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This chapter focusses on contradictions within existing legislation to develop an equitable and effective educational system for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It highlights tensions between the underlying aims of the legislation and the implementation of policies, specifically on admissions and exclusions with reference to the current government proposals for an increase in Alternative Provision (AP). It considers the response of Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) to ensure an acceptable practice of inclusion while raising overall standards of attainment. It also considers the Government Green paper response to increasing pressure from parents for more appropriate levels of support for their children with SEND.

Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to study the information needs of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK. Categories of information need were identified; their importance and difficulty in obtaining them quantified. The research highlighted how there were significant differences in terms of people’s desire for the information, the topics in which they were interested and how they wanted that information. Information provision to people with MS was found to have improved dramatically over the last seven years, but was found to be inconsistent in terms of subjects covered. However, it should be borne in mind that it may be difficult for people to take on board information for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, different individual needs mean that information provision is a complex task. Many intervening factors can make it fail. The research made it clear how access to relevant information, provided in an appropriate way, could significantly improve the quality of life of the person with MS and that there is considerable scope for improving provision of information to people with MS.

The major aim of this study is to find out whether people articulate their information needs and provide information to others differently in online sites of various types, more specifically, blogs and internet discussion forums.

The study is based on the analysis of ten blogs and 40 threads of Suomi24, a Finnish internet discussion forum. The blogs and discussion threads focus on the same topic, that is, coping with depression. For the study, 1,044 blog postings, 1,727 bloggers' and blog readers' comments and 1,236 messages written by the discussion forum participants were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

The bloggers, blog readers and discussion group participants mainly articulated needs related to getting an opinion or evaluation of an issue, while needs for factual information and procedural information about possible ways of action were presented less frequently. Information provision drew strongly on the use of personal knowledge. There were no remarkable differences between the types of online sites with regard to the articulation of information needs and using sources for providing information to others.

The findings are based on the analysis of a limited number of Finnish blogs and discussion threads in the field of coping with depression. Thus, the findings cannot be generalized to all online forums of these kinds.

Blogs and internet discussion forums provide useful sites to pose questions for online contributors and to get opinions as well as factual information about the ways to cope with depression.

The study is unique in that it compares information needs and information provision in online sites of various types.

This chapter draws upon research conducted in the Republic of Ireland to discuss the views of students who have been identified as having a range of high and low-incidence special educational needs. The data reported within the chapter are taken from Project Inclusive Research in Irish Schools (IRIS), a longitudinal research investigation using a mixed methods approach conducted within the country. The chapter provides evidence that students with a range of needs are able to articulate their views of their learning needs, to comment upon approaches that they find helpful and to reflect upon their personal growth. The authors suggest that the insights that can be provided by students should inform the development of the curriculum and approaches to teaching.

Recently, significant shifts of competitive edge in industry have been sharpening the needs for quality education and training (QET). “Quality” is conformance to requirements and customer satisfaction. In this context, the authors initiated a two‐stage empirical study to investigate the managerial views about the requirements and provision status of QET in Hong Kong. A random sample of 130 organizations was selected. Through a focus group study, 30 QET elements were consolidated under four categories of customer value and market focus, quality engineering and management, process analysis and improvement, and human resource focus. A subsequent mass survey examined the hypothesized links between the QET needs and provisions, and investigated specific QET requirements of top management, middle management and front‐line personnel. This paper contributes to identifying the needs of, assessing the provision of, and garnering company‐wide support and commitment towards QET in relation to sustaining organizational performance and competitiveness.

Little attention has been given to the needs of local authority councillors for well over a decade; a period in which the changes imposed by national government have made it necessary for councillors to keep up to date in all areas of local government provision. This paper attempts to provide a brief assessment of the information seeking behaviour of local authority councillors and the importance of information to them. By interviewing a cross section of local councillors and sending a questionnaire to selected information providers the study has identified the sources of information available for and most used by councillors. The research has shown what information the councillors consider important and their methods when seeking information. The survey of questionnaire responses has exposed the similarities and differences in the ways that information is provided for and taken up by councillors. Pointers for further research are suggested.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to cross culture training (CCT) literature by exploring the HR managers roles in CCT provision and the reasons affecting the given role enactment.

This exploratory study is based on in-depth interviews with 15 Israeli HR managers in charge of the provision of CCT in their respective companies and five interviews with CCT professionals who provide CCT training for a wide range of companies operating in Israel.

The study highlights the significant impact of HR managers’ awareness and perceptions of CCT on its provision and discusses a related self-perpetuating cycle of current practice reinforcement that limits the likelihood of practice improvement.

The limitations of the exploratory design of the study call for further research on HR roles in CCT provision.

The findings suggest that HR managers partly design and implement practice according to what they believe are unmet expatriate needs and what they perceive as effective HR tools. The authors discuss the practical value of raising their awareness not only of CCT designs and methodologies, but also of the complexities of expatriate adjustment and the opportunities offered by rigorous evaluation of current practice.

The study departs from the dominant focus in the literature on the content and methodologies of CCT and instead explores the neglected role of HR managers in CCT provision.

The problems of One‐Man‐Bands (OMBs) began to be taken seriously in the early 1980s when the Aslib OMB group was formed. The group received considerable attention in the professional press, and became the object of a study by Judith Collins and Janet Shuter who identified them as “information professionals working in isolation”. Many of the problems identified in the Collins/Shuter study remain — not least of these being the further education and training needs of OMBs. These needs are studied in this report. The author has firstly done an extensive survey of the literature to find what has been written about this branch of the profession. Then by means of a questionnaire sent to the Aslib OMB group and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (INVOG), training and education needs have been pinpointed. Some of these needs have then been explored in greater detail by means of case studies. The author found that the most common deterrents to continuing education and training were time, cost, location, finding suitable courses to cover the large variety of skills needed and lastly, lack of encouragement from employers. The author has concluded by recommending areas where further research is needed, and suggesting some solutions to the problems discussed.

This British Academy/Leverhulme-funded research (Grant number: SG170394) investigated the experiences and impact of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and torture on South Sudanese refugees’ health and rights and the responses of health and justice services in Northern Uganda.

It involved thematic analysis of the narratives of 20 men and 41 women refugees’ survivors of SGBV and torture; this included their experiences in South Sudan, their journeys to Uganda and experiences in refugee settlements. In total, 37 key stakeholders including health and justice providers, police, non-government and government organisations were also interviewed regarding their experiences of providing services to refugees.

All refugees had survived human rights abuses carried out in South Sudan, on route to Uganda and within Uganda. Incidents of violence, SGBV, torture and other human rights abuses declined significantly for men in Uganda, but women reported SGBV incidents. The research demonstrates linkages between the physical, psychological, social/cultural and justice/human rights impact on women and men refugees, which amplified the impact of their experiences. There was limited screening, physical and psychological health and support services; including livelihoods and education. Refugees remained concerned about violence and SGBV in the refugee settlements. While they all knew of the reporting system for such incidents, they questioned the effectiveness of the process. For this reason, women opted for family reconciliation rather than reporting domestic violence or SGBV to the authorities. Men found it hard to report incidences due to high levels of stigma and shame.

Refugees largely fled South Sudan to escape human rights abuses including, persecution, SGBV and torture. Their experiences resulted in physical, psychological, social-cultural and justice effects that received limited responses by health and justice services. An integrated approach to meeting refugees’ needs is required.

The authors make recommendations for integrated gender sensitive service provision for refugees including more systematic screening, assessment and treatment of SGBV and torture physical and emotional injuries combined with implementation of livelihoods and social enterprises.

The research demonstrates that stigma and shame, particularly for male refugee survivors of SGBV and torture, impacts on ability to report these incidents and seek treatment. Increasing gender sensitivity of services to these issues, alongside provision of medical treatment for injuries, alongside improved informal justice processes, may assist to counteract shame and increase disclosure.

There is currently a lack of empirical investigation of this subject area, therefore this research makes a contribution to the subject of understanding refugees’ experiences of SGBV and torture, as well as their perceptions of service provision and response. This subject is strategically important due to the pressing need to develop integrated, gendered and culturally sensitive services that listen to the voices and draw on the expertise of refugees themselves while using their skills to inform improvements in service responses and policy.

Library services to meet the needs of ethnic minority groups are described, along with the guidelines within which librarians operate in the development of multicultural library services. The needs of ethnic minority groups are identified and the ways in which these needs can be met by the public library are demonstrated.