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No studies have evaluated the relationship between cognitive impairment and alcohol treatment outcomes amongst older drinkers. This study aims to explore the extent of cognitive impairment amongst older adults seeking alcohol treatment and examine the relationship between cognitive impairment, treatment retention and alcohol use following treatment.

The study used data from the Drink Wise Age Well programme; an alcohol intervention service for older adults (aged 50+). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to screen for cognitive impairment; alcohol use was assessed using the alcohol use disorders identification test.

In total, 531 participants completed the assessment at treatment entry. Over half the sample were male (57%), with a mean age of 60 years (Standard deviation: 7.09). Almost half (48.4%) had cognitive impairment at the entry to treatment: 51.6% had a normal cognitive function, 41.4% had mild cognitive impairment, 5.8% had moderate cognitive impairment and 1.1% had severe cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was not associated with increased treatment drop-out and was not predictive of alcohol use following treatment. Alcohol treatment was associated with a significant improvement in cognitive functioning.

This study suggests there may be a significant amount of unidentified cognitive impairment amongst older adults attending alcohol treatment. Assessment and routine screening for cognitive impairment in drug and alcohol services may help in care planning and setting treatment goals; in the absence of routine screening opportunities for treatment planning and intervention may be missed.

Notwithstanding heightened awareness of the issues faced by homeless people, the notion that homelessness is the result of individual failings and weaknesses persists. The purpose of this paper is to challenge that perception by giving voice to this marginalised group and exploring the mechanisms through which they made and remade as homeless and may be protected.

Semi-structured interviews (n=23) were carried out with a sample of homeless people who had accessed a range of homelessness services in the study area.

It is argued that largely deprived of the private sphere, which arguably renders them in most need of public space, homeless people find themselves most subject to scrutiny, surveillance, social disapprobation and exclusion.

The authors reiterate that rather than simply being associated with rooflessness, homelessness is as a function of ongoing geographical marginalisation and social alienation.

The authors suggest that dedicated spaces for homeless people to occupy during the day continue to be in need of development because, whilst not unproblematic, they can disrupt processes associated with homelessness.

Further resources should be directed towards homelessness and the issues that arise during daytime for homeless people.

The paper supports the literature which highlights the spatial practices by which stigmatised groups come to be separated from mainstream society.

Drawing on the approach of Bourdieu (1977, 1986), and using language as an exemplar, the purpose of this paper is to engage in a “dangerous conversation” to explore how and why issues of diversity were mobilised, ignored and leveraged in one particular service context.

Qualitative research exploring the language choices of 25 service users who had been processed through the criminal Justice System in Wales in the last five years.

The argument is made that in some service contexts, a habitus obtains that renders reflexivity about diversity issues problematic and predicates against the critical reflection necessary to promote anti-oppressive practice.

Small sample size, not generalisable.

The authors intend the paper to encourage greater reflection on instances when diversity issues are raised and to render simplistic any attempt to invalidate claims of discrimination.

Encourage dialogue about claims of discrimination and greater reflection by service providers about the legitimacy of such claims.

Anti-oppressive theorising has, for the most part, constructed minority group members as passive victims within hierarchical power relationships. While acknowledging how power is unequally distributed, the paper challenges hierarchical models which designate minority group members as bereft of power.

At a time when funding arrangements are under review, the purpose of this paper is to come to a better understanding of victim needs and to inform future developments of services in England and Wales.

This paper is based on qualitative data gathered from a series of interviews with 33 individuals working with victims of crime in one police area in England and Wales.

Better practice and outcomes were associated in respondent’s accounts with the multi-agency working and end to end case management of needs associated with some victims of rape and domestic abuse assessed as high risk of harm.

Small-scale qualitative study.

It is argued Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) should explore mechanisms for extending such services to more victims of crime and ensuring better co-ordination of service delivery.

From October 2014 onwards PCCs are set to take over responsibility for funding victim services in England and Wales. Though not an uncontroversial development, this sets the context for practice with victims to be considered afresh and accordingly this paper explores the needs of victims and how they are met in one police and crime area.

Children who enter the care system in England and Wales are among some of the most vulnerable children in society, often presenting with high levels of need. Ensuring that the children's workforce has the skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of caring for this group of children has been at the forefront of policy agendas over the past two decades. This paper aims to report on an educational initiative to develop the capacity of residential childcare staff to work therapeutically with children.

The paper describes the origins and nature of the Foundation Degree in Therapeutic Childcare and documents the reflections of tutors responsible for delivering the programme on their experiences. Comments from a small student sample are included to highlight the student perspective in studying for the Foundation Degree.

The paper concludes that while some barriers exist in delivering the Foundation Degree to residential child care workers, programmes designed to develop knowledge and understanding of working therapeutically with children should be promoted.

The paper highlights some of the issues and challenges associated with educating the children's workforce and reports back on one of the first Foundation Degrees in the UK focusing on residential and foster care workers.