bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural correlations between dermoscopic and histopathological features of juvenile xanthogranuloma
Authors: Song M , Kim S‐H , Jung D‐S , Ko H‐C , Kwon K‐S , Kim M‐B
Published: August 2010

Juvenile xanthogranuloma(JXG) is the variant of non‐Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis. The orange‐yellow background coloration with clouds of paler yellow deposits is the most characteristic dermoscopic finding of JXG. Other dermoscopic features include erythematous border, subtle pigment network and white linear streak. The objective of this study was to present the structural correlation between dermoscopic features and histopathological findings of JXG and to find the different dermoscopic features in various stages of JXG. Eleven patients with histologically proven JXG were examined with polarized light dermoscopy. Histopathological findings were assessed and dermoscopic features including setting sun appearance, clouds of paler yellow globules, whitish streak, and branched and linear vessels were evaluated. Among 11 patients, five patients were in early evolutionary stage, four patients in fully developed stage and two in late regressive stage. The setting sun appearance was found in all patients in different stages except one in late regressive stage (90.9%). The clouds of paler yellow globules were present in nine patients (81.8%) and were constant features in fully developed stage and late regressive stage. The whitish streak was present in four patients (36.4%) and telangiectasia in 10 patients (81.8%). The setting sun appearance may hold diagnostic value in early evolutionary stage to fully developed stage, but not in late regressive stage. The clouds of paler yellow globules are more predominant in fully developed stage and late regressive stage. In addition to the use of dermoscopy as an accurate diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis, it could be applied in evaluation of histopathological maturation of JXG.
Book Reviews
Authors: Duncan M. , Fraser W. I. , Baillie Rita M. , Myers S. O. , Baldock Winston
Published: August 2010

Book reviewed in this article:

Integration or Segregation — the Choice in Practice

“A Survey of Scottish Adult Training Centres” Stephen Jackson Margaret Struthers

Starting and Running a Group Home Priscilla Reeve with a Foreword by Cicely McCall

Christopher — a silent life by Margaret Brock

Whose Children?
SELF CONCEPT AND SUBNORMALITY
Authors: CRAWFORD NICK
Published: August 2010

There has been a growing interest in the U.S.A. in the self‐concept of the mentally retarded which has resulted in a considerable amount of research. In the United Kingdom there has been very little work done in this field and results, so far, contradict the American findings. This article looks at self concept, the evidence of research and questions some of the implications for the severely subnormal.
The North Wales Guardianship Scheme
Authors: Craft Michael
Published: August 2010

Guardianship is here defined as continuous community care for the long term handicapped. For many the time span will be from cradle to grave. Excluded, therefore, by our definition are those who leave hospital for life in the community, sufficienctly recovered to make their own way and look after their own affairs. This article describes one pattern of care for the handicapped developed over thirteen years in North Wales.
THE RIGHT OF A MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON TO A HOME, TO EDUCATION AND TO SOCIALISATION: a case for exclusion from the Mental Health Act, 1959
Authors: GOSTIN LARRY O.
Published: August 2010

The most important aspect of any health service legislation is adequate classification of the service eligible clientele. The problems and solutions it poses can only be measured by the way in which it meets their needs. The Mental Health Act, 1959 devised an arbitrary classification, “mental disorder”, which includes three disparate populations — those suffering from mental illness, psychopathic disorder and subnormality — which have entirely different characteristics. They should therefore never have been considered for legislative purposes as a homogeneous group.

The theme of this paper is that the Mental Health Act was intended to meet the needs of the psychiatrically ill, mentally handicapped people being merely included without separate and detailed consideration.
NON‐MALICIOUS ABSCONDING IN A MENTALLY HANDICAPPED WOMAN: SHORT‐TERM SUCCESS BUT LONG‐TERM PROBLEMS
Authors: LOWRIE CHRISTINE , BANNER SUE , CULLEN CHRIS
Published: August 2010

Sometimes, the environment in which mentally handicapped people live is primarily responsible for some particular problem behaviour. We would like to present a situation where this seemed to be the case and to describe a procedure which helped initially to alleviate the problem but which, in the long‐term, proved to be of limited usefulness. This was due, we believe, to difficulties inherent in many of our hospitals for the mentally handicapped, which are discussed below.
An evaluation of short‐term hostel care for severely mentally handicapped children
Authors: Vaughan P. J.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY: Short‐term care for mentally handicapped children is proving to be a valuable resource in helping families keep such children at home. An evaluation of a hostel offering such care showed that irregularity of use was a problem but also offered an opportunity of extending such care to the 16–19 years age group. Families were found to be very relieved to have the use of such a facility and much preferred it to similar care in a hospital setting.
A SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR THE PROFOUNDLY HANDICAPPED CHILD
Authors: BAKER MIKE , JUPP KEN , MYLAND EILEEN , THURLOW OWEN
Published: August 2010

The authors, all experienced hospital school teachers in Essex, feel that it is both possible and necessary to educate the profoundly handicapped child, rather than merely mind him. They have devised a basic teaching programme which can be used with the most severely handicapped of the ESN(S) school population.
A model for maintaining ward‐based goal planning
Authors: WILLIAMS PAUL , ANDERSON TERRY , DAVISON RENEE , REID MARGARET
Published: August 2010

Castle Priory College, the staff training centre of the Spastics Society, is increasingly taking courses out to hospitals, schools and centres. One such course is a workshop on goal planning, taught by Paul Williams, based on the work of Peter Houts and Robert Scott in Pennsylvania. Over two days, using lectures and practical exercises, a framework is taught to help direct‐care staff to set realistic short‐term goals for individual mentally handicapped people and to keep simple written records.

One of the main problems with any short course is maintaining enthusiasm, interest and action after its completion. This article describes an attempt to ensure this at Northgate Hospital.
Counselling services for nurses — a forgotten responsibility
Authors: BAILEY ROY
Published: August 2010

In this article I suggest that there is now an overdue case for increasing the provision of counselling services to nurses employed in the National Health Service (NHS). This view is grounded in what nurses are saying and doing about counselling, and occupational stress research in nursing.
After the course is over?
Authors: McCONKEY ROY
Published: August 2010

Training — like cod liver oil — is thought to be inherently good for you. Consequently, opportunities have mushroomed for staff from mental handicap services to attend training courses. Participants mostly find these courses enjoyable and stimulating; certainly preferable to taking cod liver oil!
A REWARD SCHEME: for patients in mental handicap hospitals
Authors: HOWELL HILARY , MAY ARTHUR E.
Published: August 2010

A system of payment to patients working in mental handicap hospitals is described. Adapted from the Netherne Industrial Pay Scheme, it has been running for four years. It presents few administrative difficulties and is felt by staff and patients to have some incentive value.
Language and mentally handicapped children: WHY SCHOOLS FAIL
Authors: BELL IAN P.
Published: August 2010

There seems to be a growing feeling amongst teachers of mentally handicapped children that their schools are ill‐equipped to foster the language development of their pupils. This has arisen because many pupils appear to learn and use more language skills at home than at school. This article examines some possible reasons for this: the often inadequate relationships between staff and children; the poor furnishings; the fact that staff share too few experiences with pupils; the failure to allow children to choose and to control their school life and the staff; the failure to use children's interests. Some of the solutions are quite easy, others difficult; but the purpose of this article is to highlight the problems, rather than to propose solutions.
STRESS: in work with mentally handicapped people
Authors: Spencer Douglas A.
Published: August 2010

This paper considers stress in work with mentally handicapped people in hospital. Staff at Meanwood Park Hospital, were invited to contribute their thoughts on this subject. The significant points to emerge were: the nature of stress; the problems of uncertainty in roles; less structured hospital régimes; increasing expectations but inadequate resources; lack of esteem; difficulties with parents and relatives; interprofessional tensions; and dichotomies in attitudes and philosophies. Sensitivity meetings, more positive decisionmaking, and awareness of over‐commitment are suggested as possible approaches in coping with stress. Questions to be asked about stress in work are proposed.
Using the Makaton Vocabulary in early language training with a Down's baby: a single case study
Authors: Prevost Patricia A. Le
Published: August 2010

This single case study with a Down's baby is looking into the value of introducing a limited number of signs taken from the Makaton Vocabulary at a pre‐linguistic level. The results are being monitored to see if the addition of the visual symbol has any influence or effect on the child's emerging speech.
“Selected truth”
Authors: Spencer Douglas A.
Published: August 2010

Professional staff in the National Health Service tend to assume without question that the patients they meet are genuine, honest, and well‐intentioned in the problems that they present. The same applies to the parents and relatives of patients, and to professional associates. The large majority are, so that any rare exceptions appear almost incredible. In this respect interviews with doctors and other health workers differ from those with lawyers and the police where the veracity and goodwill of the client is not automatically taken for granted.

Downright deliberate dishonesty or premeditated manipulation of truth on the part of patients, their relatives, and people caring for them may be construed as reflecting some personality or psychiatric disorder. Milder forms and shades of “near truth”, “selected truth”, “graduated truth”, “white lies”, “exaggerated facts”, and data chosen for maximum impact, are more frequent and are probably not always suspected or detected.

In all communications between people, degrees of licence and flexibility are found, and are institutionalised in different societies and cultures. For example, it has been good manners in Britain not to be too outspoken or blunt, and to use understatement. This is reminiscent of Voltaire's “Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts.”

The term “graduated truth” is used in medical work when it is thought to be in the interests of the patient to deliberately and knowingly conceal or modify the truth. This paper considers some facets of services for mentally handicapped people where “graduated truth” is used in practice. These are: selectivity of data; differential behaviour; fabrication, fantasy and make‐believe; and patient management.
An approach to teaching profoundly multiply handicapped children
Authors: Rooke Philippa , Opel Patricia
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY: An attempt to extract certain basic principles underlying Conductive Education in order to construct a structured teaching programme suitable to the needs of profoundly multiply handicapped children.
Environmental constraints
Authors: Dalgleish Mary
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY: The evidence from this study of purpose‐built hostels and hospitals for mentally handicapped people suggests that accommodation for small groups of four to six clients in their own completely separate houses would be preferred by staff and be associated with a more “homelike” environment. Units which look like surrounding ordinary housing, avoiding unusual architectural features are more acceptable to neighbours. If several houses are to be sited together, careful consideration should be given to their positioning on the site and to the positioning of any boundary walls and gateways. To encourage participation in the community, local amenity accessibility and traffic‐hazards should be taken into account before a site is selected.
Home is Harlem
Authors: White Vicky , Harris John
Published: August 2010

Stolen cars, stripped down, burned out, on the side of the freeway. Two of them abandoned outside the precinct Police Station. Armed police on the subway platform. Subway trains covered in graffiti, inside and out. Tense, foreboding, menace on the streets. Harlem and the Bronx, New York. The real‐life world of films like “Fort Apache”.

A cluster of wheelchairs. Passers‐by pausing to chat. Banter and laughter. Relaxation. Harlem and the Bronx. Care in the community, in circumstances which would lead most of us to despair of surviving, let alone forging ahead with returning people, long‐institutionalised and with severe handicaps, to life in the community.
Portage: its extension and adaptation for use with adults
Authors: Tyerman Claire , Sewpaul Chundrika
Published: August 2010

Recently, rehabilitation of mildly and moderately handicapped people seems to have been at the forefront of concern. According to the DHSS in Care in the Community (1981), the increase in community facilities is to cater for the “less heavily dependent”. The implication is that, for the forseeable future, existing hospitals will be accommodating a higher proportion of severely mentally handicapped residents. It seems timely, therefore, to consider their future needs. Hence, the aim of this paper is to present a system for training severely mentally handicapped adults in a hospital setting.
The sexual rights of mentally handicapped people
Authors: Harvey Roger S.
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. This article examines the liberalisation of attitudes to the sexuality of mentally handicapped residents and draws attention to disparities in such attitudes as a function of professional status and other factors. Potential drawbacks are considered, as is an alternative model provided by the Swedish system.

The need for policy directives as an essential safeguard for staff working in mental handicap is examined, and suggestions are made as to the most appropriate sources, the legal implications, and the possible parameters of such directives.
A hospital‐based psychiatric unit for mentally handicapped adults
Authors: Day Kenneth
Published: August 2010

The organisation and functioning of a psychiatric unit for mentally handicapped adults established within a mental handicap hospital is described. Admissions over a five year period are analysed. Requirements for a comprehensive psychiatric service for mentally handicapped adults and youths are discussed.
Working together for change: involving clients, families, and staff in planning improvements in mental handicap services
Authors: Porterfield Jan , Evans Gerry , Blunden Roger
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY: A method of improving services for mentally handicapped people was developed which involved collaboration between families and staff. The method identified areas of service deficiency, introduced practical steps to improve the service, and monitored the effectiveness of the new procedures. This article briefly describes the use of this method in one mental handicap service and suggests that it could be more generally used within other services.
291 Harrow Road, W9
Authors: Grey George
Published: August 2010

291 Harrow Road is a community unit for people who are mentally handicapped. On a difficult inner‐city site, it has atttracted attention by its design, and the remarkable speed at which it was provided.
CLASSIFICATION OF TOYS
Authors: Green Charlotte , Bebbington Penny
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. This article describes and evaluates a flexible system for cataloguing toys in a community based toy library for children with mental handicaps. The toys are allocated into eight major categories according to psychological function.
SIXTEEN YEARS OF WRITING PRACTICE
Authors: Bardecki Adam
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. A young man, who is mentally handicapped, has been practising writing in block letters since adolescence, using backward chaining. In spite of this highly structured method, it can be shown that he exercises choice, especially in the way he forms letters out of strokes which date back to early childhood.
THE LANGUAGE OF REINFORCEMENT: A SOURCE OF CONFUSION?
Authors: Flynn Margaret C. , Whelan Edward , Speake Barbara
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. 100 people with mental handicaps attending adult training centres in the North West of England were asked to define the terms “good” and “bad”. Rating criteria were developed to accommodate the broad range and variety of responses, many of which appeared to be a function of training environments.
Behaviourism, real and imaginary:
Authors: Bentall Richard
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. This article critically assesses Tibbits' attack against the behavioural approach to therapy. By examining the philosophical roots of behaviourism it demonstrates that Tibbits' arguments are based upon serious misunderstandings about the philosophy of behaviourism and its humane application.
Microteaching
Authors: Dwyer Eamonn
Published: August 2010

SUMMARY. Follow‐up surveys of a CSS microteaching unit and three‐day microteaching workshops demonstrate that microteaching is a very useful instrument in staff development for instructors of adults with mental handicaps. It is a very versatile instrument which permits the production of a “self‐contained” video teaching package for use in inservice training.
Fear of dogs
Authors: Dixon Marion S. , Gunary Rachel M.
Published: August 2010

Adults living in a mental handicap hospital, for whom fear of dogs was a problem, were included in a group treatment programme. Treatment involved gradual desensitisation over a period of 21 weekly sessions, making use of video and modelling procedures, and exposure to four different dogs. At the end of treatment, the majority showed an increased ability to cope with dogs. This improvement was maintained after nine months in those who had the opportunity to practise.
Communication and language in mental handicap
Authors: Bell Ian
Published: August 2010

People involved in facilitating communication and language in children with mental handicaps often use questions to elicit language from them. Using questions is not always very effective. Their extensive use might even hinder acquisition of spontaneous, creative, and functional language. The previous article surveyed various types of questions and indicated those which might be useful in intervention. This article argues that short responses to questions are often appropriate and should be accepted, examines facilitators' reactions to children's responses, and notes that children need to learn to ask as well as to answer questions.
COUNT ME IN:
Authors: McEvoy John , McConkey Roy
Published: August 2010

Many students with mental handicaps fail to master basic counting and number skills, even after 10 years' schooling. It is suggested that making numbers meaningful, simplifying tasks, and making learning fun is essential. The use of number games, introduced in a planned way ensuring success at every stage, can aid the learning process.
A psychotherapy group for people with mental handicaps
Authors: Hodgetts David
Published: August 2010

A 10‐week feasibility study was conducted to ascertain the potential value of a loosely structured psychotherapy group for young adults with mental handicaps.

It was concluded that such a group, especially if held over a longer period, could provide a useful forum in which the adults could express their feelings and begin to come to terms with the issues that affect their everyday lives.
Integration: a project involving young children with severe learning difficulties and first school children
Authors: Carpenter Barry , Lewis Ann , Moore Julie
Published: August 2010

10 children with severe learning difficulties were involved in an integration project with 10 6 – 7‐year‐old children from a local first school. The project entailed fortnightly afternoon sessions, generally held at the first school. Each session encompassed some whole group singing and language games, plus art and craft activities. The latter were highly structured and involved pairs of special and mainstream children working on cooperative tasks. The results of the project from the points of view of special and mainstream children, staff, and parents are considered. Implications, particularly those relating to organisation of integration experiences, are discussed.
“Tell me about your work…”: the views of people with mental handicaps about their occupations
Authors: Flynn Margaret C.
Published: August 2010

The unedited comments of 16 adults with mental handicaps are presented. Their remarks show considerable insight into their current occupations and remuneration, and the difficulties they face in obtaining employment.
Musical theatre:
Authors: Chance Arthur F.
Published: August 2010

The article briefly describes the staging of a highly successful musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, performed by a group of people with mental handicaps, with a professional lead and the support of local school orchestras. The show, which was repeated in several towns in the North of England, highlighted the talent and skill of the performers. It demonstrated clearly that theatre is an activity in which people with mental handicaps can participate to the full, providing them with an interesting and stimulating pastime and audiences with competent and enjoyable entertainment.
APPLICABILITY OF THE WAIS‐R: its use with people with mental handicaps
Authors: Jones Robert
Published: August 2010

Ever since the introduction of the Binet Simon Scale in 1905, psychologists have been involved in the quantitative assessment of intellectual handicaps through psychometric means. Although more recently decreasing emphasis has been placed on psychometric measurement of intelligence quotient (IQ) as the major variable in the assessment of mental handicap (Clark, 1974; Mittler, 1970), intelligence scales are still widely used as an assessment aid. Since introduction of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) in 1955 it has been used by psychologists in addition to the Stanford‐Binet Scale. Recent surveys attest to the continuing popularity of both (Porteaus, 1983).

In 1981, the WAIS was revised, restandardised, and published as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS‐R). This paper considers the usefulness of the WAIS‐R to psychologists working with people who are mentally handicapped.
Not an ordinary life
Authors: Day Peter R.
Published: August 2010

In this country, and elsewhere, there has been a marked shift towards community care and away from institutional care for people with mental handicaps as well as those who are mentally ill. Many aspects of these changes are promising for the people concerned, but the transition also involves some difficulties and challenges for them as well as for health and social services. The article presents one man's experience of life in hospital and discusses the need to ensure that adequate support services are provided for people like him, to maintain them satisfactorily in their new way of life.
Family placement in Powys — with Ross, his parents, his brother and sister… and a rather soft dog
Authors: Thompson Sylvia
Published: August 2010

The article gives an insight into the life of a family with a child with severe mental handicap as seen by a pupil nurse involved with the family on a 12‐week placement. It stresses the need for parents and professionals to reach a mutual understanding, and highlights the most important skills required of a community nurse.
CMHTs in Wales
Authors: McGrath Morag
Published: August 2010

This article reports on some of the main findings from a survey of CMHTs in Wales. Although a wide range of team models exists, many common features were found. The high level of commitment and importance of the All Wales Strategy as a reference point were highlighted. The setting up of CMHTs and the development of new services by team members has increased the possibility of providing appropriate and individualised service packages. Many teams, however, are still in the early stages of development and major gaps sometimes exist, such as establishing individual programme plans and review systems. Major issues emerging are the role of community nurses in CMHTs, the management and accountability of multidisciplinary teams, the level of team autonomy, and changes in professional roles.
INTERVIEW TRAINING: helping adults with mental handicaps to find jobs
Authors: Lindsay William R. , Hood Eileen M. , Kasprowicz Martin
Published: August 2010

Although many adults with mental handicaps have the skills to hold down jobs in the community, they often fail to present themselves adequately when they go for an interview or a meeting to discuss a job with a prospective employer. This paper argues for the feasibility of interview training. It outlines a three‐stage programme, with critical interview skills, which is reasonably straightforward to cover with adults with mental handicaps. Two case studies are presented which describe the sorts of problems which can be dealt with in interview training and illustrate the progress which can be achieved.
INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMME PLANNING on a ward for men with severe mental handicaps: AN EVALUATION
Authors: Montgomery Linda , Ludwick Jacquie , Munchow Jane
Published: August 2010

In November, 1985 a pilot scheme using Individual Programme Planning was set up on a closed ward for 11 men with severe mental handicaps who had been placed there because of problem behaviours. The success of the project was subsequently evaluated by examining the number and types of objectives achieved. Staff involved completed a questionnaire to assess how they felt about the system. Results suggest that certain types of objectives are more readily achieved than others and that further thought needs to be given to making the multidisciplinary aspects of the system work. Staff are keen that the system should continue to be used.
THE PARTNERS PROJECT: using a repertory grid to evaluate change PART 2
Authors: Walsh Patricia Noonan , O'Sullivan Bernadette
Published: August 2010

Following the description of the Partners Project in the last issue of Mental Handicap, this article describes the devising and administration of a repertory grid which was completed by the parents of the 12 people with mental handicaps who participated in the Project and the 18 students who acted as Partners. A number of issues for the future are raised from analysis of the results and some conclusions are drawn.
Reducing stereotyped behaviour using differential reinforcement: A COMPARISON OF DRO AND DRI SCHEDULES
Authors: Jones Robert S. P. , Baker L. J. V.
Published: August 2010

The effectiveness of differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour (DRI) as a technique for reducing stereotyped behaviour was investigated in a study of two young men and two teenage boys with mental handicaps who showed high rates of stereotyped behaviour. A single‐subject ABA‐design was used to compare the effectiveness of DRI with that of the differential reinforcement of other behaviour (DRO). DRI reduced stereotyped behaviour to near zero levels for all the people studied, whereas DRO produced such a reduction in only one person, the one with the highest level of functioning. No generalisation across settings occurred. The implication of these findings is that DRI may prove to be a valuable reductive procedure, especially with people with severe or profound mental handicaps.
A step in the right direction– A REPORT ON ADVOCACY DEVELOPMENT:2
Authors: Crossley Diana
Published: August 2010

This article relates the experiences of a group of adults with mental handicaps who took part in an advocacy development scheme. It describes the time they spent getting to know the people with profound handicaps on whose behalf they would be answering a structured interview. This article is a continuation of the one entitled With a little help from my friends which was published in the last issue.
Using mealtimes to develop interpersonal social skills in people with severe mental handicaps
Authors: Williams Teresa , Tyson Judith , Keleher Rowena
Published: August 2010

A short experimental study was undertaken to investigate methods of developing social skills, in people with severe mental handicaps resident in hospital, which are practical, clinically effective, and result in maximum generalisation. It involved direct care staff using the simple training techniques of instruction and modelling in the natural setting of mealtimes. All the methods proved effective, especially modelling and instruction together, and at follow up some of the gains were maintained. The procedure was practical and cost effective. Differences in level of interaction between individual residents and between residents and staff were observed and the implications are discussed. Using mealtimes for social skills training will aid generalisation and may permanently improve the social environment. It will also provide opportunities to develop and practise all aspects of social skills. Other natural settings suitable for social skills training are suggested.
Prescribing practice in a mental handicap hospital: 1—ANTICONVULSANTS FROM 1978–87
Authors: Lynch S.R.J.
Published: August 2010

This is the first of two articles which consider the use of medication in a mental handicap hospital over a ten‐year period. The present article reviews the use of medication to control epilepsy. The second will look at the use of psychotropic medication, that is, medication intended to alter mood, conciousness, or awareness.

Prescription sheets and case notes of people resident in the hospital on 31st March 1978 and 31st March 1987 were studied to see trends in anticonvulsant usage during that period. There was a decline in the use of phenobarbitone and primidone, and an increase in the use of carbamazepine. The number of people on more than one drug did not alter greatly, but fewer were on more than two drugs by 1987. These results, and the continuing problem of people being prescribed more than one anticonvulsant at a time, are discussed.
A unique partnership
Authors: Lambe Loretto , Fagg Sue
Published: August 2010

This article describes the effects of a partnership between a voluntary organisation, MENCAP, and an education facility, Piper Hill School.
Plea for “soft” information page
Authors: GABA MARTIN
Published: August 2010

Mental Handicap has occasionally published items of this nature in the past and the Editor would welcome such contributions for consideration for future issues. Readers who would care to write in this vein, or who can persuade any consumers with whom they are in contact to do so, should contact the Editorial Office (Tel. (0562) 824933) for guidelines.
Community provision for people with mental handicaps
Authors: Cooper Dereck , Ghataora Rajinder
Published: August 2010

This article discusses the findings and implications of a comprehensive survey of carers of people with mental handicaps recently undertaken in Dudley. The survey looked at the use and perceived need for services, and the question of the future care, accommodation, and support of this client group. The article draws attention to several key issues which emerged for providers of services in the community. Firstly, it notes that carers form a highly concerned and vocal group, eager to participate in the planning of service provision. Secondly, it points to the relationship which exists between knowledge of services and demand for services, and to that between the availability of services and satisfaction with services. Thirdly, it focuses on important differences in the attitudes of those caring for younger people and those caring for older people with mental handicaps. Finally, it stresses the growing need for careful planning of future services, especially for the time when carers can no longer cope.
REFLECTIONS of a community mental handicap team
Authors: Pollitt Anne , Cooke Leila
Published: August 2010

Eighteen months on from its introduction the members of the Central Frenchay Community Mental Handicap Team reflected on their activities, looking at who had done what to whom, where, why, and with what results. Whilst recognising that service user based data may not be the most effective measure for evaluating team performance, nevertheless the information provides a useful starting point for analysing the achievements of one community mental handicap team during its implementation period.
QUALITY MATTERS 1. “Slicing the apple”
Authors: James Judy , Howell Hilary , Abbott Kerry
Published: August 2010

As community based mental handicap services develop, there is a need to build in ways of maintaining and improving their quality. In the first of this four‐part series of articles ways of looking at and measuring quality are discussed. It is argued that it is important to look at what the term “quality of life” means personally to each service provider and service user, and that any approach to maintaining and improving quality should be a multidimensional and dynamic process, based on a clear values system. A culture needs to be created where all stakeholders feel motivated to monitor and improve services. Some potential methods of doing this, as determined by a working party of the Bath District Health Authority Planning Team, are itemised. Subsequent articles will look at a number of these in more detail.
REVIEWS
Authors: McCONKEY ROY , TOOGOOD RICHARD , ROWTHORN JOYCE , JOYCE THERESA , SWAIN JOHN , RAE MAUREEN , SEBBA JUDY
Published: August 2010

Book reviewed in this article:

The young person with Down's syndrome. Transition from adolescence to adulthood: Edited by Siegfried M. Pueschel

A sensory curriculum for very special people. A practical approach to curriculum planning Flo Longhorn

Activity programmes for body awareness, contact and communication Marianne and Christopher Knill

Day services for people with severe handicaps. (Case studies for practice 2.) Material by Margaret Thomson and Fiona Pilkington and compiled by Philip Seed

Caring together. Guidelines for carers' self‐help and support groups Judy Wilson

Physiotherapy in the community Edited by Ann Gibson

Sexuality and mental handicap. An educator's handbook Hilary Dixon
Maintaining staff morale: the value of a staff training and support network
Authors: Crawford Judith V.
Published: August 2010

This article describes the setting up and maintenance of a pyramid support network for service staff working with people with mental handicaps. The scheme ran for nearly four years on the Isle of Wight.

The network consisted of 12 groups of staff. Each group met, within work time, several times a year to discuss personal or work issues in a non‐threatening and supportive atmosphere. The rationale behind the scheme was that if staff felt valued, by having good personal support at work, this was likely to maintain high staff morale. This, in turn, should have a good outcome for service users.

The scheme was successful while it ran, but it finished because of a number of reasons. These included financial restraints on travel and difficulty in releasing staff from work with service users.
A community specialist social work team for people with severe mental handicaps: THE PRIORITIES
Authors: Kavanagh Mike
Published: August 2010

This article outlines the setting up of a specialist social work team, whose responsibility included working with people with severe mental handicaps of all ages. The way in which team members went about their task is described, including the use of a collaborative teamwork approach. An index of all local people with severe mental handicaps led to the formulation of goals for team members, which were additional to their individually allocated work. Adults living with older parents were given priority, as were ways of widening choice in occupation and leisure, work with families whose child with a severe mental handicap was under five years of age, and means of establishing contact with families of Asian origin or background. The article concludes that a team collaborative approach was valuable. The team's experiences might offer some guidance to others.
LOOKING FOR QUALITY
Authors: Wiener Ron
Published: August 2010

Within the NHS, the idea of peer auditing or assessment is now an accepted practice. This paper describes one way in which it can be used within a local authority setting to help monitor standards and aid staff development.
Assessing home dangers and safety precautions: INSTRUMENTS FOR USE
Authors: Tymchuk Alexander J.
Published: August 2010

This article presents a number of instruments for assessing the presence or absence of dangers and safety precautions in the homes of people with mental handicaps, including those caring for their children at home, and the frequency of accidents occurring at home. An intervention programme for teaching people to recognise the importance of these dangers is also described.
A Touring Exhibition and an Arts Project The Northgate Arts Project
Authors: Akhurst Jane
Published: August 2010

The 1991 Touring Exhibition was organised by Northgate Arts Project (NAP). This article describes the work produced, the reasons for mounting the exhibition and some of the benefits which may accrue from this undertaking. NAP's work to date is described, as well as plans for future expansion. The article is written in the context of current moves to address the matter of arts in healthcare.
Community Mental Handicap Teams: Team Building and Beyond
Authors: Leyin Alan
Published: August 2010

The very nature of Community Teams can make life particularly rewarding or particularly stressful. Invariably, not all teams function at their optimum level. This article explores one way of identifying the areas that need to be tackled in order to assist a team during difficult times. The article also examines how to monitor the outcome of any interventions or process of change.
Practice in Sexuality
Authors: Booth Tim , Booth Wendy
Published: August 2010

Many social services departments, health authorities and voluntary organisations have been producing policy statements and guidelines for staff on sexuality and people with learning difficulties. This article examines the reasons for this development and looks at what this growing literature tells us about thinking in this field. In particular, it reviews the problems involved in drafting such guidelines, the common shortcomings of existing statements and the lessons for others contemplating drawing up similar documents.
Research into the Needs of Asian Families Caring for Someone with a Mental Handicap
Authors: Ellahi Rukhsana , Hatfield Christine
Published: August 2010

This article is a description of a questionnaire and its results, which was completed with 49 families who have come to live in High Wycombe mainly from Pakistan. They are all caring for someone with a mental handicap, the majority having a number of handicaps. The Community Mental Handicap Team had been aware that many services were not being used by these families and wanted to make the local services more applicable and accessible. One of the main findings was the importance of having a Punjabi speaking member of the Team, who comes from the same cultural group as the clients. This gives the families the confidence to consider which services they would like to use. Another finding was that it is no help to translate information into Urdu as people are generally not literate in Urdu or English. The results highlighted the importance of thinking about cultural issues in all our services such as the right diet and availability of single sex services for young women.
A Pilot Evaluation of a New Approach to Day Services in Solihull
Authors: McEvoy John , Dagnan Dave , Thomas Rob , Ashton Paul , Trower Peter
Published: August 2010

This article describes a pilot evaluation of a new day service in Solihull. The service provides individualised day care based on ordinary life principles. Activities occur both within and outside of the home and include the use of a network of community‐based work, leisure and education resources. Extensive interviews with managers, direct care workers and people with mental handicaps themselves and analysis of activity data give a positive view of the service.
Introducing the Second Edition of EDY: Training Staff in Behavioural Methods
Authors: Farrell Peter , McBrien Judith , Foxen Tom
Published: August 2010

The EDY (Education of the Developmentally Young) course has had a major impact on staff training in learning disabilities since it was first published in 1981. Over 5000 staff and parents have completed the course and there are more than 500 registered instructors. Successful though the course continues to be, surveys of EDY users have suggested ways in which it could be revised and updated to take account of recent developments in the field. In this article we outline the changes that have been made to the new edition and put these in the context of planning and delivering effective services for people with severe learning disabilities.
Recurrent Brief Depression and Mild Learning Disability: Successful Community Management
Authors: Clarke David J. , MacLeod Marianne
Published: August 2010

A 58 year old woman with a 30 year history of mental illness, and numerous hospital admissions, was assessed by two members of a community team for people with learning disability. A 10cm analogue scale (rated by her family) was used to record changes in her behaviour. A diagnosis of recurrent brief depression was made and appropriate pharmacological treatment and support provided without admission to hospital. A marked increase in the intervals between episodes of depression, and a shortening of depressive episode length, have been observed over 18 months of followup. Recurrent brief depression is a recently recognised sub‐type of depressive illness which may occur in association with learning disability. It is treatable, and assessment and treatment may be possible without recourse to hospital admission.
The Great Integration Debate: Part 2
Authors: Segal Stanley
Published: August 2010

As a contribution to National Integration Week during 1992, BIMH organised a special one day conference to explore the arguments for and against the integration of all children with disabilities into ordinary schools. The Great Integration Debate provided a forum for parents, teachers and other professionals and students who had experienced different forms of special educational provision. The motion under debate was quite simply ‘special schools should be abolished’. The debate created a great deal of interest and it was suggested that the main position of papers might be of interest to a much wider audience than was able to attend on the day. Following the summary of the first presentation by Kenn Jupp (Mental Handicap, June 1993) in support of the motion, we are delighted to publish this summary of the second presentation against the motion by Stanley Segal. Papers based on the other presentations will appear in subsequent issues of Mental Handicap.
A middle‐class global mobility? The working lives of Indian men in a west London hotel
Authors: BATNITZKY ADINA , MCDOWELL LINDA , DYER SARAH
Published: August 2010

In this article we examine the working lives of young, single, middle‐class Indian men employed in the increasingly global hospitality sector in London, UK. Using a case study of a single hotel, we investigate a particular form of Indian middle‐class global mobility that differs from both the well‐documented ‘low status’, unskilled migrant as well as the highly‐skilled, science oriented migrants. We explore how their jobs both reinforce and challenge middle‐class Indian notions of masculinity, as well as how the recruitment process is both gendered and economically selective. We suggest that the transnational formation of Indian middle‐class identity is drawn from four main categories: a middle‐class lifestyle in India, class‐based motivations, the gendered and class based recruitment process of the UK hospitality industry, and the performance of class‐based gender identities.
Reflections of parents and students with severe learning difficulties on their special schooling and the transition to post‐school provision
Authors: McConkey Roy , Smyth Marisa
Published: August 2010

The majority of school‐leavers over two years from two special schools were individually interviewed (n=34), as were their parents (n=37). Both groups expressed broad satisfaction with the schooling. The parents were split on the merits of mainstream education. Those in favour tended to stress the social benefits whereas those against felt that only special schools could meet their child's particular needs.
Residential school placements and disabled children: the contrasting views of local education authorities and of parents
Authors: Morris Jenny , Abbott David , Ward Linda
Published: August 2010

Despite government commitment to the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools, significant numbers of disabled children are placed in residential special schools. In the face of a distinct lack of information about the numbers or needs of these children, or about their experiences of living away from home at residential schools, the authors carried out research to examine why disabled children went to residential school, and their experiences of being there. This article focuses on the circumstances leading to a residential school placement, and the decision‐making process from the point of view of local education authorities, and of parents. The paper reveals wide variations in the use of residential schools by local authorities, and conflicting views between and within authorities on the suitability of such placements. Parents’ experiences are characterised by a lack of support in making very difficult decisions about the best place for their child to be, and a decision‐making process dominated by delays, lack of information and conflict.
Adapting instruction to address individual and group educational needs in maths
Authors: Cardona Cristina M.
Published: August 2010

This study, combining classwide curriculum‐based measurement and peer‐mediated instruction, used a single‐subject research design to address the effectiveness of two grouping adaptation strategies (heterogeneous small‐groups versus peer tutoring) to accommodate individual and group differences in learning. Academic performance in the domains of number and arithmetic skills of 19 low, average, and high achieving first‐grade linguistic minority pupils was measured by recording scores over 12 weeks and across multiple observations. The results revealed a significant increase in number sense and arithmetic skills when pupils worked in pairs. Whole group, ability group, and individual comparisons for each dependent variable were made. Results are also discussed in terms of an attempt to craft strategies for including academically diverse pupils in mainstream classrooms.