Men And Masculinity Essays - Gender, Gender Studies, Masculinity

Men And Masculinity Men and Masculinity Why are men so sensitive when it comes to their masculinity? This question came to me when I began reading the introduction of this section on sex. I believe that men are pushed into a social stereotype just like women are. They are told how to act, when to cry, and when to be tough from a very young age. These traits are not only bestowed upon them by their parents, but by movies, music and government of the past and present. ?For many straight men, homosexuality is a direct threat to their identities?(O'Neill 5). Since men claim they are so powerful and masculine, they shouldn't have a problem with homosexuality. Men have this problem due to the social construction. According to many heterosexual males that I have talked to, they feel that if they hang out with a homosexual or become a homosexual themselves, they would be deceiving the morals and values bestowed upon them when they were young. The majority of parents in our society have brought heir children up believing that a relationship consists of a man and a woman, and that there is no deviation from this norm. Many homosexual males never even tell their parents that they are gay. Many of these men feel that their families would disown them if they found out. The odd thing is that many of these homosexual men feel more afraid to tell their fathers that they are gay. They feel like their father would be more ashamed of them. One homosexual told me t hat his father would feel like less of a man if he knew. When I asked a number of heterosexual men, ranging form the ages of 18 to 30, why they feel homosexuality is wrong, they all came up with basically the same answer. In one way or another they all said, ?That it is just wrong, and they take it in the rear!? Some of the men I asked even said they felt ?homosexuality is like a disease that might rub off on you if you get to close?. My feeling is that if you are not gay then you have no reason to be afraid of someone who is. I feel that if you have no doubt in your sexuality then you wouldn't feel threatened by someone who is. It says in the Introduction ?Straight women, on the other hand, often don't seem as threatened by lesbianism?. If according to the article ?Designing Men: Reading the Male Body as Text?, Culbertson states that ? Woman rarely have power(Culbertson 3), then why does he also go on to later say that, ?masculinity as a gender construction in virtually every society must be constantly defended?(Culbertson 4). If men are the more powerful people then why are they so easily threatened by something that rarely has any affect on women? Also if men are the more powerful then why does Culbertson also state that, ?the homosocial system can be maintained only when men avert their gaze from each other; the gaze figuratively, must remain focused on a woman?(Culbertson 3). This is because they are not more powerful, they have just always been taught that they are the stronger gender. Why do men need women to feel confident in themselves, while women freely look at each other and themselves without a second thought? I think this is for reasons like the old saying, ?Behind every great man is a great woman?. Men are brought up, just as women are, to believe that they are to find the perfect woman. They are brought up with a psychological need for a woman. Men need women to make them feel masculine. Some men feel that having a girlfriend or wife shields them from the gay community. With masculinity in a male comes great vulnerability and complication. Men always rattle on about how had women are to read, but really they are just as hard to read if not more. The only reason the male body is a difficult text to read is because it is not exposed as much as the female body. I disagree with Ward when he states, ?The male body has been a cinematic fetish

Osteoporosis Research Paper Essays

Osteoporosis Research Paper Essays Osteoporosis Research Paper Essay Osteoporosis Research Paper Essay Osteoporosis Medical Definition Osteoporosis is a form of ill health in which bones becomes weak, and the affected is more likely to break some joints. The condition does not have symptoms, and one may not know when he or she is ill of the ailment. Becoming weaker is not an apparent show of the disease unless one breaks a bone. Some of the specific parts of the body, which may be affected, include the spine, wrist, and hips. Someone who has this condition experience a severe back pain and deformity (Marcus Feldman, 2013). Difference between Osteopenia and Osteoporosis Osteopenia and Osteoporosis both affect human beings and have related risks. The two can be mitigated and prevented by one engaging in regular exercises and eating a nutritious and healthy diet. Osteopenia is classified under bone infections, but if it proceeds, it becomes Osteoporosis. A person with Osteopenia has a low bone density than the standard normal levels, but it cannot be as low as someone who has Osteoporosis. For an individual to be diagnosed with Osteopenia the T-score bone mineral density should be between 1.0 to -2.5. Therefore, people with Osteopenia condition are at risk of having Osteoporosis, even though the condition may not be a must to develop to the advanced stages, Osteoporosis (Alexander, Knight, 2011). In Osteopenia, there are no symptoms but is recognized through a test that is done to screen for osteoporosis through the bone test. Similarly, women are at a very high risk of suffering from Osteopenia as compared to men. The condition is common in women since the changes that occur during menopause can speed up the ill effects (Steinberg, Apter, 2014). Osteoporosis and Osteopenia can be treated differently. For instance, for people suffering from Osteopenia, a dietary change is suggested, but for someone with Osteoporosis, the doctor prescribes medication to the affected. The drugs are usually bisphosphonates and may include Boniva, Binosoto, Fosamax, and Actonel. Osteoporosis Essay Pathophysiology and Epidemiology of the Disease Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is characterized by low mass bone and structural deterioration that is explained by genetic aspects of its pathogenesis. In young people, a reduction in mineral bone density and bone structures are viewed as predictors of genetically inherited Osteoporosis. Maximum bone structure load is an important pathophysiological component for bone metabolism balance. In addition, sex hormones like estrogen are determinants of biomechanical signal and can be determined by calcium-regulating hormones. The epidemiologic evidence is believed to have originated from an occurrence of hip fracture (Moon, Cooper, Harvey, 2016). Screen test for Osteoporosis gives out results for bone density, but not structure. Different diagnostic criteria have been applied to prove the existence of Osteoporosis, and this includes bone densitometry. Single mineral bone density would predict future hip and spine fractures. Since World Health Organization came up with 2.5 standard deviations below average mean value for bone mass diagnostic in the spine or hip of women who have reached menopause, the risks of Osteoporosis have not been recognized. As a result, there little knowledge about this disease, meaning that future research will be carried out, and more information added. What are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis Bone Densitometry and T-Score Bone densitometry is a bone mineral test that gives results in bone health. It can be used in the identification of osteoporosis and determine the risk of suffering from fractures. Different tests can be carried out, but the most common one is central dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry that can be used to measure bone density at the hip and the spine. There is also Peripheral bone density tests which measure the density of bones at specific parts including wrist, finger, heel and the lower arm. Normally, the results are compared to the bone mineral density of someone who is 30-years old and healthy, and a T-score given. The T-score can be evaluated as follows: normal bone density lies within 1 SD (+1 or 1) of the mean of a young adult. For the case of low bone mass, it lies between 1 and 2.5 SD below the mean (1 to 2.5 SD). Therefore, one has Osteoporosis ifit is 2.5 SD or more below mean (2.5 SD or lower). However, if the bone density is more than 2.5 SD below the mean, then the condition is regarded as severe Osteoporosisand thus presence of Osteoporotic. Risk Factors for the Patient The risk factors include the following: Age since the mentioned patient has reached age 60 and been examined for osteoporosis Gender because the patient is a female and above the age of 50 then possibility of osteoporosis is very high. Ethnicity this is the origin of the patient. White people are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Body weight the weight of this patient is very low therefore she is at high risk of getting osteoporosis. History of broken bones if the patient is at age 63 had has a wrist fracture; there is greater likelihood of getting osteoporosis. Medical history- where the patient had rheumatoid arthritisthis increased the chances of her getting osteoporosis (Nieves, 2013). OsteoporosisTreatment for the Patient The following procedure will apply. Bisphosphonates are recommended, and these may include Alendronate, Etidronate, and risedronate for secondary prevention of fragile osteoporotic structures as it is in this case. The treatment is mostly effective for patients between the age of 65 and 75 (Heaney, 2013). Raloxifene is also recommended in certain specific cases where one is not able to comply with Bisphosphonates treatment. Also, Teriparatide is used by this patient since she is 65 years old and also she had a wrist fracture in her history, and also her bone mass density is below -4 thus this medication will suit the patient( In Silverman, In Abrahamsen, 2016). Intolerance to Bisphosphonates is as a result of esophageal ulceration, and this may allow the discontinuation of the medication. Though prevention should be preferred to cure, it is good to prevent this condition by engaging in a healthy diet which will help in bone straightening and reduce future occurrence of osteoporosis. References Alexander,I.M., Knight,K.A. (2011). 100 questions answers about osteoporosis and osteopenia. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Heaney,R.P. (2013). Calcium in the Treatment of Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, 1691-1700. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-415853-5.00072-8 In Silverman,S., In Abrahamsen,B. (2016). The duration and safety of osteoporosis treatment: Anabolic and antiresorptive therapy. Marcus,R., Feldman,D. (2013). Editors Note. Osteoporosis, xxv. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-415853-5.11001-5 Nieves,J.W. (2013). Nonskeletal Risk Factors for Osteoporosis and Fractures. Osteoporosis, 817-839. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-415853-5.00034-0 Steinberg,J.A., Apter,A.J. (2014). Osteopenia and Osteoporosis. Comorbidities, Coexisting Conditions, and Differential Diagnosis, 345-366. doi:10.1093/med/9780199918065.003.0026 Moon,R.J., Cooper,C., Harvey,N.C. (2016). Osteoporosis: Pathophysiology and Epidemiology. The Duration and Safety of Osteoporosis Treatment, 1-16. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-23639-1_1

6 Reasons You Should Invest in Proofreading

6 Reasons You Should Invest in Proofreading 6 Reasons You Should Invest in Proofreading I was walking down the street the other day, when a man with a mad look in his eye approached me, shouting incoherently. â€Å"YOU’RE ONE OF ‘EM HECKIN’ PROOFREADERS, AIN’T YOU?† he bellowed, showering me with spittle. â€Å"Why yes, sir, I am,† I replied, â€Å"How can I help you?† â€Å"I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP!† he screamed, his face inches from my own, â€Å"WHAT GOOD HAS PROOFREADING EVER DONE NO-ONE?† Sighing wearily at the double negative, I took the shouting man aside and bought him a cup of coffee. I then explained the following points: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proofreading Can Boost Your Grades Many colleges award additional marks for good spelling and grammar (sometimes up to 10% of your overall grade). This can make a big difference over the academic year. More importantly, having your work proofread will make it easier to read, which can make your arguments clearer and more convincing. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Automatic Spellcheckers are Unreliable The automatic spellchecker on your word processor is useful for catching basic errors, but it’s limited when it comes to proper nouns, technical terms, acronyms, homonyms and sentence structure (all things with which a proofreader can help you). 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Tyranny of Deadlines Whether you’re at college or in the office, many of us have heavy workloads and deadlines to meet. Having a professional check your work will save you valuable time and effort, making sure that you never miss another deadline. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Word Limits Part of proofreading is making sure your written work is concise and free from repetition. This is very helpful if you struggle to stay within the word limit on your assignments! 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fresh, Expert Eyes Even the best writers struggle to proofread their own work, no matter their level of linguistic expertise. A professional proofreader, on the other hand, comes to your writing fresh, which makes it easier to spot small errors that might otherwise get missed. 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mistakes in Promotional Material are Bad for Business Research has shown that poorly written promotional material can attract bad press and incur significant costs. For example, the publisher Penguin had to recall and destroy 7,000 copies of a cookbook that included a recipe demanding â€Å"salt and freshly ground black people† when it should have said â€Å"salt and freshly ground black pepper. Oops. That’s $20,000 dollars that could have been saved with good proofreading. Once we had finished our coffee, the previously furious man seemed much calmer. â€Å"Oh my,† he said, no longer expectorating, â€Å"I had no idea! My sincere apologies! From now on, I will always have my written work checked by a professional!† And with that he left, leaving me sat alone in the coffee shop, despairing over a misplaced apostrophe in the menu.

Product Innovation and Pricing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Product Innovation and Pricing - Essay Example The camera has an automatic mode which will enable reasonable quality photographs by even people with minimal knowledge of the subject. The price at less than $300 is attractive by market conditions. Here is a camera for the amateur photographer which is easy to carry and to use, with the potential to take sharp and good quality photographs with simplicity. The camera is clearly on the upper right quadrant of a VO Grid, and has the potential to participate aggressively in the emergent mass market for basic digital cameras for amateur use. The Canon Power Shot S3 is a study in contrast with the earlier model. It meets the special needs of photography enthusiasts and professionals who may wish to take sharp photographs of objects and people at long distances. The technical features and capabilities of this product sacrifice convenience almost entirely because it is large enough to require a case of its own and would need to be slung around the user's neck. It can draw attention in a social situation which many people would not like. However, it does offer physical evidence of the user being a photography enthusiast or even a professional. This camera cost about $500, which means that only those committed to regular and specialized use would be willing to make purchase decisions in its favor. The major value proposition is the 12x zoom which a relatively small niche of people may value. It offers high value for a certain target, but would not be of interest to most consumers. The Canon Power Shot A 540 has 3 direct competitors: the Casio Exilim EX-Z850, the Fujifilm FinePix F 10, and the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-T9. The relative inconvenience of conventional film cameras implies that the indirect competition is not serious. The high resolution and high portability of these cameras place them in a category distinct from video cameras. The market segment of amateurs, who need a convenient and easy solution for occasional photographs, is adequately met by these four brands to compete adequately with each other as a set. The Fujifilm presents a strong challenge with a price tag just below $200. It is an important benefit for the company to promote and has the potential to hit its 3 competitors hard. The Sony, with a 58 MB memory, has a key advantage of being able to store significantly more images than any of the competitors. Running out of memory can be a common problem on any occasion, and it may not always be possible to transfer records to storage media at frequent intervals. The Sony therefore offers a value parameter that the competition cannot match, hence Sony should be able to use this feature to gain market share. The Casio, with 8.1 Mega Pixels can offer large prints of excellent resolution, but most people who would value this feature may opt for more professional cameras. However, there is scope for Casio to add plenty of service (Payne, 2002) by way of creating awareness of the advantages of large prints, in order to create new demand for its product. 8.1 Mega Pixels at less than 5 oz weight is a combination with value potential for customers, but the company will have to work towards generating demand. The Canon is a kind of compromise, offering a balance of the features of its competitors. Competitive Pricing It is entirely legal for a restaurant owner to copy the price of a generic dish from a competitor, as long as he or she

Suze Orman..leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Suze Orman..leadership - Assignment Example Career Suze Orman faced a lot of physical and mental challenges in her youth period, which she overcame through strong determination. Her indomitable effort bore fruit when she completed her graduation from public school and got chance at the Illinois University. At the University of Illinois she was a student of Social Work in which she desired to obtain a degree despite significant hardships. Suze Orman could not get achieve the University degree in first chance. However, instead of staying back moved over to California during 1973 where she started working as a waitress in a bakery to finance her studies. During 1976, Suze Orman was conferred diploma in Social Work by the University of Illinois. The initial period of Suze Orman’s career was as rough as the initial stages of her life. Suze Orman after being a graduate decided to stay back at the bakery to learn the style of the trade. She decided to open a restaurant by herself. To this end, she was also awarded with a loan of $50,000 dollars (by a benevolent customer) that she deposited in Merrill Lynch. However, with the crash of the financial market the entire amount was lost. This changed the course of Suze Orman’s life as she in a great need of meeting the loan ventured into the financial market to be employed as a broker. ... Four years down the line in 1987 Suze Orman resigned from the post of Vice President in Prudential Bache to become a financial entrepreneur. As a financial entrepreneur, Suze Orman ventured to open up her own financial firm, Suze Orman Financial Group where she stayed till 1997. Suze Orman decided again to change her career course from being a financial advisor to become a writer and a speaker. She quit the post of director of her firm and started on her career as a writer and an orator on financial matters (â€Å"Suze Orman Biography†). Achievement Suze Orman’s career as a writer and speaker won her many accolades. The books written by her consists of popular titles like ‘ The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom’, ‘The Courage to Be Rich’ and ‘The Road to Wealth’. All these books authored by Suze Orman happened to become the best sellers in New York. Suze Orman’s writing career also wears some national bestsellers like ‘Youà ¢â‚¬â„¢ve Earned It’ and ‘Don’t lose it’. Her writing career gains further recognition through her continued literary contribution to America’s contemporary magazines like ‘Oprah Winfrey’s Magazine’, ‘Philadelphia Inquirer’ among others. Apart from shining in her writing career, Suze Orman made a mark of an orator while hosting a show in the CNBC Channel. A separate segment was created in CNBC named ‘The Suze Orman Show’ which gained huge popularity. Her list of accolades includes Emmy awards for hosting shows aimed at public service. Suze Orman also received the Gracy Allen award for her significant contribution in financial talk shows in the audio and visual media. The Smart Money Magazine had listed Suze Orman among thirty ‘’Power Brokers’’ in the country. The Feminist Press for her

A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay

A Review Of Lord Lamings Recomendations Social Work Essay On 25th February 2000 at 3.15pm, Victoria Climbie was declared dead. A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr. Nathaniel Carey concluded she had died of hypothermia caused by malnourishment as a result of a damp environment and restricted movement. Lord Laming was approached by the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to carry out three statutory inquiries following Victorias death. The combination of these inquiries resulted in the Victoria Climbie Inquiry. In this report, he found the communication between Local Authorities, Police and Social Workers to be lacking. As a result, he made a series of recommendations and the order in which they would be implemented. By creating a hierarchy, (fig1), each Body or Committee had a specific function or role. Lord Laming determined that in the event of a serious case, an established and clear chain of command would ensure accountability and or support at the highest level. In this case, the buck would stop at the recommended ministerial Children and Families Board established with the Prime Ministers support. These main bodies and their subsidiaries would also be responsible for scrutinizing and implementing new legislation; and reporting back in the order laid out. The main focus of these recommendations was prevention rather than cure; by identifying children at risk at the earliest opportunity and ultimately ensuring their safety. This would be done by:- Simplifying the existing Working Together and the National Assessment Framework documents into one document that could be readily understood across the board. Getting rid of bureaucracy so that it became easier to identify who was responsible for what more easily. Improving the lines of communication and sharing of information. Retraining of frontline staff. Clarifying the common law rules on confidentiality. Social Care Recommendations: Following his inquiry, Lord Laming recommended a complete restructure on how a vulnerable childs case would be handled from its initiation to its completion. He recognized in order to protect the children; better standards and clear guidelines would have to be established for everyone concerned to follow. Some of his key suggestions called for:- Procedures on how to carry out an initial report: He concluded where English was not the childs first language, and interpreter would be made available. Training: Experienced staff with appropriate training would be assigned to the children and their families. Recording of data: Once a child has been identified as being vulnerable, all data regarding this child not limiting doctors reports; must be collated, recorded and shared with the proper authorities immediately. Accountability: Directors, Managers and Team leaders must establish a system that records:- Who made the authorities first aware of the childs predicament, who is dealing with the case, when the case was assigned, who referred the case to another agency or local authority and the actions being taken throughout the duration of the case. It is the duty of the Manager to ensure that every social worker is clear on what role they are expected to play in any particular case, and they understood what was expected of them. It would also be made clear that their actions would come under supervision and reviewed periodically. This would ensure everyone concerned was on the same page. Referrals: Each agency would have to cooperate with each other when sharing their information. If more than one agency was involved in a childs case, the initial agency should be responsible for informing the latter agency all the particulars of the case in writing. Legal Advice: In the event where emergency measures had to be taken, Lord Laming recommended that legal advice had to be taken within a 24 hour period. This would ensue that all aspects of the law were being complied with. Health Recommendations: Between the health, police and social services, it emerged that there were many missed opportunities which had they been spotted, could have saved Victorias life. As a result, Lord Laming suggested a complete revamp in the way cases were recorded from the ground up. Most notably, he recommended that:- Where a case of child abuse is suspected, a nursing care plan must be drawn up incorporating a full doctors report. Once a child has been identified as vulnerable, the examining doctor must decide whether to interrogate the child directly without the consent of his primary carers or get the childs history from his primary carers. The doctor must then note down his actions and or decisions taken in writing. Conclusion The Philosopher George Santayana (1905) once said those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. This unfortunately, appeared to be the case when Lord Laming was once again commissioned to write another report following the death of Baby Peter  [2]  . In this report he was asked to identify the barriers that prevented the safeguarding of children following his first inquiry. What has become increasingly clear is that despite the initial inquiry, it appears no real lessons have been learnt. On June 7th 2010, Channel 4  [3]  screened an undercover documentary on the life of a typical social worker. Among the concerns that old and newly qualified social workers expressed; a lack of communication between authorities and the bureaucracy that ensued stood out. Although one could argue the sample used in that particular documentary could not possibly reflect the UK as a whole; it is still a worrying and real concern that needs to be nationally addressed to safeguard these vulnerable children. TAQ 2: (ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 2.2) WHAT DOES A CHILDRENS TRUST DO? DESCRIBE THEIR ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS. The Childrens Plan was set up by the Government to ensure every child regardless of age, sex, religion, economic background; could lead a safe, happy and healthy life. This is in turn would make it possible for these children to turn into well adjusted adults, capable of making positive contributions in their communities. In order to make this plan work, The Childrens Trust, made up of local partnerships, was given the responsibility to see out this vision and make it a reality. The role of the Childrens Trust One of their primary roles is to bring together local organisations that deal with the services of children, young adults and families together; to continually improve services rendered or deal with problems affecting these groups of people. Together with primary care trusts, police authorities, youth offending teams, health authorities, schools, local probation boards and youth offending teams; the Childrens Trust bring these organisations together and require them to join The Trust bound by a legal duty of care. Essential Features The Childrens Trust:- Identifies children at risk with an aim to prevent any harm by intervening at the earliest stage possible. Try to reduce child poverty Actively engage with their target groups by listening to their views on what affects them in their day to day lives in order to provide services that would make a real difference to these children. Ensure proper plans are laid out to provide effective services to their target groups. This includes total accountability in services provided and public spending. Making sure every child has a well rounded education which will enable have them to be on a more or less on equal footing with wealthy children when they finally join the job market. Tries to break the barriers that prevent children from sharing and using information. The Childrens Trust also ensures that proper communication and sharing of information exists between all Local Authorities dealing with children. Partnership Agreements The following organisations work closely together with the Childrens Trust to achieve the welfare of children, young adults and families. It should be noted they have a legal duty of care when providing their respective services and as a whole, as members of the Childrens Trust, work together for the overall well being of their target groups. Primary Care Trusts (PCT): PCT together with Local Authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally, ensure the needs of the community are met as a whole. Local Safeguarding Childrens Trusts: In order to promote the safety and well being of children, young adults and families, they work together with local authorities that deal with crime and disorder, Youth Offending Teams and schools to reduce crime and risk the rate of reoffending. They teach consequences at an early age in order to prevent, as much as possible, antisocial behaviour. Education: Schools, families and local authorities work together to achieve high educational standards and promote extracurricular activities to unlock talents in children. By working together, they try to ensure a child will enter into adulthood as a well adjusted and productive member of society. Local Area Agreement (LAA). The Childrens Trust works closely with the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure their overall vision is met. TAQ3: (ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.1, 3.2) DEFINE THE TERM CHILDREN IN NEED IN A SOCIAL WORK CONTEXT LIST THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION Any child who needs extra care or attention from local authorities because:- they cannot achieve a reasonable standard of health, are significantly impaired, are disabled and are at risk from the people who surround or care for them are classified as Children in Need. The Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 require that Local Authorities who provide services for children and young people (under 18 years old) to: Identify those who are unable to reasonably attain or maintain health and or development without the provision of services by local authorities Provide health services to those who are like to suffer further or future complication without the provision of services by the local authorities Provide services for disable children (Children Act 1989, section 17). Different Types of Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse can manifest itself in many forms. Some forms of abuse are easier to spot than others and anybody working with children must be trained to spot and intervene at the earliest opportunity. Commons examples of child abuse include:- Physical abuse: This where a child is physically harmed by those in charge of his primary care (parents or guardians) or anybody who comes into contact with the child. This includes things like beating a child, pushing him/her into objects that can cause physical harm or restricting their movements so they cannot seek safety. Any deliberate action that leaves bruises, internal injuries, breaks, cuts and or scars is considered physical abuse. Sexual Abuse: Any form of sexual activity for example incest, rape, paedophilia; with a child is considered sexual abuse. Mental abuse: This covers a broad spectrum. Some of the major causes of mental abuse include:- Environment: Children who have alcoholic, violent and or drug addicted parents/guardians; or are exposed to such people in their communities, may suffer mentally as a result. The childrens future poor choices could be in part, as a result of the environment then grew up in. Unsupportive Families: Families who fail to support the children, by either encouraging them to do well or teaching them good values; constantly degrading or putting down their children; ignoring their children needs and wants; are in fact mentally abusing these children TAQ4: (ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3.3) OUTLINE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT. PLEASE NOTE IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL LINKS YOU WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON THIS When a child in need has been identified or referred to the Local Authority, an initial assessment to determine what that need is, what kind of services will be required to help the child and most importantly if the child is safe in his or her current situation; is carried out. The steps involved in carrying out such an assessment are:- The initial assessment should be completed with a maximum period of 7 working days from the date of the first referral. The needs of the child in need should be identified The safety, health and well being of the child should be safeguarded from harm. Information from the childs primary carers (parents or guardians), the extended family, all Local Authorities who had contact with the child (in relation to the case however remote), and any records held about the child (both current and old); should be collated and recorded to form part of the initial assessment. Using the Children Act 1989 section 17 as a guideline:- define if the child is in need If there is sufficient or supporting evidence or likelihood the child is suffering or will suffer. The focus of the initial assessment should solely focus on the welfare of the child, therefore, any analysis and recommendations should be made clear with no room for ambiguity. TAQ5: (ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 2.2) FIND OUT WHAT THE NORFOLK PROTOCOL GUIDELNES ARE AND DESCRIBE IN YOUR OWN WORDS USING PARAGRAPHS AT LEAST 10 ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO THE PROTOCOL The Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) exist to protect and promote the welfare of children and young adults. The LSCBs replaced the Area Child Protection Committees which were concerned with child protection as opposed to safeguarding a child. The Protocol therefore provide guidelines which Local Authorities and families can work together to provide better support for children and young adults. Some of the activities undertaken in accordance with the Norfolk Protocol are:- Help or support for disabled parents to look after their children in all aspects of the childs life: Parents who suffer from physical or learning disabilities require different forms of help when looking after their children. They may not be physically able to feed, dress or a carry their child and need to be supported in this. A learning disability may also affect a parents inability to assess correctly the needs of a child on a day to day basis. Local Authorities in accordance to the Protocol make an initial assessment of the household and help accordingly. Safeguarding children from violence and neglect: Children who come from backgrounds where violence exists, are at risk of becoming victims of their circumstances or growing up and becoming violent themselves. In order to safeguard against this, the LSCB identify such risks and take steps to remove the child from such environments and place them in a safe and stable place. Safeguard the children and young adults when accessing services or activities in the community: Any cultural or recreational activities aimed at children should make sure the children benefit from these activities in a safe manner. The custodians in charge of the activities should have an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. They should also be properly trained to make sure the children carry out their activities as safely as possible. Safeguard the children and young adults from discrimination or attacks from people because of their race, religion or physical ability: This means wherever a child is being targeted because of their individuality or has a physical or learning disability, the LSCB should step in and either; educate and or prosecute individuals or groups causing harm to the children. Safeguard children from sexual predators: Those who have been identified and prosecuted as sex offenders; should go on the Sex Offenders Register and banned from having working with children. The LSCB work closely together with other Local Authorities and help identify children at risk in such situations and remove them from harm or potential harm. Missing Children: The LSCB recognize children go missing from their home or foster placement for a variety of reasons. By sensitively approaching this issue, the LSCB work together with families, to find out the circumstances relating to the childs disappearance and if found, what can be done to prevent such an occurrence. Once a child goes missing, relevant authorities pool together to make sure the child comes home safely. They may try to reach out to the child using the media or putting up posters with information on how the child can contact the authorities safely. Shared information: This is perhaps the greatest tool at the LSCBs disposal in their work to safeguard children. There are many Local Authorities and voluntary organisations who deal with the well being of children and a lot of information is inevitably located in different locations. By setting up an electronic database, different organisations are able to not only have access to this information, but also are able to update and add vital details pertaining to the child in need. Anybody who has access, or adds to such information, should be held accountable in accordance to the procedures of their respective organisations. Safeguarding the children from bullying: By adopting a zero tolerance policy against bullying (in schools or the community), the LSCB also educates children and adults alike, how to recognize and prevent bullying. A legal duty of care to children and young adults who: have been given custodial sentences, are placed in children homes, or in training centres. They must make sure these children are safeguarded while they in such institutions, from themselves or indeed others. They must identify signs of suicide, self harming, mental health problems, continued drug use etc, and prevent, teach or curb such behaviour while the children or young adults are in their care. Unauthorised Encampments: In a bid to tackle the growing problem of illegal camping by Travellers, the Norfolk Protocol for Unauthorised Encampments was adopted in January 2003. The aim of this liaison was to form a workable plan that was acceptable to both Travellers and the communities they occupy. By cooperating with the Local Authorities, the Travellers would not only have a forum to air their grievances, but also could raise their public profile. TAQ6: (ASSESSMENT CRETRIA 4.1, 4.2) DEFINE WHAT IS MEANT BY ADOPTION AND FOSTERING IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROVISION AVAILABLE FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN. Adoption is a process where a child is provided for with a new family and whom for a variety of reasons, cannot be raised by their own biological parents. There is a legal process that needs to be followed where the new parents have to take all parental responsibility to the adopted child as they would their own biological child if they have any. Fostering on the hand usually refers to a temporary arrangement made to accommodate a child who is waiting to be adopted. The primary caregiver (in this case it could be a foster parent or a foster home) assumes responsibility for the child together with a local authority and where applicable, the childs biological parents. Identify and Evaluate Different Type of Provisions Available for Looked After Children Educational Provisions: Children in need who are experiencing hardships in their education in addition to any existing difficulties have to be especially cared for. In order to properly assess the childs individual needs, Local Authorities in partnerships with others, have to carry out assessments to determine what is best for the child. The growing needs of the child are also taken into account. This is necessary because as the child gets older, the authorities concerned will need to have their initial assessments reviewed to reflect the current status of the child. By correctly assessing and meeting a childs educational needs, it is likely the child will not stand out in mainstream society or be a target for negative actions. Fostering Provisions: The Children Act 1989 sec 22G requires Local authorities to make sure that those entrusted with caring for children meet the standards set and have passed all the checks required. This is important as it minimizes risks as much as possible with a view to ultimately ensuring the childs safety in care. Contact Provisions: Children who are placed in temporary care may have access to their biological parents depending on the nature of their placement. In order to safeguard the interest of these vulnerable children, parents sometimes have to agree to supervised visits. As much as this may be seen as an intrusion by the biological families, it is necessary to have a social worker for example; to be visibly present to prevent further harm to the child, or help build relations between child and his/her family. Changes in the law have also being reviewed to further facilitate this process. In April 1st 2010, the new Government passed a law saying that the participants incomes would not be a factor to contact activity TAQ 7: (ASSESSEMENT CREITERION 4.3) USING VALID AND RELIABLE SOURCES INVESTIGATE AND DISCSS THE ISSUES SUROUNDING HARD TO PLACE CHILDREN AND SUGGEST A POSSIBLE INERGRATED SERVICE PROVISION CARE PLAN. A child is considered hard to place when it becomes difficult for him/her to be permanently adopted by a family. The reasons vary from child to child but the most common reasons are:- Physical (prospective parents find the child is too old) Mental Problems Emotional or social problems Physical disabilities More often than not, prospective adoptive parents already have this image of a perfect little child and may not be ready to accept a child who has some difficulties. This is usually the hardest barrier when placing children. If a child is lucky enough to be adopted, but displays some challenging behaviour during the trial period, the adoptive parents have the right to return the child if they feel they cannot cope. This sadly creates more problems to the child or may have already started life feeling rejected. The term hard to place is not only restricted to children in foster care. The same can be applied to children who cannot find it hard to stay in school because of the type of behaviour they display. In order to increase the odds of have these children successfully placed in a family or an educational facility, a good care plan is essential to make this happen. Where possible, a successful care plan needs to have the input of the parents, extended family or previous schools. Monck (Monck and others 2003 p42) explores this further when he defined a plan of what to do in the interim, where there was an expectation the child would be returned to his birth parents or permanent guardians after a complete investigation. He defined Concurrent planning as the capacity of the birth parents or wider birth family to parent the child is investigated. At the same time the child is placed with foster carers who, if the birth family cannot parent, become the adopters. In his definition, when a child could not be returned to his natural parents, he made a provision on what would finally happen to that child. The following components constitute a good care plan. Specific: All care plans for hard to place children, need to be as individual as the child itself. The problems surrounding the child may have a generalised description, but the effects to the child itself have to be tailored to fit the child. Child A could be said to be angry and displays this anger by hitting other children. The same could be said of any child because children tend to lash out as they are yet to learn tools of how to deal with their emotions. The care plan would then have to delve into the root cause of the childs anger before making provision or recommendation on how to best help the child. Measurable: It is counterproductive to have the child receive the same type of help when no noticeable improvement can be recorded. Instead, if after an acceptable period of time the child continues to exhibit the same type of challenging behaviour, a new therapy or establishment should be tried. In order to avoid duplication of treatments, Local Authorities have to communicate and work together in a bid to help the child. Relevant: The care plan should fit the child needs as he or she is now. This means if an assessment was carried when the child was 4 years old, another has to be carried as he/she continues to get older. Factors such as puberty need to be taken into account as they could increase or amplify the behavioural problems exhibited by the child. Focused: The care plan would have to have direction. Needless time wasting therapies, assessments or treatments can be avoided simply by having a focussed care plan. This is where the real decisions are made concerning the child in question even though these decisions have to be revised periodically. The same could be said when there are no more resources available at that present time to cater to the child. The only thing that can be done in such cases is to keep the child safe, healthy and as happy as possible. TAQ8 (ASSESSEMENT CRETERION 1.1) USING THE TIMELINE AS A BASIS FOR YOUR WORK, DEVELOP IT FURTHER TO FULL OUTLINE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEASURES WITHIN THE UK TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. 2006 The Children and Adoption Act 2006 made provisions for people who worked or had contact with children mainly in a professional capacity or for families who posed a risk to children. The aim of this act was to minimize potential risks to children. 2007 The UK Borders Act 2007 (code of practice on children) defines how children should be treated when making sure they comply with the UK immigration laws. It states for example, any child under 16 years old should have an adult present before fingerprints can be taken. 2008 The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 Chapter 23 defines the way in which social work services are delivered to children and young person. Part 1 Sections 1-10 detail what is expected from any organisation/Local Authority delivering these types of services. Part 2 deals with the Functions in Relation to Children and Young Persons. This includes dealing with issues to do with the childrens well-being, accommodation, independent reviewing officers, visitation, education and training, finance, care breaks, enforcement of care standards, emergency protection orders and information and research. Part 3 of this act defines what is required for adopting and fostering services. Part 4 elaborates more on the Orders under Part 2 of the 1989 Act. This simply details what criteria each organisation or Local Authority should meet before and after a child is placed in care. Part 5 deals with the minor and supplementary amendments to the 1989 Act. 2009 The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c 22) provides a framework for which 16-18 year olds could qualify for an apprenticeship. Its aim is to ensure that children in schools receive full information about apprenticeships and vocational training opportunities. 2010 The Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 (c 26) deals with the provision that should made for children with special educational needs. Part 1 of this act details how educational facilities have to be inspected to meet the Governments criteria for this group of children. TAQ 9 THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WORKER AND OF THE COURTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF RELEVANT RECENT LEGISLATION IS VITAL IF CHILDREN ARE TO BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED WITHIN THE UK. DISCUSS The role of the social worker has never been more challenging at an age where horrific cases of child abuse have become commonplace. These stories no longer make headlines in the media and more worryingly, are the cases that do not make the front pages which are equally as ghastly. The social worker is also faced with a lot of opposition in the work place from uncooperative parents/guardians who openly scorn them and think they want to destroy their family unit or tell them how to run their lives. The courts on the other hand are overwhelmed with the sheer number of child abuse cases they have to deal with. By the end of 2009 alone, 51,488 sex offences against children were recorded by the Home Office. Both the social workers and the court system are often under immense pressure to resolve these cases quickly because time is usually of the essence to ensure the safety of the child. In addition, a host of red tape and bureaucracy cause the wheels of justice to run slowly, which often result in many delays which could put the child in further danger. One of the most important measures that has been put in place; largely because of the case of Victoria Climbe, was a clear line of communication and accountability for all the authorities/agencies who deal with children in need. Lord Lemming clearly identified that a lack of communication and ultimately accountability between different agencies could have contributed to the death of Victoria Climbe, once she was initially identified as a child in need. However, lessons were not learnt as in the case of Baby Peter; which resulted in further recommendations by Lord Laming. This was what resulted in the Children Act 2004. It is worth noting that the Children Act 1989 is still upheld and the 2004 Act does not supplant it. The social workers on the other hand were under pressure and overwhelmed by the number of caseloads they had to mine through and some of these workers felt their perspectives had changed from safeguardi ng children to meeting targets. In order to fully appreciate and understand the roles both the social worker and the courts play in implementing the provisions of legislation for the childs protection, it is important to first define who is considered a child in need. Councils in the UK have several indicators which they use to identify and prioritize help for a child in need (CIN). These are based on several factors surrounding the childs life such as disability, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, homelessness, sex abuse to mention a few. Regardless of how each council operates, they are all governed by the Childrens Act of 1989 and 2004. Using these Acts as a template, a child in need can be loosely defined as anybody under the age of 18 years, who requires some form of intervention, to safeguard them from external factors that prevent them from enjoying a healthy and well-adjusted life. As a result, the Government in conjunction with Ofsted, Her Majestys Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, Her Majest ys Inspectorate of Probation, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Prisons, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Court Administration, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Care Quality Commission; form a Safeguarding Review to update their policies on safeguarding children which occurs every three years. These reviews aim to streamline how local authorities identify and deal with children in n

Gattaca examines science, religion, genetic engineering and ethics

By opening the movie Gattaca with quotations from Willard Gaylin and Ecclesiastes, director Andrew Niccol invites us to ponder the tension between science and religion with regard to the ethics of genetic engineering. This tension is further sustained through the complex relationship of the main protagonists Vincent and Eugene, who must ultimately conquer their own physical limitations in order to find â€Å"God†. As the titles run, fingernails, hair threads and skin particles fall to the ground in slow motion, giving way to an image of a young man vigorously scrubbing himself. Along with a disturbing score by Michael Nyman, this obsessive-compulsive behaviour contributes to the macabre images of hypodermic needles, catheters and hospital bags of urine and blood. The shower from which Vincent has just stepped quickly converts to a furnace (is this heaven or hell? ) while the inter-title â€Å"in the not-too-distant future† runs across our screen. It is the same young man, Vincent, who provides a voice-over and our point of view in Gattaca – the antiseptic setting of a futuristic space program. Here, somnambulistic employees dressed as clones move in and out of a facility designed for cold efficiency. Note the cool blue filters, curved, shining surfaces and, again, a peculiar preoccupation with cleaning. Loudspeakers welcome visitors to Gattaca in various languages demonstrating that, along with space exploration, genetic screening has diminished both the significance and desire for global boundaries. We are already aware that in this future â€Å"blood has no nationality†. For science now enables discrimination that is far more expedient than simply skin colour. Vincent, a â€Å"God† child, is conceived without the help of genetic engineering and is quick to realise that his physical inadequacies, in particular a congenital heart condition, will prevent him from reaching his full potential. It is worth noting that the setting where Vincent's conception takes place is made â€Å"natural† by the inclusion of beaches and palm trees. As we remain in flashback to where baby Vincent plays with a toy cluster of atoms (similar motifs are repeated throughout the film), we begin to understand the hypocrisy of what this â€Å"brave new world† has to offer. `Genoism† – discrimination on the basis of genetics – is illegal, yet it seems that poor genetic outcomes such as Vincent's prevents insurance cover, which disqualifies him from pre-school – surely an issue that already has some currency in the world we inhabit today. But although Vincent feels displaced by his genetically superior brother, Anton (note how he walks into the frame just as Vincent tears his own image out of the family snapshot), he is determined to fulfil his dream of space travel. The initial swimming race where Vincent is beaten by Anton serves as a plot device pre-empting the climax of the film where both brothers, now adults, play â€Å"chicken† once again. Aerial shots intensify a terrifying sea and, this time, Vincent's victory. The irony is stark as Niccol underlines the central theme of the film – what constitutes a â€Å"valid† human being? For surely Vincent, an â€Å"invalid†, has just proved that genetics has little influence over sheer determination and grit. Enter Eugene. Genetically flawless but crippled both physically and emotionally from a suicide attempt (he finished second, not first, in a swimming race), he is continually compared with Vincent, whose genetic profile dictates that he will die at the age of 30. Eugene is bitter and twisted while Vincent is single-minded and driven. Both, however, are essentially blind to what it is that makes them human. Vincent, desperate to conceal his identity from Irene, is nearly run down on a frenetically busy highway, whereas Eugene deliberately steps in front of a car in the hope of bringing about his own death. Both are so preoccupied with their own deficiencies that they almost miss their important â€Å"spiritual† journey. In fact, both these men run perilously close to becoming like Anton – robotic and devoid of emotion. It is Anton who provides the real paradox here by ruthlessly investigating his own brother's â€Å"invalidity† and, in so doing, demonstrates that genetics does not necessarily correlate with one's humanity. Indeed, it is Irene who, from the outset, seems to be more in touch with the natural world towards which Vincent is striving to return. Note the setting where she lives; rolling surf, pristine white sand, the warm light within in which she is constantly bathed, her disappointment with Vincent's supposed â€Å"perfection†, her fascination with the sunrise, her ability to notice the change in his eyes after he discards his contact lenses when most people can only recognise human differences by a DNA test. Irene's costume and hair are much softer, feminine and distinctively individual when she is away from Gattaca. Yet our focus continually returns to Vincent and Eugene, whose relationship not only dominates most of the film's running time but develops an intimacy that is as selfless as it is full of love. The overt twinning effect (Eugene operates as Vincent's doppelganger) combined with the homoerotic subtext belies any real attempt by Niccol to establish a meaningful connection between Vincent and Irene, with the latter finally reduced to â€Å"nominal love interest†. In an effort to conceal Vincent's identity, Eugene's loyalty is clearly demonstrated when, slowly and painfully, he drags his broken body up the spiral staircase – remember, he's scared of heights. Reminiscent of a DNA strand, the staircase is a metaphor for transcendence, for raising ourselves to a new level of understanding. Eugene, determined that Vincent too will break free of his earthly bounds – his physical being – recognises the symbolism when he refers to space as â€Å"upstairs†. Earlier, Vincent tells Eugene that weightlessness is like being in the womb and that in space his legs â€Å"wouldn't matter†. But in the end, Eugene returns to where Vincent originally emerged (this time to a self-determined cremation), his sacrifice complete as Vincent is released into space. The gift of the lock of hair is on one level a safeguard against Vincent's disclosure but on another a unique and somewhat childlike reminder of Eugene's innocence in a world gone mad with science and its attending preoccupation with perfection. It is Eugene who occupies Vincent's thoughts at closure, not Irene. Despite having overcome their genetic and physical dispositions, it is clear there is no real â€Å"place† for either of these men on earth. By accentuating the tunnels leading back to the womb-like spaceship and the foetal position of Eugene in the furnace, Niccol has both Vincent and Eugene return to where science and religion originate – back to the stars, back to God, back to â€Å"home†.