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Rethinking success in policing: a moderation model of specialism’s interaction with self-reported competence, specialism endorsement, wellbeing and organisational support
Full text linkThis study explored specialism within policing in England and Wales, aiming to identify how personal, social, and contextual factors influence the implementation and perception of specialist roles and units. Through an online survey designed to capture current, former, and retired officers’ views on their competence, job satisfaction, and organisational support, the study sought to quantitatively assess whether 209 officers perceived specialism as beneficial for policing. Qualitative insights on survey responses were also captured. Previous research showed that, while specialism is widely adopted in policing, its operational effectiveness and the clarity of its definition are not nationally established. Many officers reported that the level of organisational support and specialist role availability can affect how satisfied they are with their police force. In this study, work satisfaction levels, wellbeing, and competence were reportedly higher for officers with prior experience of specialism. Moderation and mediation analyses showed that the interaction between specialism, organisational dynamics, and the other scale variables has substantial implications for officers' self-perception of competence and overall job satisfaction. The findings also highlight the need for a clearer understanding and better contextualisation of specialism within police forces to enhance the effectiveness of specialist units and promote officers’ wellbeing. This novel research underscores the importance of fostering supportive environments that empower officers to thrive in specialist roles. It also suggests that officers’ needs and evidence-based practice should inform systemic change for specialism
A plague on all our houses: how screens kept audio drama alive during the pandemic
No full textRadio drama is usually performed by a group of actors in one room, assembled around one microphone. But during the COVID-19 pandemic this became an impossibility—that level of proximity was potentially lethal. Instead, producers had to find ways of keeping people apart while still fostering a company atmosphere. The solution was to use computer screens. While the audio quality on video-conferencing platforms like Zoom was not of a high enough standard for broadcast, using the software to enable actors to act, interact, and react was key. As theater practitioners developed ways of using video conferencing to continue producing visual performances, those working in audio drama found that through the use of such platforms they could maintain the essential interconnectedness of actors working together even when they were vast distances apart. Through interviews with practitioners, this essay looks at productions of early modern plays recorded and aired during the pandemic between spring 2020 and the end of 2021. It primarily focuses on the BBC’s output as the largest producer of such plays but also looks at the work of The Public Theater in New York, which embraced audio as a way of continuing to reach audiences. It shows that screens were an essential part of the creation of these productions and emphasises that the so-called blind medium of radio requires visual, interpersonal contact in order to work at its best
Access to urgent care among individuals experiencing health inequalities: a scoping review and recommendations
Full text linkBackground: People experiencing health inequalities often face substantial barriers in accessing urgent care. Urgent care services include NHS 111, urgent treatment centres (UTCs), GP out-of-hours, urgent dental and sexual health services, and pharmacies. Health inequalities include individuals who experience physical and mental disabilities, learning disabilities, sensory differences (deafness or blindness), individuals in the LGBTQIA+ and Transgender community, non-English speakers, individuals experiencing homelessness, digital exclusion, rural populations, and individuals with alcohol or substance abuse. Barriers to urgent care can result in poorer health outcomes, inappropriate use of urgent and emergency services, and increased strain on health and social care systems.
Objective: This report aimed to examine how individuals experiencing health inequalities access urgent care services, and strategies that may help to increase access with a particular focus on the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector.
Methodology: A scoping review was conducted using academic databases (e.g., MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus) and grey literature sources (e.g., Healthwatch, National Voices, NHS England, The King’s Fund). A total of 16 peer-reviewed papers and 16 grey literature reports were included. Data extraction and thematic analysis identified key themes and potential recommendations for increasing urgent care access among those experiencing health inequalities.
Key Findings:
• Barriers to access: Individuals with health inequalities face challenges accessing urgent care including digital exclusion, low health literacy, geographical isolation, language barriers, rigid or fragmented systems, and a lack of reasonable adjustments.
• Health inequalities and utilisation patterns: Many groups, including frail older adults, people with substance use disorders, those with dementia, and low-income communities, are more likely to use emergency departments rather than urgent care due to poor access to timely and appropriate urgent care.
Issues identified with current urgent care models:
• Fragmented and poorly coordinated services: Urgent care is often disconnected from primary and community services, leading to poor record sharing, patient navigation, triage challenges, and inappropriate emergency department use.
• Inflexible models that do not meet diverse needs: One-size-fits-all approaches fail to accommodate individual patient needs, especially for those facing language, communication, cultural, or socioeconomic barriers.
• Limited local adaptation: Services are not always informed by local data, resulting in gaps for populations that are underserved.
• Digital access inequities: While digital tools can improve access, they often result in digital exclusions for older adults, non-English speakers, and people with poor digital literacy.
• Lack of preventative planning: Patients often lack the tools and support to manage their own health, particularly those with chronic conditions or frequent urgent care users.
• Low health literacy and public awareness: Many patients and carers are unclear about when and how to use urgent care appropriately, due to limited education and public awareness on which services are appropriate to their care needs.
Conclusion :
The literature reinforces both anecdotal insights and evidence gathered from individuals and groups supporting those affected by health inequalities. Implementing the below recommendations could help improve access to urgent care and reduce pressure on emergency services
Analysis of the most intense periods during elite soccer matches: effect of game location and playing position
Full text linkPurpose: This study aimed to quantify the game-speed demand of elite soccer players using time windows from 5 seconds to 10 minutes and to examine the effect of match location and playing position on game-speed outputs. Methods: Twenty-four Serie A (Italy) male professional soccer players (27.5 [4.1] y old) participated in this study across an entire season. The players’ activity profiles during matches were analyzed using a semiautomatic video tracking system (Stats Perform), which provided 2-dimensional coordinates of the players, and from these data, total distance (TD) covered, high-speed running distance (HSRD), and sprint distance (SD) were calculated. The most intense periods of match play were calculated using a moving-average method within 15 time windows (ie, 5–10–15–30–60–90 s and from 2 to 10 min) and analyzed using a linear mixed model. Results: A slightly higher SD (estimate values = 3.98, P = .0192) was performed when playing a home match. Midfielders run the highest values for TD (P = .0001), center backs produced the lowest HSRD (P = .0011), and no significant differences between roles were found in terms of SD. Conclusions: A univariate approach based on velocity can aid in designing training for the most intense periods of a match, considering positional differences for TD and HSRD. On the other hand, the consistency in SD across different roles suggests a team behavior during the most intense periods of the game such as attacking and defensive transition phases
A guide to formulation in coaching
No full textLane, Corrie and Kovács present a foundational text for coaches wishing to improve their coaching practice through use of formulation.
A Guide to Formulation in Coaching examines the nature and purpose of formulation and how to develop effective formulations that can inform and improve practice. It combines theoretical perspectives with case studies illustrating its use in different coaching contexts to provide a comprehensive and accessible account of the purpose, perspectives and processes used in formulation. In addition to providing practice-based examples and drawing on the literature, the book provides a series of exercises to enable readers to refine their individual approaches.
Practical and accessibly written, this book will be a valuable resource for coaches and coaching psychologists, coaching supervisors and trainers, and academics interested in understanding the role of formulation and how it applies in a coaching context
LAND
No full textLAND is a bold and expansive group exhibition showcasing the work of 27 contemporary artists, each engaging with the dynamic and often complex relationship between humans and the natural world. From the reflective to the humorous, from optimism to confrontation, LAND offers a powerful artistic response to the environment through an array of innovative practices.
Curated by Clare Palmier, Director of The Art Station, this multi-site exhibition features a rich mix of media including painting, drawing, video, installation, sound and performance displayed across three unique venues in Suffolk as well as The Old Bank Riverside Garden.
Jane Watt is exhibiting her video work 'Flora Spectrum, Orford Ness' and a series of colour spectrum paintings 'Research Art Lab Camouflage Colour Palette, Orford Ness'. These works both come from her on-going research on Orford Ness in which she is devising a colour spectrum that charts the colours of plants found on the Ness throughout the seasons. This forms part of an ongoing series of works that record the colours of this particular landscape and references early camouflage research that took place on Orford Ness in the early 20th century
Urban environments’ impacts on aging in post-industrial cities: reviewing the pathways to healthy aging
Full text linkPost-industrial cities are characterized by an aging population, deteriorating urban infrastructure, and a range of socio-environmental challenges, including pollution, economic decline, and out-migration. These conditions, alongside the legacies of industrial decline, make aging in such environments considered particularly challenging when studied through the lens of conventional analytical frameworks such as active aging and age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC). By examining the literatures critically and analyzing unique spatial and social features of the environment of post-industrial cities, the paper expands the discussion regarding the impacts of environments on the healthy aging process within a post-industrial context. Based on 42 selected articles as evidences in exploring association of healthy aging and post-industrial built environment, this review implies that despite the negative perceptions, post-industrial city and community’s strong social networks within their long-established communities identities hold untapped potential to play positive roles in the pathways to healthy aging. This fresh perspective challenge prevailing assumptions on aging in post-industrial cities, offering a more nuanced understanding of the strengths and opportunities inherent in post-industrial contexts for supporting the healthy aging of elderly residents
Advancing critical data literacies through citizen science
Full text linkSession presented at the Libraries and positive climate action webinars - British Librar
An evaluation of the impact of the services and programmes run by Let's Talk Reading
No full textBriefing Note: The Highlights
Let’s Talk Reading: Transforming Lives Through Literacy
Let’s Talk Reading (LTR) is a Ipswich-based charity with a bold mission: to eradicate low literacy across all age groups, particularly in disadvantaged communities. This independent evaluation reveals that LTR is not only achieving this mission; it is transforming lives, families, and communities through a holistic, relational, and deeply impactful approach to literacy.
LTR’s strength lies in its lifespan model, supporting individuals from birth to adulthood, and its ability to meet people where they are, emotionally, socially, and geographically. Across all programmes, LTR fosters a love of reading, builds confidence, and removes barriers to access, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond literacy alone.
Let’s Talk Babies (LTB)
LTR’s early intervention begins with Let’s Talk Babies, a free, weekly parent-and-baby group for families in Ipswich’s most deprived areas. These sessions combine story, rhyme, play, and peer support, gifting high-quality books monthly to build home libraries.
Key Impacts:
• Promotes early language development and school readiness.
• Builds parental confidence and wellbeing.
• Reduces isolation and fosters peer networks.
• Removes financial barriers to early literacy.
Parents describe the group as “a lifesaver,” with many attributing their child’s love of books and social confidence to LTB. The sessions also support mental health, routine, and connection during the often-isolating period of early parenthood.
Early Years Storytime Sessions
Delivered in 39 early years settings, these interactive sessions bring stories to life with props, songs, and shared reading. Mini-libraries and dual-language books are provided, and book packs are gifted throughout the year.
Key Impacts:
• Increases access to books, especially in English as an Additional Language (EAL) and low-income households.
• Supports language development and school readiness.
• Builds joy, belonging, and emotional connection through shared stories.
• Encourages family engagement and reading routines at home.
Practitioners report that LTR’s support is “invaluable,” particularly when some children are more familiar with screens than books. The sessions reintroduce the joy of traditional literacy and help embed a reading culture in early years education.
Primary School Support
LTR works with Ipswich primary schools, offering book packs, library support, Irlen’s screening, and targeted interventions. Through two case studies the depth and success of this work is demonstrated.
Key Impacts:
• Improved SATs results and Ofsted ratings (e.g., The Oaks rated “Outstanding”).
• Embedded reading cultures through classroom practice and curriculum integration.
• After-school interventions at Ranelagh led to measurable reading progress in 77% of pupils.
• Inclusive support for EAL, SEND, and FSM pupils.
LTR’s long-term partnerships have transformed school environments and outcomes. Headteachers credit LTR with helping children become more proficient readers than their parents, a generational shift in literacy.
Adult Literacy – Let’s Read Ipswich
This one-to-one coaching programme supports adults with low literacy through volunteer-led, relationship-based sessions. Using Shannon Trust manuals and flexible approaches, the programme empowers adults to read, navigate daily life, and support their families.
Key Impacts:
• Enables adults to read forms, signage, and medical instructions.
• Builds confidence, independence, and life skills.
• Supports parents in engaging with their children’s education.
• Fosters trust, dignity, and personal growth.
Volunteers describe the work as “life-changing”, not just for readers, but for themselves. The programme has helped adults gain employment, citizenship, and self-belief, with ripple effects across families and communities.
Conclusion: A Quiet Force for Social Change
Let’s Talk Reading is more than a literacy charity; it is a catalyst for community transformation. Its programmes are inclusive, relational, and deeply embedded in the lives of those it serves. From babies to adults, LTR is creating lasting change by:
• Tackling systemic inequalities.
• Promoting early and lifelong learning.
• Nurturing a love of reading.
• Building confidence, connection, and community.
Sustained investment and strategic development will be essential to deepen and extend this impact. LTR’s work is not only valuable; it is vital
Rural migrant children and education in urban China
No full textThis essay examines the evolution of policies and the burgeoning literature on the education of children from rural migrant families in urban China in the post-reform era since the 1980s. It is found that at the policy level, there has been a shift towards expanding migrant children’s access to public education (particularly during the Compulsory Education stage) by the central government, which has been implemented to varying degrees by local governments. In practice, empirical evidence suggests that school segregation remains but evolves into new and more nuanced forms, which has profound implications for migrant children’s educational experiences and trajectories. A growing body of research challenges the prevailing discourse of migrant children’s underachievement, bringing the children’s own agency and subjectivities and their families’ resilience into the picture. The essay concludes by situating the education of China’s migrant children within broader debates on segregation, exclusion, and social inequality, and briefly discusses the policy implications derived from this analysis