The impact of social policy on changes in professional practice within learning disability services: different standards for children and adults? A two-part examination: part 2. Professional services under the coalition: the trends continue apace.

This is the second of two articles examining links between policy developments and changes in professional practice within learning disability services in England. The first article focused on policy foundations over the last 30 years, and concluded that there was a developing gap in professional inputs between children's and adult services. This article, written one year into the Coalition government, argues that its policies--especially the large-scale reduction in public expenditure, but also the decline in support for inclusion of children in mainstream education, the rapid growth of academies, and proposals for the reorganization of the NHS--have exacerbated the trends identified earlier.

The impact of social policy on changes in professional practice within learning disability services: different standards for children and adults? A two-part examination: Part 1. The policy foundations: from welfare markets to Valuing People, personalization and Baby P.

This is the first of two articles examining links between policy developments and changes in professional practice within learning disability services in England, focusing upon emergent differences between children's and adult provision. The article focuses on the evolving tension around policy directions and managerialism/professionalism, with the latter as a set of practices driving services, particularly following the 1988 Griffiths Report but referring also to its antecedents. Implications of this development are examined to highlight a difference in emphasis between the credibility and professional status of the workforce in children's, as opposed to adult, services for people with learning disabilities.

Evaluating the role of the Sure Start Plus Adviser in providing integrated support for pregnant teenagers and young parents.

This paper offers a descriptive evaluation of the role and performance of the Sure Start Plus Adviser in providing integrated support for pregnant teenagers and young parents, and focuses on their interprofessional working. The study, based upon interviews and questionnaires with advisers, pregnant and parenting teenagers and mainstream professionals, was conducted within five Local Authorities in the north-east of England. Findings show differences in how the role was undertaken and in terms of its impact within different authorities.

Models of interprofessional working within a Sure Start "Trailblazer" Programme.

This paper evaluates interprofessional working within a Sure Start "trailblazer" programme based upon definitions of multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary practice. Examples of practice from within the programme include professionals working towards family support and child protection objectives, providing a forum for child and family referral and a programme to promote mother-child bonding. Findings are discussed in the context of linking interprofessionality with government target-setting, professional identity and values and integrated working practice for Sure Start/Children's Centres.

Interprofessional teamworking for child and family referral in a Sure Start local programme.

Interprofessional and inter-agency working are important features of UK government initiatives, such as Sure Start local programmes for children under 4 years old and their families. Part of the vision for Sure Start was that providers of services and support would work together in new ways that cut across old professional and agency boundaries and focus more successfully on family and community needs. This paper describes the development and functioning of a Referral and Allocation Project in one trailblazer Sure Start local programme.

Older people's views on rural life: a study of three villages.

In the context of increasing interest in how rurality affects health services and nursing practice in the UK, this paper reports and discusses data from a survey of older people living in three English villages. The survey found that village populations differed widely, that there were changes in the proportions of older people in the villages over time, and that close social networks existed for some but not all. The paper concludes that health care practitioners should avoid stereotypes of village life.