Antecedents of the Idea of Human Rights: A Survey of Perspectives

human development, human rights

Developing and agreeing a capability list in the British context: What can be learnt from social survey data on ‘rights’?

The paper examines what can be learnt about the 'valuation' of freedoms and opportunities (or capabilities) using a general population social survey data source on values. On the assumption that rights can be understood as protecting underlying critical freedoms and opportunities, social survey data on public attitudes towards the rights that people "should have" is interpreted as providing empirical evidence on the 'valuation' of freedoms and opportunities by individuals and groups. The paper addresses the extent to which data of this type provides empirical evidence of the 'valuation' of the 10 domains of freedom and opportunity that are specified in the capability lists for adults and children that have been developed and applied in previous projects (namely, Life; Health; Physical security; Legal security; Standard of living; Education and learning; Productive and valued activities; Individual, family and social life; Identity and self-respect; Participation, influence and voice). Particular emphasis is put on moving beyond the 'legalistic' methodology for deriving a 'human rights-based capability list' applied in previous projects, and examining whether empirical research on values provides an alternative, overlapping or supplementary informational base for deriving a list of this type. The research findings can be interpreted as providing broad empirical underpinnings for the 'valuation' of nine out of the ten domains of freedom and opportunity specified in the capability lists that have been developed and applied in previous projects. The Life domain was effectively not covered by the research exercise, since the underlying social survey data did not include questions on public attitudes towards the right to life.Capability approach, capability lists, human rights, public attitudes, values

Pogge -vs- Sen on Global Poverty and Human Rights

This Paper is part of a broader project examining the ways in which Amartya Sen’s “capability approach” provides a framework for thinking about global poverty as a denial or a violation of basic human rights. The Paper compares the “capability approach” as a basis for thinking about global poverty and human rights with the alternative framework developed by Thomas Pogge. Both the “capability approach” and Pogge’s theory of “severe poverty as a violation of negative duties” support the idea of “freedom from severe poverty as a basic human right”. However, there are important differences. The Paper examines the limitations of Pogge’s “apparent minimalism” and establishes the ways in which Sen’s treatment of the “capability approach” and human rights moves beyond a “minimalist normative position” whilst avoiding Pogge’s charge of “implausibility”

A Framework for Analysing the Effects of Social Policy

This is one of a series of short papers which explain conceptual or methodological approaches underpinning analysis undertaken in CASE’s research programme Social Policy in a Cold Climate (SPCC). SPCC is designed to examine the effects of the major economic and political changes in the UK since 2007, particularly their impact on the distribution of wealth, poverty, inequality and social mobility. It also examines geographical variations in policy, spending, outputs and outcomes, with a particular focus on London. The analysis includes policies and spending decisions from the last period of the Labour government (2007-2010), including the beginning of the financial crisis, as well as those made by the Coalition government since May 2010.The programme will conclude in 2015, with publication of a final volume. Interim reports will be published in 2013/14, and made available online a

Older people’s experiences of dignity and nutrition during hospital stays: secondary data analysis using the Adult Inpatient Survey

The report uses the Adult Inpatient Survey 2012 to build up an in-depth quantitative evidence base on older people’s experiences of dignity and nutrition during hospital stays in England. We find that just under one-quarter (23%) of inpatients reported that they were not treated with dignity and respect, or were only sometimes treated with dignity and respect during their hospital stay. We estimate that this is equivalent to around 2.8 million people on an annual basis - of whom about 1 million are aged 65 or over. Inconsistent and poor standards of help with eating during hospital stays were also a key concern. In 2012, about a quarter of all survey respondents indicated that they needed support with eating during their hospital stay. This is a substantial proportion and points towards the issue of support with eating being a major issue for significant numbers of inpatients – just under three and a half million each year - rather than being a marginal or specialist issue. Of those who needed help with eating, more than 1 in 3 (38%) reported that they only sometimes received enough help with eating from staff, or did not receive enough help from staff. We estimate that this is equivalent to around 1.3 million people on an annual basis, of whom about 640,000 are aged 65 or over. Logistic regression analysis suggests that, after other factors are controlled for, the risk of not being helped with eating is significantly higher for women rather than men and for individuals who experience a longstanding limiting illness or disability such as deafness or blindness, a physical condition, a mental health condition or a learning difficulty, or a longstanding illness such as heart disease, stroke or cancer. Perceptions of inadequate nursing quantity and quality, and lack of choice of food, stand out as having consistent, large associations with lack of support with eating during hospital stays. Amongst the population aged over 65, risks of inconsistent and poor standards of care were higher for women than for men, and for people aged over 80. We conclude that there was a widespread and systematic pattern of inconsistent or poor standards of dignity and respect, and help with eating, in hospitals in England in 2012. Evidence of poor and inconsistent standards was not limited to isolated “outlier” healthcare providers. Rather, patient experiences of inconsistent or poor standards of dignity and respect, and help with eating, were a significant general problem affecting inpatients in the vast majority of NHS acute hospital trusts. Dignity and nutrition are key markers of quality of care which have been not given sufficient public policy attention in the past. Whilst there has been increasing public policy focus in this area following the Mid-Staffordshire Public Inquiry, ongoing public policy efforts will be required to ensure quality improvement and that the new fundamental standards of care, which cover dignity and respect and help with eating, are implemented and enforce

Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017: Trends and characteristics

This survey series provides England’s best source of data on trends in child mental health. Emotional, behavioural, hyperactivity, and other types of mental disorder were assessed in 5 to 15 year olds in 1999, 5 to 16 year olds in 2004, and 5 to 19 year olds in 2017. One in eight (12.8%) 5 to 19 year olds had a mental disorder when assessed in 2017. Rates were similar in boys and girls. Data for 5 to 15 year olds show a slight upward trend over time in the prevalence of emotional disorders.Rates for behavioural, hyperactivity and other disorders have remained broadly stable

The identification and psychological treatment of panic disorder in adolescents: a survey of CAMHS clinicians

Background Panic disorder is experienced by around 1% of adolescents, and has a significant impact on social and academic functioning. Preliminary evidence supports the effectiveness of panic disorder specific treatment in adolescents with panic disorder, however panic disorder may be overlooked in adolescents due to overlapping symptoms with other anxiety disorders and other difficulties being more noticeable to others. The aim of this study was to establish what training National Health Service (NHS) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinicians have received in psychological therapies and panic disorder and how they identify and treat panic disorder in adolescents. Method CAMHS clinicians from a range of professions (n = 427), who were delivering psychological treatments to children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, participated. They completed a cross-sectional, online survey, including a vignette describing an adolescent with panic disorder, and were asked to identify the main diagnosis or presenting problem. Results Less than half the clinicians (48.6%) identified panic disorder or panic symptoms as the main presenting problem from the vignette. The majority of clinicians suggested CBT would be their treatment approach. However, few identified an evidence-based treatment protocol for working with young people with panic disorder. Almost half the sample had received no training in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and around a fifth had received no training in delivering psychological treatments. Conclusions Only half of CAMHS clinicians identified panic disorder from a vignette and although CBT treatments are widely offered, only a minority of adolescents with panic disorder are receiving treatments developed for, and evaluated with young people with panic disorder. There is a vital need for clinician training, the use of tools that aid identification and the implementation of evidence-based treatments within CAMHS

The holes in the UK levelling-up strategy: key omissions from the government’s metrics

The 2019 Conservative Party manifesto pledged to level up all parts of the UK and last February’s White Paper set out the details of the Government’s flagship programme for addressing inequalities by 2030. With a levelling-up bill now passing through Parliament, Polly Vizard takes a closer look at the suite of metrics that will be used to measure and assess the delivery of the Government’s levelling up objectives

Positive practices : solution-focused and narrative therapeutic techniques with children with sexually harmful behaviours

This article explores the use of solution-focused and Narrative Therapeutic approaches with a boy who had sexually harmful behaviours. The paper will highlight the practical challenges of working with someone who is 'problem-saturated' through institutionalisation and who is also subjected to powerful discourses claiming the 'truth' about him. The use of solution-focused and Narrative Therapeutic principles and approaches will be demonstrated in the work described, in a way that allows the reader to reflect on how these may differ from modernist understandings and responses to this behaviour