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In 2002, a Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability in Northern Ireland was launched, which reported during 2005‐6 and produced a framework for future learning disability and mental health services. This article will address three broad areas: first, it will provide an overview of the current structure of health and social services within Northern Ireland and summarise how these structures are expected to change within the next few years. Second, it will outline the key policy objectives in relation to the health of people with learning disabilities, giving particular attention to individuals among this population who develop mental health problems. Third, it will consider some key challenges that may lie ahead if the recently stated policy objectives are to be realised.

This paper reports on the evaluation of a training event conducted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Homefirst Community Trust. Participants' attitudes were measured prior to and following the training, which was designed to increase awareness of the knowledge and skills necessary for effective joint investigations of alleged crimes against vulnerable adults.

The importance of effective education for staff working in services for people with learning disabilities has been highlighted regularly as a key strategy for improving the quality of care and services. However, there has also been debate about how this could be taken forward for unqualified staff, within and across professional boundaries. This paper explores the perceived need for education to make a reality of the visions of future services that have been presented in the current learning disability policies in the United Kingdom. It is argued that increased attention needs to be given to recruitment, selection and retention, revised curriculum to reflect policy objectives, shared learning, and partnership between educational and service providers. It is also noted that it is not enough to prepare people who can work competently in existing services; they must also have a contemporary combination of knowledge, skills, values, motivation and commitment that will enable them to develop services over the next 10‐15 years, in line with the vision of existing service policy documents.

A new type of laser interferometer, developed at the National Physical Laboratory and produced by Linear Instruments, is challenging existing methods for accurate measurement and calibration. Managing director Kenneth Owen talked about it to Jack Hollingum.

As participation in higher education widens with concomitant increases in the number and diversity of commencing students, so does the need for programs that will support their transition and retention. In response to this need, a growing awareness of the value of mentorship in Australian universities has resulted in the introduction of peer mentoring programs for students in many institutions. Mentorship, however, can take many different forms. This chapter reports on a model of academic (faculty) mentorship for commencing science students belonging to a range of defined disadvantaged groups. The program was initially funded by an internal grant, with voluntary participation by eligible students. At the end of the first semester, participants overwhelmingly endorsed the program as having enhanced their transition experience and improved their prospects for academic progress and retention. Despite reduced funding, the program was retained over two subsequent years with slight modifications based on student feedback, together with consideration of its most effective elements. The success of this academic mentorship program demonstrates the potential value of such approaches in the university retention and success of disadvantaged students.

The threatened status of social studies instruction in elementary schools demands strong methods instruction to preserve the subject. This threatened status and other factors create issues specific to elementary social studies methods instruction. Moreover, university-level methods instruction can be idiosyncratic due to the various educational and professional backgrounds of the instructors. This study examined individuals serving in the “dual roles” of inservice teacher and elementary social studies methods instructor. While teaching the methods, participants encountered issues related to methods students, the filling of dual roles, and the status of elementary social studies and field placements. In addition, filling these dual roles facilitated their methods instruction through their ability to relate/react to methods students’ experiences and concerns.