty of the education sector, working within the gaps left by other agencies to re-engage children. Yet to engage children, Alternative Provision must first engage families and home visits are crucial to this process. Often triggered by absences or safeguarding concerns, homes visits are inherently risky both to the safety of practitioners but also to the fragile trust that is built with families. Rather than being purely objective practices, home visits are deeply embodied, sensuous experiences: from the apprehension and neighbour-scrutiny of the doorstep to inside homes that are sometimes sealed, sometimes permeable, practitioners engage in ‘way-finding’ through room and histories, spaces of affective atmospheres made and unmade, crafted and destroyed through the interaction of people, artefacts and light. And here, improvising, practitioners craft their jobs as equally as they craft engagement.

REVIEWING HOME EDUCATION LITERATURE: DOES IT MATTER WHERE WE LEARN?

The last 20 years has seen a global increase in studies investigating various aspects of Home Education (HE) and the physical location of learning in relation to schooling; the physical location of learning outside of schooling remains under researched. This paper provides a review of some, but not all, of the existing literature, leading us to see where there are potentially gaps in the research as well as gaps in the opportunities for creative methodologies. The review starts with Home Education within the context of Scottish/UK education history and policy. It should be noted that at present there are very few differences between Scottish Home Education Policy and that from Westminster. Then we move to the exploration into Education Capital and how Bourdieu’s theories and ideas may or may not apply in the Home Education context. Firstly, this review finds that there is a very limited body of research that is specifically concerned with the voice of the home-educated children, who experience and live learning, in alternative provision; secondly this review notes the limited number of studies concerned with just what education means, to home educating families, or the value they place upon education in spaces outside of schools. It cannot be assumed that because a family have chosen to home educate, that the decision was entirely ideological. Very briefly, due to the recent lockdown of March 2020 onwards, a small amount of research is included following Covid-19 and the nationwide Home Education of most of the children in the UK. Strikingly, and despite how new this research is, the value of education within the home is still missing from core topics as is for the most part, the coproduction of data with the children’s voices at the heart of Home Education research.
 
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Policies, Laws and Schemes Supporting Foster Care and Adoption in South Asia

Families are the natural environment for children to grow. Children have the right to be cared for by their parents; parents have a responsibility to provide for their children’s upbringing and development. States have the responsibility to provide special protection and assistance to millions of children in South Asia who no longer have families, who have become separated from their families, or whose families represent a serious danger to their health or development. There is a spectrum of services available to children whose parents no longer provide adequate care, known as Out of Home Care or Alternate Care. There are growing concerns about the situation of children outside parental care and the provision of suitable alternatives in South Asia. These children often find themselves at a high risk of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect, and their well-being is often insufficiently monitored. An inadequate care environment can impair a child’s emotional and social development, and leave children extremely vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including sexual abuse and physical violence. Across the South Asian region, the combined impacts of widespread poverty, prolonged armed conflict, frequent natural disasters and the spread of COVID-19 is exerting extreme pressure on families and communities, as well as on the limited social services available to support them. The present article aims to study the various policies, laws & schemes supporting two forms of alternate care, namely, foster care & adoption in South Asia, identify the gaps in the implementation and make certain recommendations.

A systematic literature review exploring the facilitators and barriers of reintegration to secondary mainstream schools through ‘alternative provision’

ABSTRACT This systematic review synthesises the existing research evidence regarding the experiences of young people reintegrated to a mainstream secondary school (MSS) through alternative provision (AP), following permanent exclusion. Eight studies, including one international study, were critically appraised and synthesised following PRISMA guidelines. Three global themes were identified: outcomes of reintegration; factors that support reintegration (facilitators); factors that limit reintegration success (barriers). Findings were configured into a chronological reintegration journey model that outlines the facilitating and limiting factors at three specific stages of the reintegration process: AP support; reintegration planning; reintegration and MSS support. Bringing together multiple stakeholder perspectives from a variety of data sources, this model can serve as a framework for practitioners involved within the reintegration process. This review evidences variability in the methodological quality of the reintegration research evidence and outlines recommendations for future research.

Family engagement and compassion fatigue in Alternative Provision

ABSTRACT In a sector largely ignored in policy and the public imagination, Alternative Provision works to care for and educate children for whom mainstream schooling does not work. Central to their mission is the engagement of families, often seen as both the cause of their child’s difficulties and the solution to their successful educational re-engagement. Practitioners within Alternative Provision work within sophisticated strategies of family engagement, from regular communication to the more intensive interventions of home visits, supporting families with everything from filling in forms to cleaning, from managing outbursts to sourcing furniture. With the majority of families living within contexts of deprivation, many have life histories containing trauma, trauma that Alternative Provision Practitioners listen to, confront and, often, internalise, risking ‘compassion fatigue’. This article focuses on the potential for compassion fatigue within family engagement in Alternative Provision, beginning with the impact on practitioners. It then discusses the role of leadership in building an assemblage of organisation interventions to both mitigate compassion fatigue and maximise ‘compassion satisfaction’, the fulfilment that comes from empathic work. Finally, it examines how compassion satisfaction could mitigate the deleterious impact of vicarious trauma.

Mainstream teachers’ concerns about inclusive education for children with special educational needs and disability in England under pre‐pandemic conditions

A survey‐based investigation of teachers’ concerns was conducted the following adaptation of Sharma and Desai’s ‘Concerns about Integrated Education (CIE) Scale’ two decades ago. The terminology was adjusted and ‘integrated’ became ‘inclusive’, and ‘Special Educational Needs and / or Disability (SEND)’ replaced ‘disability’ in a novel ‘Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale’. A purposive sample included the public and private education sectors. An online questionnaire was completed in April 2020 (n = 93) by teachers (66: state mainstream, 18: independent, 5: UK‐based international schools, 3: SEND specialists, 1: alternative provision). Statistical analysis of closed questions aimed to identify teachers’ concerns about IE for children with SEND and was complemented by qualitative analysis of data generated through open‐ended questions. Varied understandings of what IE means and longstanding concerns were identified. The highest level of concern was evidenced around resources, specifically, funding for specialist and support staff, resources, and appropriate infrastructure. Qualitative data analysis suggested that children with SEND risk being perceived as an onerous adjunct to an already stressful ‘regular’ teaching role. Few respondents mentioned national performance monitoring and accountability regimes in this context and, instead, viewed additional paraprofessional and external support as self‐evident solutions to excessive workloads, neglecting the implications for equity in education.

‘Fair and square’: what do students think about the ethnicity degree awarding gap?

ABSTRACT In UK higher education, minority ethnic students are less likely to graduate with a good degree than their White British counterparts, even when prior attainment is considered. Until recently, concerns about this ethnicity degree awarding gap have not received the research attention it deserves. In this paper, we contribute to this gap in knowledge with a focus on how students make sense of the difference in degree outcomes by ethnicity. Informed by 69 in-depth interviews with minority and majority ethnic students at a UK university, we explore their views towards the ethnicity degree awarding gap, why it exists and what would be their solution to reduce this difference. Although some students perceived the awarding gap as a reflection of individual aptitude, others have attributed social barriers for degree outcome differences. We present five recommendations as suggested by students for policy and practice. Firstly, the provision of greater economic support for minority ethnic students, which will improve access and a more diverse student population. Secondly, to establish an institutional commitment to challenge and eradicate all forms of racism on campus, including microaggressions. Thirdly, to increase representation of minority ethnic staff and students in higher education to improve students’ sense of belongings and aspirations, with the emphasis on greater staff diversity. Fourthly, to diversify the curriculum with a wider range of values and perspectives incorporated into teaching. Finally, universities need to be proactive and reflective to ensure structural barriers are reduced or eliminated through additional support or alternative provisions.

Motor vehicle incidents in postgraduate trainees in British Columbia.

IntroductionPostgraduate medical trainees frequently work ≥ 24- hour shifts causing fatigue and adverse consequences such as motor vehicle incidents (MVIs). We aim to determine the incidence of MVIs during the commutes of trainees in British Columbia (BC) in the preceding year.MethodsWe completed a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of trainees regarding work hours, shifts, and MVIs in the previous year. MVIs included falling asleep while driving, sudden braking or swerving to avoid a collision, unintentionally running a red light or stop sign, or collisions.ResultsOf 273 respondents, over half (54.6%) reported ≥1 MVI, one in 14 were in a collision (7.0%), and two thirds (66.3%) reported that the safety of their commute had been impacted by fatigue in the past year. After adjustment for road exposure and shift-related factors, every ten km increase in commute length was associated with an increased risk of MVI (aOR=1.54;95%CI:1.15-2.12). Reported attentional failures, such as unintentionally running a red light and/or stop sign, increased for every ten hours on-call (aOR=1.44;95%CI:1.03-2.04) and for every additional past-midnight shift worked (aOR=1.13;95%CI:1.01-1.26).DiscussionTrainees with longer and more frequent commutes had an increased risk of MVIs. Trainees who worked more hours on-call and more past-midnight shifts reported significantly more attentional failures while commuting. This study helps us understand factors affecting trainee commuter safety and supports calls for the provision of safe alternatives to commuting for postgraduate trainees.

Do podcasts improve the learning experience of dyslexic medical students?

IntroductionThere has been a rapidly increasing rate of students disclosing specific learning difficulties in higher education- in 2016 dyslexic students accounted for up to 5% of the student population.(Ryder D, Norwich B.)ObjectivesIt is important that provisions for alternative learners are developed in order to increase accessibility to medicine. Podcasts are an inexpensive, accessible and convenient method to both deliver education and interest pieces to a new generation of learners. This poster aims to explore the idea of harnessing the technology available to us to create an accessible, enjoyable platform to improve the experience of students with learning difficulties.MethodsA literature search reviewing the past and present provisions for students with learning difficulties was conducted using a range of databases covering educational, scientific and medical backgrounds. 315 papers were found across the databases, each analysed for relevance and 25 were selected as appropriate.Resultsidentified 5 key themes; the lack of awareness and importance of education, the power of audio learning, the practicalities of podcasts, adjustments to examinations specifically and finally additional provisions which accompany audio learning to create an all-inclusive educational experience. Altogether suggesting podcasts have an improved outcome for students with learning difficulties.ConclusionsIt has been evidenced understanding is key to maximising learning potential and highlighted need to increase awareness of dyslexic needs in higher education institutions, generate audio centred provisions in conjunction to traditional materials and be aware of alternative provisions to cater for the spectrum of dyslexic needs.

Optimizing Energy Use, Cost and Carbon Emission through Building Information Modelling and a Sustainability Approach: A Case-Study of a Hospital Building

The construction industry (CI) has a significant impact on the environment and on climate change due to the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Globally accepted Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically SDG 7 (Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy for All), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) stress the responsible utilization of energy in various industries, including construction. The CI uses almost half of the world’s produced energy. Therefore, this research presents insights into the efficient use of energy in the building sector and shows how energy efficiency can be achieved by altering different parameters and components like orientation, materials, glazing, and HVAC systems through a case study of a hospital building in Green Building Studio (GBS). This paper also aims to use the Building Information Modelling (BIM) approach to make environmentally sustainable decisions to reduce energy waste in projects. Initially, beneficial factors of BIM on green buildings were identified in the literature and later ranked, based on expert opinions collected using a set of questionnaires. Average Index was used for data analysis. The identified benefits were validated by conducting energy analyses on a hospital model through 3D BIM. It was concluded that a substantial share of energy cost, carbon dioxide (CO2), and electricity can be saved using this approach. It was determined that a quick and sustainable design process, improved energy efficiency, enhanced building performance, and provision of better design alternatives are the key benefits of the adoption of BIM by such projects. A Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.822 was obtained, which further validates the results. The proposed approach may lead future structures to be sustainable and enriches the culture of energy-efficient green buildings.

Barriers and facilitators of household provision of dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives in families with preschool-age children.

This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators of the provision of dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDA) by parents of preschool-age children, a previously unexplored area of research. Five focus groups of parents were conducted and audio-recorded. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. University of Guelph, in Guelph, ON, Canada in 2019. Thirty-two (n 19 mothers, 13 fathers) parents of preschool-age children. Most (59 %) were university or college educated. Facilitators common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived nutritional benefits, such as dairy's Ca, protein and fat content, and PBDA's protein content, and the perception that PBDA adds variety to the diet. Facilitators unique to dairy v. PBDA provision included the taste of, familiarity with, and greater variety and accessibility of dairy products, specifically child-friendly products. A facilitator unique to PBDA v. dairy provision was ethical concerns regarding dairy farming practices. Barriers common to both dairy and PBDA provision included perceived cost, concerns regarding the environmental impact of production, and high sugar content. Barriers specific to dairy included use of antibiotics and hormones in dairy production. A barrier specific to PBDA was the use of pesticides. Behaviour change messages targeting parents of preschoolers can emphasise the nutrition non-equivalence of dairy and some PBDA and can educate parents on sources of affordable, unsweetened dairy and PBDA.

PROTOCOL: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials evaluating the impact of parenting programmes for parents of adolescents (10-18 years) on adolescent mental health outcomes, positive development and the parent-adolescent relationship.

PROTOCOL: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials evaluating the impact of parenting programmes for parents of adolescents (10-18 years) on adolescent mental health outcomes, positive development and the parent-adolescent relationship.

Commitment to inclusion: a review of SEND provision across mainstream secondary schools in Southampton

This short piece of action research seeks to identify the strengths of secondary school provision for students with SEND, in order to provide a city wide overview in which good practice and expertise can be shared. It also considers the particular barriers faced by secondary schools and examines how schools are working to overcome these barriers. The research suggests that despite the challenges of reduced funding, some schools are developing innovative ways to maximise resources and provide flexible pathways of provision for pupils with SEND. These include establishing a graduated approach to support with clear mechanisms for early identification of need, ongoing monitoring of progress and robust systems for self‐evaluation leading to school improvement. In addition, some schools have sought to design a modified and enhanced curriculum for more vulnerable students, with flexible access to short‐term interventions and alternative provision. However, there is evidence to suggest that an emphasis on summative attainment data with a lack of specificity around target setting, sometimes leaves pupils unclear about the progress they are making and what they need to do to improve. The research suggests that schools should consider how a vision for SEND needs to be driven by senior leadership teams and how the role of the SENCo can be strengthened by adopting the principles of distributed leadership to bring about collective influence. Consideration of how schools can work together to share expertise and develop structured opportunities for continuous professional development, could help to secure positive outcomes for pupils with SEND and create long‐term sustainability.

Finding the voice of students engaging in online alternative provision via digital data collection methods

AbstractThe number of students accessing Alternative Provision (AP) in the UK is growing and the ways in which such provision is facilitated is evolving with the use of EdTech. However, there is very little evidence of such provisions being evaluated in terms of their educational impact nor regarding the way in which students engage with them. This results in the voices of students participating in AP being further marginalised by being out of mainstream education, as they fail to be heard by their educators, schools or local authorities. Within this exploratory paper digital data collection methods are shown to offer a solution to this problem and reveal student voice insights into how they engage with and experience one specific form of synchronistic online AP. This study provides evidence of how student voice can effectively be collated in order to provide an opportunity for marginalised student voices to be heard. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Student voice is a critical tool in both engaging students and student engagement. There is a preference in students to give anonymous feedback and this facilitates more honest, open responses. AP uptake is increasing. There has been little evidence of any effort to obtain student voice from students in AP. What this paper adds Gathering student voice from students in AP is critical to assess how students view and respond to their provision. Digital data collection facilitates AP student voice; students both younger and potentially more vulnerable to disengagement can have their voices heard more easily. A substantial majority of students in AP who have left mainstream education perceive online learning delivery methods to have positive impacts. Implications for practice/pedagogy Practitioners should strive to ensure AP students have avenues through which they may have their student voices heard to gain insights into the effectiveness of the provision from a student perspective. Anonymous feedback, which enables students to be confident in expressing their views, even when verbally expressed, can be facilitated through digital data collection methods. Use of live, online interactive lessons are a valuable form of AP worthy of further exploration.

Abrupt epidemic outbreak could be well tackled by multiple pre-emptive provisions-A game approach considering structured and unstructured populations

Forecasting the dynamics of flu epidemics could be vital for policy-making concerning the allocation of public health resources. Reliable predictions about disease transmission networks also help fix the benchmark for reconciling diverse aspects to the decision-makers while selecting and implementing a suitable health intervention. To this aim, we propose an SIR/VM epidemic game model to reveal the dynamic evolution of intervention policies, entangling social feedbacks, behavioral responses, and viral transmission on several network topologies into a single framework. Besides vaccination, this study introduces intermediate defense measures (IDM) as an alternative provision to restraint the epidemic resurgence in structured and unstructured populations. Although heterogeneity is a commonly observed phenomenon in human populations, many antecedent studies typically preferred homogenous networks. Here, we investigate the disparities found in epidemic diffusion within homogeneous and heterogeneous networks, employing a mean-field approximation and multi-agent simulation, respectively. Additionally, we explore both network types simultaneously and justify their potential impacts on control provisions’ success. As a general tendency, vaccination and IDM complement each other within the entire parametric regions. Our study elucidates the coexistence of multiple policies as well as the abrupt emergence of stain points adopting several network topologies. A careful investigation on stain points reveals that hub agents solely rely on free-riding brings the endemic state of an epidemic, triggered by a sudden extinction of vaccinators and self-protectors. The emergence of too many self-interested people spoils the herd immunity state and initiates the outbreaks, heavily observed in well-mixed and scale-free networks. On the other hand, the coexistence of policies occurs mostly in the networks mentioned above but rarely seen in the lattice network. The robustness of the proposed model has been tested by adding mean-field theoretical results for a nonspatial population and agent-based simulated outcomes for spatial populations under a wide variety of parametric conditions. Model outcomes confirm that the game-payoff regulates the epidemic dynamics, while the epidemic propagation governs individuals’ health status. Moreover, we expose a complex interplay between cost and efficacy of control provisions and justify keeping the provisional costs reasonably lower would be an ultimate challenge to maintain disease attenuation. The central theme of this paper is thus to portray the holistic summary of epidemic prevalence and the relative contribution of each intervention to epidemic remission.