Progress in Implementing Capacity-Building Provisions under the Labor Chapter of the Dominican Republic – Central America – United States Free Trade Agreement

[Excerpt] Section 403(a) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act includes a reporting requirement on labor issues related to the CAFTA-DR. Specifically, that section requires the President to submit a biennial report to Congress on the progress made by the CAFTA-DR countries in implementing (i) Chapter Sixteen (Labor) of the CAFTA-DR, and (ii) the White Paper. The President delegated this reporting function to the Secretary of Labor, to be carried out in consultation with the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This is the first report in fulfillment of Section 403(a) of the CAFTA-DR Implementation Act. As required, this report includes: A. A description of the progress made by the Labor Cooperation and Capacity Building Mechanism established by Article 16.5 and Annex 16.5 of the CAFTA-DR, and the Labor Affairs Council established by Article 16.4 of the CAFTA-DR, in achieving their stated goals, including a description of the capacity-building projects undertaken, funds received, and results achieved, in each CAFTA-DR country; B. Recommendations on how the United States can facilitate full implementation of the recommendations contained in the White Paper; C. A description of the work done by the CAFTA-DR countries with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to implement the White Paper recommendations and to advance common commitments regarding labor matters; and D. A summary of public comments received on these matters

Private Pension Plan Bulletin Historical Tables and Graphs

DOL_Private_pension_plan_bulletin_historical_trables_and_graphs.pdf: 162 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Key worker services for disabled children: what characteristics of services lead to better outcomes for children and families?

Background: Research has shown that families of disabled children who have a key worker benefit from this service and recent policy initiatives emphasize the importance of such services. However, research is lacking on which characteristics of key worker schemes for disabled children are related to better outcomes for families. Methods: A postal questionnaire was completed by 189 parents with disabled children who were receiving a service in seven key worker schemes in England and Wales. Path analysis was used to investigate associations between characteristics of the services and outcomes for families (satisfaction with the service, impact of key worker on quality of life, parent unmet need, child unmet need). Results: The four path models showed that key workers carrying out more aspects of the key worker role, appropriate amounts of contact with key workers, regular training, supervision and peer support for key workers, and having a dedicated service manager and a clear job description for key workers were associated with better outcomes for families. Characteristics of services had only a small impact on child unmet need, suggesting that other aspects of services were affecting child unmet need. Conclusions: Implications for policy and practice are discussed, including the need for regular training, supervision and peer support for key workers and negotiated time and resources for them to carry out the role. These influence the extent to which key workers carry out all aspects of the key worker's role and their amount of contact with families, which in turn impact on outcomes

Out-of-school lives of physically disabled children and young people in the United Kingdom: A qualitative literature review

Currently there appears to be few opportunities and little evidence of physically disabled children and young people (C&YP) participating in mainstream social activities. A qualitative review was undertaken to examine the factors affecting physically disabled C&YP (8–15 years) in the United Kingdom participating in out-of-school activities. Views and experiences were explored from the perspective of the service users and providers to assess current provision and to determine the need for future research into factors that may affect participation. Searches were conducted across eight databases, the references of the included studies were checked and the websites were searched. Studies that used a qualitative design that examined the views relating to out-of-school activities were included. Nine papers were identified, which included three peer-reviewed papers and six pieces of grey literature and pertinent government documents to include views and experiences of out-of-school activity provision. The main themes emerging from the review were the need for social inclusion, out-of-school activities run by volunteers and accessibility, with threads throughout, which require further research including parental influence, provision, training and attitudes. This review highlights the absence of the service user’s voice and sheds light on the limited provision and barriers affecting participation in out-of-school activities

Antimicrobial resistance: a biopsychosocial problem requiring innovative interdisciplinary and imaginative interventions

To date, antimicrobials have been understood through largely biomedical perspectives. There has been a tendency to focus upon the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals within individual bodies. However, the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance demands we reconsider how we think about antimicrobials and their effects. Rather than understanding them primarily within bodies, it is increasingly important to consider their effects between bodies, between species and across environments. We need to reduce the drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at a global level, focusing on the connections between prescribing in one country and resistance mechanisms in another. We need to engage with the ways antimicrobials within the food chain will impact upon human healthcare. Moreover, we need to realise what happens within the ward will impact upon the environment (through waste water). In the future, imaginative interventions will be required that must make the most of biomedicine but draw equally across a wider range of disciplines (e.g. engineering, ecologists) and include an ever-increasing set of professionals (e.g. nurses, veterinarians and farmers). Such collective action demands a shift to working in new interdisciplinary, inter-professional ways. Mutual respect and understanding is required to enable each perspective to be combined to yield synergistic effects

Paying clinicians to join clinical trials : a review of guidelines and interview study of trialists

Background: The motivations of clinicians to participate in clinical trials have been little studied. This project explored the potential role of payment for participation in publicly funded clinical trials in the UK. The aims were to review relevant guidelines and to collate and analyse views of clinical trialists on the role of payments and other factors that motivated clinicians to join clinical trials. Methods: Review of guidelines governing payments to clinicians for recruitment to trials. Semistructured interviews with a range of NHS clinical trial leaders, analysed using qualititative methods. Results: While UK guidelines had little to say specifically on payments linked to recruitment, all payments have become highly regulated and increasingly transparent. Interview participants believed that expenses arising from research should be covered. Payments in excess of expenses were seen as likely to increase participation but with the risk of reducing quality. Motivations such as interest in the topic, the scope for patients to benefit and intellectual curiosity were considered more important. Barriers to involvement included bureaucracy and lack of time. Discussion: Limited scope exists for paying clinicians over-and-above the cost of their time to be involved in research. Most trialists favour full payment of all expenses related to research. Conclusion: Payment of clinicians beyond expenses is perceived to be a less important motivating factor than researching important, salient questions, and facilitating research by reducing bureaucracy and delay

Values and behaviours: using the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities to support policy reform in mental health practice

This paper will review aspects of current policy in mental health with specific reference to policy that has a values focus. In this context, values refers to the standards and expectations we hold and which we use to guide aspects of practice performance. Service users state that core values that support, respect choice, collaboration, and customer service are critical foundation stones of a trusting therapeutic relationship. Attending to these foundations for practice has merit in ensuring the quality of care delivery in mental health. This paper will analyse what this means for the mental health workforce in their engagement with service users and delivery of policy priorities. Finally, the paper will explore resources, such as the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities (see Appendix 1), which support engagement and ongoing promotion of person-centred mental health care

The Self stepping into the shoes of the Other: Understanding and developing self-perceptions of empathy among prospective physical education teachers through a special school placement

Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placement in a special school. Interview transcripts were analysed and the following themes constructed: Stepping into the shoes of the Other; Frustrated ‘for’ not ‘with’ pupils with disabilities; Empathy for planning inclusive lessons and ‘reading’ pupil body language; and Knowing when not to show empathy. All prospective teachers felt that: (a) they could empathise with pupils with disabilities; (b) situated learning experiences within the placement enabled them to reflect on the ways in which their empathy influences their teaching now and could continue to do so in the future; and (c) it was important that teachers demonstrated empathy. Thus, it is recommended that all prospective teachers gain some experience teaching in special schools. Our research also warns against teachers claiming the last, conclusive word about who children with disabilities are, what they think, how they feel and what they want, in myriad contexts and situations

No good surprises: intending lecturers' preconceptions and initial experiences of further education

Current initiatives to promote lifelong learning and a broader inclusiveness in post-16 education have focused attention on further education (FE). The article examines the experiences and reactions of 41 intending lecturers studying full-time for a Postgraduate Certificate in Further Education and Training (PGCET), as they enter FE colleges on teaching practice and encounter FE students for the first time. It argues that the sector may have something to learn from the contrast between these intending lecturers' expectations and their subsequent experiences, and that attempts to address problems which are endemic within the current FE sector by initiatives to improve teacher competence, such as the Further Education National Training Organisation (FENTO)'s recently introduced FE teacher training standards, are inadequate and misdirected