Anglo American Plc report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anglo American Plc report - Essay Example The five major categories of financial ratios are liquidity, financial leverage, asset efficiency, profitability, and market values (Peavler, 2013). The purpose of this report is to analyze the financial performance of the company Anglo American Plc by performing ratio analysis. Trend Analysis Anglo American A trend analysis of some key financial indicators of Anglo American is illustrated below. 2012 (millions) 2011 (millions) % change Sales 28761 30580 -5.94% Gross profit 2768 13237 -79.09% Expenses 30449 21141 44.03% Interest payable 798 695 14.82% Net profit before tax 138 10599 -98.70% Total assets 79369 72422 9.56% Total liabilities 35582 29253 17.79% Capital and reserves 37657 39092 -3.67% Advantages ratio analysis Ratio analysis is a tremendous analytic tool that can be used to evaluate the financial performance of an enterprise. One of the virtues of this type of analysis is that any person with access to the internet can extract the financial statements of a company to real ize the analysis. The basic formulas used as input in ratio analysis mostly utilize data from the financial statements of the company. The use of ratio analysis can help people instantly check weather a company is sound financially (Bott, 2013). Another advantage of ratio analysis is that the ratios can be compared against the performance of other companies or the industry. Financial ratios can also be compared against the financial ratio results of previous years. The ratio analysis performed on Anglo American in this paper includes the use of 21 different ratios. Ratio Analysis Anglo American The net margin of Anglo American in 2012 was -2.1%. Net margin measures the absolute profitability of a company. It is calculated dividing net profit by total sales. A negative net margin result is an unfavorable outcome. This ratio was chosen because it shows the profitability of the firm. In 2012 Anglo American obtained an earnings per share (EPS) metric of -$1.19. The company’s EPS went down by $3.91 since the previous fiscal year. Earnings per share is the portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock (Investopedia, 2013). EPS was selected because this metric influences the buying decisions of investors. The return on assets (ROA) of the company in 2012 was -0.8%. ROA is calculated by dividing net income by total assets. The reason I selected this ratio is because it shows how effective a company has been at generating profits from its assets. The efficiency of the company is an important aspect of the operations to measure. Anglo American achieved a return on equity (ROE) in 2012 of -1.4%. This metric measures the extent to which financial leverage is working towards benefiting the company. The formula to calculate return on equity is net income divided by total equity. ROE was used in this analysis because this metric demonstrates the ability of the firm to generate income from its equity. The debt ratio of the com pany is calculated dividing total debt by total assets. Anglo American had a debt ratio in 2012 of 0.45: 1. This ratio shows how well prepared the company is to pay off its long term debt. Anglo American does not seem to have overextended its debt position. The debt ratio was used in the analysis due to the fact that this ratio evaluates the long term solvency of the firm. Typically companies are in trouble when the debt ratio is too

Logic Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Logic Application - Essay Example Now I know the sum of my cards: my cards’ sum value is either 14 or 18. From this question we realize we have the five odd numbers, that is, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. The ones that I can see are 1, 3, and 7. Because there are five odd numbers, then among my cards I must have 5 and 9. It has to be noted that the card numbers have to be between 1 and 9. Now that I know I have two odd numbers that is 5 and 9. I also know that my sum is either 14 or 18. Furthermore, the games rules are that I have three cards whose value is between 1 and 9 (Harris, 2000). The following steps shows my third cards Since I have three cards then obviously the sum of my cards has to be more than 14. If the sum is more than 14 then it can only be 18 indicating my third card’s value is 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, & 9. Using information revealed by Andy’s question, I realized that the sum value of my cards is either 14 or 18. Using information from Belle question, I realized that I have two odd numbers 5 and 9. The sum value of these two cards is 14 and since I have a third card then the total sum value is 18 indicating my third card to be 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, &

Disputes settlement mechanisms Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15750 words

Disputes settlement mechanisms - Dissertation Example The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is significant in resolving international trade disputes.This Research work deals with the various Trade Dispute Settlement mechanisms adopted at the international level and concentrates upon their current status, with a special focus on the WTO mechanisms. The literature review analyses the effectiveness of the WTO trade dispute mechanism, in resolving international trade disputes. The main focus of this research pertains to the WTO dispute settlement mechanisms among nations. This sort of research is important in order to assess and analyse the various dispute settlement mechanisms available to member nations, involved in disputes.The research approach adopted in this dissertation is the qualitative method. The findings from this research suggest that the dispute settlement mechanism of WTO is ineffective. The main conclusions drawn from this work are; power imbalance among members and non – binding nature of the decisions are some of the i mportant reasons for ineffective dispute settlement mechanisms of WTO. The dispute resolution system is influenced by power imbalances between the disputants, and this requires to be corrected. A major drawback with this dispute resolution system is the protracted nature of the process. This causes untold damage to a developing country engaged in litigation with a developed country. It would be in the fitness of things to reduce this time to a minimum. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 1 Chapter 1 3 Introduction 3 Overview of the Dispute Settlement Understanding 10 Chapter II 17 Methodology 17 Introduction 17 Purpose of the Study 17 Research Questions 18 Statement of the Problem 18 Organisation of the Study 18 Research Methodology 19 Chapter III 21 Literature Review 21 Case Law 52 Chapter IV 56 Discussion and Analysis 56 Chapter V 61 Conclusions and Recommendations 61 References 66 Books 66 Journal Articles 67 Case law 68 Websites 68 Other Sources 71 International Trade Disputes Settlement Mechanisms Chapter 1 Introduction The World Trade Organisation (WTO) plays an important role in global trade. It resolves trade disputes and constitutes a forum for international trade negotiations. Furthermore, the WTO monitors international trade policies and regulates trade agreements between parties. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland, and this organisation boasts of 153 nations as members, as on the 23rd of July 2008.1 WTO establishes a forum for trade related discussions and it supervises international trade policies and regulates trade agreements. Nearly a fourth of the disputes between the members of the WTO are settled by means of mediation and negotiation. In order to address situations, wherein mediation and negotiation prove to be futile, the WTO introduced the Dispute Settlement Mechanism.2 The Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) play an important role in international trade. This mechanism involves less time and expenditure, in comparison to the dispute se ttlement mechanism of GATT. 3 This principle was established under the Public International Law of the Charter of the United Nations.4 The RTAs do not permit a member to block the commencement of disputes, establishment of a panel or the adoption of a report by the panel. The drafters of the RTA had included the more important aspects of the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Understanding. Although this dispute settlement mechanism had a number of advantages, the parties were found to be unwilling to resort to this mechanism. Instead, they resorted to the procedure under the WTO, as it adopted previous decisions under the concept of stare decisis. The precedence system ensures certainty in the decision making process, and there is no such practice under the RTA system. Thus, the disputing parties exhibit a greater willingness to approach the WTO forum rather than that of the RTA.5 The disputing parties would prefer to have the option to appeal against the decision of the dispute resol ution mechanism. This facility is not available under the RTA mechanism. In addition,

Stereotypes in Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Stereotypes in Gender - Essay Example The very fact that the women gave birth made it someway mandatory that they take care of the children. The women’s terrain got defined inside her house. Â  When children grow up, it is the environmental conditioning that works strongly to establish this stereotype. Parents set examples, not because they intend to, but as a normal trend of daily activities and behavior. The child watches the father managing the office and the mother taking care of the cooking or the new baby. Girls usually take their mothers as their role models and boys go after their fathers. According to Dr. Benjamin Spock, people are likely to appreciate girls cuteness and boys achievements. Similar gender identification is followed even in schools where a preschooler is taught to distinguish between the man and the woman through the length of the hair or the dress they are wearing. Even gifts given to children support this distinction; girls are traditionally given dolls, while boys are given cars or sports items. Advertisers target their goods at the gender-specific audience and try to influence spending in separate male and female domains. Researcher Krisanne Bursik conducted a study about ego development at Suffolk University in Boston and compared the results to gender-related traits; of the 209 undergrads that she studied, she found that students who had higher levels of ego development were more likely to express non-traditional gender role traits. Male students, those who had less-developed egos viewed high levels of traditional masculinity as the ideal. She noted that in these men, "gender role conflict may occur for men when rigid, sexist or restrictive gender roles, learned during socialization, result in the personal restriction, devaluation, or violation of others or self." Â  

Types Of Learning Styles Essay Example for Free

Types Of Learning Styles Essay There are three different types of learning styles. By taking a learning styles quiz, I found out that I am an auditory learner. This means I do best learning by hearing and listening. Now knowing that I am an auditory learner I can discover new techniques that will help me be more attentive and I can expand myself as a learner. First, discovering new techniques as an auditory learner to be more attentive is easy. I was not surprised when I saw the list of usual things auditory learns do. I felt as if the learning style I was assigned to fit me perfectly. I am one who will hum or talk to themselves or others when bored, acquire knowledge by reading aloud, or sit where they can hear but needn’t pay attention to what is happening in front. These are all things I do daily without even thinking about it. For example, every morning in my first period history class I will be typing the notes my teacher writes on the board but also working on other homework or looking things up. I need not to see what my teacher is doing. If just keep my ears open and listen, I believe I comprehend just as well as someone who sits in the front row and has all their attention focused on the teacher. I know that I am automatically immune to already doing some of these techniques, but I also know there are more tips that I can incorporate in my daily life to further myself for my future. Next, expanding myself as an auditory learner can greatly help me in the near future. I can become a better reading by reading aloud as much as I can. Hearing myself say things aloud will help me remember a lot better than silent reading to myself. I can also become a better writer by repeating things after I have written them down on paper. If I read what I have written aloud, I will get a better view on if the right words are being used correctly in that specific sentence. Also I will get to hear if that sentence, paragraph, or even full essay sounds like I’m doing well and staying on track. I tend to veer off subject sometimes, so I know that verbal repetition will be helpful for any upcoming school courses or even scholarships that I will need to write essays for. Verbalization is the key and in my situation knowing my key factor is going to help me expand my study skills and comprehension in school. All in all, I have become aware of what different changes I can make for myself. Taking the learning styles quiz and realizing that I am an auditory learner helped me realize how I can better myself throughout my learning years. I can discover new techniques that will help me be more attentive and I can expand myself as a learner and for that I am grateful.

Inclusive Education Essay Example for Free

Inclusive Education Essay In this assignment I will be critiquing a peer reviewed research article which explores an aspect of interprofessional practice. I will reflect on my practice and identify how the research discussed with in the article impacts and challenges my thinking and approach. By critiquing the journal – Early Years: An International Research Journal, I will show knowledge and understanding of other professional roles in early years under pinned by theory I have researched. My own understanding of inclusive practice in early years is that All children, irrespective of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family background, learning difficulties or disabilities, gender or ability should have the opportunity to experience a challenging and enjoyable programme of learning and development. (Early Years Statutory Framework, 2014, 1.15) The journal focuses on 52 early years practitioners from England, their experience of interprofessional working, woven together and their level of confidence and competence also different settings such as children’s centres, preschool settings and private settings as well as community preschool as it has been the fore front of government policy in UK since the inquiry into Victoria Climbie I have focused on three prime aspects from the journal: training, communication with multiagencies and support which I think is key regarding my own reflection of my practice as well as the impact on my thinking approach. The writers of the journal are Jane Payler and Jan Georgeson (2009) but nowhere in the journal are their qualifications and backgrounds cited. It is unclear that the writers are professional s or have had any practical experience in early years. It does not tell you where the settings are located and which back ground the children and families are from. I believe if all this information was given it may have been clear to the readers why we believe that research done in the deprived area has a  huge impact on their achieving when it comes to budget training and skills. If it was a deprived area they might be struggling with the funds, resources and support. On page b385 it states that they sent the questionnaires out but I believe all the methods used had weaknesses as it does not say anywhere what language they were using and what sort of questions were asked. Throughout the journal the writers praise the efforts that are made from the children’s centre in terms of working with inter professionals. As a reader I felt they were biased towards the children centre as throughout their article they have mentioned several times about how well children centres are doing, in comparison to preschool and private nurseries. Even the tables indicate that the children’s centres are performing at the top and preschool and private settings are nowhere near their achievement and successes. On page 387 of the journal it states that during her research it clearly showed that the children’s centres showed a secure understanding of procedure as well as confidence in approaching other agencies. The first aspect explored was training needs. The Journal article states that â€Å"the survey done was completed by 52 early years practitioners who were either undergoing, or had recently completed training for early years professional status.† Due to the level of education, it is clear to me why most of them were confident when working with outer agencies and writing reports according to the NutBrown review of early education and childcare qualifications interim report (March 2012) â€Å"Getting qualifications right will help to ensure that women and men enter the profession with the skills and experiences they need to do the best work with young children and their families. Well taught courses and learning routes that lead to reliable qualifications can help early year’s practitioners to improve their skills, knowledge and understanding, constantly developing in their roles.â€Å" This has made me reflect on my own training in regards to what I need to attend in terms of inclusive education and its importance as it is clearly shows in the journal on pg381 that the staff members with high qualifications and training were more confident in approaching and writing IEPS (Individual Educational Plan). As I was reading the journal one thing which really drew my attention was that it talked about the staff training being inconsistent. In some places staff seemed confident and in some places they were not. My  self being an early year’s practitioner and working in a private sector I can relate to the problems as staff are expected to go on training in their own time. Working within the Borough of Hounslow I have experienced first-hand cuts that have definitely been made in regards to training. According to the Guardian published in 2011 heading â€Å"The government is putting training out of reach of those who need it most in early years’’. (Th e Guardian, 2011) It goes on further to state thatâ€Å" From August colleges and training providers, in the main, will receive only half the cost of courses’’. This results in training being harder to gain. In order to go onto training you now have to firstly go onto a waiting list. Not only has that had an impact on your practice but also a staff member’s confidence with dealing with any situation which that training may have addressed. Another issue is that we now, as a setting, have to pay for the training. If a setting is low on funds the training cannot take place and so the staff members, as well as, children, parents and the setting, miss out. Covering the staff on training and courses exacerbates the situation.† It is also shown on page 390 of the journal that due to the cuts the speech and language therapist who will come to the setting one day fortnightly was reduced to once a week which impacts on the children having to refer somewhere else and not having an inc lusive service. I have been affected by this last year as I was told that there was no money left in Hounslow borough to give out for inclusion support staff which resulted on my having to use the staff I had already to support the child’s need . Despite the above and reflecting on my own practice, I believe early years practitioners do the best when it comes to identifying a child with a need, as they are the primary carers after the parents. In my belief, other agencies might have the qualifications but we as practitioners are the ones who identify the problem and so refer them on. As stated in the new EYFS (2014 3.20) â€Å"providers must support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities to ensure they offer equality, learning and development that continually improves.† The second aspect which came to my attention was the different level of support throughout the children’s centre, preschool and private nursery. It was astonishing to see that the children’s centres were given the most support and due to this it is not a surprise that they were the most confident in approaching the  outside agencies and writing reports. This is clear due to their inter links with the outside agencies. According to the article they state that in every child’s centre in London they have family support, speech and language therapists as well as health visitors who are designated to each children’s centre. Due to that reason, I believe that they have far more support including regular meetings, interactions and support; however, private nurseries and preschools do not get that support and rely on communication based on letters as well as emails and phone calls, which is not always reliable and as effective as meetings. From my own experience I have noticed that once you identify a concern with a child’s speech and language, the referral takes over six months to completely get a response from a speech and language therapist. In Hounslow alone there is a long waiting list of children waiting to be seen by a speech and language therapist. Due to this, it is no doubt in my mind that having an in-house speech and language therapist or to even have a type of training in order to help and support children with their need as now out of? â€Å"Children coming to school are in need of some sort of speech and language support’’. (I CAN Talk Series – Issue 6) This has challenged my thinking and approach I would definitely like in my setting, as a manager, ascend a staff member to see how the speech and therapist works so they can come back and continue with the therapist approach. It was described by one of the practitioners that sitting with a child whilst seen by the therapist helped her to support the child page 389. I would love to be able to do so in my setting. I can support children with some support while the child is waiting to be seen by the speech and language therapist. Once the child has been seen by the speech and language therapist I make sure I have the copy of the recommendations and advice made by the therapist, so I can use the same strategies used by the therapist. According to I CAN, an organisation that helps children to communicate, ‘‘In some parts of the UK, particularly in areas of poverty over half of children start school with speech, language and communication needs.’’ â€Å"That means 2 to 3 students in every classroom have significant communication difficulties.’’ (I CAN Talk Series – Issue 6) One of the other aspects which came to my attention was that throughout the article it is c lear to me that there has been effective communication within the children‘s centre as there have been professional  staff on site; therefore all communication is face to face especially with speech and language therapists. Whereas private and other settings do not have this capacity and funds so all the communication involving outside agencies is on paper. It is clearly shown in figure 1 page387 that the children’s centres were 100 % on target when it comes to face to face contact with outside agencies. Other settings like independent preschools where I am employed are only doing 75% of face to face contact when it comes to communication and although it’s only 75% contact it is effective within that percentage. I agree with this as my own private setting has to rely on emails, phone calls and paper. This is also clearly stated in the journal on page 387. On page 395 it tells you about the need of the effective inter professionals practice in early years and their belief that it will be possible once the two year old check for disadvantaged children is extended. Since the 2 year check has been introduced I have experienced more regular contact with the health visitor. I have experienced di fferent types of response when it comes to effective communication. As in the document one part needs to be done by the practitioner one by the parents and one need to be done by the health visitor regarding any concern with the child. Some health visitors will be very particular in writing about the child’s health and on other hand some health visitors will write little information concerning the child and leave it as ‘no concerns’. Conclusion: The article helped me to reflect on my practice and identify key issues that impact and challenge my thinking and approach. For me, inclusion is not simply the toleration of all pupils, but the active provision of opportunities for all to feel good about themselves and to have the chance to flourish, whatever their individual needs and potential barriers to learn might be. Whatever difficulties may arise in dealing with the outside agencies ,distance between the professionals and resources and funds available as a particular I believe we have a legal duty to make sure we do the best when it comes to equality and diversity (inclusive and inclusion). In my setting and practice I have made sure that I provide and implement a clear policy and procedure to promote equality and support to every child in need as up held by the legal frame work in EYFS 3.66. It was also clearly stated in the journal on page 389 that settings doing their best when it comes to competence in developing their knowledge and network for inter-professionals over a period  of time were based on their knowledge and greater experience of integrated provision. Effective working practice with outside agencies should occur whatever the contact is, face to face or remote. As a practitioner it is our responsibility to make sure the child is covered within the inclusion policy. The second part of my assignment will be focusing on communication and the importance of communication in settings between other agencies, staff and parents/guardians. The word â€Å"communication† comes from the Latin word â€Å"communis,† meaning â€Å"to share.† (Communication studies). I believe sharing is a very important element when working within your practice, with parents and outside agencies. Personally I believe communication â€Å"is the act of conveying information for the purpose of creating a shared understanding. And includes verbal, non-verbal and electronic means† (Communication studies) According to Pietroni (1992) â€Å"We should not underestimate the many factors that challenge working relationships between professionals. Most fundamental is communication.† â€Å"To achieve better integration of services and organisation, The Children’s Act 2004 required local authorities to enter into partnership arrangements with parents who, in turn, carried reciprocal duties to cooperate.† -Aubrey Carol. â€Å"As suggested by the Laming Report, the Common Assessment Framework(CAF) was introduced as a standardised approach to assessing children’s additional needs. CAF supports the identification of a child’s additional needs which are not currently being met at the earliest possible stage.† (How children learn, Pg. 59) As an early years professional it is very important that I use communication effectively regardless of the type of setting, the ability to communicate effectively is crucial for developing positive relationships with children, young people and their families, colleagues and other professionals. Not only does it pave the way for a happy working environment but it is also a core unit of study for most children and young people especially when working with inclusion. In my setting I am the manager and the SENCO. I believe we are at the stage of norming as described by Tuckman in his performing team development models. Consensus largely forms among the team, our team responds well to reinforcement by a leader. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and important decisions are discussed and agreed upon by the entire team. Smaller decisions may be delegated to  individuals or small teams within a group not only to empower the members of staff but to ensure each staff member understands how to handle decision making and help them to gain experience. Our team also discusses and develops our processes and working styles and are always adapting and evolving in parallel to new research and studies. There is overall respect for team leaders and leadership is shared by the team. Leader facilitates and enables (similar to the Situational Leadership Participating mode). Working beside staff is very important to make sure we have an effective chain of communication which is strong and healthy. In support of this â€Å"Good communication practices need to be built into the policies and procedures of a setting† (Communication studies: what is communication) In our setting we make sure we work alongside parents as they are the â€Å"first educators† (Early Years Foundation Stage – EYFS, 2.2.) To help children achieve their full potential we make sure that practitioners investigate the experiences families and children receive when they attend our setting. Their feedback is essential to us as it helps us to further improve and meet the needs of parents more successfully. As part of gaining insight into the experiences of children and parents in our setting we send out surveys and questionnaires for parents to express their opinion through, this is especially effective if the parent does not feel comfortable expressing their opinion face to face with a member of staff. In addition to this our setting has an open door policy where every morning members of st aff are available to talk to; our staffs are multilingual and can communicate with a vast range of parents. We also have a text and email system in place for the parents who are working and don’t have time to complete surveys or get in touch with the staff. All these systems are in place to ensure effective communication. Coffee mornings are also in place and provide greater opportunities for parents to discuss their feelings in an informal atmosphere. Some settings invite parents to attend a short nursery rhyme performance and a chat about their experiences of the setting. We, at our setting take the ethos of â€Å"parents as partners†. Research tells us that the parents have the most influence over child development and so practitioners will serve children better by working in partnership with the parents. Practitioners also need to be mindful of the parents’ readiness to engage. There are many factors that should be considered when communicating or  attempting to communicate with parents such as communication barriers. Some of these barriers include time constrain ts regarding parents working hours, story time and language issues and if the parent may have special needs. Another communication barrier is if the engagement may be difficult due to family issues (such as a new baby, caring for a relative, domestic violence, health issues, and unusual working patterns.) It is only by understanding parents and valuing their input that practitioners will be able to acknowledge their readiness to engage with the setting. Strong and positive communication and relationships between staff, parents and children will help to develop an atmosphere of trust and comfort. Some children may receive additional support from agencies for their communication development. It is essential that practitioners work in partnership with these agencies to maximize the benefit for the child as it also states in EYFS â€Å"When parents and practitioners work together in early years settings, the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.† (EYFS, 2.2) Our setting works closely alongside outside agencies and take the multi-agency approach to make sure we provide the best care to the children. We also follow EYFS guide lines which states in i.16 â€Å"Close working between early year’s practitioners and parents is vital for the identification of children’s learning needs and to ensure a quick response to any area of particular difficulty. Parents and families are central to a child’s wellbeing and practitioners should support this important relationship by sharing information and offering support for extending learning in the home†. To make sure this is happening effectively we have implemented a key person system. Each child has a key person allocated before they start at the setting; it is established before the child starts the setting and on the basis of the initial meeting on induction day and the information gathered from paperwork. An example of this in practice is during introduction staff members meet all the parents and the children. If during the meeting we identify any information about the child’s specific needs such as speech/language/physical issues and the parents need e.g. parents first language is not English, the key person is chosen to suit the need of the child’s /parents so they have better communication and feel more comfortable and at ease. Parents can feel confident in communication with staff members and between their children and staff. The role of the key  person is too gather as much information as possible before the child starts the setting so that the settling in time can be arranged according to the child’s needs and interest. On the child’s first day the key person sets the activity of the child according to the child’s perceived interest and ability to ensure comfort and a sense of safety for the child. In addition to this the key person is responsible for noting and observing the activities of the child. After the initial meeting of the child and pare nts the SENCO of the setting (me) sit down and asses and evaluate any issues or concerns. An example of this is a child who attended my setting and during the induction day the mother had mentioned that the child is shy and an introvert. However upon observing the child during induction activities I learnt that the child may be more than just shy or anti-social. I came to this conclusion as I had noticed the child avoided eye contact and would only play with one toy, a toy car in which he would move it up and down in a continuous pose. The child also flapped their hands as a result of excitement. After the introduction I sat with my staff and talked about the day and mentioned the particular child. I then allocated myself as the child’s key person. I felt I had more rapport with the child and insight than any other member of staff. I then shared my thoughts and observations I had made during the day and offered some solutions and plans of action. During the first few weeks of the child attending the setting I conducted many observations and also got in touch with m y local SENCO and shared my concern over the phone. We then collectively arranged a day for her to come and observe the child. I double checked and ensured there was no further help I could provide and did all that was possible for the child e.g. the child enjoyed sticking doodles wherever he could and so I made a little post-box in each corner of the classroom and moved any hazards such as televisions as he loved sticking notes on the screens of television and computers. I also maintained daily contact with the mother and even asked her if it was possible to come earlier to pick him up as he became very upset when seeing other parents pick up their children. And made the mother aware of the assistance I was receiving from my local SENCO. I explained how it was vital to contact my area SENCO as they could provide advice which would further help me to support her child to the best of my ability. On the mothers agreement permission my area SENCO visited me and observed the child  she later introduced herself to the mother, she explained her role and what she could do for her child. We arranged a meeting to discuss the concern we have as a team and our plans to set up a IEP so that we are to help and support the child on confirming the date we made sure that all the people involved are available such as the mother, area SENCO and myself the setting SENCO. We explained everything to the mother for example what an IEP is and what we were trying to accomplish with it. My role was to arrange a support worker who would work alongside the child to support his needs. On our meeting day we all sat down together with all staff members who were going to support the child. Everyone shared their thoughts individually and expressed their opinions. In the end we set up IEP targets to help the child develop skills and improve, these targets were made in shared agreement. Each individual involved was given a copy of the IEP targets, this ensured that all staff members involved in relation to the child was aware of the child’s difficulties and aware of processes to help overcome them and that we all were all shared same vision to establish positive relation, both with each other and what’s best for the child. I personally believe â€Å"A trusting relationship between the practitioner and parents begins with the initial contact and it is crucial that from the start, parents appreciate that staff value their knowledge and understanding of their child.† (Working in partnership with parents, EYFS Principle) â€Å"a professional and honest approach by all staff will be the baseline in building the feeling of trust† as also reinforced in the government good practice guide as well as in Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2013 states â€Å"all professionals contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote a childs welfare and take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for the child against specific plans and outcomes;† according to the report published a HM inspector in 2007 talks about working together with professionals and has stated that it is important that we as a practitioner enable ‘’parents to play a stronger role as partners in their child’s learning and development.† The staff also share the IEP so all the other staff are also aware of what is our common goals as a team as I believe it is very important to work as an effective team and to have the common goals. For me teamwork is like an oil that makes the team work. It can enable smoother movement towards targets, can prolong forward momentum, and can help teams to overcome  obstacles. In my setting I make sure when I communicate to my staff, parents and professionals I perform as an adult as a model of Berne’s transactional analysis theory. As I believe if you talk like a child you will get a reaction like a child so it is very important that you make sure you come across as someone you want to be, as an adult or someone representing an accounting function or model. We need to be communicating like an adult. To make sure the staff is confident in doing the targets I arrange for the staff to go on training to be able to support the child as it is vital to me to make a â€Å"quality lea rning experience for children and this requires a quality workforce†¦ providers should regularly consider the training and development needs of all staff members to ensure that they offer a quality learning experience for children that continually improve† (Department of Education 2012). We also have professionals come to our setting to train the staff on the IEP targets such as bucket time. Intensive interaction and especial time in the setting â€Å"the staff trained that share their experience and knowledge with less experienced staff, in order to ensure that continuing professional development takes place†. (EYE VOLUME 14) The professionals who train the staff come to the setting to work with the key person to see if they are using the training effectively. I have regular contact with the professional through phone, email, and through paper. We have regular interaction with the outside agency and termly meetings in which the child’s progress and next steps to take are addressed. During the meetings the child’s transition is also discussed as it is very important to make sure the child moves to the next setting with all the support and the hard work achieved by us at our setting is implemented and continued. I sat with the mum and the area SENCO to explain to mum the options she has to choose from as in the end it’s what she wants for the child that is important.as it is clearly stated in the SEN code of practice working in partnership with parents 2.2 â€Å"parents too have a vital role to play in supporting their child’s education.† They hold key information and have a critical role to play in their children’s education. It continues to state that parents have â€Å"knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs and the best ways of supporting them.† So I believe it is very important that professionals (schools, LEAs and other agencies) actively seek to work with parents and value the contribution they make. It  is my belief that â€Å"The work of professionals can be more effective when parents are involved and account is taken of their wishes, feelings and perspectives on their children’s development.â €  In the document it continues stating â€Å"When practitioners are friendly and have a genuine interest in the children, parents come to like and trust them, and mutual respect can flourish.† According to B Sandra who is the consultant and director of Early Years gives some recommendation on effective communication according to her recommendation we need to give full attention to the person who we were communication, we need to be aware of our body language, need to resist any ways to interrupt. We need to take account of individual need and be flexible in the way they communicate and be ready to ask for help when required, be honest about what we know and what we don’t know, one of the other recommendation is that we need to be sensitive to culture differences as in some cultures direct eye contact is class as been rude in other culture satin cultures certain gestures are classed as rude.so care is needed when communication. While communication with a person with English as a additional needs we need to use photos, and visual aid. Someone with hearing aid needs to be communicating visual aid as well as use of British sigh language to make sure effective communication is taking place. To conclude my assignment I believe that a happier, healthier and better-informed workforce leads to a better setting. And that engaging your workforce with the right kind of communication, delivered regularly and efficiently through appropriate channels and means can make a big difference to all involved, for example you, your staff, child, parents and outside agencies.

Impact of policy on practice

Impact of policy on practice In order to maintain confidentiality the names used in this piece of work have been anonymised. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the impact that policy and specifically Child Protection (CP) policy has made on professional practice. I will identify and analyse an incident associated with child protection in practice which will enable a discussion to debate appropriate local, national and international perspectives. I will also consider the impact of policy on other professionals involved in the event. Furthermore I will use PEST analysis as a framework to explore the impact of policy on practice. Pest analysis is described by Mindtools, 2009 as a simple, useful and widely-used tool that helps you understand the big picture of your Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural and Technological environment. It is used by business leaders worldwide to build their vision of the future and likewise can be used by practitioners to attain best practice to achieve positive outcomes for individuals. The practice placement that is the focus of this assignment is a mixed senior school of predominantly working class white students aged 11 18. The incident that occurred was discussed between a female pupil known as Beth Jones aged 12 years and a student social worker (SSW). While in a 1:1 mentoring session Beth disclosed that her mother Elaine Jones had pushed her down the stairs in her home that morning. Beth was traumatised and stated that she was fearful to return to her home that day. Recently, the views within the UK concerning the status of children have been wide-ranging and this has had some impact on policy and practice. At a socio-cultural level children are now viewed as having the capabilities to engage in building and constructing their own lives and opinions have swayed towards autonomy of women and in particular of children. In todays society, through the emergence of feminist writers especially on issues such as patriarchy and domestic violence, children are viewed as independents rather than being the property of men. This has been reinforced through changes in the political economy of welfare where societys perceptions of children have transformed towards children being independent service users whose wishes and preferences have been given greater importance. (Armstrong, et al 1991). The introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 also ensures that children now have legal rights. (WHO, 1998). The term Gillick competent is used to describe a child under the age of 16 who is judged to be of a sufficient understanding and intelligence to be capable of making up his own mind on the matter requiring decision (Smith, 1996 p52) thus enabling young people like Beth to be heard. The practice implication for this is that when taking into consideration the opinions and wishes of the child, it must first be established what those wishes and views are and then whether those wishes and views are to be considered, or acted on, based on whether the child is deemed to have a full enough understanding of the implications of their decisions. Every child living in this country is entitled to protection from abuse regardless of his or her background. With the help of the Children Act 1989, and the recommendations made by Lord Laming, (Every Child Matters, 2004), child services within the UK have been given the power to act when they feel a child is being abused. Victoria Climbià © aged 8 died from 128 injuries at the hands of her carers in February 2000. The investigatory inquiry into her death conducted by Lord Laming discovered many instances where professionals including line managers had failed to fulfil their roles and numerous flaws where professional networks had failed to protect Victoria during the last months of her life. Laming criticised the lack of professionalism and cooperation between agencies (Laming, 2003 S.1.30) the Laming Enquiry, lay the foundations for the Every Child Matters Green Paper published in 2003. In the U.K. the Children Act 1989 aimed to introduce key changes for practice by focusing on principles such as paramountcy of the child, partnership and parental responsibility as well as child protection and family support and the rights of the family against the rights of the child. This has lead to increasing pressures on social workers who have to prove that they have been empowering, anti oppressive and supportive to those involved in their cases. Within the U.K. these policies afford children considerable rights as individuals and these are considered primarily before those of the parents in child protection cases. This has led to a predominantly rights-based legal approach where social workers hold considerable amounts of power. (Archard el al 2002). Farnfield (1998, p53) talks about children as consumers and the difficulty which many social workers have in balancing the rights of the parents with the rights of the child. Given the drive towards working in partnership with parents in childcare and inclusion of all relevant parties when working within a social care field, it may be difficult, when working with families, to remain focussed on the issue of whom the client is and whose interests are best being served by any particular course of action. Trevithick (2005, p229) discusses a particular case where she was having difficulty in establishing a good relationship with parents in a child protection case. The issue of having the agenda of protecting the children was identified as a stumbling block in the establishment of a rapport with the parents. Brayne and Martin (1999) however argue that, from a legal perspective, in child protection cases the primary client must always be the child. This is borne-out by the policy document Working Together to Safeguard Children which states that professionals should: work co-operatively with parents unless this is inconsistent with the need to ensure the childs safety. This is also compatible with the ethos of child centred practice in placing the child first. Article 19 of the UN convention on the rights of the child states governments should ensure that children are properly cared for and protect them from violence, abuse and neglect by their parents or anyone else who looks after them. The Human Rights Act 1998 is linked to the implementation of no-smacking policies and states that every child has the right not to suffer ill treatment or cruel, unusual punishment.'(Flynn, 2004. p.41). As Beth disclosed to the SSW that she has been physically abused, the SSW refers the disclosure to the Child Protection officer. In line with the Data Protection Act 1998 the information is kept confidential as it is not necessary that any other member of staff need to know about the case at that time. As a result of the deaths of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells in 2004 the Bichard Report was published and made recommendations about how information is shared and stored.Child protection information on a pupil is filed in a separate area to the school file a nd can only be accessed by the child protection officer and shared with other professionals in a need to know basis a positive impact of policy to protect confidentiality of vulnerable children. Undoubtedly the most significant development in childcare policy in Britain over the past twenty-five years has been the preoccupation with child abuse (Alcock et al 1998). Also it can be suggested that this increase in concern can be seen in all major European countries and constitutes a major key issue in this area of social policy. This concern has not only been emphasised through the formal and legal frameworks of society but also by the general public. As stated above the rise in concern with child abuse has been evident from the late 60s and early 70s. It is from then that child abuse has become identified as a social problem (Alcock et al 1998) mainly through high-publicised cases of child abuse victims. The high profile case of Maria Colwell who died in 1973 after serious injuries were inflicted upon her at her home whilst under the supervision of social services demonstrates this point effectively. Even today 30 years on this case is still being analysed and discussed. When identifying the key issues within child protection it is important to consider the concept of balance. This is a main concern for all countries who find themselves victims of either jumping in too quickly with overzealous assumptions, or on the other hand holding off too long and in the end delaying intervention until in some cases it is too late. Any major piece of legislation develops in response to a variety of influences. (Hill, M. and Aldgate, J. 1996). In the U.K. for example, the Childrens Act 1989 was the result of a number of influential factors. One of the biggest influences, which have already been mentioned, is that of the wave of child abuse tragedies that occurred over the years. The public inquiries and the amount of media attention that arose because of these cases shed light upon the inadequacies of practice and previous policies. Cases such as Jasmine Beckford and Kimberley Carlisle and the Orkney and Cleveland inquiries impacted public perceptions and professional practice and shaped the responses of the U.K.s policies to the problem of child abuse. The social reaction prompted those in power to reassess their protection schemes and to readdress the issues of evidenced based practice within their policy changes. According to Alcock et al. these high publicised inquiries, led to the promulgation of extensive procedural guidance at central and local levels to social welfare and other agencies designed to avoid repetition of tragedy and scandal (Alcock et al 1998). Back to the scenario with Beth, after discussion with the child protection officer, a decision is made to make a referral to social services. Policy states that any disclosure of physical abuse results in steps that must be taken to protect the child. This may produce an emergency protection order as she is deemed to be at risk of harm if she returns to her mothers care. A social workers main aim in the U.K. is to guarantee young people like Beths right to protection from harm and if necessary will battle with parents and other agencies to fulfil this. In comparison, Europe and specifically France, children have not been accorded as many individual rights independently of their family. Their position is a result of the traditional state and family perspective. The French policies have adapted to this cultural opinion and have enforced that child protection work should be focused on the family and that children should be considered not as an individual but as part of the family. Traditionally the focus is that the parents are superior to the children giving them the rights of decisions, protection and care. This is the view of French society where their main concern is keeping the birth family together and taking risks is acceptable. It can be suggested that in France a humanistic model (Parton ,cited in Armstrong et al 1991) is followed to a certain degree. The countrys view that social factors are very likely to be involved in child abuse cases is evident in their policies, which apply preventative, counselling and therapeutic app roaches. Examples of this can include the forcing of families to co-operate at the intervention stage, which is unheard of in Britain. One of the main concerns of this system is the fact that in most cases the Childrens Judge does not hear the childs wishes and views, and if they are heard they are poorly represented. In the U.K. as stated the protective attitude of society is reflected in their policies that recognise the state as having direct responsibility for protecting children when the parents have failed. If Beth were in France she would not be given an independent voice and a right to immediate protection without a full family investigation. The protective U.K. system appears to have disadvantages, Cooper proves this point by highlighting that in France there has never been any highly publicised cases of abuse as in Britain; therefore there has never been a lack of confidence in social work. The positive aspect of French child protection policy is a constructive public perception which eases tensions within the social worker and family relationship and also encourages co-operation of the family. It was also found that French social workers have a, consistent, trusting professional relationship at the centre of their professional aims whereas in the U.K. social workers are mainly concerned with whether parents are guilty or innocent and with the task of collecting evidence this impacts on UK social workers as they are on the receiving end of accusations and abuse and stereotypical blame. (Cooper, A. 1994 p59-67). Effective communication is essential for organisations to be successful. It is the process by which information is exchanged between one group or person and another, by computer, telephone, letter, meetings, text, fax or face to face. The deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002 sparked the Bichard enquiry into child protection procedures in the Humberside Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary in the light of the trial and conviction of Ian Huntley for the murder of the two young girls. He had previously been suspected of committing sexual assaults on at least eight occasions and at the age of 21 Ian Huntley had sexual relationships with at least three 15-year-old girls for whom social services were aware but failed to communicate this information to the police. If the police had been aware of this information, this may have shown up when vetting checks were being carried out on Huntley and may have stopped him from getting a job at the school that the girls had atte nded. In December 2003 the Humberside Police said the main reason for this was because of the Data Protection Act. Information about dealings with Ian Huntley had not been available to them during vetting checks. This inquiry also stated that the problem was due to the police not having been told about this legislation regarding information about the person being vetted. A report stated that police officers were nervous about breaching the legislation, partly at least because too little was done to educate and reassure them about its impact. Michael Bichard labelled it an inelegant and cumbersome piece of legislation and the judiciary stated that better guidance is needed on the collection, retention, deletion, use and sharing of information, so that police officers, social workers and other professionals can feel more confident in using information properly. This simply indicates the importance of effective communication. The information system may have been used to its full potent ial if the officers had been aware of the limits of the Data Protection Act. Ian Huntleys date of birth had been entered into the system incorrectly. If this information had been entered correctly then they would have been aware of his past behaviour. This would effectively stop him working in the school and the girls trusting him as a safe adult. The PNC (Police National Computer) only checked against the name Ian Nixon (an alias) and not Ian Huntley. An Information system can fail completely without accurate information from the end user, highlighting the systems reliance on good communication with its users. (Bichard Inquiry, 2004). The Children Act 2004 empowered the Secretary of State for Education to create a database (or databases) of everyone in England who is aged under 18. In July 2007, the regulations that will bring this first national database of children into being were passed by Parliament. The government has announced that the database will be called ContactPoint. It was originally known as the Information-Sharing Index, but re-branded in February 2007 because of negative publicity about information sharing. ContactPoint is effectively a file-front that serves the whole range of agencies that may be involved with a child. It is intended to provide a complete directory of all children from birth, together with a list of the agencies with which s/he is in contact. It will not hold any case records, but will enable practitioners to indicate their involvement with a family and contact each other in order to share information. It will also show whether an eCAF (an in-depth personal profile under the Comm on Assessment Framework) has been carried out and is available for sharing. A response from teachers in local schools have indicated that agencies are finding the procedure confusing with long waiting times for an initial reply for services. Another negative criticism of this policy as stated by Searing, 2007 the danger is that once social work has become more closely aligned with an inter-agency system of surveillance and monitoring of families most people will be less open and trusting towards social workers and this will make their job more difficult thus further negative impact on the social worker role. The Governments response to the Laming Enquiry was almost immediate with the production of the Green Paper Every Child Matters 2004. In conjunction with Every Child Matters (ECM) is The Children Act 2004, which is in addition to the original Act 1989. The Act encompasses several components based on recommendations from the Laming Report and is responsible for promoting a partnership between agencies working with children including health, education and social care in a more cohesive manner (Allen, 2008). According to Smith the Children Act 1989 (CA, 1989) simplified all pre-existing legislation in relation to children and families. It imposed new duties on local authorities relating to the identification and assessment of children in need, and gave all Local Authorities new responsibilities for looked after children. The introduction of the Act also provided the Court with Emergency Protection Orders to protect children at risk of harm which replaced the Place of Safety Orders. Smith (2001) argues that the Children Act was particularly relevant because for the first time it placed more emphasis upon the importance of inter-agency collaborative working as a means of responding to the needs of both children and their families. This policy provided immediate protection to Beth, initiated within the school environment and in collaboration with social services, a good example of interagency working. If Beth had not been listened to or taken seriously she would be at risk of further abuse and may not disclose further abuse due to lack of support. It is important that professionals and agencies co-operate and work together in child protection cases so that all the relevant and correct information is available, and accurate in order to help and support the child. In recent cases, specifically that of Victoria Climbie, this was not done and therefore Victoria was put at further harm, and subsequently died when she could have been saved if the agencies had worked effectively and shared information. This is why the Every Child Matters legislation came about, to try and prevent this in the future. Children at risk need coordinated help from health, education, social services and other agencies, including youth justice services. These professionals are required to work together in order to protect the children and keep them safe, and to help bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against children. As a result of Every Child Matters, now children known to more than one agency will have a single named professional to lead their c ase. This has proved to be an effective tool in Beths scenario as guidance enables the professionals within the school to take action immediately to protect her as she was placed on an emergency protection order. Even though the policy is over five years old, when applied effectively stops a child falling through the net. Policy has shaped the care for this service user and had a significant impact on her outcome. References Allen, N. (2008) Making Sense of the Children Act 1989, 4th ed. West Sussex: John Wiley Sons. Alcock, P. Erskine, A. and May, M. (1998) The Students Companion to Social Policy Blackwell Publishers Armstrong, H. and Hollows, A. (1991) in Hill, M. (Ed) Social Work and the European Community: the Social Policy and Practice Contexts. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 142-161 Brayne, H. Martin, G (1999) Law for Social Workers (6ed). London: Blackstone Bichard, M. Sir. (2004 April 21), The Bichard Inquiry An Independent Inquiry arising from the Soham murders, (The Bichard Inquiry), Available: http://www.bichardinquiry.org.uk/, (Accessed: May 2009). Children Act 1989- Section 47. Children Act 1989 (c.41). www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/Ukpga w19 March 2009. Cooper, A. (1994) In Care or En Famille? Child Protection, the Family and the state in France and England. Social Work in Europe. Volume1No.1. Davies, M. (2002 p107) Companion to Social Work. (2nd). London: Blackwell. (Data Protection Act 1984 and 1998). DfES (2006) What to do if youre worried a child is being abused. Summary. Crown Copyright. Department of Health, Home Office, Department for Education and Employment, 1999 Every Child Matters (2003) Every Child Matters (2005) Background to Every Child Matters (http://www.everychildmatters.co.uk/aims/background [Accessed online: 17/01/2009] Farnfield, S (1998) The rights and wrongs of social work with children and young people in Cheetham, J. and Kazi, M.A.F (eds.) The Working of Social Work. London: Jessica Kingsley Flynn, H. (2004) Protecting Children. Heinemann. Hill, M and Aldgate, J (1996) The Children Act 1989 and Recent Developments in Research in England and Wales, in Hill, M. and Aldgate, J. (Eds.) Child Welfare Services: Developments in Law, Policy, Practice and Research, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Lord Laming.2003. The Victoria Climbie inquiry. Crown London http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_09.htm Searing, H (2008). The Crisis in Social Work: The Radical Solution. Available at http://www.radical.org.uk/barefoot/crisis.htm (Accessed May 2009) Smith P (1999) Support for Children and Families: Trevithick, P. (2005) Social Work Skills.2nd ed. Berkshire: Open University Press. World Health Organisation (WHO) Bibliography Burton S., (1997) When Theres a Will Theres a Way: Refocusing Child Care Practice A Guide for Team Managers London: National Childrens Bureau London Borough of Greenwich and Greenwich Health Authority (1987) The Kimberley Carlile Report Cleveland Report (1988) Report of the Inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland 1987 London: HMSO General Assembly of the United Nations (1989) The Convention on the Rights of the Child. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989. (UN Convention) http://www.unicef.org/crc/text.htm Parton, N. (1996) Social Work, Risk and the Blaming System in N. Parton (ed.) Social Theory, Social Change and Social Work, London: Routledge Kegan Paul. Trotter, C. (2004) Helping Abused Children And Their Families, London.