How to Safeguard the Well-Being of Children and Young People Essay

1.Understand the main legislation guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people 1.1 Outline current legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures within own UK home Nation affecting the safeguarding of children and young people Polices and procedures for safeguarding and child protection in England and Wales are the result of the Children Act 1989 and in Northern Ireland of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. The Children Act 2004 introduced further changes to the way the child protection system is structured and organised in England and Wales. Safeguarding~ promoting children’s welfare and putting measures in place to improve children’s safety and prevent abuse. Child protection~ part of the safeguarding process where it is necessary to take action when there is a reasonable belief that a child is at risk of significant harm. Children Act 1989 (England and Wales) Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 These Acts aimed to simplify the laws that protected children and young people in the respective UK countries. They were seen as a serious shake up of children’s rights and protection and made it clear to all who worked with children what their duties were and how they should work together in the event of allegations of child abuse. England and Wales produced separates- Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999) – which emphasised the responsibilities of professionals towards children who are at risk of harm. Children Act 2004 By 2003 it was clear that services for children were still not working together and protect vulnerable children in our society. This was highlighted by the tragic death of Victoria Climbie at the hands of her carers resulting in an independent inquiry into her death. The Laming report resulted in a green paper, Every Child Matters, which in turn led to the Children Act 2004 in England and similar bills and Acts in all four countries in the UK. The main features of the Act included: ~ the integration of children’s services and the introduction of children’s directors with responsibility for local authority education and children’s social services. ~lead councillors for children’s services with political responsibility for local child welfare ~ the establishment of Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards with statutory powers to ensure that social services, the NHS, education services, the police and other services work together to protect vulnerable children ~a new Common Assessment Framework to assist agencies in identifying welfare needs ~revised arrangements for sharing information Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 The 2006 revised version of this document provides an update on safeguarding and a national framework to help agencies work individually and together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It also reflect changes to safeguarding practice in recent years, especially in the light of the Laming and Bichard Inquiries. The Vetting and Barring Scheme The scheme was introduced in October 2009 with the aim of preventing unsuitable people form working with children and vulnerable adults. From July 2010 and phased in over a five-year period, anyone working or volunteering with children of vulnerable adults will be required to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). The ISA will make decisions to prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults, using a range of information form different sources, including the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The CRB will process applications for ISA – registration and continuously monitor individual against and new information, while continuously monitor individuals against any new information, while continuing to provide record and other information to help them make informed recruitment decisions. 1.2 Explain child protection within the wider concept of safeguarding children and young people Safeguarding is about much more than just protecting children form direct abuse. The Staying Safe action plan recognises a number of important aspects in the wider view of safeguarding including: ~ keeping children safe form accidents ~ crime and bullying ~ missing children ~ actively promoting their welfare in a healthy and safe environment 1.3 Analyse how national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding affect day-to-day work with children and young people It is very important that anyone working with children should be able to recognise if a child is at risk of harm of in need because of their vulnerability. The earlier this is recognised, the better outcome for the child involved. All the guidelines are intended to make sure that all the services and agencies involved with children and young people work together to improve safeguarding. Childcare practice Any childcare setting should have clear policies and procedures that cover all aspects of safeguarding. This should include policies and procedures for: ~ health and safety ~ child protection ~ contact with children and performing personal care ~ outings ~ visitors to the setting Risk assessment Risk assessments should be carried out to make sure that there are no safeguarding treats to the children in a setting. Ensuring the voice of the child or young person is heard The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 13) states that all children should have the opportunity to have their voice heard. Article 13 ~ The child shall have the right to freedom of expression, this right shall include to see, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child’s choice ‘. 1.4 Explain when and why inquiries and serious case review are required and how the sharing of the findings informs practice Society has a duty to protect children and young people: we have a network of professional organisations supported by legislation, polices and procedures to do this. Serious case reviews are called by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board when a child dies and abuse or neglect are known or suspected to be a factor in the death. They involve the local authority children’s service and the police, as well as health, education and other agencies as needed. The LSCB also commissions an overview report form an independent person, which analyses the findings of the individual management reports and makes recommendations. Local authorities are required to notify Ofsted of all incidents involving children that are grave enough that they may lead to a serious case review, including where a child has died or suffered significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect, or where concerns are raised about professional practice or have attracted national media attention. Lessons learned form serious case reviews usually include the importance of: ~ sharing information and communication ~ keeping an accurate time line of events ~clear planning roles ~overcoming the problems of hard-to-reach families ~ good assessment of the child’s situation ~early recognition of children in need of protection by mainstream services such as schools or health services ~partnership working with agencies that parents may be receiving services form – for example mental health services A Public inquiry : an official review of events or actions ordered by the government. The report that is produced makes recommendations for improving practice. Laming Inquiry Lord Laming produced a landmark report in 2003 following a public inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie. She died in February 2000 of malnutrition and hypothermia, having suffered horrific abuse at the hands of her great aunt and great aunt boyfriend. A lack of communication between social workers, nurses, doctors and police officers allowed her great-aunt and her lover to torture the little girl to death. Many professionals involved in the case admitted that their workloads were too big while pay and morale were low, and that they did not communicate with one another. The inquiry made a number of key recommendations for improvements to services that led to the Children Act 2004. Bichard Inquiry This inquiry resulted form the murders of two young girls in Suffolk by a school caretaker, who was known as a danger to children by one police authority. The information had not been identified when he had a SRB check of the Independent Safeguarding Authority 1.5 Explain how the processes used by own legislation that covers data protection, information handling and sharing The Data Protection Act 1998 covers personal information about individuals which is held by organisations. They have to keep information in a safe way that ensures other people do not get hold of it. Settings that work with children and young people have the same responsibilities: except that the information they hold is about young people and children who are vulnerable because of their age. The Data Protection Act places responsibilities on organisations holding personal information to: ~ use it only as needed ~keep it secure ~ make sure it’s accurate ~keep it up to date On behalf of children, adults and parents have the right under the Data Protection Act to have information corrected if it is wrong. They also have the right to claim compensation through the courts if an organisation breaches the Act and causes them damage and distress. The Data Protection Act and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations also give people the right to stop personal information being used for any sort of direct marketing, such as unwanted junk mail, sales calls, or email and text massages. 2. Understand the importance of working in partnerships with other organisations to safeguard children and young people 2.1 Explain the importance of safeguarding children and young people Far too many children and young people suffer abuse or neglect at the hands of their parents or carers. ~ a significant number of children face repeated serious and multiple forms of abuse at the hands of parents or carers ~abuse is more common in families with drug or alcohol abuse problemsSome children are more at risk that other. Studies into the prevalence of maltreatment among children with disabilities have found that these abuse and neglect than non-disabled children. 2.2 Explain the importance of a child or young person centred approach A key feature of Every Child Matters is that each child is a unique individual who needs support form adults to achieve the best possible outcomes as they grow develop. The aim of Every Child Matters is to give all children the support they need to: ~ be healthy ~stay safeguarding ~enjoy and achieve ~achieve economic well-being All services aimed at children or young people based around individuals – planning to meet their needs, rather than for a whole group. It places children and families at the heart of policy on the basis that children and young people spend only one-fifth of their childhood at school. Because young people learn best with family support, the Children’s Plan covers all areas of children’s lives. 2.3 Explain what is mean by partnership working in the context of safeguarding Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children depends on effective partnership working between agencies and professionals. Each has a different role and area of expertise. The importance of partnership working runs through every aspect of safeguarding form government legislation to local working. The key elements of Every Child Matters: Change for Children are all focused on partnership working at all levels including: ~ the duty to cooperate to promote the well-being of children and young people ~the duty to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people ~the development of statutory Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) ~the appointment of local directors of children’s services to coordinate local government services ~the National Service Framework for children, young people and Maternity Services bringing together all child-related health services ~The Five Outcomes Framework ~ The development of an integrated inspection framework including education, care and health inspections ~the appointment of a Children’s Commissioner ~the development of a Common Assessment Framework to ensure all agencies contribute to an assessment of a child’s needs ~workforce reform to help develop skills and ensure staffing levels Anyone who has contact with a child or young person and has concerns about their welfare has a responsibility to pass that concern to the most appropriate agency. ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (DCSF 2006) clearly sets out how individuals and organisations should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Local communityAgenciesHealth visitor Neighboursor groupsChild heath clinicinvolved in Friendsthe welfareGP Family of a child Hospital PoliceChild minder Social workerNursery or school Leisure groups such as footballAfter school club Swimming, cubs, brownies Key features of effective working ~ a lead person who is responsible for coordinating actions and who acts as the main point of contact for children where more than one practitioner is involved ~ effective sharing of relevant information between agencies and practitioner. 2.4 Describe the roles and responsibilities of the different organisations that may be involved when a child or young person has been abused or harmed When a child or young person has been abused or harmed the first line response will be at the point of the allegation or discovery. ~ Social services have statutory responsibilities to provide support to vulnerable children and families in need.( this may be after a death or when families are finding every day life difficult) ~ Health visitors have a responsibility for the health of babies and young children under five.( they provide support and guidance to the parents of young children and carry out assessments of a child’s development) ~ General Practitioners work in the community – usually form health centres – and are the gateway to other health services. GPs are often the first people to identify possible abuse when a child attends surgery. ~ Probation services support people convicted of some offences to be rehabilitated into the community. ( they have a key role in monitoring people convicted of offences against children and should ensure they do not pose a threat to local children) ~ Police are involved in the criminal proceedings that may result form safeguarding issues. ~ As all children and young people should be in education or training between the ages of 5 -18 years, schools and training organisations are key to identifying and supporting children when they are in need of help. All staff working with children and young people should be trained in safeguarding and child protection. ~ Child psychology services will often be needed to support children who have experienced abuse or harm. ~ The NSPCC is a voluntary organisation – a national charity working to eradicate child abuse. 3. Understand the importance of ensuring children and young people’s safety and protection in the work setting 3.1 Explain why is important to ensure children and young people are protected form harm within the work setting Duty to care is a legal obligation that you all have. Professionals working in registered early years settings are expected to maintain a set of standards that reflect the government’s aim of improving the quality of life for children through the 5 positive outcomes of Every child matters. Parents leave children in the care with an expectation that they can trust you and your colleagues to keep their children form harm. It is difficult for many parents to leave their children, they need to be fully confident that their children are in safe, supportive hands with people who will help their development. Failing to meet this is a gross breach of your professional values. | Any professional working with children or young people is responsible for the care and well being of those children. Making sure that a child is safe on or out of a care setting is of paramount importance. Not only does it make a child or young person feel safe in a learning environment but it also gives the child the security to develop and achieve from an early age. For children to be effectively protected, it is essential that everyone accepts the responsibility of their role and to also be protected in that role. E.g. when escorting a child to the toilet or a child needs to be undressed due to any accident, it is vital that another member of staff or child is present as to not allow any allegations of misconduct. Physical contact between child and adult is important for building caring and trustworthy relationships but only when handled in an acceptable and responsible manner. There may be times, especially with younger children, occasions where a distressed or upset child needs comfort and encouragement which may include physical comforting, in these cases employees should use their discretion and common sense in order for allegations not to follow. | | | | 3.2 Explain policies and procedures that are in place to protect children and young people and adults who work with them As well as having policies to ensure that only suitable people work in their setting, managers need to promote very clear practices and ways of working to protect both the children and adults work with. Everyone in a setting has a responsibility to work hard to promote the welfare of the children in their care. Working in an open and transparent way Open-plan rooms~ this ensures that no member of staff is totally alone and out of view with a child. Sharing plans and talking about different ways of working also helps to make sure that staff work in the most appropriate ways. Listening to children and young people Whenever possible avoid agreeing to keep something a secret. Always tell a child if you feel you need to share information- especially if you feel a safeguarding issue is involved. It is important that you record and report any concern you have about a child’s welfare; make sure you know who to go in your setting. Power and positions of trust If you are involved in the care of children or young people, you are working in a position of trust. You have authority over the children and parents have placed their trust in you to look after them; this brings responsibilities. People who with to occupy position of trust with children and young people and vulnerable adults have to have enhanced CRP checks. Propriety and behaviour Children and young people tend to respect and look up to people in position of trust. You must think carefully about your own behaviour and the example you set to children and young people in your care. Physical contact Young children need physical contact; in they have fallen over, a cuddle can help them to recover and get back to playing. However, too much physical contact can be easily misunderstood. Make sure you are familiar with what is acceptable. Taking a child to the toilet, changing a nappy or helping a child change out of soiled clothes are all normal everyday tasks; but never do any of these in a room with the door closed or out of sight of other member of staff. Remembering this protects not only the child but yourself as well. Photographs and video recordings Photographing or videoing activities in any setting are great ways to let parents see what their children have been doing. ~ photos and videos are not available to anyone other than parents and carers ~always make sure that parents have given permission for photos to be taken ~check your policy on parents taking photos or videos. 3.3 Evaluate ways in which concerns about poor practice can be reported whilst ensuring that whistle blowers and those whose practice or behaviour is being questioned are protected At some stage in with children you may be faced with the problem of what to do about someone whose practice is unacceptable.You must not ignore poor practice – no matter who it is being carried out by. ( It can be very difficult to report someone you work with – or even your manager) How to whistle blow: ~think about exactly what is worrying you and why ~approach your supervisor, manager or safeguarding named person ~tell someone about your concerns as soon as you feel you can ~put your concerns in writing, outlining the background and history, giving names, dates and places where you can ~,ale sure something happens Whistle blowing does take courage. ( there is the risk of being bullied or harassed as a result) But anyone who whistle blows has the right to protection from the person they have raised concerns about. If you suffer as a result of a whistle blowing incident the UK Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 offers legal protection. 3.4 Explain how practitioners can take steps to protect themselves within their everyday practice in the work setting and on off site visits A significant element of a practitioner’s role in protecting themselves would be to read policies and procedures that are put in place to safeguard them and children or young people in their care. In a care setting a professional can protect themselves by:~ Avoid being alone in a closed room with a child.~ Two members of staff must be present if a child needs to be undressed in the event of an accident.~ If a child is collected late by a parent/carer then two staff members must stay until the child is collected.~ Always be seen to working in an open and transparent way where there is either visual access or an open door, especially in one to one situations. ~ Avoid meetings with children or young people in an isolated or private area of a care setting.It would be unrealistic to recommend that a member of staff should touch children or young people only in emergencies as very few people would agree with that, especially when young children can become so distressed in certain situations and a cuddle or close contact is needed by the child. Physical contact, guides and support are necessary in a range of settings appropriate to the age of the child and the circumstances at that time. Settings should provide a clear guidance about when and how the physical contact should be used in order to protect both staff and children. Effective management of risk should become automatic as you become more experienced. For every activity you plan, you should think about the hazards, the likelihood of the hazard occurring and the control measures. Risk~ the outcome or likely impact of the hazard associated with the activity to be undertaken Hazard~ something that has the potential to cause harm Likelihood ~ the probability of any harm from the hazard actually happening Control measure~ any activity or measures put in place to control or minimise identified risks In the case of educational visits, professionals should always carry out a full risk assessment of that visit, under the Health and Safety at work regulations Act 1999 it requires employers to assess the risks of activities, introduce measures to control these risks and inform employees of these measures. Before a trip can be arranged employers must follow the necessary policies and procedures as follows: ~Age, competence, fitness and the standard behaviour of the children and young people.~ Any special educational or medical needs of the children.~ Adult to children ratio. ~ The competence and qualifications of the accompanying adults.~ Modes of transport and location of visit.~ Emergency procedures.~ Permission from parents.~ Relevant medical or dietary needs of children. | | 4. Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been abused or harmed | | 4.1 Describe the possible signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern in the context of safeguarding It is important that you are aware of the indications of child abuse. Not every sing means a child is being abused. Sometimes the first signs that you observe are not physical but a change in behaviour. It is important that you record your concerns and monitor any unexplained changes in a child’s behaviour. Sometimes a child may be experiencing more than one type of abuse. Physical abuse Physical abuse is when a child is physically hurt or injured ( hitting, kicking, beating with objects, throwing and shaking are all physical abuse, and cause pain, cuts bruising, broken bones and sometimes even death) Sings and symptoms of physical abuse can include: ~ unexplained recurrent injuries of burns ~wearing heavy cloth to cover injuries, even in hot weather ~refusal to undressing ~ bald patches of hair ~ repeated running away form home ~ fear of medical examination ~aggression towards self and others ~fear of physical contact, shrinking back if approached or touched Many signs of physical abuse can be confused with genuine accidental injuries, but they are often not in the places or distributed as you would expect. Sometimes the explanation does not fit the injury, or you may see the outline of a belt buckle or cigarette burn. Suspicion should be aroused if the parents have not sought medical advice soon after the injury occurred. Emotional abuse Emotional abuse occurs when children are not given love, approval or acceptance. They may be constantly criticised, blamed, sworn and shouted at, told that other people are better than they are. Emotional abuse also involves withholding love and affection. It is often linked with neglect Signs and symptoms of emotional abuse can include: ~ delayed development ~sudden speech problems such as stammering ~low self-esteem ~fear of any new situations ~neurotic behaviour ~extremes of withdrawal or aggression Neglect Neglect, which can result in failure to thrive, is when parents or others looking after children do not provide them whit proper food, warmth, shelter, clothing, care and protection Signs and symptoms of neglect can include: ~constant hunger ~poor personal hygiene ~constant tiredness ~poor state of clothing ~unusual thinness or lack of normal body weight ~untreated medical problems ~ no social relationships ~ stealing food ~destructive tendencies Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is when a child is forced or persuaded into sexual acts or situations by others. Children may be encouraged to look at pornography, be harassed by sexual suggestions or comments, be touched sexually or forced to have sex. Signs and symptoms of neglect can include: ~sexual knowledge of behaviour that is inappropriate to the child’s age ~medical problems such as chronic itching, pain in the genitals, venereal die ~depression, self-mutilation, suicide attempts, running away, overdoses or anorexia ~personality changes (becoming insecure or clinging) ~regressing to younger behaviour patterns (thumb-sucking, cuddly toys) ~sudden loss of appetite or compulsive eating ~being isolated or withdrawn ~inability to concentrate ~lack of trust or fear of someone they know well, (wanting to be alone with babysitter, child minder) ~starting to wet or soil again, day or night ~becoming worried about clothing being removed ~drawing sexually explicit pictures ~trying to be ‘ultra-good or perfect, overreacting to criticism 4.2 Describe the actions to take if a child or young person alleges harm or abuse in line with policies and procedures of own setting All settings that have contact with children and young people must have clear policies and procedures to follow in all cases of abuse. Staff must have training in these and organisation for dealing with the situation. Disclosure of abuse by a child can occur at any time and it can be a shock to hear details. The way an allegation is received can be very important in the outcome to a child, even many years later. There have been many examples in the past of children not being believed at the time they declared their experience often resulting in serious problems later in life. Disclosure of abuse ~ when a child tells or implies to you that he or she has been abused 4.3 Explain the rights that children, young people and their carers have in situations where harm or abuse is suspected or alleged 44 | | Children and their parents or carers have important rights even in cases of suspected abuse. Most children feel loyal towards those who care for them even when they have been responsible for the abuse, and have difficulty saying anything against them. In situation where harm or abuse is suspected or alleged, it is important to remember the following guidelines. ~ children and young people should receive help so they can express themselves fully, understand what is happening and the decisions that have to be made. ~ a child or young person has a right not to be subjected to repeated medical examinations or questioning following any allegation of abuse, whether of a physical or sexual nature ~family members normally have the right to know what is being said about them and to contribute to important decisions about their lives and those of their children ~children should be kept fully informed of processes involving them, should be consulted sensitively and decisions about their future should take account of their views 5. Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been bullied Bullying and the fear of bullying are major worries for many children and young people. Explain different types of bullying and the potential effects on children and young people The victims of bullying are usually different in some way form the bully, the differences may be as simple as a different physical characteristic or being seen as a swot. Bullying can be specific. The basis for the bullying it can be one or more of the following forms: ~ physical (pushing, kicking hitting, pinching and other forms of violence or threats) ~verbal (name-calling, insults, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing) ~ emotional ( including not speaking to and excluding someone, tormenting ridicule, humiliation) ~cyber-bullying ( the use of information and communications technology particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else) Bullying can be carried out by one person against another, or by groups of people ‘ ganging up’ on a person. Bullying is not always delivered as a personal face -to- face attack, but can also be delivered through technology. Threatened or attempted suicideDepression Running awayLow self esteem Potential effects of bullying Isolation Shyness Poor academic achievement There are many reasons and possibilities as to why people bully, most of the time it’s because the victim is different in some way. Below are some of the differences why someone might be bullied: Someone’s appearance (e.g. hair colour or style, height) Someone’s race Someone’s religion Someone’s nationality Someone’s sexual orientation Someone being jealous Both males and females are capable of carrying out a vicious attack such as bullying on others. Some bullies only do it to uphold their reputation and look â€Å"hard†. Another reason would be either sex of a bully trying to maintain their superficial superiority. Many bullies only bully others out of jealousy and many of the people who have been bullied go on to do great things with their life, like some famous people who have been bullied. 5.2 Outline the policies and procedures that should be followed in response to concerns or evidence of bullying and explain the reasons why they are in place All schools are required by low to have anti-bulling policies in place but these vary in how they are worded and the subsequent actions that need to be taken. Schools must also have policies to encourage good behaviour and respect for others on the part for others on the part of pupils. The Department for Education is clear that no form of bullying should be tolerated. Bullying should be taken very seriously; it is not a normal part of growing up and it can ruin lives. The current anti-bulling guidance for schools: Safe to learn: embedding anti-bulling work in schools was launched in September 2007 5.3 Explain how to support a child or young person and /or their family when bullying is suspected or alleged When dealing with someone who is being bullied it is important to remember that they will be very upset although they may not show it on the outside. If they have plucked up the courage to talk to you then they need to know you will take the problem seriously. In the case of an older child, it is a good idea to ask them to write down exactly what happened and who was there so that you can speak to other people. The more information you have, the better you will be able to deal with the problem and the faster you can sort out exactly what happened. Reassure the victim that you will be back in touch with them as soon as you have completed your investigation and that if there are any more problems in the meantime they must let you know immediately. Supporting the family Parents can find it very hard to know how to help their child if they are being bullied. Some parents will have to cope with the news that it is their child who is a bully. You need to know to support parents in both these cases. Listen to parents; let them explain how they are feeling. Direct them to useful information so that they can start to think how to support their child. 6. Understand how to work with children and young people to support their safety and well-being 6.1 Explain how to support children and young people’s self-confidence and self-esteem Children and young people who are: ~assertive ~self-confident ~self-aware ~and have high self-esteem are less likely to be vulnerable to abuse. A child who has high self-esteem will do better in many aspects of development. Self esteem can be supported by: ~giving lots of praise and encouragement ~encouraging independence and choice, with many opportunities to try things out ~teaching children how to be assertive ( which means having their own needs met but still respecting those of others) ~encouraging cooperation, respect and tolerance between children, and giving a positive example yourself 6.2 Analyse the importance of supporting resilience in children and young people Resilience is the ability to deal with the ups and down of life and is based on self-esteem. The more resilience a child is the better they will deal with life as they grow and develop into adulthood. Many factors can positively affect a child’s resilience: ~secure early attachment ~confidence of being loved by family and friends ~good sense of self-identity ~ability to act independently ~confidence to try new things 6.3 Explain why it is important to work with the child or young person to ensure they have strategies to protect themselves and make decisions about safety The important thing for all children to remember is that they should never feel uncomfortable about someone the are with or something being done to them. Children and young people need support to be able to keep themselves safe. It is important to be available to talk with children about any concerns they may have. If they are upset by a reported case of abuse, be as reassuring as possible. Stress that almost all children lead safe and happy lives and only a very few adults want to hurt children in any way. Using correct anatomical language, at a level appropriate to the child, is important when you are talking about bodies. Simple, age-appropriate sessions, linked to other activities, on how the human body works help children to understand what their bodies can do and raise awareness of what is normal and what is not. Sessions on ‘body maintenance’ should be an integral part of children’s education,not just to warn them of the danger of misuse. The Keep safe Code produced by Kids cape is an effective way of getting across the message about personal safety to young children. Older children need more detailed information such as: ~ lessons on normal sexual function, related to adult behaviour ( relevant to your setting’s policy ~information about misuse of their bodies, through smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs ~the risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhoea,..) Help from other organisations Organisations such as Kidscape, Childeline and the NSPCC can help eith information and guidance on these topics. It is important to use them properly and be sure that information is accurate and used to best effect. 6.4 Explain ways of empowering children and young people to make positive and informed choices that support their well being and safety. Children and young people need to be empowered to keep themselves safe. Children will always push boundaries and take risks – that is how we all learn. Your role is to manage those risks without taking away their independence. When they are empowered, and can make their own choices, the are able to do things alone and without supervision. 7. Understand the importance of e-safety for children and young people 7.1 Explain the risks and possible consequences for children and young people of being online and of using a mobile phone This is an admirable ambition, with huge benefits for everyone – especially in relation to research and learning. But it is also fraught with danger as the Internet and mobile network also offer possibilities tor the abuse of children and young people. Most children and young people have access to the Internet and the use of a mobile phone. Both offer benefits to children but equally can expose them to threats to their safety and well-being. The Internet, mobile phones and video games pose a number of risks to children and young people – including cyber – bullying, access to unsuitable sites, exposure to commercial sites and danger form adults seeking to exploit children. 7.2 Describe ways of reducing risk to children and young people from: ~ social networking ~ internet use ~ buying online ~ using a mobile phone Short of banning all access to the Internet and mobile phones it is not possible to eliminate the risks to children and young people. But is is possible to build children’s resilience to the material to which they may be exposed, so that they have the confidence and skills to use the Internet more safely. The Byron Review identified three key objectives to protect children: ~reduce availability ~restrict access ~increase resilience to harmful and inappropriate material online. There are number of measures available that start to meet some of these objectives including: ~ parental controls that allow Internet sites with unsuitable material to be limited ~blocks on use ~improving the knowledge, skills and understanding around e-safety of children, parents and other responsible adults Ways in which you can help to improve children’s knowledge and skills include: ~ making them aware of the dangers ~helping them to develop the skills to recognise danger ~supporting them in dealing with situations they are not happy with.Combined with a sensible approach, such as making sure that children do not spend time on the computer unsupervised or for too long a period of time – these tools can make using the Internet a useful and enjoyable experience. Education of parents and carers are less skilled at using the Internet than their children are and may not be aware of the dangers of how to control access to certain material.

The Cave – Creative Writing

Averting attention had always been far too easy for Deft. Imperial transponder codes, too easy to attain, to forge†¦ or have forged. â€Å"Commander Derivan, you have permission to proceed to sector 478. Please sir, do be careful, it is a savage world.†, the comm officer pleaded. â€Å"Thank you for your concern officer, it is duly noted.†, Deft arrogantly replied as he steered his Oppressor towards the planet. The small clearing was easy to see through the lush vegetation. He would owe the Captain for yet another favor. It was of no true concern to him however, he already owed him far more than he could probably ever repay. The lush surrounding vegetation violently shook as he touched down. Switching off the power, the whine of the generator slowly quelled, Deft stepped from the vessel, wearing only his robes under a black cloak, wielding his newly crafted lightsaber. The visions were weaker now, more distant. His thoughts were clearing. He began his trek through the dense jungle. Somehow, even after all this time†¦. Yinchorr felt inviting. The rocks around him hovered carefully in place. â€Å"You must feel it move within you.†, the small pyramid shaped holocron had instructed. The instruction was efficient. He was coming along quickly. The rocks began to swirl around him†¦ slowly at first, then gradually faster†¦. and faster still, until they were but blurred images of themselves. Deft's eyes closed with a cold determination as his head lowered slightly, focusing himself. The air seemed to hiss as the rocks spun violently around him. Images flooded his mind. Pale blue eyes, familiar, cold, callous. â€Å"You drove her away.†, the voice hissed. Pale blue eyes, calling to him distantly. â€Å"Why didn't you come?†, the new, softer voice implored. Pale blue eyes, exploding into blue flames. The flames faded to green. Deft felt himself pulled across the galaxy. Dathomir, a famliar place, once, home. The elder stood over the cauldron, her arms flailing in the air as she spoke her incantation. Spinning on her heal, her cold green eyes met with Deft's. â€Å"You only think you have won Deriun.† All he could see were the eyes. All he could hear, the roar of the flames. But no longer were they the Elders. Rosalyn gazed back at him. â€Å"Why have you foresaken me?†, her pained voice begged. Blackness. Void. A gentle hand reached out to him†¦. but he couldn't grab it, couldn't hold it, touch it. It slipped, further and further into the darkness. *CRACK CRACK CRACK* â€Å"GASP!†, The rocks had flown wildly out of control, and found themselves crashing into a nearby tree, the sound, pulling Deft from his vision. Even now, none of it seemed to make sense. He had come here for answers, but was only finding more questions. Training had been difficult. The holocron seemed to guide him with exercises intended to push a man beyond humanity. Deft yawned as it rambled on about running with the force, he had no interest in learning to be a coward. This wasn't helping the way he had hoped. He threw holocron in his pack. I've had enough of that. His red saber ignited, and he rushed off into the woods. For a fleeting moment, Deft succumbed to his youthful urges. As he ran through the foliage, he cut down branches, nicked rocks. Faster and faster, leaving a wake of mild destruction in his path. The trail of smoke and destruction, came to an abrupt halt. Deft stood, silently, watching out over the open field he had come to. â€Å"I do†, the words rolled so easily off of her lips. Deft had honestly never thought he'd see her again. The day she married Martyn, a piece of him had died. Then he saw the Watchtower, sitting high above Penumbra. â€Å"I am hearing rumor that there is to be an arranged marriage Deft.†, her words cut him. â€Å"My dear, I would never allow such.†, the words caused the air to stiffen, silent for a fleeting moment, â€Å"If we were to wed, it would be because we love each other.†, Deft stepped in, kissing her for the first time. The kiss, her hands at his back†¦.. they burned. Seering pain raged through him, coursing through his veins. He dropped to the ground, in utter agony. His scream echoed through the empty field. Then, he saw her, shackled to a grate, dangling over a flame, flickering between green and blue hues. Was this a vision of things to come? The vision changed as quickly as it had appeared. Rosalyn and Boden stood in the purple fields of Dantooine, together. Boden grasped her hand. The pain was becoming unbearable now, he could almost feel his flesh melting from his body. Sleep†¦.. it was the only escape. Deft's worn body, and torn psyche, collapsed to the ground, saber in one hand, and a small purple Corellian flower in the other. â€Å"Soon, my dear Aklin†¦. very soon indeed.†, the woman's cackling echoed in Deft's mind as he awoke. The rain fell on his face, but the soft touch of rain could not alleviate the pain he felt. He touched his back, the memory of the agony still with him. How long had he been asleep? How long had he been lying here? For a brief moment, he looked at the flower in his left hand, before tucking it safely away, wrapped in a piece of paper, in his pack. Through the foliage, he sensed something. Something nearby. Something, strong. He made his way cautiously, silently, through the jungle. His head peaked around a large tree to see it. As he stood in the entrance, he could sense something. It clouded him slightly, and for the first time in days, he was not thinking of the visions he had been having. Something was tuggin at him, something from deep within himself. This was the reason he had come here. This, was the reason he had journeyed so far. Why, he did not know, but something inside of him verified the uncovered truth. Something inside, told him that this was where he needed to be. Just inside the cave, he saw him. The hooded figure turned away from him, looking deeper into the cave of which he occupied. Who was this man? How could he have gotten here? Yinchorr was blockaded to all non-Imperial personnel. Even then, only the Imperial Royal Guard, and their hopeful trainees ever really came here. As Deft slowly enterred, time no longer existed. Space but a fleeting human assumption of distance. Everything, always, was right here. Such power, such depth, Deft had never felt before. â€Å"What is this place?†, he spoke out to the hooded figure. Anticipating to startle the man, his responce was far different than what he would have anticipated. â€Å"This my young friend, is your future†¦. and your past.†, the eerily familiar voice stated. The figure stood silent, gazing off into the distance as he approached. Then, as his footsteps brought him ever-closer, the man finally turned. The Emperor's visage, torn, weathered. Deft had never seen him like this before. â€Å"Deft, now you shall see.† There was no possible explanation for this. Deft knew it to be implausible for the Emperor to be here, and yet, here he was. Was he hallucinating? What manner of trickery was this? He turned to glance back at the entryway, but it was no longer there. Everything went foggy for a moment. His mind, his thoughts, even what he was seeing. When his eyes returned to where the Emperor had been standing, they did not meet his, they met†¦. theirs. Before Deft stood the four women he had ever truly loved. Yvaine, Lelu, Nydari and Rosalyn. In unison, they looked to him with pleading eyes and said, â€Å"You have abandoned us Deft†¦. why?† â€Å"You were the only man I ever loved, and you left me in your pursuit of power.†, Yvaine looked at him, her slave collar still attached, her subtle blonde braids gently caressing her tender neck where the collar had caused bruising. â€Å"Without you, I couldn't go on.†, her voice callously stated as she slapped him. â€Å"You never understood Deft, you never listened.†, Lelu said, her soft black hair blowing gently in the growing angry breeze, â€Å"I left you, because you had no time for me.† Nydari's gaze met his now, her cold callous blue eyes cutting through his soul. Deft heard not her words, he could feel what beat in her heart. He had taken her son, and for that, he could never be forgiven. â€Å"Deft, you never came for me.†, her eyes begged for a reason, â€Å"You gave up so easily, so much for love I guess.† â€Å"You left me to die on Dathomir.†, Rosalyn's words made little sense, â€Å"You allowed the Nighsisters to have their way with me.† Her inviting red hair still bore the subtle trace of a helmet. Deft could not help but wonder, was he able to speak with them now†¦. because they were all dead? He dropped to his knees, sobbing, the situation too much for even him, to handle. The incessant yelling stopped, all was quiet. Deft took control of himself once again, regaining his composure. Slowly, he raised his head to see the horrid depiction. All four of them†¦. lie dead before him. Their bodies broken, twisted lumps of flesh that once held a vibrance for life he fed off of. Now, empty vessels. The Emperor once again stepped forward. â€Å"What manner of treachery is this?†, Deft implored, â€Å"They cannot be dead.† â€Å"There is no treachery here, only truths within yourself.†, the Emperor explained, â€Å"What you see, is a mirror of what lies deep within you.† Deft knelt before the four corpses, and then, they came. From the shadows they stepped, each armed differently, each, having a different reason for being there. Those reasons, were the women lying before him. Percy, the insecure boy, placed a gentle hand on Yvaine's head, brushing her flowing blonde braids away from her green eyes. Then, turning his angry, jealous gaze to Deft, he unsheathed his blade. Noldat stood over Lelu Orion, his eyes never waivering from Deft's, this had been a long time coming. His pistol unholstered, and prepared to slay his sworn enemy. Wraidth shed a gentle tear as he touched Nydari's soft blue lekku one last time, unsheathing his sword, he snarled at him. â€Å"I would have cared for her as you never could.† Finally, Boden. Deft stood mildly perplexed at the sight, as Boden's eyes filled with rage and tears stared callously at him over Rosalyn's torn body. No words were spoken, but Deft did not need to hear them, he knew why Boden was there. However, was this a depiction of the truth†¦. or a vision of his own paranoia manifesting itself? In unison, their voices echoed through the cave, â€Å"We loved them as you could not. We cared for them, where you would not. In return for this, you destroyed them in your own lustful search for power.† Deft had no words. No charming way of explaining away the mishaps of his life. No intelligent responce to dissuade the anger and hatred in the room. He allowed his anguish to take hold. His saber ignited, the crimson hue echoing off of the walls, the color only amplified the tension. The hum of the weapon, requesting bloodshed. Percy was the first to charge, and the first to drop. With a gentle flick of the wrist, Deft tore through the young man's weapon, and his flesh. His now lifeless body, fell ironically parallel to that of Yvaine's. Noldat opened fire, and Deft's saber found the blaster bolts of it's own accord, deflecting them haplessly into the cavern's walls. His rage focused inward for a fleeting moment, and manifested itself in a bolt of lightning, sending Noldat to the ground in a lump of mangled and burned Rebel flesh. Wraidth did not hesitate, his scythe had cut Deft before he even had a chance to focus his attentions on his assailant. Blood dripping from his left shoulder, the open wound stinging with agonizing pain, Deft did not cringe, but found new purpose in it, new, unadulterated fury with which to wield his lightsaber. For his treachery, Deft cut him down to size, removing the better part of both his legs, just above the knee. As he lie there, helpless, Deft stepped forward to end his suffering. Wraidth's head made a gentle stop at Boden's feet. Both men stared at each other cautiously. Boden's indigo blue saber reverberating off of the walls, creating a purple hue as it mixed elegantly with the crimson of Defts that had already resided there. *CRACKLE HISS* Their blades met for the first time, held against each other, the sounds became almost deafening as they sparked and slid along one another. Deft arrogantly spun with his blade, driving Boden backward. With a kick, Deft pushed him even farther back as the green bolt erupted from his off hand. â€Å"Show me the truth.†, Deft asked of Boden's mind as he invaded it aggressively. The trick he had learned from the Nightsisters might just prove useful. Boden dropped to the ground, clutching at his head in agony. Yet still, Deft felt no battle, no conflict for the right to attain the knowledge he sought. Now Deft knew, this was not real. With a cold, calculated slice, Boden was no more. A soft voice invaded the newly created silence, â€Å"Deriun?† â€Å"Deriun, is that you?†, the voice called to him. After all these years, her soft voice still sent chills down his spine. He turned to face her. â€Å"I no longer go by that name†¦. mother.†, his cold callous stare met hers. Still adorned with rags, and carrying several collars in her hand, she snarled at him, â€Å"Nonsense, now get your things, we have to pick up some more goods this afternoon.† ‘Goods' was her more humane term for slaves. The idea that anyone could try and tone down what slavery was with simple verbage still sickened Deft. A swift backhand caught Deft off guard, his head cocked to one side partly, stopping midway as if to declare resistance. â€Å"You heard your mother boy, get ready.†, his father said angrily to him. As he stood there, looking at his parentage, something inside him snapped. It was all so much clearer. It all made sense. These people, they were nothing but pawns in a much larger game†¦ a game, Deft now played. A game of power. They were little more than cattle, to be done with as he saw fit. Wraidth's scythe hovered in mid air, both his parents stood there, confused at it's sight. â€Å"So boy, you think you've finally become a man? You think you're going to use that blade to kill us?†, his father nervously taunted, trying to play on Deft's insecurities. Insecurities that died long, long ago. â€Å"No father, I have no intentions of such.†, a cold grin formed on Deft's face as he called on the strength of the force, â€Å"She is going to kill you.† The blade hung still in the air before his mother, â€Å"Take the blade woman, and dispatch him.†, Deft said coldly with a slight hint of triumph in his voice. Her confused and shaking hand took hold of the hilt, she hesitated as she drew it back, â€Å"Let go your rage, allow the blade to find it's way.† â€Å"This is ridiculous.†, his fathers fearful expression made it quite apparent that he did indeed realize that this was no jest, â€Å"Woman, put that damn thing down and go get the slaves cleaned up.† â€Å"Now.†, Deft uttered but one word to reinforce his statements, his hand barely moving to send his message clearly, reinforced by the dark side within him. The blade moved swiftly, cleanly. From his shoulder to his nether regions, it made it's cut. A gentle red mist hung in the air, spackling her torn dress of rags. She dropped to her knees in front of her now lifeless spouse. The blade hit the ground, the sound of the metallic clang echoed through her soul as she realized what she had just done. Tear filled eyes looked to him, â€Å"Why Deriun? Why would you make me do this?† â€Å"Because I can.†, he said simply. The scythe flew true, of it's own volition, through her, pinning her ten feet in the air against the wall. Her last breath escaped, the gentle death rattle the only sound now heard in the cave, quickly replaced by the sound of her blood dripping on the floor. A cackle broke out from behind him as he callously stared at his now dead mother. â€Å"Good†¦. good.†, the voice with satisfaction, â€Å"You have done well, Lord Aklin.† He turned to face the voice, and again met eyes with the Emperor, his sinister grin filling the room with a cold warmth. â€Å"I do not understand, how can this be?†, his confusion showing on his face imploringly, â€Å"What is this place?† â€Å"This place is a mirror of your own inner self my friend.†, the Emperor placed a hand at Deft's back, walking with him casually, â€Å"It is a nexus for the Dark Side which all Jedi must at some point face.† â€Å"So this is a test?†, Deft's question had already been answered in his own mind, he needed his answer to be validated however. â€Å"You could say that. I prefer to look at it as a decision rather than a test.†, the Emperor chuckled. â€Å"I see.†, Deft turned to face the Emperor again, â€Å"I came here, I thought, to find answers.† â€Å"My boy, I am not here to give you the answers you seek.†, he coldly stared at him, â€Å"I think you already have those answers within yourself.† Deft had so many questions to still be answered, â€Å"And how is it you are here?. The Emperor smirked at him, â€Å"I am not here.† With that, the Emperor vanished, and Deft found himself standing again in the entryway of the cave. It was not long after that Deft found himself sitting at the foot of his Oppressor contemplating his existence. What was all of this for? What lessons were to be learned? Why was he doing all of this? For the Emperor? For himself? Where had it gotten him? The Emperor had always promised him, one day he would understand, but perhaps, even the Emperor, could not foresee what was to come. *beep beep* His subspace com erupted with authority. Deft could sense it. â€Å"Yes my Lord?†, he said, knowing exactly who it was. â€Å"I sense you have done well Lord Aklin.†, the cold feeling of triumph was apparent, â€Å"Now†¦. you understand.† â€Å"Yes†¦.. I do.†, he replied, his tone uncaring, indifferent. A short hesitation hung in the air before he proceeded, cutting the Emperor off as he begun to speak, â€Å"I understand that I have grown tired of your meddling old man. And perhaps†¦. a change is indeed needed.† The Emperor's sudden rage could be heard as Deft simply deactivated his com and boarded his ship. Activating the radio aboard The Subterfuge, he quickly contacted Tovina, â€Å"My dear, I think we need to have a little discussion.† Deft knew now what he sought, and being subservient to Palpatine was no longer fitting for him†¦ he was better than that†¦ stronger. The time had come for Deft to take what was his†¦. by force. For the Emperor had indeed twisted him to the Dark Side as intended, though, perhaps he twisted a bit too hard. Perhaps†¦. now it was Deft's turn, to twist back.

Accounting Handout 7.1

Accounting Handout 7.1 Essay Assignment 8. 1 Handout 1. Internal controls are designed to safeguard assets, encourage employees to follow company policies, promote operational efficiency, and ensure accurate accounting records. Requirements R1. Which objective is most important? R2. Which must the internal controls accomplish for the business to survive? Give your reason. 2. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act affects public companies. Requirement R1. How does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act relate to internal controls? Be specific. 3. Separation of duties is a key internal control. Requirement R1. Explain in your own words why separation of duties is often described as the cornerstone of internal control for safeguarding assets. Describe what can happen if the same person has custody of an asset and also accounts for the asset. 4. There are 5 characteristics identified in the chapter as pitfalls of e-commerce. Requirement R1. List the 5 characteristics identified in the chapter as pitfalls of e-commerce. 5. Answer the following questions about the controls in bank accounts: Requirements R1. Which bank control protects against forgery? R2. Which bank control reports what the bank did with the customer’s cash each period? R3. Which bank control confirms the amount of money put into the bank? 6. The Cash account of Safe and Secure Security Systems reported a balance of $2,490 at May 31, 2011. There were outstanding checks totaling $500 and a May 31 deposit in transit of $300. The bank statement, which came from Tri Cities Bank, listed the May 31 balance of $3,360. Included in the bank balance was a collection of $680 on account from Ryan Saar, a Safe and Secure customer who pays the bank directly. The bank statement also shows a $20 service charge and $10 of interest revenue that Safe and Secure earned on its bank balance. Requirement R1. Prepare Safe and Secure’s bank reconciliation at May 31. 7. Review your results from preparing Safe and Secure Security Systems’ bank reconciliation in problem #6. Requirement R1. Journalize the company’s transactions that arise from the bank reconciliation. Include an explanation with each entry. 1 8. Diedre Chevis sells furniture for DuBois Furniture Company. Chevis is having financial problems and takes $500 that she received from a customer. She rang up the sale through the cash register. Requirement R1. What will alert Betsy DuBois, the controller, that something is wrong? . Review the internal controls over cash receipts by mail presented in the chapter. Requirement R1. Exactly what is accomplished by the final step in the process, performed by the controller? 10. A purchasing agent for Westgate Wireless receives the goods that he purchases and also approves payment for the goods. Requirements R1. How could this purchasing agent cheat his co mpany? R2. How could Westgate avoid this internal control weakness? 11. The following petty cash transactions of Lexite Laminated Surfaces occurred in August: Requirement R1. Prepare journal entries without explanations. 12. Gwen O’Malley, an accountant for Ireland Limited, discovers that her supervisor, Blarney Stone, made several errors last year. Overall, the errors overstated the company’s net income by 20%. It is not clear whether the errors were deliberate or accidental. Requirement R1. What should O’Malley do? 13. The following items could appear on a bank reconciliation: Requirement R1. Classify each item as (1) an addition to the book balance, (2) a subtraction from the book balance, (3) an addition to the bank balance, or (4) a subtraction from the bank balance. 2 14. Louise’s Dance Studio created a $200 imprest petty cash fund. During the month, the fund custodian authorized and signed petty cash tickets as follows: Requirement R1. Make the general journal entries to a. create the petty cash fund and b. record its replenishment. Cash in the fund totals $15, so $10 is missing. Include explanations. 15. Each of the following situations has an internal control weakness. Requirements R1. Identify the missing internal control characteristics in each situation. R2. Identify the possible problem caused by each control weakness. R3. Propose a solution to each internal control problem. 16. The April cash records of Donald Insurance follow: READ: Calculus EssayDonald Insurance’s Cash account shows a balance of $17,040 at April 30. On April 30, Donald Insurance received the following bank statement: 3 Additional data for the bank reconciliation: Requirements R1. Prepare the bank reconciliation of Donald Insurance at April 30, 2011. R2. Journalize any required entries from the bank reconciliation. 17. On November 1, Fab Salad Dressings creates a petty cash fund with an imprest balance of $400. During November, Sunny Lewis, the fund custodian, signs the following petty cash tickets: On November 30, prior to replenishment, the fund contains these tickets plus cash of $245. The accounts affected by petty cash payments are Office supplies expense, Travel expense, Delivery expense, Entertainment expense, and Inventory. Requirements R1. Explain the characteristics and the internal control features of an imprest fund. R2. On November 30, how much cash should the petty cash fund hold before it is replenished? R3. Journalize all required entries to create the fund and replenish it. Include explanations. R4. Make the December 1 entry to increase the fund balance to $450. Include an explanation, and briefly describe what the custodian does. 4

How Globalization has strengthened the Hands of Businesses over Essay

How Globalization has strengthened the Hands of Businesses over Industries in Developing Nations to the Failure of Environmental Policies on Global Warming - Essay Example Globalization has set in and there is a worldwide movement towards financial, economic, communication and trade integration. There is a universal opening of local and nationalistic outlooks to broader perspectives of an interdependent and interconnected world. This has enabled free transfer of goods, capital and services across all national frontiers. Despite the immense advantages that globalization of business operations across the world has caused, there are a number of negative externalities if exercised indiscriminately. Other than having worrying impacts on economic development of some economies, globalization has created implicit, negative pressure on environmental sustainability. This work looks at the intricate relationship that globalization has in strengthening the hands of businesses over industries in developing nations to the failure of environmental policies to keep up with the challenges of global warming. Due to globalization, small firms in the developing world have broken free from the bounds of industries they fall under in their countries of origin. The neo-liberal idealism that business premises have embraced since its proposal by classical liberals like David Ricardo and Adam Smith has changed the business perspectives both in the developed and developing economies in a mega way. Since the 18th Century, long before the current state of globalization of economy, neo-liberal ideal has created a self-regulating market (Sliwa, et al., 2000). The difference between the times in the 18th Century and the 21st century is that the degree of embracing neo liberal economy by enterprise and individuals. The laissez faire markets that have been created by the aspect of economic globalization has created freelance of firms. The extent to which the industry has control over the activities of businesses under it is curtailed and limited. In the long run, there are challenges in regulation and i mplementation of policies intended to create sanity in the businesses’ operations. Before globalization took root to the extent it has presently, industries acted the same position monarchs performed in the earliest economic developments. Industries have for a long time presided over the mercantilism duty of monarchs who exercised close to complete control over the earliest economies. Whereas monarchs did this control of economies and all governance factors by amassing large quantities of gold for bellicose purposes, industries perform market regulation by instituting and implementing laws and regulations. The regulations and legal guidelines are geared towards keeping the firms operating in a particular industry in check. In the contemporary world, there is greater need for businesses to portray responsibility in the face of numerous environmental challenges. Developing countries have suffered most due to cases of global warming although they have contributed the least in cr eating the global menace. Economic growth in developing countries has incessantly become faster and the amounts of emissions make it necessary for the nations to strategize on the means of reducing emission of greenhouse gases. Using the current projections, the developing countries will contribute to over half of the greenhouse gases produced in the world if not controlled (Bergita, 2012). Despite the bleak projections, the developing countries have several strategic alternatives where benefits outweigh costs.

Controversial Planning Decisions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Controversial Planning Decisions - Case Study Example This shift has created tremendous ramifications for the governance of environmental matters. In this new philosophy, governance of environmental matters is reconceptualised in terms of ‘networks’ and ‘associations’ with which the government has to parley, so as to be effective and gain the favour and support of the citizens and the related stakeholders. As a result, planning decisions made by the government without consulting the relevant stakeholders and policymakers are considered controversial regardless of their intended objectives (Newig and Fritsch, 2009). This system of governance is usually very problematic because even though the government is required by law to make the public and the relevant stakeholders and policymakers aware of its objectives to review their development plans and consult using conferences and documented avenue, citizen and stakeholder involvement in planning decisions pertaining to the environment remains negligible (Callanan, 2005; Flynn, 2003) In the contemporary world, planning decisions pertaining to the environment are accompanied by a myriad of controversial issues. Controversial issues pertaining to environmental planning decisions usually revolve around fairness, ethics, and the manner in which evidence is used in coming up with environmental decisions and regulations. In the UK, current controversial environmental planning decisions manifest themselves in two events which are going to be critically examined in this paper. The first event is the decision, which was made by the UK’s Secretary of State, declared that thirty two hectares of an ancient woodland be wiped out to enable the expansion of an existing rag-stone mine. . The second thing is the revelations that were identified in a meeting that was held by representatives from the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development to deliberate on issues pertaining to environmentally sustainable development.  Ã‚  

THERE ARE 5 KEY CONTINGENCIES. TO WHAT EXTENT CAN MANAGERS IGNORE OR Essay

THERE ARE 5 KEY CONTINGENCIES. TO WHAT EXTENT CAN MANAGERS IGNORE OR MEDIATE THESE CONTEXTUAL FACTORS UNDER WHAT GENERAL CONDITIONS MIGHT MANAGERS BE FORCED TO RESPOND TO THESE FACTORS - Essay Example The imperatives of the fast changing perspectives in managerial leadership within an organization have become vital to its impact on the performance outcome of the employees and organization, as a whole. Hitherto, managerial leadership or managers were solely responsible to achieving the targeted production and efficient administration through a well defined rational analysis, planning and decision making which distinctly lacked consideration and importance of human interaction in the organizational culture. Today the equation seems to have changed and ‘we approach managerial leadership as a relational, ongoing social construction process rather than as a single clear cut phenomenon’ (Sjostrand and Tyrstrup, 2001). The various aspects of the interactive elements of the organization, work together to produce a cohesive, output representing the organizations unique objectives and goals. The different contextual factors vis-Ã  -vis size, technology, environment, diversification and globalization are vital elements that have significant impact on the managerial decision making. Organisation’s performance outcome is directly related with the size of its workforce that may be working within well defined parameters of organizational structure. The stratified but focused division of labour within the organization is an intrinsic part of management strategy to achieve the organisation’s goals and objectives. The strategy of the managerial leadership to transform the workforce into human capital is being accepted as an inherent part of organisational culture. The changing socio-economic environment made it necessary that more consideration be paid to socio-cultural and political environment so that the requirements of the people became the focal point in the development of strategy. McGregor has been emphatic that proactive participation of the workforce in the decision making is imperative for

How the writing about skateboarding reflects the views of Essay

How the writing about skateboarding reflects the views of skateboarders - Essay Example Skateboarders have always viewed the sport this way. On the other hand, if you ask non-skateboarders about what they think of skateboarding the responses will vary. Society’s perception of skateboarding is always changing. The early writings about skateboarding show that society’s appreciation for the sport outweighed the public’s frustrations with skateboarders. By the late 1980’s when skateboarding showed resurgence, writings about skateboarding voiced frustrations with the skateboarding culture and even tried to deter people from skateboarding. Today there still exists some negative stereotypes from the past, but society is more careful when writing about skateboarding. To examine the changing perception of skateboarding, this essay examines writings about skateboarding in the late seventies, and late eighties (both eras had a resurgence of popularity to the sport) then the present date, to illustrate the changing views of the activity. Technological ad vances in the design of the skateboard in the 1970’s created an explosion of new skateboarders around the world. As a result, the skill level of skateboarders progressed quickly. Skateboarding was just beginning to become recognized as a sport in the late 1970’s. This resulted in skateboarding companies flourishing. Skateboards, skateboarding paraphernalia, and plenty of skateboarding magazines emerged. The skateboarding magazines eager to profit from this new sport would have to be careful with their treatment, as to make it appealing to young skateboarders, but also write cautiously about the problems associated with skateboarding. One considers that an article ‘There’s more than one shiny pebble on Brighton Beach’ (1977) discussed the planning stages of a skateboarding club. Still, they only briefly mention the problems associated with skateboarding, noting â€Å"there was a general discussion about the new sport – its popularity and its problems.† Although, one may find articles in skateboarding magazines that mention that skateboarding has its problems, it is very difficult to find any articles which go into detail about those problems. This article is selective in how it chooses the material to present the problems associated with skateboarding because during the late 70’s skateboarding was just beginning to gain popularity. The explosion of many new skateboarders meant lots of new skateboards and skateboard paraphernalia to be sold. Hence, skateboarding magazines would have been cautious in what they choose to portray. When this article refers to trouble making kids they say are inferring that the group prevents them from causing trouble. The articles notes It’s all worth it and very refreshing for those of us involved. Kids who are normally out in the streets aren’t – they come skateboarding with us instead. We get some of the young hoods with us but they never cause trouble. A ll they want to do is skateboard – and that’s why it’s so rewarding. (para. 6) When this article refers to kids who cause trouble being when there out on the streets, it does not go into to detail about those problems. The article illustrates how it is rewarding to see the group have a positive effect on the youth, as it keeps them out of trouble. Since skateboarding was only beginning to gain popularity during the late 1970’s, it is possible that the general public was not entirely frustrated with skateboarders yet. Teeter (1979) further expands the discussion on skateboarding, in a newspaper article from the Lethbridge Herald. This article is also only slightly suggestive of the public’s frustrations with skateboardin

Anti-poverty practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Anti-poverty practice - Essay Example A 'theory of social work' would aim at developing the participant's ability to build a foundation about human social functioning from which they can continue to analyse and integrate theories from many sources that emphasise social, biological, psychological, and cultural factors in human life.( Dominelli, L, 2004). The theoretical apparatus for social work may include applying theories to understand and explain persons in their environment; identifying, appreciating, criticizing, and comparing social paradigms, particularly with regard to the manner in which they sustain and constrain theories on development and interaction; integrating theories for advancing social work practice and policy; assessing the social effects of different theories, transferring learning across various settings, and forming a unified framework for social work; evaluating the influence of social paradigms on oneself as a social worker; and by identifying world views that affect one's beliefs, actions, and i nteractions and reflecting on their consequences for social work with different mandates, groups, and settings. Social work is generally considered as being 'dedicated' to enhancing human life locally, nationally and globally by that builds on client system strengths and empowerment abilities. The practice is geared to rural and indigenous populations and is focused on improving social and economic justice with at-risk populations. Social workers must be able to promote efforts to develop and improve human services in a variety of settings; to enhance practitioners' ability to work with diverse clients; to promote active efforts to address poverty, structural racism, and oppression; and to contribute to the development of knowledge and scholarly work reflecting rural knowledge and practice that flows from local to international contexts. Social work practice is a process intended to assist people in need or to respond to human needs. The 'mission' of a social worker may be expressed as the following goals: to practice as generalist social workers with knowledge, values, and skills for working with diverse client systems of various sizes in rural settings; to understand and work effectively with diverse populations, especially those indigenous to the area in which he/she works; to promote continued professional development and enhancement of knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work practice; and to provide service to the community and promote social and economic justice. (Wood and Tully, 2006) Social work and poverty The social work profession's roots are entwined with poverty from the time of the Elizabethan Poor Laws in England which are usually cited as the first attempts at the policy of poverty management, to the present-day's "welfare reform" measures. Although the term "poverty" can be applied to relative depletion of any resource--of the spirit, of health, of attitude-- the term usually refers to economic poverty. Social workers' efforts with respect to those who are poor and the circumstances that produce poverty have been to mitigate the impact of poverty on people as well as to develop policies that prevent poverty. Their concern with poverty

Research Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research - Article Example The purpose of this research is to explore the efficacy and sustainability of instructional coaching for teachers of diverse learners. The research question for the study was are teachers, of an institution designed for students from low-income areas, multilingual, and multicultural located in a large district with high economic disparities, efficient when providing instructional coaching intervention. Data was collected using mixed methods, whereby qualitative data was used to explore quantitative data collected from a quasi-experimental study with 36 urban elementary teachers participating. The results showed that teachers were positive about the benefits of instructional coaching to students from low income and multicultural societies (Teemant, 2014). The purpose of this research is to explore the implications for the development of supportive multicultural programs of learning at universities. The question that the research sought to answer was how learning institutions emphasize diversity enough in a multicultural society. Data was collected from 19 new GTA instructors, who completed the training. However, only 12 provided feedbacks. The results showed that instructors preferred removing barriers to integrating diversity issues into the educational experience of all students (Elicker, 2009). The purpose of this study is to develop necessary competencies to implement successfully culturally responsive teaching amongst teachers in their classrooms.

Project Management Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project Management Theory - Essay Example They had success utilizing this system to develop new products. Currently work breakdown structure is a valuable technique in the project management field. WBS can be defined as a deliverable or product orientated grouping of project work elements shown in graphical display to organize and subdivide the total work scope of a project (U.S. Department of Energy, 2003). It is a tremendous tool that provides a work layout plan that can be utilized for scheduling, budgeting and to create time estimates for different tasks. A project manager has to develop a work breakdown structure with the following characteristics: definable, manageable, estimating capacity, independent, easy to integrate, measurable and adaptable (U.S. Department of Energy, 2003). The WBS is divided in different levels. Each succeeding levels provides more detail about the work to be performed during the project. The Work breakdown structure also provides a numeric value beside each element that represents the proportion of total work for that work task. There is a rule called â€Å"The 100% Rule† which stipulates that the sum of all numeric values can not exceed a 100. The project scope is a descriptive guideline of the overall content of the project. The project scope management plan provides details of the actions necessary to prepare the work breakdown structure (Anticlue, 2007). An organizational project assets is a history log of a company’s previous projects. The WBS dictionary describes individually the meaning of each component. A simple project scope statement for the trade show project could be: The trade show project provides an opportunity to showcase our variety of products to new potential customers, collect valuable customer feedback and obtain sales for the company. The WBS created for the project is composed on five components in the level two diagram. Out of these five work components sales

Premarital Cohabitation Essay Example for Free

Premarital Cohabitation Essay Over the past 30 years countries have experienced a phenomenon that has raised many questions about the future of the institution of marriage. Western societies, such as the United States, Canada, and countries in Western Europe have witnessed a virtual explosion in the number of unmarried cohabitating couples. Quite a number of studies have been done to research what effect, if any, this trend has on the subsequent marriage, and how does this affect any children as a result of this union. According to some estimates, since the 1970s, the number of couples that live together has more than tripled. However, there are two sides to the story – one, proposes that premarital cohabitation is like a trial marriage and allows people to eventually marry the one they are more comfortable and compatible with. The other point of view is that premarital cohabitation leads to a higher divorce rate in the society and may also have other negative effects. However, research suggests that there is little merit to the claim that cohabitation effectively serves as a trial marriage. Furthermore, studies indicate that premarital cohabitation is actually detrimental because it leads to higher divorce rates and dissolution of marriage. Why Would People Prefer to Cohabit To understand the effects of cohabitation it is necessary to review why people cohabit in the first place. About 50% of cohabitating individuals express the belief that living together without is a way to determine compatibility before getting married. Based on the premise that premarital cohabitation allows couples to determine compatibility, this practice should result in more stable marriages. However, evidence suggests that the contrary is true. Cohabitation is linked to lower levels of marital satisfaction. Couples who previously lived together are reported to spend less time together in shared activities. They report higher levels of marital disagreement, less supportive behavior, less problem-solving, more marital problems, and greater perceived likelihood of marital dissolution (Amato 2003). Premarital Cohabitation Leads to Higher Divorce Rates Research has shown that cohabitation is extremely unstable. For example, Canada has experienced a ninefold increase in the numbers of cohabitating couples, as well as a fourfold increase in the number of divorces over the past 30 years. Recent studies have not only indicated that cohabitation is negatively linked to marital stability, but studies also indicate that living in common law is related to a decrease in quality of marriage (Hall 1995). In a survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies Family Formation Project showed that after 5 years of being married, 13 per cent of those who had cohabited before marriage would divorce, versus six per cent of non-cohabiters. Ten years later, the difference increased to 26 per cent for those who had cohabited and 14 per cent for those who had not. After 20 years, there was a further increase of 56 per cent of people who had cohabited versus 27 per cent of those who had not (Weston 2007). Many reasons are cited for the resulting instability and the higher divorce rate among former couples who formerly cohabitated. Cohabitators are thought to hold more unconventional values and attitudes than those who marry without cohabitating. Those who cohabitate are thought to have a weaker commitment to marriage in general, or they may have higher expectations about the quality of marriage than those who do not cohabitate. Cohabitators are also thought to have socioeconomic or personality characteristics that are linked to higher likelihood of union dissolution (Dourleijn 2006). Among these socioeconomic and personality factors which are thought to be linked to higher instances of marital dissolution are parental divorce, less education, lower income, premarital pregnancy and childbirth, being non-white, and having had a previous divorce (Cohan 2002). According to research conducted and published in the American Sociological Review, it was concluded that Overall association exists between premarital cohabitation and subsequent marital instability. The dissolution rates of women who cohabit premaritally with their future spouse are, on average, nearly 80 percent higher than the rates of those who do not. (Bennett, Blanc, and Bloom 1988). Based on the US data, researchers have shown that ‘marriages that are preceded by living together have 50 per cent higher disruption rates than marriages without premarital cohabitation. In Sweden, researched showed that cohabiters were more likely to divorce even if the period of marriage is counted from the beginning of cohabitation. A subsequent study also found that premarital cohabitation, regardless of the nature or reason; it is associated with an increased risk of marital instability. Based on the work of Bennett, Blanc and Bloom (1987) whose findings correspond with previous findings, the following conclusions can be made: knowing that cohabiters and non-cohabiters differ in the sense of higher risk of divorce, the researchers set about to explore if there are other characteristics which were unique to these two groups, or a factor which can show that it is not premarital cohabitation alone which leads to higher divorce rate. While no one factor was found to support the argument that cohabitation caused the difference, researchers did not find a characteristic to dispute the argument. According to their data sample, women who cohabited were younger than those who did not. They are also more likely to have had a premarital conception, and were twice as likely to have had a premarital birth. For those who marry at a young age, or who have had a premarital birth have higher divorce rates. However, the first birth within a marriage has a stabilizing effect, and for these couples divorce rates are one quarter lower. These results are consistent with previous research. In 1985, it was found that for every year of age an adult attains before marrying, the risk of dissolution decreases by 16%. Education achieved for women is negatively related with the possibility of divorce. However, for this aspect other factors may also be involved. When social background was considered, similar findings were found. Social background is measured by using the occupation of the main breadwinner in the household. This factor indicates level of education achieved, parent’s marital status etc. It was found that women in households with a white collar worker as the breadwinner had higher divorce rates than other women. Another interesting finding concerns the duration of how long the couple have been together. The researchers assume that people who cohabit can be roughly divided into two groups: those who believe in the institution of marriage, and those who don’t. In such a case, the less committed group should be seen to have higher divorce rates. This should be observable if the relationship between cohabitation and dissolution should decrease with increase in duration. This is proved by the data researchers had collected. Their findings show that for up to two years of marriage the divorce rates of people who had cohabited before was almost three times. This reduced to twice for people who were married for two to eight years. After eight years, the differences in divorce rates of cohabiters and non-cohabiters are statistically insignificant. Thus one interpretation of this is the fact that people who cohabit have characteristics that make them more likely to have higher chances of a divorce. Another finding points to the fact that women who cohabit premaritally for more than three years have a 54 percent higher divorce rate than those who have cohabitated for shorter periods of time. This is because the former groups of people have such characteristics which make them less willing to commit. These include valuing one’s independence and being more self-reliant (Bennett 1987). Other Adverse Effects The increase in the rate of premarital cohabitation raises important concerns about the institution of marriage from a societal perspective. One concern is that individuals may find cohabitation to be an attractive arrangement and will be more likely to view marriage as undesirable. Another concern is that the high rate of dissolution among couples will reinforce the view that â€Å"intimate relationships are fragile and temporary,† thereby reducing the view within society that marriage is a rewarding lifetime commitment. In addition, research shows that cohabitation is linked to delayed marriage, an increase in nonmarital fertility, less commitment to marriage, and greater approval of divorce and nonmarital cohabitation. Furthermore, societies which have experienced a sharp increase in premarital cohabitation rates have also experienced an upward trend in divorce, premarital sex, and premarital pregnancy rates, while marriage and marital fertility rates have declined (Balakrishnan 1995). Conclusion: Although a number of individuals believe that cohabitation provides a means by which couples may determine their compatibility before getting married, there is a vast body of strong evidence that suggests otherwise. Married couples who previously lived together report high levels of marital disagreement, spend less time together, and are more likely believe that their marriage will end in dissolution. These couples tend to be less supportive of each other, and they institute fewer problem solving skills. Cohabitation has been linked to lower commitment levels among couples, diminished views on the marital relationship in general, and a higher divorce rate. These ill effects are directly linked to the cohabitation trend, which has exploded over the course of the past few decades. Researchers believe that cohabitation leads to unstable marriages because those who cohabitate tend to have weaker commitment to marriage in general, or they may have higher expectations for the quality of married life. Cohabitators are also more likely to hold unconventional views on marriage. It has also been observed that those who cohabitate tend to have other socioeconomic and individual characteristics that are linked to a higher rate of marriage dissolution. In addition to the higher divorce rate that seems to be directly related to the dramatic increase in cohabitation, other undesirable effects have also resulted. Societies that have experienced a surge in premarital or nonmarital cohabitation have also seen a sharp increase in premarital pregnancies, delayed marriage, and greater acceptance and approval of divorce and nonmarital cohabitation.

Cult Practices in Cyprus During the Late Bronze Age

Cult Practices in Cyprus During the Late Bronze Age Assess the evidence for cult practices on Cyprus during the LBA (Late Bronze Age). There is a variety of evidence for cult practices on Cyprus during the LBA although it is often difficult to interpret and scholarly opinion of the significance or meaning of any particular piece of evidence may vary widely. In absolute terms, the LBA on Cyprus approximately covers the period from 1650-1050BC, some six hundred years, and in relative terms is divided by Steel into the phases LC (Late Cypriot) I-IIIA (Tatton-Brown 1997, 91; Steel 2004, 13). The later phase down to c1050BC, traditionally termed LCIIIB, may be considered a transitional Bronze/Early Iron Age. Such a considerable amount of time offers considerable scope for change in religious thought and practice, which may be more or less visible in the archaeological record, and although some material change through time may be observable, any interpretation still poses the danger of imposing a possibly non-existent uniformity on the material. A lack of any written references such as inscriptions, dedications or other t exts to deities in LBA Cyprus further complicates matters (Tatton-Brown 1997, 62). Nevertheless, the archaeological evidence usually discussed in terms of religious or cultic beliefs and practices in LBA Cyprus seems to fall into several interlinked categories: clay figurines, architectural remains (eg of sanctuaries) and artefacts, such as statuettes, imported pottery or bucrania, found in association with those architectural remains. The identification of any particular deities has been fraught with difficulty, but several bronze statuettes, the most well-known being known as the Ingot God and the Bomford figurine, are often thought to represent Cypriot or sometimes foreign gods and to show a link between cult and metalworking. This essay shall therefore examine these in turn, focussing on LCII and LCIIIA in particular. There are various types of figurine from LBA Cyprus and as with figurines from elsewhere, their interpretation and significance is disputed. Considering the earlier stump and plank type human figures, Tatton-Brown (1997, 62) suggests that whether they were fertility charms or goddesses ‘in practical terms their function would have been the same’. It is perhaps appropriate to bear this in mind with the LBA figurines. Karageorghis (2001, 323) has noted two types of female symbolism in the religious iconography of LBA Cyprus: one type of nude female figurine holding or supporting her breasts first appears on Cyprus in the Chalcolithic and continues down to the sixth century BC (see Tatton-Brown 1997, 49, fig. 49); another type, the kourotrophos (or boy-feeder; see Tatton-Brown 1997, 62 fig. 67 for an early plank-shaped kourotrophos) appeared firstly in the LBA and was also present in the Aegean as well as Cyprus. The former are sometimes known as ‘Astarte’ type figures, after the Syrian goddess. This emphasis on female characteristics such as breasts and genitals, as well as the feeding infant or infant in arms, is certainly suggestive of an interest in fertility and the feminine aspect, often thought to be represented by a ‘Great Goddess’ of Cyprus. Although there is no textual evidence regarding female deities from LBA Cyprus, much later fourth century BC dedications at Paphos refer to ‘Wanassa’ – the ‘Lady’, which seems to be an old title known in the LBA Linear B record of mainland Greece (Tatton-Brown 1997, 63). Greeks knew this goddess as Aphrodite or the Cyprian in the eighth century BC while Cypriots knew her as the Paphian, from the religious centre at Paphos. Whatever the female figurines represent – and they may not even represent goddesses, it has nevertheless been concluded that anthropomorphic clay figurines ‘are not a typical element of LC cult equipment in LCII or LCIII’ but become popular towards the end of the LBA (Steel 2004, 205, 211). Indeed, it seems that especially at Enkomi in LCIIIB, in the Sanctuary of the Ingot God, smaller and larger figurines (wheel-made with upraised arms) became especially popular, perhaps representing worshippers and deities. The larger figurines seem to be related to Cretan examples (Karageorghis 2001, 325). Most of the 120 figurines were deliberately broken, which may be indicative of changes in cult practice at this time (Webb 1999, 107). Anthropomorphic figurines are not the only type of figurine that may be related to cult practices on LBA Cyprus. Another key type may be the bull figurine. Steel (2004, 178) suggests that ‘most LC cult sanctuaries are equipped with at least a single terracotta bull figure.’ Hadjisavvas (1989) describes the tentative identification of two sanctuaries and a household cult area at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris from LCIIC-IIIA, where in total more than ten bull figurines were found on floors (see Hadjisavvas 1989, 38 fig. 3.6). Evidence of metalworking and a miniature ox-hide ingot were also found associated. Since bull figurines tend to be found on the floors of sanctuaries rather than deposited in pits (bothroi) or wells, Webb suggests they served as cult equipment rather than offerings (Webb 1999, 219). Bucrania had appeared on clay sanctuary models from the Early Bronze Age testifying to the longstanding significance of the bull in the Cypriot mindscape (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999, 202) and the LBA figures emphasise the continuing importance of the bull in LCIIIA cult practices, reflected in the finds of cattle bones and skulls at sites such as the Sanctuary of the Horned God at Enkomi (Steel 2004, 205). It may be significant that at several sites, including the Sanctuary of the Double Goddess at Enkomi, no bull figurines were found. The focus of communal ceremonial activity seems to have changed in LCIIA from the extramural cemeteries that seemed to dominate the ceremonial of LCI to sites specific to religious activity – sanctuaries, that now appear in the archaeological record (Steel 2004, 175). There are notable examples of specialised cult centres from LCIIA at Myrtou-Pighades, Athienou and perhaps Ayios Iakovos-Dhima and in LCIIC-IIIA at the urban centres of Kition, Enkomi and Palaepaphos (Steel 2004, 176). As seen above, the religious nature of a place may often be suggested by the finds associated with it, such as bull figurines or miniature ingots, supposing that they are a specialised assemblage distinct from domestic assemblages. Particular architectural features or installations, such as horns of consecration (a feature from the Aegean, particularly Crete), altars and a cult room, may also be used to identify LC sanctuaries. The remains of sacrifice, stores cult objects and images and specialise d prestige and religious objects, such as figurines, bucrania and imported pottery should also be indicative of a sanctuary (Knapp 1996, 75-6 cited in Steel 2004, 175). However, the identification of cult buildings is not always straightforward since as Webb (1999, 11) points out ‘there appear to be few artefacts or architectural or locational indicators exclusively diagnostic of cult activity. Virtually all object types, with the probable exception of horns of consecration, are found in domestic and funerary as well as apparently ritual contexts’ and there is a danger of circular argumentation. Bearing in mind the problems of identification, Webb (1999, 157-6; 166-88) has nevertheless suggested a number of characteristics of LC cult buildings. Such buildings are mostly rectangular and freestanding and incorporate an enclosed courtyard or temenos. They tend to be laid out on an east-west axis and often comprise two or three units of rooms – the hall, sometimes supported by rows of pillars, the cella or adyton and a vestibule. A range of internal installations may be present, including: benches, for storage and display; hearths, often with burnt animal bone suggestive of sacrifice; stone podia for food and drink offerings or the display of votives or cult equipment; stone platforms or altars with horns of consecration, as at Myrtou-Pighades; terracotta larnakes or bathtubs and pits or bothroi, for the disposal of debris from sacrifices. Also characteristic of LCII cult places are faunal remains of sheep, goat, cattle and deer, perhaps in the form of ash and burnt bone, the remains of sacrifice and feasting. The main function of cult buildings may have been to house the deity and any ritual or public assembly may have made use of the courtyard or temenos area (Webb 1999, 162). There may have been restricted access to particular areas reflecting the specialised role of religious functionaries, as in other ancient Near Eastern societies. Keswani (1993, 74) has commented that what is striking about LC religious sites is their diversity in architectural form, which might argue for the existence of independent local polities. However the relationship between religion and its expression in material terms, let alone the relationship between religion and politics, is unclear and, to use an analogy, the similarity of Gothic cathedrals or Christian churches across various countries does not reflect political unity. Furthermore, whether the modern scholar’s distinction between cult building and non-cult building reflects any particular distinction bet ween sacred and secular that may or may not have existed in LBA Cyprus is moot. Turning now to the artefacts that are often found in the sanctuaries, Steel (2004, 177) notes that in contrast to the variety in architecture, the cult equipment of LCII sanctuaries is fairly uniform. Although she comments that this may suggest ‘a certain degree of uniformity of cult practices and religious beliefs’ it should be borne in mind that material similarities and even similarities of ritual action do not necessarily betoken similarities in religious belief – the number of religions ancient and modern that utilise, for example, ritualised drinking (eg Christianity), while having very different sets of beliefs, should warn us of this. That said, the cult equipment is largely made up of ceramics that suggest certain features of cult practice. Liquid containers are common finds, especially Base Ring carinated cups which may have been used for wine consumption during feasting, for pouring libations or both (Steel 2004, 177). The pottery in these contexts is u sually fine Cypriot ware with some Mycenaean imports, mainly in the form of kraters, probably for mixing wine. Some Mycenaean rhyta, often conical vessels used for pouring libations, have been found, for example at Myrtou-Pighades and Kition (see Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999, 201 fig. 134) and a locally made imitation in ivory was found at Athienou, although they may not have been fully incorporated into Cypriot ritual (Steel 2004, 178). Other vessels such as Mycenanaean kylikes may have been used for libation ceremonies. The ceramic focus on drinking seems reminiscent of the mainland Greek LBA palace of Pylos, with its storerooms full of drinking cups. Another shared feature is the practice of using miniature votives, either ceramics or ingots, such as at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris (Hadjisavvas 1989, 38). Apart from ceramics, Steel (2004, 178) also mentions the presence of objects that may have been used in divination: incised ox-scapulae, astragalis and worked shells, and other valuabl e items such as faience, ivory, glass, alabaster, bronzes and sealstones, which may have been involved in competitive display, at least on the urban sanctuaries. Three of the most famous and enigmatic bronze finds, perhaps representing deities, are the Ingot God from Enkomi, the unprovenanced Bomford statuette and the Horned God from Enkomi, all of which would seem to belong to LCIIIA (Carless Hulin 1989; Steel 2004, 180, 205 plate 25). The Ingot God is a warrior with a horned helmet, holding a small round shield and spear. He appears to be standing on a characteristically shaped bronze ox-hide ingot. The Bomford statuette resembles an ‘Astarte’ figurine but also seems to stand upon an ingot. Many interpretations have been offered, including suggestions that the Ingot God is a Babylonian or Levantine god (Nergal) or the Greek smith-god Hephaistos; others have linked it with Syria-Palestine or the Aegean (Carless Hulin 1989, 127). The Bomford figurine, reckoned to be a local Cypriot goddess, has been assumed to be the consort of the Ingot God, since it also stands on an ingot, and thus Carless Hulin (1989, 127) has suggested that its identification must be seen in light of that figure. While these two figures have posed significant problems in interpretation and in particular origins as deduced from style have been a major concern of those examining them, they do seem to show a connection between religion and metalwork (Steel 2004, 180). This is not entirely surprising since such a link is suggested by the miniature ingots from cult areas mentioned above at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris or those from Enkomi, some with inscriptions. Further representations of ingots have been noted that seem to show them in a ritualised sense – ie being carried in a procession (unless this is mere transportation or loading), on sealstones, and in combination with human figures, trees and bucrania, the association of which would seem to indicate ritual significance (Knapp 1986, 37). Another link between religion and metalwork is shown by the physical proximity of cult and metalworking areas. This was the case at Alassa-Pano M andilaris (Hadjisavvas 1989, 41) and can be seen clearly at Kition-Kathari (see Steel 2004, 179 fig. 6.13) as well as many other sites. Hadjisavvas (1989, 41) concluded that there was a relationship between elite control (priesthood/priest-king) of craft production and trade in copper and other commodities and between cult and metalworking. As with drinking, the relationship seems reminiscent of that of Pylos as a specialised production centre with close links between production, storage and religious/political authority. The Horned God has also been classed as a warrior god (Steel 2004, 205), though it does not possess the military accoutrements (the spear and shield) of the Ingot God. The impractically horned helmet may in fact be arrogating or representing some aspect of the bull divinity in human aspect. The sanctuary of the Horned God at Enkomi in fact revealed cattle bones, skulls and possibly traces of an Aegean bull’s head rhyton that might be taken as supporting this conjecture. Although these three bronze figures are commonly referred to as gods, the problem of interpretation nonetheless remains. Do the statues represent deities and were they venerated? Are they votives or substitutes for worshippers or individuals? Perhaps they were simply items of cult equipment used in ceremonies, perhaps revealed during ceremonies of divine appearance or the enactment of myths. Their deposition seems to suggest deliberate closure ceremonies (Steel 2004, 206), suggesting that these rituals and stat uettes are tied to specific times in LBA Cyprus and presumably responded to specific social needs. Thus it is perhaps unwise to draw period wide generalisations from such evidence. Another type of evidence appearing in LCIII that should be mentioned briefly is the terracotta masks from the urban sanctuaries of Enkomi and Kition (Steel 2004, 204). These have been divided into anthropomorphic and demonic types, both of which are slightly less than adult life size. Some have traces of paint and eight of the anthropomorphic masks show a bearded male with cut-out eyes and a closed mouth. The demonic faces are deeply grooved. The masks have been interpreted as ritual objects worn during rites of passage from childhood to adulthood – the demonic masks representing the wild state of childhood and as masks used in mythological re-enactments connected to metalworking (Steel 2004, 205). This essay has attempted to outline and assess the evidence for cult practice in LBA Cyprus. Inevitably not all of the evidence has been mentioned here but it is hoped that reasonable coverage has been given to the main points. It has shown that while there is much evidence linked to cult in the LBA, such as figurines, sanctuaries and specialised artefacts, their interpretation is often problematic. Even when it is fairly certain that items may have been involved in cult in one way or another, any more specific comment is often impossible, even when deciding if a figurine represent a divinity. It has also been demonstrated that to link variety in architectural form to any interpretation of the political geography of LBA Cyprus may be problematic, since the wider relationships between material and non-material remain obscure. Furthermore, the essay examined the significance of several bronze statuettes, usually taken to be divinities, and the problems in their interpretation as well a s the novel terracotta masks that appear in LCIII. On the other hand, it has been shown that there seems to have been lively religious activity on LBA Cyprus that involved drinking and feasting using particular ceramics and in particular places, the pouring of libations and sacrifice of animals, as well as the deposition of valuable items. There seems to have been a particular reverence for bulls and their imagery as well as the female aspect represented by figurines and the Bomford statuette, as well as a significant link between metalworking and religion, as demonstrated by both the proximity of cult and metalworking areas and the presence of miniature ingots. Another important aspect of LBA Cypriot religion seems to be the willingness to incorporate features from outside Cyprus, the Cretan horns of consecration, for example, rhyta, Mycenaean cups, kraters and the like and the ability of Cypriot religion to change over time. References Carless Hulin, L. 1989. The identification of Cypriot cult figures through cross-cultural comparison: some problems. In Peltenburg, E. (ed.) 1989. Early Society in Cyprus. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp127-39. Hadjisavvas, S. 1989. A Late Cypriot Community at Alassa. In Peltenburg, E. (ed.) 1989. Early Society in Cyprus. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp32-42. Karageorghis, V. 2001. The Great Goddess of Cyprus Between the Aegeans and the ‘Etrocypriots’. In Laffineur, R. and Hagg, R. (eds.) 2001. POTNIA. Deities and Religion in the Aegean Bronze Age Aegaeum 22. Gà ¶teborg: Gà ¶teborg University pp323-27. Keswani, P.S. 1993. Models of Local Exchange in Late Bronze Age Cyprus. BASOR 292: 73-83. Knapp, A.B. 1986. Copper Production and Divine Protection: Archaeology, Ideology and Social Complexity on Bronze Age Cyprus. SIMA Pocketbook 42. Gà ¶teborg: Paul Astrà ¶ms Fà ¶rlag. Preziosi, D. and Hitchcock, L.A. 1999. Aegean Art and Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Steel, L. 2004. Cyprus Before History. From the Earliest Settlers to the End of the Bronze Age. London: Duckworth. Tatton-Brown, V. 1997. Ancient Cyprus. (2nd edition) London: British Museum Press. Webb, J.M. 1999. Ritual Architecture, Iconography and Practice in the Late Cypriot Bronze Age. Jonsered: Paul Astrà ¶ms Fà ¶rlag.