A quantitative analysis of the science research council's policy of “selectivity and concentration”

This paper presents an analysis of the peer-adjudicated grants awarded by the Science Research Council (SRC) between 1964–1975. During this period, some 12,000 grants were awarded via de peer-adjudication process representing some £120 million. Expenditures on ‘big science’ have not been included in the analysis.The aim of the analysis is to compare the intentions of SRC policy with the outcome of the decisions of the peer-review system. The conclusions pertain to two policy areas: (i) priorities, (ii) selectivity and concentration. With regard to the former, it is noted that as a proportion of total SRC commitments, the Nuclear Physics Board commitments have grown over the decade; the proportion of the Science Board's commitments have declined, especially in Chemistry, and there is no empirical evidence for increased priority for engineering. With regard to the latter, resources showed no changes in concentration index over the decade whether the data was analysed in terms of grants, scientists, departments or universities.Although in each case the outcome appears to be at variance with the policy intention, there is no evidence to suggest that either the SRC, or the scientists who constitute the peer-review system should have behaved differently. Rather, the intention has been to furnish reliable data on which future policy discussion might draw.     

How key transitions influence school and labour market careers of descendants of Moroccan and Turkish migrants in the Netherlands

Most educational research examines school outcomes at certain stages or at the final stage of the school career. This article looks at the entire school career and the transition to the labour market. It focuses on key transitions to identify the educational institutional arrangements that either help or hinder school and labour market success among the most disadvantaged groups in the Netherlands: young people of Moroccan and Turkish descent. The Dutch educational system is one of the most complicated school systems in Europe. Consequently, parents and children have to make many ‘choices’ when navigating it. Many of these key ‘choice’ moments are selection points, either because they are not real choices but dependent upon a teacher’s recommendation or because parents and pupils need a great deal of information about the school system in order to make a choice. This usually results in inequalities for the most disadvantaged groups. Because selection is disguised as ‘choices’, the structural inequalities of the Dutch school system are not usually perceived as blocking mechanisms for disadvantaged students     

New Images in Education ‐ the Use and Production of Videodiscs Operated by Computer

Abstract

This article looks at the development of the Prestel and TTNS systems of videotext and how they have come together to produce the Campus 2000 System which is becoming increasingly important in UK educational systems.

     

Parental cognitive impairment and child maltreatment in Canada

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of parental cognitive impairment in cases opened for child maltreatment investigation in Canada, and to examine the relationship between parental cognitive impairment and maltreatment investigation outcomes including substantiation, case disposition and court application.

Methods

The method was secondary analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2003) core-data, which is derived from a multi-stage stratified cluster sample of 11,562 child maltreatment investigations.

Results

Parental cognitive impairment was noted in 10.1% of sampled cases that were opened for child maltreatment investigation in 2003, and in 27.3% of sampled cases that resulted in child welfare court application. Neglect was the most common cause of concern. With child and case characteristics held constant, parental cognitive impairment predicted investigation outcomes. The data further suggest that the relationship between parental cognitive impairment and investigation outcomes was partially mediated by perceived parent non-cooperation, mental health issues and low social support.

Conclusions

The number of children who are living with a parent with cognitive impairment and who are referred for protective services is thought to be increasing. Building systems capacity to support parents with cognitive impairment and promote child wellbeing is therefore essential to containing the human and economic costs of maltreatment and out-of-home care.

Practice implications

A broad-spectrum approach is needed to support parents with cognitive impairment and their children. Equipping services with the knowledge, skills, and mandate they need to deliver evidence-based parent training is vital. However, strategies are also needed to tackle discrimination, alleviate family poverty, strengthen the social ties of parents with cognitive impairment and in turn, improve the life chances of their children.