The And Tears Grieving A Lost Childhood - 2442 Words

RUNNING HEAD: TANGLES AND TEARS: GRIEVING A LOST CHILDHOOD Tangles and Tears: Grieving a Lost Childhood Toronto Art Therapy Institute Harper Johnston 04/21/2017 Instructor: Claudia McKnight Course: Art Therapy, Spirituality, Grief and Loss TANGLES AND TEARS: GRIEVING A LOST CHILDHOOD 2 How does one grieve the insidious and all-encompassing emotional and physical distortions of a childhood lost to prolonged sexual abuse and physical trauma? Truthfully, I don’t have a simple answer but a brief examination of grief, trauma and attachment theories may help explain much of what has transpired in my life to date. This essay documents the quest for understanding and resolution that has†¦show more content†¦I grew up in a household where my deceased brother, who was eighteen months older than me, was a legend in his own time. He died shortly after my birth and was hailed as the good guy! I mourned and grieved for someone I never knew – that good guy! My parents considered my surviving brother, the perpetrator, as the inadequate son right from the get go. By the time I was four and he was ten, my life as I knew it, started to unravel one strand at a time for an entire decade with an aftermath that would last for more than fifty years. In the 1950’s, John Bowlby, considered the father of attachment theory, worked collaboratively TANGLES AND TEARS: GRIEVING A LOST CHILDHOOD 3 with James Robertson (A handyman/gardener at a children’s orphanage who became quite adept at observing children.) to established a schema of child attachment styles which has enabled us to understand the spectrum of the loss response as it relates to children and subsequently adults. Bowlby believed that infants (both humans and animals) devise clever ways to maintain attachment e.g. crying, clinging, hunger etc. However, when the parent is oblivious to the cues and fails to respond to this attention seeking behavior the result is an inability for the offspring to thrive. (Bretherton, 2009) Consequently, when my brother died and my mother retreated emotionally and physically for the rest of her parenting life, she was clearlyShow MoreRelatedHamlet: Dancing Through Darkness1140 Words   |  5 Pagesemotions are very unpredictable in this way. What comes after the tragedy is referred to as the ‘grieving period’. The mind has to go through this in order to stretch itself from the unpredictable emotions, back into a form of acceptance of what was lost. In the tragedy striking play of â€Å"Hamlet, Prince of Denmark† written by William Shakespeare, the author has the reader take a look at the more intense grieving period of the many members who cope with more than one death at a time. In contrast, the playRead MoreA Chapter Of Chapter 1 : Chapter 1835 Words   |  4 Pagescoffee table, he stroll toward the young master, standing beside him. â€Å"Master Claude, it’s time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Aldrick whispers. Claude doesn’t respond. He continues to stare out the window, watching hundreds of torches moving closer to the mansion. A cold tear drips down his pale cheek as he turns to look at Aldrick. Aldrick notices Claude’s left eye is bloodshot from all the quiet sobbing, he couldn’t say the same for his right eye, the young master always keep his right eye close and he knows why. Read MoreHamlet to Horatio Eulogy944 Words   |  4 PagesYear 12 English Ââ€" Hamlets Eulogy (delivered by Horatio) Simone Schulz Lords, ladies and citizens of Elsinore, what treasure lost. It is with great sorrow that I stand before you in this difficult day, in this difficult time. I do not know what to say nor how to say it. We are all here to honour, remember and pay respect to the most remarkable Prince we could ever know, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, beloved son of the late King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude, royal courtier and loyal friend. To allRead MoreIn Memoriam, Reflections Of My MotherS Life. . Thank You1544 Words   |  7 Pageslast breath. It was a race that lasted 83 years, and what a great race that she ran. Mom was born in 1929 into an idyllic childhood. She maintained a childlike sense of humor that endured well into adulthood. She hid a high IQ behind a playful spirit. She had an easy laugh, a kind spirit and a quiet zeal for life. She was young at heart and young in thought. Her idyllic childhood progressed into an idyllic marriage. She married the love of her life, my dad at the age of 17. They appeared to be theRead MoreThe Divine Comedy Dante By Dante Alighieri1101 Words   |  5 Pagespeople in his life but the bad people all over the world and he also includes himself. Dante writes his book to scare others into changing to be better people and that he wrote this book to catch himself and try to turn himself around. Dante’s childhood is a little different than what most people are used to now. A few years after he was born his mother died. Then around the age of twelve Dante was arranged to marry Gemma Donati and in 1285 they got married. But, just like in any other story thereRead MoreThe Development Of Middle Childhood1147 Words   |  5 Pagessadly, my last wish couldn’t be fulfilled because my parents had filed for divorce after being together and married for 20 years. As stated in the ‘Psychosocial Development in Middle Childhood’ power point divorce is considered a grieving process and we all had lost my dad. Not only had we lost our dad, but we lost a second income and support system in the household. So, I wasn’t surprised when it was stated divorced families typically have secondary losses because, after the divorce my mom, twoRead MoreSybil: Movie Analysis [Multiple Personality Disorder]1547 Words   |  7 Pageswhat they call as â€Å"black-outsà ¢â‚¬  or it seems that she lost track of time, or wake up somewhere or did something that she could not even remember. During this â€Å"black-outs†, other facets of herself would go out and take over her that is why she does not have any memory of what happened. Moreover, as I watched the movie, I have noticed that she could not concentrate and is irritable. She is someone who is not really fond of talking about her childhood and is very self-controlling and self-protective. Read MoreThe Winters Tale By William Shakespeare1770 Words   |  8 Pagesthat stagnate from the beginning to end. In particular, the most dynamic character in the play is King Leontes of Sicilia. In the beginning, Leontes believes in the self-assumed belief that his wife, Queen Hermione, is having affairs with his childhood friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia. This belief was conspired by Leontes when he requested Hermione to convince Polixenes to prolong his visit in Sicilia after he himself had failed. When she did succeed, Leontes became â€Å"diseased† with jealousy andRead MoreEssay on The Lesson and Mid-term Break1860 Words   |  8 PagesThe Lesson and Mid-term Break The Lesson tells the story of a 10 year old boy who has lost his father in the duration of school time. It goes on the say hes trapped and although he feels grief for the death of his father he realises that he can use the death to bind the bullies fist. Mid-Term Break is about the loss of a brother. It goes on to say that life goes on even though he has lost his brother and he witnesses things he does not normally experience (his father crying).

A Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes - 1736 Words

All Langston Hughes ever wanted was for people to have their dreams accomplished and the motivation to bring change forward. However, Hughes’s dreams almost came tumbling down for speaking out in one of his poems. In 1940, Hughes had been investigated by the FBI following the release of his poem â€Å"Goodbye Christ†. Numerous accusations had arisen, stating Hughes â€Å"†¦[was a] member of the Communist Party, [ran] for public office, called for a race war, married a white woman, and studied Communism in the U.S.S.R.† (Dyson, p. 45, 2002). Although it looked as if Hughes’s days with the rest of society were numbered, Hughes made sure that his dreams were not forgotten. Hughes continued to write poetry during this difficult time period which included his poem â€Å"A Dream Deferred†. Hughes realized that when he wrote this poem, it had to be worded in a way that would get his message across while not raising any red flags. Even though hi s poem would get published, the publishers who helped Hughes had gotten fired (Miller, n.p., 2012). When Hughes was ordered to appear before the Committee of Un-American Activities in 1953, he looked to ensure that he would not end up in jail without abandoning his ideals. Hughes then released a statement regarding himself and his poetry saying that he believes â€Å"‘†¦in an America that changes as Americans want it to change’† which is exactly what is reflected in â€Å"A Dream Deferred† (Dyson, p. 45, 2002). For instance, as reflected in â€Å"A DreamShow MoreRelatedThe Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes1020 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Dream Deferred,† is a poem written by Langston Hughes discussing what may become of a dream that is put off, delayed, or postponed by external influences. Throughout the poem, Hughes uses questions about concrete things in everyday life and compares them to the ignored dreams. Langston Hughes isn’t referring to the dreams we have when we go to sleep at night, he’s referring to an aspiration or a desire. â€Å"Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun?† (Hughes 970) The vision of his dream is vanishingRead MoreA Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes990 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes; is about what occurs to the dream when you postpone them, instead of going for it and make it come true. Many people in this world has a dream or some sort of goal that they would like to accomplish. Although most of us would love to follow our dreams, sometimes we just cannot do it due to the struggles that we would have to face. This poem is based on a guy who is going through a difficult time and what would happen to his dream if he puts it on holdRead MoreDreams In Dreams And Dreams Deferred By Langston Hughes915 Words   |  4 PagesIn two of Langston Hughes’ poems, he sorts out a multitude of analogies and diction to draw in the audience to better understand his perspective of dreams. When the poet begins the poems, â€Å"Dreams† and â€Å"Dreams Deferred,† he speaks of an emptiness and an ag eing of dreams. Hughes’ allusions in repetition, strands, binary opposites, and anomalies can represent his overall portrayal of a life without dreams is unstable and that dreams become the person, making it impossible to run from. The pattern ofRead MoreAn Analysis of Dreams Deferred by Langston Hughes685 Words   |  3 PagesImportance of Achieving Dreams It is true that people often dream widely and unrealistically. But some people dream about basic human rights such as dignity, freedom, liberty, equal rights, and access to education. Socio-economic and political conditions sometimes put people in dire situations where they do not have access to such fundamental human needs. For such people, achieving their dreams is especially important, as the shattering of their dreams may lead to the shattering of their lives altogetherRead MoreLangston Hughes Dream Deferred Essay538 Words   |  3 Pages langston huges - dream defered After the Civil War won the black people their freedom, it seemed as though their dreams of great opportunities were finally going to come true. However, they were met by even more obstacles, which left the blacks to wonder if their dreams had any chance of occurring, or if they should just give up. In his poem, â€Å"Harlem,† Langston Hughes used increasingly destructive imagery to present his warning of what will happen if you delay working towards your goal. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hughes’Read MoreA Dream Deferred - the Poetry of Langston Hughes1647 Words   |  7 PagesThe poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900à ­s. In much of Hughes poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that of a dream deferred. The recurrence of adream deferred in several Hughes poems paints a clear picture of the disappointment and dismayRead MoreMontage Of A Dream Deferred By Langston Hughes946 Words   |  4 Pages Many of the poems within â€Å"Montage of a Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes contain great meaning as well as emotion embedded within them. Whether they are 3 lines or 20 lines long, vivid images and explanations follow. The main focus of the series of poems are centralized on African Americans living in Harlem in the 20’s and on and their opposition from the rest. The motif in nearly all poems express discrimination, daily activities, and African American’s struggle for equality. Out of all poemsRead MoreEssay on The Transformation of a Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes694 Words   |  3 PagesIn Langston Hughes’ poem, A Dream Deferred, Hughes wonders what happens to a dream that does not come true. He writes, â€Å"Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?† In A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, Walter shows that his deferred dream does both. Early in the play, he shares his hopes and dreams for his family and their futu re with his young son, Travis. He imagines that earning his fortune will cure all the shortcomings and injustices in their lives. The limitations ofRead MoreAnalysis of Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes Essay617 Words   |  3 PagesDream Deferred A dream is a goal in life, not just dreams experienced during sleep. Most people use their dreams as a way of setting future goals for themselves. Dreams can help to assist people in getting further in life because it becomes a personal accomplishment. Langston Hughess poem Dream Deferred is speaks about what happens to dreams when they are put on hold. The poem leaves it up to the reader to decide what dream is being questioned. In the opening of the poem the speaker usesRead More Power of Langston Hughes Harlem (A Dream Deferred) Essay674 Words   |  3 PagesPower of Langston Hughes Harlem (A Dream Deferred) In our journey through life, we all have certain expectations of how we would like our lives to be. All of us strive to reach a certain level of self-actulization and acceptance. It could thus be said that all of us live a dream. Some of these individual dreams inevitably become the collective dream of many people. In Harlem (A Dream Deferred), Langston Hughes makes use of symbolism as well as powerful sensory imagery to show us the emotions

Hrm 590 Compendstion Decisions Free Essays

HRM590: Compensation Decisions Your job now is to pull together all the information you’ve completed so far in class and make salary decisions for your team. You have completed Cathy’s evaluation and received assignment feedback. This is the first year that you’ve made salary decisions for this team. We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm 590 Compendstion Decisions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Be sure to carefully review the information provided. You may simply type in the cells as the text will automatically wrap. You are required to: 1. Enter Cathy’s appraisal rating (she is last on the list); 2. Within your budget dollars, make your salary decisions based on performance for your team taking into consideration their Salary Grade and the Pay Ranges identified for the Salary Grades (fill in the Salary Decision Column); 3. Within your budget dollars award bonus money (fill in the Bonus Dollars Column); 4. In the green line areas, provide your substantiation and risk analysis for the salary decisions made; and 5. Identify any items from this scenario in whole you may want to address. Evaluation ratings are 1 = Needs Improvement to 5 = Exceeds Expectations Salary Budget: $9,000 Bonus Budget: $5,000 Company Designated Salary Pay Ranges A2 = $12,750 – 17,000 A3 = 16,500 – 22,000 A4 = 21,000 – 28,000 |Employee Information |Salary |Current Salary |% at Pay Scale* |Appraisal Rating |Salary Decision |Bonus Dollars | | |Grade | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: John is a major asset to the company and the appraisal rating justifies that. His skills and experience may be hard to replace if he decides to retire early. He was given the | |highest salary decision of 8% which exceeds the company designed salary pay range. It would be a loss to the company to lose such a valuable employee. His bonus was also outstanding based on his appraisal rating | |given. | |Alice is a Hispanic female, 42YO with 17 years’ service. Alice is a good worker. She has a lot of |A4 |$22,500 |80. 4% |3 |3% |600 | |potential, which netted her the higher rating. She needs some more skills and experience at this level| | | | |$675 | | |though. | | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Alice has been with the company for 17 years and does a good job, however, she has much to learn at this level and still may need more training to improve in her skills and | |experience. Her appraisal rating was average but still enough to earn the lowest salary increase of 3% and a bonus. | |Calvin, 28YO black male with 9 months service. Calvin is a real go getter. He hasn’t been with the |A4 |$26,500 |94. 6% |4 |3. 75% |600 | |company long enough to earn a higher rating, but his work is outstanding, high skill set and is looking| | | | |$994 | | |to stay with our company for a career. | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Calvin is an outstanding worker and will be a major asset to the company. Even though he has not worked with us for too long, we were able to give him at 4 rating which shows that he| |is doing exceptional job in his position. Normally, employees with ratings of 4 would earn a 5% salary raise, but since Calvin has only worked for us for 9mths, we pro-rated his bonus and percentage to 3. 75%. | |Jane is a 32YO white female with 12 years’ service. Jane joined the company as an A3. Her work is |A3 |$19,100 |86. 8% |3 |3% |400 | |satisfactory, nothing to brag about, but she’s been with the company awhile and can be dependable. | | | | |$573 | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Jane does get her job done but has not shown any more exceptional work. She is reliable and dependable in her work and there has been no complaints or issues. She earned a 3 rating| |which is average; this gave her a 3% raise and a small bonus. | |Beth is a 64YO Asian female with 41 years’ service. Beth stated she would probably retire this year, |A3 |$19,700 |89. 5% |3 |3% |400 | |but has yet to turn in her paperwork. She’s had a history of higher ratings, but her ratings have | | | | |$591 | | |slipped over the last 6 years. | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Beth has been an outstanding worker but in the last 6 years, her ratings have dropped. She meets expectations of her job which gave her a ranking of 3. She was able to get the lowest| |raise of 3% and a small bonus. | |Ben is a 47YO white male with 27 years’ service. He’s a good worker, been with your group for a couple|A3 |21,000 |95. 5% |4 |5% |600 | |years. Hasn’t yet expanded his skills, which you thought he’d do even though hired for a specific job. | | | | |$1050 | | |What he does, he does outstandingly. | | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Ben proves to provide excellent work when performing a specific job, but still has not stepped out to expand new skills. He earns a 4 rating which gives him a 5% raise and a $700 | |bonus. |Alex is a 30YO white male with 9 years’ service. He’s quite a guy, performs well at his job. Started |A2 |$15,800 |92. 9% |5 |8% |600 | |as an occupational worker and has worked his way into management. | | | | |$1264 | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Alex has work his way up to earn what he does now in management. He has shown work that proves that he produce his job well in the manager level. He has earned the highest salary | |raise of 8% based on this appraisal rating with a bonus. | |Ken is a 20YO Hispanic male with 1 year service. Ken is young and fresh. You think he should have |A2 |$17,000 |100% |4 |6% |400 | |been hired at a higher level because his skills are so good. You don’t want to lose him because he | | | | |$1020 | | |adds value to the business. You’ll probably jump him to an A4 position soon. | | | | | | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Ken should have been hired at a higher salary grade and does outstanding work for the skills that he has. He is currently paid 100% of his the salary pay scale but will most likely | |be moved to the A4 salary grade soon. To keep him within the company, we are offering him 1% more than the offered increase for the rating of 4 (which is 5%). He would be a great addition to the company and we may | |not want to lose him since we plan on moving him up. | |Cathy is your 19YO (ethnicity unknown) femaleHR Receptionist. She has been with the company for 1 |A2 |$12,000 |70. 6% |3 |3% |200 | |year. You recently completed her performance evaluation. | | | | |$360 | | |Substantiation and Risk Analysis: Cathy has been with our company for 1 year and does average work. She still has areas that she needs to focus on but also has areas of work that she completely exceeds. She does | |need much improvement in certain areas for a new hire. She was rated 3 since she meets work performance which gives her a 3% raise and a small bonus. | *This shows the pay scale range for each employee by percentage. Formula is current salary ? top salary range. This percentage range should be between 75% – 100%. Overall Comments: The salary decision was decided based on the appraisal rating. Ratings of 5 earned an 8% salary raise, ratings of 4 earned a 5% raise, and ratings of 3 earned a 3% raise. Anyone with a rating of 2 or 1 did not earn a raise, which no employee was rated that this year. These salary raise percentages were also considered based on the salary budget given of $9,000 which $8,729 was the expected salary raises overall. The decision was made to give any employee with a 3 rating earning or higher a raise because they did met, highly met, or exceed expectations. Employees that ranked 2 or lower in the appraisal rating needed some improvement or needs lots of improvement, therefore would not earn a raise or a bonus. There was 1 employee, Calvin, that we pro-rated his salary and bonus since he has only been with the company for 9 months. The bonus decision was decided by appraisal ratings and the salary grade the employee was in. Employees in A4 salary received a higher bonus and the lower salary grade received a lower bonus. Also, amounts were distributed based on the bonus budget of $5,000. See chart below. Estimated Bonus Given Based on Salary grade and appraisal rating Appraisal Ratings | |5 |4 |3 | |A4 |1000 |800 |600 | |A3 |800 |600 |400 | |A2 |600 |400 |200 | Salary grade Actual Bonus Given Based on salary grade and appraisal rating Appraisal Ratings | |5 |4 |3 |Total | |A4 |1000 |600* |600 |2200 | |A3 |0 |600 |800 |1400 | | | | |(2 employees x 400) | | |A2 |600 |400 |200 |1200 | |Total |1600 |1600 |1600 |4800 | Salary grade We were able to keep the bonus within budget of $4800. The amounts estimated happened to work with the bonus budget given. If bonus budget were a different amount, amounts estimated would change also. There were possibilities that not all employees, even if they have a rating of 3 or above, would have gotten a bonus, however, for this year, it worked out that all employees were able to earn a bonus. The remaining amount of $200 not used in the bonus budget was the pro-rated amount from employee, Calvin, which has only worked for us for 9 months. How to cite Hrm 590 Compendstion Decisions, Essay examples

Foster Youth Program Proposal Rfp free essay sample

Government funding for youth services is minimal compared to funding for early education programs for children 0-5 years of age as well as to funding for the juvenile justice system (Isaacs, Hahn, Rennane, Steuerle, amp; Vericker, 2011). Within the minimal funding available for youth programming the focus tends to be towards the reduction of risky behaviors of youth. Youth who engage in in one or more risky behaviors are labeled at-risk youth. Risky behaviors include school failure and early school dropout which can lead to underemployment, violence that can lead to criminal behavior, substance use that can lead to addiction and related health problems, and risky sexual behavior that can lead to sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. Increased opportunity for engaging in risky behaviors can stem from individual characteristics of youth, the contexts they live in, the situations they encounter, and how these factors interact over time (Guerra amp; Bradshaw, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Foster Youth Program Proposal Rfp or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Research is moving towards demonstrating that in order to reduce at-risk youths negative behaviors, their protective factors have to be addressed and interventions need to be more comprehensive (Sullivan, 2006). Comprehensive services, which are preventative in nature, are becoming more of a focus for practitioners and program developers. Comprehensive services include the collaboration of institutions, service providers, schools, and child welfare systems to better meet the needs of the at-risk youth population. Context of Problem for Baltimore’s At-Risk Youth Approximately 4,500 foster youth â€Å"age out† of the foster care system in Maryland each year and must make the transition to self-sufficiency without the necessary skills or support to become financially independent, contributing adults. Additionally, many youth find themselves precariously teetering on the brink of lifelong poverty as a result of unhealthy behaviors and attitudes inherited from their environment. They are the most at-risk kids in the country – those likely to consistently fail. This group is made up of teens in foster care; youth involved in the juvenile justice system; teens who have children of their own; and youth who never finished high school. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, these youth face hardships and risks that produce significant costs to themselves and their community. Due to the lack of services tailored to their needs, many emancipating foster youth are either at risk of becoming, or are already homeless. Although the Baltimore City’s unemployment rate averaged 11 percent in 2011 (Maryland Employment Development Department), this number is considerably higher for at-risk youth. Studies show that 24 to 50 percent of former foster youth become homeless within the first 18 months after emancipating from the child welfare system and 46 percent become parents within 12 to 18 months. Additionally, 30 percent of youth in Baltimore reported no income in 2011, almost 60 percent live below the poverty level, 68 percent of youth in the Baltimore juvenile system have spent time in foster care, and 70 percent of Baltimore City Correctional Center inmates grew up in foster care (U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). The situations faced by at-risk youth place them at a disadvantage due to lack of housing and transitional living arrangements, education support, employment training, continuing education opportunities, and independent living skills. These factors in many cases lead to high school dropout, unemployment or underemployment, dependence on public assistance, early parenting, and incarceration. Due to the range and complexity of their issues, dedicated resources are required to target and alleviate specific barriers to employment.

Fair Value Case Essay Example

Fair Value Case Essay Case 11-2(b) Fair Value Disclosures Case 11-2(b) is an extension of Case 11-2(a). For this case, assume that the Case 11-2(a) facts remain, with the exception of the additional assumptions listed below for each security. As stated in Case 11-2(a), Family Finance Co. (FFC) accounts for its investments at fair value, with changes in fair value reflected either in earnings (for trading securities) or other comprehensive income (OCI) (for available-for-sale (AFS) securities). Because FFC uses the interest rate swap in a cash-flow hedge, FFC measures the derivative at fair value, presenting the portion of the fair value change that effectively offsets cash flow variability on its corporate debt in OCI and the remainder in earnings. Additional facts related to specific securities and derivatives owned by FFC are described below. Also refer to the data table at the end of this section for the fair value amounts for each instrument needed to complete the case. S tudents should assume that al l amounts discussed below and those included in the data tables are U. S. dollars in thousands. Instrument 1 — Collateralized Debt Obligation †¢ FFC classifies its collateralized debt obligation (CDO) within Level 3 of the ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC identified October 1, 2012, as the date on which the CDO’s fair value measurement changed in classification from Level 2 to Level 3. †¢ FFC determined the broker quotes were not significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety because those quotes resulted in a management adjustment to the income-approach discount rate of just 1 percent. On the basis of sensitivity analysis performed by adjusting the discount rate, management determined percentage changes of 2 percent result in a significantly higher or lower fair value. Further, management performed a qualitative assessment of the significance of these inputs to its fair value measurement and concluded that it did not place much weight on these measurements because they were based on proprietary models using unobservable inputs. That is, management could not, without unreasonable effort, conclude with sufficient assurance whether the quotes were prepared in accordance with ASC 820 and reflected current market conditions and market participant assumptions. †¢ FFC accounts for the CDO as a trading security. 1 Note that as discussed in Case 11-2(a), Instrument 4 is an equity security that does not have a readily determinable fair value and thus is not within the scope of ASC 320, Investments — Debt and Equity Securities. We will write a custom essay sample on Fair Value Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Fair Value Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Fair Value Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, FFC has elected the fair value option for the security in accordance with ASC 82510, Financial Instruments: Overall, and thus accounts for the investment at fair value with changes in fair value recorded through earnings. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Instrument 2 — Mortgage-Backed Security †¢ FFC classifies its mortgage-backed security (MBS) within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC accounts for the MBS as a trading security. Instrument 3 — Auction-Rate Security †¢ FFC classifies its auction-rate securities (ARSs) within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC identified November 1, 2012, as the date on which the fair value measurement of the ARSs changed in classification from Level 2 to Level 3. †¢ FFC accounts for the ARSs as AFS securities. Instrument 4 — Equity Security of a Nonpublic Company †¢ FFC classifies its investment in Company X within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy during 2012. †¢ FFC sold the equity security in October 2012 for $120. Instrument 5 — Interest Rate Swap †¢ The interest rate (IR) swap is part of a portfolio of IR swaps. FFC individually assessed the IR swaps and classified them within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC does not measure its corporate debt at fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings. †¢ FFC executes IR swaps with various counterparties and accounts for its IR swap assets and liabilities on a gross basis on its balance sheet. Instrument 6 — Fuel Swap — Gasoline †¢ FFC classifies its fuel swap within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ The fuel swap was the only derivative in FFC’s commodity derivatives portfolio. †¢ The fuel swap’s fair value at initial recognition (January 2, 2012) was $0. Furthermore, each of the four annual swaplets 2 had an inception value of $0. 2 A s waplet is akin to a swap with a single settlement. For example, an IR swap with a duration of two years that re-prices and settles every quarter can also be viewed as a sequential series of eight swaplets at inception (each swaplet is net settled as of the settlement date specified in the swap contract). The fair value measurement of an IR swap considers the expected cash flows of all unsettled swaplets as of the measurement date. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures †¢ Page 3 The first annual swaplet settled on December 31, 2012, resulting in a net cash payment to FFC of $100. Required: †¢ Using the case facts and the fair value amounts provided in the fair value data table below, prepare the annual quantitative disclosure tables required by ASC 820 as of December 31, 2012, for each of the six instruments: o For fair value measurements as of the reporting date (i. e. , December 31, 2012) separately for each class of assets and liabilities. Use blank table formats 1a and 1b below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Tables 1a and 1b. ) o For assets and liabilities measured at fair value by means of significant unobservable inputs on a recurring basis, a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances (i. e. , annual table) separately for each class of assets and liabilities, including where the gains or losses included in earnings are reported in the income statement. Use blank table format 2 below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Table 2. ) o For certain assets and liabilities measured at fair value, (1) the amount of the total gains or losses for the period included in earnings that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held as of the reporting date (i. e. , December 31, 2012) and (2) a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the income statement. Use blank table format 2 below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. o For assets and liabilities measured at fair value by means of significant unobservable inputs, quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement. Use blank table format 3 below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Table 3. ) †¢ Identify any qualitative disclosures required under ASC 820 for each of the six instruments as of December 31, 2012. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Data Tables Fair Value Data Table (U. S. dollar amounts in thousands) I nstrument 1. CDO 2. MBS 3. ARS 4. Equity security of nonpublic company (PEI) 5. IR s wap (asset) 5a. IR swap portfolio — gross asset values 5b. IR swap portfolio — gross liability values 5c. IR swap portfolio — net assets by counterparty 5d. IR swap portfolio — net liability by counterparty 6. Fuel swap Beginning Balance — 1/1/2012 N/A N/A 75 90 N/A 200 (125) 105 (30) N/A Purchase Value / Date 50 / 6/1/12 85 / 9/1/12 N/A N/A 0 / 1/2/2012 Various Various Various Various 0 / 1/2/2012 Fair Value at Transfer Date 40 N/A 55 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Ending Balance — 12/31/2012 25 75 50 0 40 140 (100) 60 (20) 375 I ncome Statement Line I tem Trading revenues Trading revenues Other revenues Other revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues PEI = private equity investments. I nstrument 5 — IR Swap Portfolio (Support for Break-up by Counterparty to Compute Gross Values) Beginning Balance Asset Liability Net Ending balance Asset Liability Net Total A-1 200 –125 75 20 –30 –10 140 –100 40 0 –15 25 Counterparties A-2 B-1 40 20 –25 –40 15 –20 50 –15 35 30 –50 –20 B-2 120 –30 90 20 –20 0 C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Fuel Swap Data Table Pay Fixed, Receive Float (Fuel Swap) Four-year swap settles annually, ex ecuted 1/1/12, matures 12/31/15; Inception transaction price = zero (at-market swap), each of the four annual s waplets had an inception fair value = zero Cash Flow From Settlements Occurring at End of Fair Value by Period by Swaplet Swaplet Fair Value Quarter Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total Fair value — Year 1 (1/2/12 — beginning of period) 0 0 0 0 0 N/A — Fair value — Year 1 (12/31/12 — end of period) s ettled 120 125 130 375 Y1 100 Unobservable Inputs Data Table Collateralized Debt Obligation Credit spread Discount for lack of marketability 2% 5% Aucton-Rate Security Estimate of future coupon rates Constant prepayment rate Credit spread Discount for lack of marketability 4. 30% 4. 00% 2. 00% 15% Aucton-Rate Security U. S. unleaded gasoline forward price curve (per gallon) CVA $2. 00 $4. 00 4. 00% C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Format for Table 1a: Table 1a Description / Classes [For Assets] Fair Value Measurements as of Reporting Date Determined by Quoted Prices in Active S ignificant Other S ignificant M arkets for Identical Assets Observable Inputs Unobservable Inputs (Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) [CLASSES TO BE DETERMINED BY PARTICIPANTS] T otal assets -– – – Format for Table 1b: Table 1b Description / Classes [For Liabilities] Fair Value Measurements as of Reporting Date Determined by Quoted Prices in Active S ignificant Other S ignificant M arkets for Identical Assets Observable Inputs Unobservable Inputs (Level 1) Level 2) (Level 3) [CLASSES TO BE DETERMINED BY PARTICIPANTS] T otal liabilities Format for Table 2: Level 3 Recurring Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Trading CDO AFS ARS PEI Retail Derivatives Commodities Beginning balance Total gains or losses (realized/unrealized): Included in earnings (or changes in net assets) Included in other comprehensive income Purchases Issues Sales Settlement s Transfers into Level 3 Transfers out of Level 3 Ending balance The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings (or changes in net assets) attributable to the hange in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held as of the reporting date Realized Total C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Format for Table 3: Level 3 Fair Value Measurements Quantitative Information About Significant Unobservable Inputs I nvestment Fair Value at 12/31/12 Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Value Instrument 1 Fair Value Technique Input 1 Input 2 Amount, range, etc. Amount, range, etc. Instrument 2 Fair Value Technique Input 1 Amount, range, etc. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved.

Poverty And Child Protection Acts Social Work Essay Example

Poverty And Child Protection Acts Social Work Essay Example Poverty And Child Protection Acts Social Work Essay Poverty And Child Protection Acts Social Work Essay The country of poorness and kid protection with black African households has been the beginning of contention in British societal work research for many decennaries. Many research workers find a correlativity between economic want such as poorness and societal exclusion and rearing behavior and pattern, child-rearing capablenesss and accomplishments which are a requirement for proper kid development anyplace in the universe. Furthermore, harmonizing to Jordan ( 2001 ) poorness is strongly correlated with studies of maltreatment and disregard. For case, the National Centre for Children in Poverty found in 1990 that the incidence of kid maltreatment and disregard, every bit good as the badness of the ill-treatment reported, is much greater for kids from low-income households than for others ( Jordan, 2001 p.1 ) . As a big figure of Africans in the UK live below the poorness line, it may be reckoned that most black African kids on the kid protection registry live below the poorness lin e. Brophy et Al ( 2003 ) argue that many households brought to the attending of the kid protection system lives in utmost poorness and may see societal exclusion. Black African kids populating in the UK may be over-represented in the kid protection system for grounds such as physical maltreatment or disregard ; therefore it is apprehensible to state that there is a correlativity between maltreatment and parenting behaviors and patterns. The inquiry is why African households and kids populating in poorness, who are alleged of kid maltreatment, are over-represented in the kid protection system? Sossou A ; Yogtiba ( 2008 ) noted in their survey that a kid is the most valuable plus of any traditional African household, as kids symbolise position, regard and completeness of the atomic household, if that is the instance, so it is ironical to see African households and their kids to be over-represented in the kid protection system. Many black African households in the UK still lives below the poverty-line though they undertake different types of unskilled or skilled occupations, they support big households in their states of beginning ( Anane-Agyei, 2002 ) . It is reckon that poorness is linked with other societal disadvantages such as hapless instruction, limited employment chances, and hapless wellness and may hold lay waste toing effects for kids s development and life opportunities. Research shows that many African households and their kids have insecure in-migration position and their existing fiscal quandaries merely help to perplex their parenting behaviors and patterns. Penrose ( 2002 ) survey shows that African households seeking refuge in the UK are frequently forced to populate at degree of poorness that is merely unacceptable, and this causes fiscal restraint in their responsibility to supply equal child care for their kids. Unemployment degrees are known to be really high among African households, and they are besides capable of stigmatisation and bias by the larger community that are suppose to accept them. Some African households populating in the UK are without occupations and are besides non entitled to societal and economic benefit and hence happen it hard to raise their kids as expected by the Torahs of the land. Children turning up with parents populating in absolute poorness are deprived of proper childhood development as these hapless parents go through fiscal, emotional and psychological injury in their responsibility to care for these kids. African households populating in poorness and neglecting to supply good attention for their kids may be perceived by societal work professionals as neglecting in their parental duties. For this ground, societal workers may step in in such households and frequently than non they are drawn into the kid protection system. Amin A ; Oppenheim ( 2002 ) argue that the unfamiliar cultural outlook of black African households populating in the UK someway contribute to the high degree of poorness they experience. Research shows that many African households suffer from institutional subjugation including lodging, employment, instruction and wellness which non merely means that they are more likely to see poorness and want, but besides more susceptible to societal work intercessions in kid maltreatment or maltreatment allegations. Corby ( 1993 ) noted that it may be expected that black African kids are over-represented in kid maltreatment instances because their households are more unfastened to surveillance as they show high degrees of poorness that complicate their parenting behaviors. In a broader position, Pearce A ; Bozalek ( 2004 ) emphasise that the kid protection system that exist in Britain will be unfamiliar to many African households, particularly those more late arrived, as similar province systems do non be in most African states, peculiarly where socio-economic factors, political instability and force overshadow intra-familial kid ill-treatment and effectual intercession into child maltreatment and disregard ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2006 P ) . Brophy et Al ( 2003 ) survey supports the above averment that African households experience favoritism and insecurity in kid maltreatment instances, as the tools for measuring maltreatment are frequently euro-centric prejudice and prejudice the households. Chand ( 1999 ) survey expresses the consciousness that black African households are disadvantaged through subjugation in all countries of society and this should non reflect in societal work pattern. Gibbon et Al ( 2003 ) findings show that the kid protection system was picking up more alleged kid maltreatment instances unsuitably and seting more households and kids on the kid protection registry than kids who are capable to societal public assistance processs. Therefore the over-representation of African households on the kid protection registry somehow, undermines the authorities purpose of maintaining kids with households and cut downing the figure of kids that are drawn onto the kid protection registry. The Department of Health ( 1995 ) papers on kid protection identified some pertinent defects with the kid protection system. The system seems to promote unneeded kid protection intercessions in border-line kid maltreatment instances, which in many cases may hold emotional and traumatic effects on households and kids. Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) in their survey of black African kids and the kid protection system suggest that there are a series of interactions between environmen tal factors such as poorness, in-migration position and societal exclusion that affect the life opportunities of many African kids and the capacity of their parents to supply equal attention. Dowling ( 1999 ) realise that societal work pattern in the UK focal point less on poverty-alleviating schemes but throw more resources behind safeguarding and protecting vulnerable kids from maltreatment or ill-treatment. Social workers need to understand the context in which maltreatment occurs, irrespective of race and civilization, to develop an appraisal and intercession procedure that is fairer for black households as they are more likely to endure racism and subjugation. In position of the above statement, it is pertinent that societal workers know when to use preventive steps to back up black African households who have fiscal demands and when to take such households through the kid protection system in the pursuit for safeguarding kids. All these factors together create complex demands for many African kids populating in the UK, and, in many fortunes increase their exposures which draw them into the kid protection sphere. It can be argued that societal workers have limited preparation and accomplishments to understand the effects of poorness on parents capablenesss to supply equal attention for their kids and this normally reflects in societal work pattern. Bernard A ; Bernard ( 2008 ) argued that merely by developing effectual relationships with African households can societal work professionals begin to understand their parenting behaviors and patterns. 2.2 Poverty and Child Welfare Services Current literature shows that poorness experience by most black African households populating in the UK could be alleviated by societal work services that offer a matter-of-fact public assistance services instead than pulling these households and kids into the kid protection system. Brophy et Al ( 2003 ) survey suggests that in-migration and refuge issues, combined with poorness, are likely to be the grounds for the increased complexness for societal work professionals measuring and step ining kid maltreatment instances affecting black African kids. The Department of Health challenges societal workers with the duty to implement Section 17 of the Children Act 1995, to supply equal fiscal and societal support for kids in demand via the kid public assistance services ( Platt, 2006 ) . However, societal work bureaus have non to the full achieved the authorities docket of relieving poorness experience by many households and kids due to unequal resources at all degrees of societal work pat tern. The Department of Health have indicated that most households, battle to convey up their kids in conditions of stuff and emotional hardship ( DoH, 2001 ) . For case black African households sing poorness may neglect in their duty to supply proper attention for their kids as they spent about all their clip working to do ends meet. Such kids barely experience household dainties such as traveling on a household vacation trip, holding birthday parties and they are deprived of holding basic playing playthings and games that help kids to larn and turn into maturity. The deficiency of low-cost basic demands for kids of hapless households complicated with other societal hardships may lend to hapless kids developing aggressive behaviors, low self-pride, picking up awkward attitudes, and may to endure from societal want. Fontes ( 2005 ) realises that many traditional immigrant households, where black Africans are portion of, may utilize an important manner of parenting, demanding entire obeisan ce and regard from their kids. Although these parental patterns may non needfully represent kid maltreatment, it clashes with the child-rearing norms of British civilization, and seems to convey African kids and households to the attending of the kid protection system. When societal workers start admiting boundary line kid maltreatment instances and understand the troubles households populating in poorness experience in raising their kids, there would be a right balance between when to use a kid protection intercession and a kid public assistance intercession ( Spratt A ; Callan, 2004 ) . It is apparent that kids populating in poorness may profit from the kid public assistance services as stipulated in subdivision 17 of the 1989 Children Act, as it aims at relieving poorness in households and kids in demand ( Platt, 2006 ) . Harmonizing to Thoburn et Al ( 2007 ) probes of alleged kid maltreatment instances tend to concentrate more on hazard appraisal instead than assessment about developmental and societal demand s of the kid in entity. In peculiar, societal workers transporting out an probe into alleged kid maltreatment may non pick up parental and child upbringing issues ensuing from poorness or societal want ( Farmer and Owen, 2005 ) . Brophy et Al ( 2003 ) survey concluded that many black African parents, saw province intercession in rearing as a complete bete noire and distrust.. , particularly where they have immigrated from states in political convulsion and with no kid public assistance services ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 p.481 ) . Arguably societal work intercession in child ill-treatment or maltreatment instances seems to belie Section 17 of the Children Act, as recent research reveals high degrees of satisfaction amongst parents and kids having societal public assistance services compare to those households drawn into kid protection ( Tunstill and Aldgate, 2000 ) . The relationship between societal work mission with respect to poorness and the type of societal work pattern poses a quandary for societal workers. The refocusing enterprise of societal work pattern, as defined by Platt ( 2006 ) , in kid maltreatment instances may profit households populating in utmost poorness, merely when societal work intercessions aim at advancing societal alteration in households. Therefore, societal public assistance intercessions promote and empower households with fiscal troubles and who besides suffer societal exclusion to develop appropriate parental behavior and accomplishment that encourage proper kid attention ( Monnickendam and Monnickendam, 2009 ) . 2.3 Poverty and Parenting Practices Poverty among many black African households affects the physical and emotional developments of African kids populating anyplace in the universe. Poverty may act upon parents behaviors and capablenesss to supply for their households the basic demands of life. Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) survey highlights the limited attending given to child-rearing patterns of African households in kid public assistance research in the UK. Different child-rearing patterns exist in different civilizations, but there is merely one sort of child-rearing pattern that is considered normal . Many research findings point out to the fact that poverty- related parenting patterns influence the lives of many African kids involved in the kid protection system. Therefore, Child ( 1999 ) remarks that when differences in child-rearing and ethnicity are explored the black household is frequently pathologized and their strengths ignored. For case black African households are excessively rigorous and crush their kids or tend to penalize their kids in a more punitory manner. Therefore harmonizing to Chand ( 1999 ) subject is one country where African households are found to be over-represented in the kid protection system. It is of import, that societal workers redirect attending from child protection intercessions to the proviso of preventive to back up households in demand. Shor ( 2000 ) argue that the relationship between values and kid upbringing forms illuminates the relationship between poorness and parenting behaviors, as parents from low societal category differ in footings of the values they uphold for their kids. Shor ( 2000 ) besides argue that there is correlativity between black African female parents with low income position utilizing a more autocratic attack of caring for their kids than female parents with high income position. Therefore, harmonizing to Fontes ( 2005 ) , many traditional immigrant households may utilize an important manner of parenting, demanding entire obeisance and regard from their kids, although this parental behavior may non needfully represent kid maltreatment, but may conflict the norms of the land, and convey such parents to the attending of the kid protection system. It is hence paramount for societal work professionals working with black African households populating in the UK to develop the necessity cognition and accomplishments, non merely across diverse civilizations but understanding the affect of poorness and societal exclusion on parental behaviors and capablenesss. Poverty tends to engender a sort of parenting patterns that make kids experience unpleasant devastating life style because their parents barely can afford to care for them. Even where it is apparent that a kid has suffered important injury and the kid demand to be removed from the household, the manner of intercession procedure deploy by the societal work squad should be such that it empowers the affected households to develop new get bying accomplishments and b ehaviors for future parenting. It is hence paramount for societal workers to hold some cognition and understand the diverseness of rearing patterns that exist in modern-day societal work pattern so as to spot unacceptable behaviors from unacceptable behaviors. The effects of misinterpreting what behavior is unacceptable may either pull more black African kids and their households into the kid protection system or sabotage the committedness by societal workers to safeguard vulnerable kids from the hazard of important injury. 2.4 The Government Regulatory Policies In the early 1990s there was an tremendous authorities attempt to develop and advance policies which challenge the influence of a kid protection civilization on direction and societal work pattern, which has been perceived as falsifying the balance of service proviso to kids and households ( Spratt and Callan, 2004 ) . The refocusing enterprise necessitated the displacement in societal work pattern from what appeared to be an overly kid protection position towards a kid public assistance orientation in the United Kingdom ( Platt, 2006 ) . Harmonizing to Platt ( 2006 ) the protagonism for a displacement in societal work pattern from an overly focal point kid protection work position towards a kid public assistance pattern shows a gradual move towards poverty relief among hapless households populating in the UK. Both Parton ( 1995 ) and Pelton ( 1998 ) research supports the demand to get the better of pertinent obstructions in the mode societal work is pattern to accomplish societal al teration at household or community degrees, and emphasised the failure of the child-care systems effort to pull off child protection hazards and run into the demands of kids and their households. However, the authorities s policy as stated in the 1989 Children Act aims to incorporate kid protection and kid public assistance services. Harmonizing to Platt ( 2006 ) many kids who are topics of subdivision 47 probes are besides eligible for services as children in demand . To reinstate public trust, the authorities have redefined the primary responsibilities of local governments within the context of the 1989 Children Act so as to safeguard and supply services needed by hapless kids by carry oning initial appraisals, instead than child protection probes in boundary line instances. This policy execution has become possible by procedural accommodations to other legislative counsel such as Working Together to Safeguard Children and the subsequent execution of the Framework for the Assessm ent of Children in Need and their Families ( Platt, 2006 ) . The mid-1990s proverb a turning consensus that many kids who are topics of Section 47 probes due to alleged maltreatment or disregard are besides eligible for services as kids in demand as in Section 17 of the 1989 Children Act ( Platt, 2006 ) . Often, Platt ( 2006 ) reckoned such kids do non have public assistance services because local authorization societal work excessively focuses on kid protection instead than household support oriented services. In position of the refocusing inaugural societal workers have the legislative backup to near households alleged of border-line kid maltreatment to utilize the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families as counsel with a position to happening appropriate societal work intercession pattern that may turn to the demands of these kids. In the UK the statute law on kids welfare recommends all referrals of kid maltreatment instances must ab initio be offered a comprehensive kid in need appraisal except in exigency inst ances or where it is suspected that a kid is enduring from important injury ( Platt, 2006 ) . The Children Act ( 1989 ) is the chief authorities statute law taking to revolutionize societal work pattern and proceedings refering the public assistance of kids in the UK. The Act considers the primary duty of child-rearing to remainders with households and hence, kids involvements will be served best by back uping them to turn up with their ain household. Besides the Children Act ( 1989 ) aid harmonize household liberty and to enable households to exert their parental duties without unneeded province intervention and for the province to support and protect kids merely where parents are neglecting to run into their kids demands ( www.dvon.gov.uk/child-protection-procedures accessed 09/01/2010 ) . Under the Children Act 1989, local governments have a general responsibility to safeguard and advance the public assistance of kids in demand within their country. The statute law requires local governments to measure a kid s developmental demands so as to advance their public assistance, and by making so kids are supported to populate with their households ( www.dvon.gov.uk/child-protection-procedures accessed 09/01/2010 ) . In the contrary Section 47 requires local authorization to look into when there is sensible cause to surmise that a kid is enduring, or is likely to endure important injury. The probe will include an aim of the demands of the kid, including the hazard of maltreatment and demand for protection, every bit good as the household s ability to run into those demands ( www.devon.gov.uk/child-protection-procedures accessed 09/01/2010 ) . Therefore, societal workers need to do opinions in kid maltreatment instances on how to step in so that kids do non go on to go forth in unsafe and hazardous state of affairss or of taking kids unnecessarily from their household. The quandary of striking the right balance between child protection and kid public assistance services in child maltreatment instances is for societal workers to establish their opinion on matter-of-fact appraisal of the demands of the kids and the parental capableness to provide for their kids demands Harmonizing to Spratt and Callan ( 2004 ) the Department of Health counsel paperss Working Together to Safeguard Children and The Assessment Framework have been paralleled by enterprises to supply a tip on the way of modern-day societal work pattern. Chapter THREE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICES In societal work pattern, it is of import for societal workers to establish their work on theoretical premises, whether they are cognizant of them or non ( Munro, 1998 ) . This theoretical model ushers societal workers in make up ones minding who or what should be the primary focal point of appraisal or intercession and, every bit good as the aims and the procedures of societal work pattern ( Healy, 2005 ) . Many other authors like Fook et Al ( 2000 ) , who are of the position that societal workers need to utilize theories in their work pattern, besides emphasized why societal workers should develop the capacity to place, usage and develop societal work theory in their pattern ( Healy, 2005 ) . Social work has its roots in the battle of society to cover with poorness and its eventful jobs. Many research workers link societal work pattern to the political orientation of charity work, but in a broader perspective societal work embraces both the preventive and protective facet of vulner able people within society ( www.globalvision.org Accessed on 14/12/2009 ) . The term societal work pattern normally describes work undertaken with persons, households, groups and communities. In the history of British societal work pattern, the term encompasses the usage of societal work cognition and accomplishments within the model of societal attention administration so as to heighten the proviso of services and pattern which is consistent with the BASW Codes of Practice. This construct of societal work pattern promotes protection, safeguarding and societal inclusion and provides life chances for people utilizing societal work services. In the codification of moralss, it is emphasise that for societal work pattern to be successful, societal work bureaus must work efficaciously with other attached administrations such as the constabulary service, wellness service, and instruction service so as to advance kids public assistance ( www.basw.co.uk/ accessed 01/02/2010 ) . In the huge bulk of cases societal work pattern is a collaborative activity non an single activity whether as societal worker employee or an independent societal worker. Social work pattern purposes at alt ering people s behaviors in the mode that will supply life options for people and to ease easy passages of life state of affairss ( Smale et Al, 2000 ) . Social work is a demanding profession which is based on a organic structure of values, cognition, accomplishments and personal properties, and requires the committedness of societal workers to continually upgrade their cognition and accomplishments in their field of pattern. The International Federation of Social Workers provinces that: Social work bases its methodological analysis on a systematic organic structure of evidence-based cognition derived from research and pattern rating, including local and autochthonal cognition particular to its context. It recognizes the complexness of interactions between human existences and their environment, and the capacity of people both to be affected by and to change the multiple influences upon them including bio-psychosocial factors. The societal work profession draws on theories of human development and behavior and societal systems to analyze complex state of affairss and to ease single, organisational, societal and cultural alterations ( www.ifsw.org accessed 14/01/2010 p.1 ) . Harmonizing Graham ( 1999 ) the history of African heritage in the development of societal public assistance and societal work is found in the deferrals of British history but it remains mostly unacknowledged and sparsely documented as societal work continues to be steeped in the professional surroundings of an bing ethnocentric cognition base and value system ( p.263 ) . Research grounds ( Graham, 1999 ) shows that societal work pattern within the black African community in the UK has emerged out of concerns about the wellbeing of kids and households whose experience of captivity and servitude necessitated attempts to better their life conditions. The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work ( CCETSW ) recognises that the effects of racism on black African people are incompatible with the values of societal work and hence seeks to battle racialist patterns in all countries of its duties ( CCETSW, 1996 ) . Dominelli ( 2002 ) advocates for anti-oppressive and anti-dis criminatory societal work pattern to define subjugation and racism which breed some of the societal jobs that affect traditional societal work mark populations. Earlier research by Platt ( 1999 ) shows an increasing consciousness among societal workers that the traditional societal work theoretical accounts are non effectual in turn toing the demands of African people in the UK. However, the current societal work theory and pattern which is founded on ethnocentric value systems, lack the necessary resources to turn to the demands of African households and their kids. It is hence pertinent for societal work pattern to be designed to reflect other diverse positions and cultural values, peculiarly African households and their kids who are more unfastened to surveillance, as they besides show high degree of poorness. 3.1 Contemporary Social Work Practices It was non until the mid 20th century when the International Federation of Social Workers, defined the nucleus purpose of societal work to be alleviation poorness, emancipating vulnerable and laden people with the ultimate purpose to advance societal inclusion ( Horner, 2003 ) . The Modernisation docket introduced by the Labour authorities in 1997 set the foundation for the construct of coaction and partnership to be established between professions and services. Following up to this, the construct of partnership and coaction have become a on the job papers for societal work pattern and underpin long term planning ( Whittington, 2003 ) . Crisp et Al ( 2003 ) besides found that when societal workers engage with other inter-professional and multi-agency pattern, it promotes prospect for common evidences with other professions, and the potency for professional differences to be recognised and negotiated. In modern-day societal work pattern, the National Association of Social Workers ( NASW ) codification of moralss emphasizes the importance for societal workers to understand the centrality of relationships as an of import vehicle for societal alteration. Social workers are encouraged to prosecute service users as spouses in assisting them to achieve the needful alteration. Most research shows that societal work appraisal and intercession are built-in characteristics of modern-day pattern in societal work services. Social work appraisal represents the entry of a systematic attack to set up a common relationship between a societal worker and service users. Social work pattern is characterised by the new balance in the relationship between the province and the household as societal workers remain responsible for pull offing child protection hazards and supplying kid public assistance services within an incorporate system. In Spratt and Callan ( 2004 ) survey it is realised that the bala nce between safeguarding and advancing public assistance services for kids in demand who are populating with their households in the UK has non yet been achieved as set out in the authorities policy developments. Lord Laming s Report on the decease of Victoria Climbie lead to the publication of the papers, Every Child Matters, which set the precedence for kids non merely to be protected from important injury but to be safeguarded and their public assistance promoted ( Parton, 2006 ) . A survey paper published by the Department of Health ( 2001 ) indicates that many households irrespective of their ethnicity and faith, battle to convey up their kids in conditions of poorness and societal exclusions. Social exclusions and poorness make it highly hard for many African households to develop the appropriate parenting accomplishments needed for proper child-rearing, and sometimes may dominate kid ill-treatment. Pierce A ; Bozalek ( 2004 ) suggest that many African households seeking refuge or migrated to the UK are unfamiliar with the British kid protection system, as similar province systems do non be in Africa, and hence happen the systems intimidating and unfriendly. Brophy et Al ( 2003 ) argued that poorness among black African households may impact the development of many African kids and their parent s capacity to supply for them. It is hence paramount that poorness is considered to the full understand by societal work professionals during the initial appraisal o f households involved in alleged kid maltreatment instances. Platt ( 1999 ) argued that the refocusing of societal work intercession is a consequence of increasing figure of kid protection allegations referred into the system, and the proportion of instances taking to societal work intercessions. This type of intercession draws a big figure of kids into the kid protection system compared to kids who are capable to further public assistance processs. In the context of societal work patterns, it is of import to see the effectivity of the kid protection system, as it seems to accomplish every bit much as could be expected in footings of the limited purpose of forestalling farther maltreatment to identifiable vulnerable kids. Social workers function may be considered as facilitating or authorising service users but, specialised accomplishments and cognition are needed to place jobs with households and their kids involve in kid protection and besides to happen sound intercessions that would convey about the necessary societal alteration. Crisp et Al ( 2003 ) states that societal work assessment involves roll uping and analyzing information about people with the purpose of understanding their state of affairs and finding recommendations for any farther professional intercession ( p.3 ) . Monnickendam A ; Monnikendam ( 2009 ) argue that the cardinal quandary confronting modern-day societal work pattern is the extent and mode to perp etrate to societal public assistance policy or the extent to direct its attempts chiefly to the hapless and destitute. Arguably societal work pattern that engage in societal public assistance policy tends to turn to poorness through macro-level intercession which aims at advancing societal alteration, but societal work patterns taking at single households populating in poorness consequence in poorness relief by helping those in demand to develop better life style schemes. Therefore, Monnickendam A ; Monnikendam ( 2009

A brief proposal outlining your course research paper Article

A brief proposal outlining your course research paper - Article Example ay Traffic Safety Administration, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, etc., NHSDA and HCA, research writers Ralph Hingson, et al., of the Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Center to Prevent Alcohol Problems Among Young People, Boston, Massachusetts conducted a wide ranging series of research studies on student drinking. Their studies, interalia, shall underpin the culmination of the final research paper for your submission. (Hingson, et al. 2005). (a) Population: During the year 1999, of the 14,138 full-time students selected in unbiased manner in 128 4-year colleges and universities, 6220 (44%) reported at least one heavy drinking episode in the previous year, similar to the 1993 studies. (b) Incidence: About one fourth (23%) frequently drank in this manner (3 or more times in the past 2 weeks), up from 20% in 1993. Similarly, the National Monitoring the Future study reported 40% of 1440 full-time 2- and 4-year college students surveyed in 1999, consumed five or more drinks, on a single occasion, at least once in the previous 2 weeks, a larger percentile than founding peer groups, a greater proportion than found among same-age noncollege peers (35%) and high school seniors (31%). (Hingson, et al. 2005). (c) Significance: It is seen that, taking 1998-2001 years, in the aftermath of the studies, the US Population aged 18-24 increased by 7%, whereas, the death occurring due to accidents, under the influence of alcohol, increased by 11%. Again, US student population in age group 18–24 increased 3%, but the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths among 18–24-year-old students increased 8%. Thus, it is believed that 5% increase in rate of alcohol-related traffic deaths from 14.4 to 15.2 per 100,000 college students [RR = 1.05 (95% CI 0.98, 1.14)] reached but could quite achieved statistical significance. (Hingson, et al). It needs to consider the indirect effects of drinking, like drug consumption,

What is the significance of 'The Orphan' with reference to Charles Essay

What is the significance of 'The Orphan' with reference to Charles Dickens' David Copperfield, George Elliot's Daniel Deronda and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre - Essay Example Many had lost only one parent, others were abandoned or neglected, perhaps for reasons of penury, and many were illegitimate and marginalized. Victorian times showed no compassion towards children who had no control over their parentage. (Banerjee ibid). Orphans were very often homeless and vulnerable, prey to criminals who used them for their own abusive purposes, turning innocent children into hardened thieves (Sadrin 1994). Those who were the hardiest managed to survive, ‘...hungry, roaming singly or in packs like young wolves, snatching, stealing, stone-throwing, destructive, brutish, and cruel when not merely hopeless and lost.’ (Roe 27) There were thousands, and they came into contact with most inhabitants of large British cities, so it was inevitable that they would enter the literature of the day. Authors such as Dickens, Eliot, and Brontà « were joined by Charles Kingsley, who wrote The Water Babies, Thomas Hughes, who wrote Tom Brown’s Schooldays, Mrs. Gaskell, who wrote John Halifax, Gentleman, and there is of course George Eliot’s other novel, Silas Marner, among many others. So much so, that even modern day works such as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince give us hints of Victorian influence in characters such as Lord Voldemort, and Mrs. Cole, who seems to be modeled on Dickens’ Mrs. Thingummy in Oliver Twist, who was also an orphan and lived in an institution. (Washick 2009) Charles Dickens did not only use his own childhood as a background for David Copperfield, but described the whole pervasive atmosphere and environment which was London in his early experience and that of all its inhabitants of the time. Little Davy in the novel endures hardship and penury - not only his own, but that of others around him, because he had no father - and he takes it as a matter of course that he and his mother are treated badly. His whole personality is saturated with the rigors of practical ‘making-do’, which

House Prices and the Wealth Effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

House Prices and the Wealth Effect - Essay Example In a typical household, shares account for a relatively smaller proportion of average assets while housing takes the huge proportion. People will rather invest in housing that has moderate rises in price compared to the stock market that has sharp unpredictable prizes. Home values are thus more evenly distributed that financial related wealth that is spread among the rich whose spending has less effect on changing waves. Change in house prices thus presents much higher effect to many people that change in share prices (Case, Quigley, & Shiller 3). However, this is not true across all economies. The influence of financial assets is much greater than that of housing wealth in Britain than in America because of Britain having refined instruments through which money is spent. In America, weakness in wealth effect on consumption was expected to reduce spending but the opposite happened. As more Americans became poor from the fallen share prices, spending grew considerably hence helping America avoids getting into recession. Housing prices instead went higher thus squaring out the effect of fallen stock prices. However, empty homes and increased unemployment have indicated that consumer spending is driven by real earnings that influence projections of earnings from stocks, property, and bonds. Thus fallen asset values that cause investors to spend less and the rest are put into savings (The Economist, â€Å"A housing slump helped† 1). For example in the US in 2004, an increase in wealth by $1 caused an increase in spending between 1 and 7 cents. This translated to 0.0375 wealth effect for a model that assumed equal effect between housing and financial assets. The policymakers consider housing wealth as having a similar effect as financial wealth in microeconomics sense. However, some people have already established fault in such conclusion. They argue that increase in the price of property increase cost of housing.  

Beam Energies Treatment for Lung and Larynx

Beam Energies Treatment for Lung and Larynx Larynx Error Plan Errors: Beam energies for larynx treatment are not correct both fields have 10MV instead of 6MV Field sizes are not right The Right Lateral (RLat) field is too big resulting in shielding errors The Left Lateral (LLat) field is too small and is just skimming the anterior portion of the patients shell The number of fractions on the plan is one (1) instead of 20 daily fractions. The global maximum dose is 110.98% (given as 6103.7 cGy) and is largely outside the Planning Target Volume (PTV), meaning the plan is too hot The 108% region is a hot spot as it exceeds the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU 50 62) maximum value of 107% The LLat field wedge is too thin 1o, so not helping with uniform dose distribution of the plan, hence the right skewed isodoses and the 108% hot spot The plans maximum spinal cord dose of 5112 cGy, exceeds the maximum dose constraint value for the organ of 5000 cGy. Multi-Leaf Collimators (MLC) use on the plan There is not much conformality to the PTV anteriorly from the RLat field There is insufficient shielding of the neck anteriorly Some MLC are not pulled up properly as they are on the field edge which is better shielded by the Primary collimators The RLat field is over-wedged (60o), resulting in the 108% hotspot region The RLat field is not placed optimally re-collimator angle in order to better avoid the spinal cord The Dose Volume Histogram (DVH) data/graph/chart is insufficient as it is only for the spinal cord excluding for example the PTV information The isocentre could be placed more centrally for the plan Criteria use to evaluate the suitability of the treatment plan This is a conventional parallel-opposed field arrangement, which is suitable for head and neck treatment of the larynx (Barrett and Dobbs, Practical Radiotherapy Planning, page 171). Since this is an error plan, the fields do not match in size though they are parallel opposing. The radical dose prescription is 55 Gy in 20 daily fractions of 2.75 Gy over 4 weeks (Barrett and Dobbs, 4th Ed., page 175). This would apply as a prescription for a T1-2 N0 glottic larynx tumour with a volume of 26-49 cm3 (RSCH, St Lukes Radiotherapy Clinical Protocol, Head and Neck Larynx). Use is made of isodose charts, PTV coverage as indicated by the D95 (95% isodose line), maximum PTV dose (Dmax), maximum spinal cord dose, dose volume histograms (for PTV and spinal cord), and departmental protocols to evaluate the suitability of the treatment plan. The Quantec/Emami et. al. (2013) document of Tolerance of Normal Tissue to Therapeutic Radiation provided the dose constraints for the organs at risk e.g. the spinal cord. NICE guidelines only stipulate an offer of choice of trans-oral microsurgery or radiotherapy to people with newly diagnosed T1b-2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx. The plan is optimised by use of beam modifying devices like wedges and MLC (Barrett and Dobbs, page 171), and checking the effect using the planning software. Solutions to eliminate identified errors: The beam energy needs to change from 10MV to 6MV in the field properties of the planning software. This will ensure adequate coverage of the PTV as a significant part of the larynx is very close to the skin. A less energy beam offers less penetration and lower build up depth (for skin sparing effect) for dose deposition. The RLat field size can decrease slightly anteriorly, while the LLat field size can increase slightly to ensure adequate anterior coverage. The fields could also be more symmetrical. The LLat wedges orientation needs to change so that the Thick end is Anterior as per the setup information (Toe in). The number of fractions is should change to 20 from the current one fraction. This would give the appropriate dose prescription for the plan of 55Gy/20#/4weeks/2.75Gy per fraction The current plan is too hot, so the beam weightings need adjusting downwards until the plan conforms to the ICRU limits of maximum 100% + 7% (= 107%), and the lower limit of 100% 5% (= 95%) of the proscription dose (ICRU). This process can also improve by correcting the wrongly orientated LLat wedge and using a better wedge angle on it, as well as adjusting down the angle of the over-wedged RLat wedge. Correcting the 108% hotspot region is through adjusting the wedge angles, re-orienting the LLat wedge and adjusting the field weightings. The thin 1o LLat wedge angle needs changing up to 30o for the wedge to have an effect on the isodose distribution, on top of reversing its orientation. This would help in creating a uniform dose distribution for the plan and a reduction/elimination in/of hotspots. According to the Quantec/Emami et al. (2013) guidelines, the spinal cord is to receive a maximum core dose of 50Gy, but the current plan is exceeding this limit. Adjusting theÂÂ   collimator angle for the fields to be parallel to the spinal cord will help avoid treating this critical organ This is also aided by reducing the field weightings, adjusting the wedge angles and orientation of one of them, adjusting the field sizes posteriorly. The MLC leaves need to close where they are open outside the treatment field edges. There is a leaf to shield the anterior corner of the neck but is pulled back, so needs to be part of the configuration. There are five (5) pairs of almost central leaves, that are on the field edges inferiorly and superiorly, they need pulling back by 0.5 cm from the field edge so they do not interfere with primary collimation (Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH), St Lukes Radiotherapy Clinical Protocols). Adjusting the RLat field size anteriorly will aid in correcting the shielding of the neck and improve conformality to the PTV. The RLat field wedge needs reducing to at most 30o to aid uniform dose distribution and reduction of hotspots. Changing the collimator angle of the RLat field so that it is parallel to the spinal cord, will avoid treating through this critical organ. This will result in reducing the spinal cords maximum dose for the plan to within the organs maximum dose constraint value of less than 50Gy, thus aiding in optimising the plan. The DVH information of the plan should include the PTV data and line plot to enable plan evaluation of its suitability. Making the isocentre more central may improve the uniform dose distribution of the plan. Suitability of Plan and Alternative beam arrangement According to De Virgilio, A., et. al. (2012), there is currently no set therapeutic gold standard for the treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. This contributes to a lack of consistency and inhomogeneity in treatment planning. The plan under consideration is a 2D conventional plan, which in itself is suitable with the exception of the errors, but is not optimal. The identified errors are correctable and the plan optimisable. In remaining with the conventional plan, a third anterior low-neck field with a light weighting (3DCRT) is an option to improve dose distribution and eliminate hotspots. However, this would require the addition of electron beams to match the photon fields, according to Herrassi, M. Y., Bentayeb, F, and Malisan M. R. (page 98-105). Another option is to use Intensity Modulated RadioTherapy (IMRT) with 3 or 5 beams, or Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) with one arc, (Matthiesen C, SinghÂÂ   H, Mascia et. al. (2012)). IMRT offers more conformalit y in regards to carotid arteries as stated by Gomez, D., Cahlon, O., et. al. (2010). Portaluri, M., et. al (2006), suggest that 3D Field-in-Field techniques are a valid alternative as they offer the best global performance when considering PTV coverage and parotid sparing. Conclusion The task was instrumental in reinforcing the importance of understanding the process of treatment planning, and how to check the suitability of the plan before its approval. There is not much information to work with in suggesting alternative beam arrangements. Useful information could have been correct TNM classification, appropriate oncological classification taking into account the anatomic-embryologic and functional complexity of the larynx. There were glaring errors in the plan, and as an exercise, they were useful in sharpening treatment planning knowledge. IMRT is the preferred treatment technique that is efficacious especially for parotid gland and carotid artery sparing. Lung Plan Errors: Beam energies should all be 6MV, some are 10MV on the plan There are too many fields for the plan The LLat beam is going through the contralateral lung The field placement of the right posterior oblique (RPO) is not optimal as its MLCs are shielding part of the PTV contributing to the inadequate 95% dose coverage of the PTV. The global max value of 109% exceeds the ICRU guidelines, meaning the plan is very hot in places. There is an 80% hot spot on the chest, which is very hot for the area close to the skin There are many wedges on this plan resulting in hot and cold spots and a high dose gradient in the PTV. The Right Lateral and Anterior fields are over-wedged, resulting in the 80% and 109% hot spots. The RPO and LLat field wedge angles are not conventional (50o and 33o respectively, when considering the standard wedge angle specifications of 15o, 30o, 45o and 60o. The Lateral fields (Right Lateral and Left Lateral), are too big in relation to the size of the PTV, resulting in unnecessary irradiation of healthy tissue. The current plan exceeds the spinal cord core dose (maximum 50Gy), as interpreted from the DVH data. There is less than 95% PTV coverage laterally , resulting in a max dose to the PTV of 5304 cGy, which is very much less than the expected 6080 cGy (95% of 6400 cGy). Criteria use to evaluate the suitability of the treatment plan Barrett and Dobbs (page 252), acknowledge that there are a number of challenges to covering the PTV fully and remaining within the ICRU constraints, while maintaining acceptable toxicity levels at the same time. A three (3) field conformal plan is normally used for stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A compromise on choosing the best plan is mostly dependent upon the location and size of the PTV, and its closeness to critical structures, like the spinal cord and oesophagus. The plan should try to minimise dose to the contralateral lung as much as possible by using anterior oblique, posterior oblique and lateral beams. Beam modifying devices such as wedges compensate for obliquity at the chest, with MLC shielding conforms each beam to the shape of the PTV (Dobbs and Barrett). Use is made of the Quantec/Emami et. al. (2013), document on Tolerance of Normal Tissue to Therapeutic Radiation in checking dose constraints to organs at risk e.g. brachial plexus, oesophagus and spinal cord. Plan evaluation also uses isodose charts, dose volume histograms and departmental protocols to establish the suitability of the plan. NICE guidelines for Radiotherapy with curative intent for Non-small cell Lung Cancer stipulate that the patient should have good performance status (WHO 0 or 1). It says, CHART should be offered first, but if unavailable then conventional radiotherapy of 64-66 Gy in 32-33 fractions over 6 ÂÂ ½ weeks or 55 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks is the next option. This plan is for 64 Gy in 32 fractions over 6 ÂÂ ½ weeks, so meets with this criterion. Dobbs and Barrett (page 253), mention that careful evaluation of the plan using DVHs is especially important when considering keeping the V20 below 32 per cent (the volume of lung receiving more than 20Gy of the dose). Solutions to eliminate identified errors: Barrett and Dobbs (page 255), point out that beam energies above 10 MV should be avoided due to greater range of secondary electrons in lung tissue, which result in a wider penumbra and thus more radiation to normal tissue. Beam energy of 6MV is adequate, while use of 10MV is for separation at the centre is greater than 28 cm. (Dobbs and Barrett, page 252). As no mention of the separation, it is appropriate to use 6MV on all the beams for this plan instead on mixed energies. This is a conventional plan, and the common number of beams 3 instead of the current 5. The many fields have not helped in conforming the plan to the PTV and improving the dose distribution, but have contributed in unnecessary irradiation of normal tissues. So, removal of the anterior and left lateral beams, would bring the plan back to a conformal 3 field plan. The right posterior oblique field would need setting at around 215o-225o in order to cover the PTV better and its MLC not to shield the PTV as at the present. (RSCH and London Cancer centre protocols). The left lateral field is treating through the contralateral lung, which is operationally against ICRP (2007), ICRU and IR(ME)R 2000 guidelines of keeping dose as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) to patients, employees and the general public. The corrective measure is to remove the left lateral field from the plan. The gantry angle for the right posterior field is not optimal and moving it to around 215o-225o range would improve coverage of the PTV and avoid the spinal cord, even though the MLC is shielding the cord (ideal) in the current setup but also part of the PTV that is not ideal and compromising the 95% coverage of the PTV. The global maximum value of 109% exceeds the ICRU target of maximum 107% within the PTV. Removing the anterior and left lateral fields, and adjusting the over-wedged posterior and right lateral field wedge angles to either 15o or 30o depending on the uniformity of the dose distribution within the PTV, will rectify this issue. The remaining field weights will need adjusting as well to fully optimise the plan. Moving the RPO beam angle to between 215o and 225o, as well as reducing the wedge angle to 30o and removing the anterior beam from the plan will correct the 80% hotspot region. Removing the anterior field will effectively eliminate the 80% hot spot region on the chest. Removing the left lateral field and wedging the right anterior oblique field will help in reducing or eliminating the 109% hot spot region in the PTV. These measures will also result in more uniformity in dose distribution when combined with adjusting the weights of the remaining fields. The current plan has many wedged fields (some over-wedged), which is rectified by removing the anterior and left lateral field from the plan, adjusting the right lateral wedge angle to either 15o or 30o, and that of the posterior field from 50o to either 15o or 30o and inserting a 15o or 30o wedge on the anterior oblique field. This should improve the uniformity of the dose distribution within the PTV. The non-conventional wedge angles of the posterior and left lateral fields (50o and 33o respectively), have not improved the dose distribution in any noticeable way, as there is still a high dose gradient in the PTV. Reverting to the standard angles and using either 15o or 30o at most, would improve the dose distribution of the plan. The two lateral fields are too big; therefore adjusting them posteriorly would improve the PTV coverage of the plan and less irradiation of normal tissue. The left lateral field however needs taking off the plan altogether. The current plan shows excessive dose to the spinal cord and according to the Quantec/Emami et. al. (2013) document, the maximum core dose to the spinal cord should not exceed 50Gy. Moving the right posterior field angle to 215o-225o range and removing the anterior beam will correct this anomaly The less than 95% coverage of the PTV is achieved by: positioning the posterior field optimally (between 215o and 225o), so that the MLC will not shield the PTV but still manage to shield the spinal cord; adjusting the field sizes of the oblique fields; applying 15o or 30o wedge to the right anterior oblique field andÂÂ   adding MLCs to it so that it conforms the PTV better thus improving the dose distribution to the plan; and applying MLCs to the right lateral field to conform the PTV better. Suitability of Plan and Alternative beam arrangement This plan is not suitable for patient treatment in many respects, as highlighted by the errors identified. Improving it is by reverting to the conventional three field/beam plan, with two right oblique fields and the right lateral field as the third one (Barrett and Dobbs, page 252). Other treatment techniques, e.g. IMRT (with emphasis on carotid sparing), helical tomotherapy, VMAT have been found to offer better results on dosimetric comparisons. However, a multi-modality approach could be the best approach when considering new data coming from immunology, molecular biology and genetics on top of the usual surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment options (Franco, P., et. al. (2016)). Conclusion This exercise highlighted the importance of quality assurance and having several layers of checking the suitability of treatment plans that are eventually used on the patients.

The European Revolutions of 1848 Essay -- European History

The revolutions of 1848 were widespread and affected about 50 countries in Europe, considering the previously separate lands of Germany and Italy. These revolutions were extremely violent and costly. In terms of lives, tens of thousands were lost during battles with several thousand more being lost in executions. Over 100,000 individuals were jailed or exiled as well. While these individual countries had significant nationalistic grievances, such as anti-Austrian attitudes in Italy, anti-Russian and anti-Turkish opinions in Rumania, anti-Habsburg in Prague and Budapest, German patriotism divided German as did Polish patriotism in Poland; it was the political and economic struggle that were the prevailing catalysts for the revolutionary uprisings. There was widespread economic crisis in the European continent in the mid 19th century. Agricultural failures from 1845-1847 which resulted in increased food prices impeded the people’s ability to buy food. The people in Berlin were so angered over the cost of food that they rioted for four days. A third of the German population was on government relief by 1847, resulting in the number of Germans leaving for the United States in search of farmland to increase dramatically. In Prussian Silesia and Austrian Galicia over a quarter of a million people died as a result of starvation. Anger over the ancient regime of government and its political tyranny was viewed as the single most important cause of the numerous revolutions. Heightened political awareness due to the invention and extensive use of the printing press was instrumental in fostering political awareness of new ideas such as liberalism, nationalism and socialism. Additionally, many of the countries were aware of the succ... ... positive results of the uprisings were the spread of parliamentary governments, the allowance of manhood suffrage in France and briefly, in Austria, the elimination of lord owned and tenant farmed land in Central Europe, the beginnings of the German and Italian unification movements, and the establishment of Hungary as an equal partner with Austria under Hapsburg rule. Works Cited Western Civilization: A Brief History, Complete [Paperback] By Marvin Perry, Publisher: Wadsworth-Cengage Publishing; 7th edition 2010 pp 333-347 â€Å"Sparknotes† http://www.sparknotes.com/ Linked from â€Å"Sparknotes† The Revolutions of 1848 (1848) http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/1871/section1.html â€Å"Fordham University† http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook.asp Linked from â€Å"Fordham University† Encyclopedia of 1848 Revolutions http://www.ohio.edu/chastain/index.htm

Google Glass Essay

Google Glass should be prohibited to be public for the world. In consequence of technological advances, we have changed our society and have been convenient for few decades. Thanks to advanced technology, we eventually became possible to do anything we want with electronic devices from modern technology. At this point, Eric Schmidt, who is a current Google’s executive chairman, announced that Google will commercialize Google Glass by the end of 2013. Google Glass is a wearable computer with a head mounted display by Google in the Project Glass, research and development. Google glass displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format that can interact with the internet via voice commands. Briefly, it’s going to be like a smart phone wearing on our eyes. It is believed that modern technology has brought many benefits to us, we should be aware that it’s possible to use for our society. Firstly, the public would be threatened by Google Glass seriously. Inverters of Google Glass say that Google Glass will be equipped with an intellectual camera that can take clear pictures at anytime, anywhere. It means that taking picture with a Google Glass can lead to an invasion of portrait right. Furthermore, it doesn’t have any speakers to let other people know that users are in the process of recording. For instance, cell phones and camcorders have speakers exceeding a background noise level of 60~70dB. Instead of loud speakers, it has bone-conduction headphones near frames. But it mustn’t be a function as alert sound. Secondly, Google Glass will absolutely affect our body badly. What would happen if we wear Google Glass for very long time? Every electronic device has electromagnetic waves as always. According to Interphone Study Group in France (ISG), 2 billion people will have brain cancer by 2020 from cell phones. Unfortunately, Google Glass has the same critical influence as the cell phones have. If we wear Google Glass, we might as well face a terrible situation like ISG said. Moreover, they are saying that a new psychological disease called â€Å"nomophonia’, which makes us feel nervous because of not holding own our device, will occur at the moment. I’m sure that it would be a disaster for us as well as our next generations. At last, I’d say that there will be liability problems by being obsessed with Google Glass. People will wear Google Glass while driving in spite of definite warnings not to do. After that, they will clash with the elderly or any pedestrians and somebody will get hurt seriously. The medical insurance may not be possible to cover the medical care because money can be critical. If Google Glass is commercialized, we will have to take up a liability insurance to use it. It means the we need to add cost of an insurance policy to Google Glass bill. Of course, Using Google Glass will make our life slightly more comfortable and convenient. On the other hand, we should deeply think it has so many side effects that can badly effect to our society. Therefore, I hold very strongly that organizations in charge of license of selling electronic devices shouldn’t allow to release into the world.