Yvonne Pedley and Paul McDonald
There is often a focus on the negative aspects of residential care for older people. In the UK, there has been increasing media attention on abuse in these and other care settings…
Abstract
Purpose
There is often a focus on the negative aspects of residential care for older people. In the UK, there has been increasing media attention on abuse in these and other care settings and this has impacted upon public perceptions and subsequent government policy. Consequently, care staff are “tarred with the same brush”, yet narratives of their views have rarely been investigated. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This undergraduate, qualitative, single-case study aimed to investigate the views of staff and explore the implications for them and their practice. The views of 15 participants in a residential care home were obtained through interviews and a focus group.
Findings
Although the findings reveal sensitivities to the negative portrayal of care roles, they also reveal positive responses through a willingness to change practice, a strengthening of care values and a reduction in risks.
Originality/value
This study will be of interest to those multi-disciplinary residential teams who care for older people as it uncovers a striking sense of guardianship amongst residential care staff, and a willingness to reflect on, and change, practice. The study endorses the value of small practitioner-led research as an illustration of how a residential care team consisting of managers and staff can strengthen its resolve against adverse media coverage and negative public perceptions. This study suggests that this will have positive implications for the health and safety of older people living in residential settings.
Details
Keywords
Derek Stephens and Yvonne Hamblin
This research paper describes the results of a survey of specialist UK library and information sector (LIS) employment agencies concerning employability of library and information…
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper describes the results of a survey of specialist UK library and information sector (LIS) employment agencies concerning employability of library and information management (LIM) graduates and introduces the follow‐up actions that are being undertaken to create new teaching materials that address their concerns.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of four UK specialist employment agencies was undertaken in 2005 using semi‐structured interview schedules. The aim was to identify the various specific employability areas that recruiters felt were needed for 11 LIM sectors. Quantitative research of individual employers has been undertaken previously, but it was felt that agencies had a unique perspective of sector requirements. This was followed by visits to LIM academic departments to discuss whether the results matched the perceptions of academic staff.
Findings
It was clear that different LIM sectors had different emphasises in terms of the employability skills required. Second, the LIM departments visited also identified the desire to address gaps in provision of employability skills within curricula.
Research limitations/implications
The survey was a snapshot of perceptions in early 2005. The employment market is a fast‐changing environment and further follow‐up surveys annually might be valuable to establish trend lines. The research is qualitative and subjective in nature.
Originality/value
The paper describes how funding has been provided to empower LIM academics to create new teaching materials by buying their time out to address the gaps in available materials. In addition, these materials will be made freely available to the whole UK LIS sector and networks established to maintain them. Such co‐operation is unusual and could result in significant time savings in the preparation of teaching material and enhancement of graduates' readiness for employment.