Administration considerations for reliable and valid assessments

Reliability and validity in assessment are of crucial importance.   Issues in administration can have a significant impact on the reliability and validity of assessment results and the inferences that are made about students’ performance based on these results.It is essential therefore that proper techniques of administration be adopted in ensuring that the integrity of assessments is preserved and that the inference made about students’ performance are indeed reliable and valid.Administration considerations will differ based on the nature of the assessment, whether it is formal or informal. For formal assessments there are usually pre-established guidelines for the examiner to oversee the administration of the assessment instrument. It is important that the examiner familiarize him/herself with the proper techniques of administering the specific test so that the reliability and validity of the test can be ensured and preserved.While the assessment may not require for mal training to develop competence the test administrator must understand the protocols of the test, understand what is expected of the students, and follow correct and exact procedures during test administration to ensure that equal and fair conditions are provided for all students.McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) caution that â€Å"measures administered by untrained testers produce highly questionable results that must be considered invalid† ( p. 90). It is therefore essential that examiners are comfortable with all exam procedures and follow these explicitly to avoid invalidating the results produced from such tests.Additionally the tester must also be sensitive to the needs of the students during assessment. The examiner cannot â€Å"praise, prompt or give information† (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 94). Examiners must understand correct protocol during test administration. Certain practices should be avoided.The examiner should refrain from confirming or correcting (McL oughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 95) students’ responses during the test as well as they should avoid coaching students in order to elicit correct responses. Depending on the purpose and nature of the test the examiner may be permitted to repeat oral items for students.The examiner should also encourage students to complete or respond to all items on the test and may use questioning during tests to encourage students to respond to items. Evidently the ability of the tester to adequately preside over the test is a very critical issue in ensuring that test results are valid and reliable.The test administrator sets the pace and the outcome of the test pivots around his/her ability to ensure transparency. By ensuring that the tester is adequately prepared for the test the possibility of incorrect administration procedures will be avoided.The test environment should also be such as provides an atmosphere in which the students can work successfully. As McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) indicate , â€Å"this environment can influence test performance† (p. 90).The test environment should be as comfortable as possible for all students, with good ventilation, adequate and comfortable seating for each student where necessary, adequate space for writing, appropriate lighting, comfortable temperature, minimal external disruptions, minimal distractions such as a view through a window, passersby, other individuals passing freely in and out of the examination room or other visual distractions such as posters.Additionally the examiner has to ensure that all material required for the test are present including material students will need to complete test items.While it is ideal that the test environment is free of all these encumbrances, all these conditions do not have to be satisfied to ensure the validity and reliability of the test. In some instances some aspects of the environment, though they are not at their optimal levels, may not affect students’ performance.How ever, it is difficult to determine how students’ performance will be affected by the environment and thus the examiner should attempt to ensure that the setting is as close to ideal as possible. The examiner could also exercise discretion during test administration to determine if the location of the exam needs to be changed or the exam discontinued completely because of environment. It is not far fetched that a well-prepared environment becomes inappropriate at some point during the exam.Based on the reaction of the students the examiner could determine if the distractions or disruptions are sufficient enough to affect student performance. These provisions ensure that, as far as possible, no external factors negatively impact student performance and that students are adequately provided with the right tools with which to reap success.Another consideration is the preparation of the students for the test. Students should be adequately informed of the time, date, location and p urpose of the test as well as be aware of what exactly is required of them.The time of day is of extreme importance. Researches have been conducted to determine the time of day that will produce the optimal results for students. Recently Hansen, Janssen, Schiff, Zee and Dubocovich (2005) found that students were more vigorous during the evening than in the morning and thus were in a better frame of mind to complete tests.It is difficult, however, for examiners of standardized test to have any impact on the time of administration since often the examining body has a preset time for completion.Another administration consideration is the rapport between the students and the examiner. McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) recommend that the examiner familiarizes him/herself with the students and help them   feel at ease with the examiner. The examiner should also explain the purpose of and orient them towards the test. This includes describing test activities, length and difficulty of the test. The examiner should also inform students of proper exam protocol, informing them how to ask for assistance during the test as well as explain to them any timing signals that may be given. The examiner should encourage students to ask questions about aspects of the test administration that they are uncertain about.Adequate provisions should be made for students to have a break, if possible, during a lengthy test so as to â€Å"ward off fatigue† (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 99). These practices would ensure that students know what is expected of them before the test begins so that no time is wasted during the test.The procedures for administering informal classroom assessment are much the same. The classroom teacher should ensure that students are adequately prepared for the test, are aware of the test objectives, are given adequate time to complete it and that no unfair assistance is provided to any student.Also the teacher should make sure the environment is conducive to tes ting with convenient seating and minimal opportunity for cheating. Additionally in administrating certain types of assessment such as observations and interviews, the teacher has to ensure that the objectives to be tested are clearly laid out, with clearly outlined criteria for scoring so that bias is avoided and each student is scored fairly.The use of rating scales, rubrics and checklists help to ensure that assessment is focused and that the correct behaviors are being observed. However at times a teacher may later find that these instruments do not adequately measure all the attributes and that certain key attitudes are not catered for.This is one disadvantage with rating scales and checklists, if a student displays a positive behavior that is not outlined in the rating scale no provision is made for it and the child is disadvantaged.The purpose of assessment is to ensure that each students has an equal chance of performing at their best in the test and thereby demonstrate to th e examiner whether or not they possess certain skills, knowledge or attitudes.Therefore once the examiner adopts these administration considerations the possibilities of measurement error are diminished and test administration conditions will have minimal, if any, negative effect, on student outcome. Students will therefore be able to meaningfully demonstrate their knowledge, skills and attitudes to the teacher. ReferencesHansen, M., Janssen, I., Schiff, A., Zee, P. C. & Dubocovich, M. L. (2005). The impact of school daily schedule on adolescent sleep. Pediatrics, 115, 1555–1561.McLoughlin, J. A. & Lewis, R. B. (2005). Assessing students with special needs. (6th ed.). NJ: Prentice-Hall/Merrill.

Gender Inequalities in the Workplace Essay

Describe and analyse gender inequalities in the workplace? ’ Gender inequalities in the workplace have been an ongoing issue for many years, which has mainly been central to women in the workplace, as senior management has prioritised men over women. This has made it very difficult for women to work their way up to management as women are considered to be incompetent compared to the men in the workplace. The wage gap between men and women has raised much debate, as men are generally more likely to get paid more than women. There has been much confusion that sex and gender are the same but actually there is a vast difference between the two concepts as gender is the social, cultural and psychological difference between a male and female. Where as sex is refereed to the biology of a individual in other terms the sex that an individual is born for example a male or female. Gender socialisation is a key aspect to understand the differences between men and women as the way society portrays them is very different. http://www. msu. edu/user/yarbrou7). Gender inequality is highlighted in the status that men and women have in society as men are considered to have better jobs, which then leads men becoming wealthier then women. The primary social institutions where gender inequalities occur is in educational systems, family life and the workplace. Gender has been considered an unlimited dimension that has been based on the different status of men and women, which has been inn effect for decades. However the feminist movement in the 1960’s established resurrection by studying gender issues, which highlighted that inequalities towards women have been in place in the social system of society as men are considered to be the breadwinners and women, should be housewives and mothers. (http://www. msu. edu/user/yarbrou7/) . Cultural inequalities consisted of women not being able to vote, achieve a higher level education and have the ability to own their own property as men were since to be responsible for the wellbeing of a woman. In relation the era of the seventies brought with it assured rights that allowed women to vote for the first time, which made women feel that they did have existence in the society that they live in. Voting rights brought women a sense of existence but inequalities still remained in the social institutions that have been developed to make individuals independent in society. These inequalities are still existent in salaries and employment in the 21st century. In the workplace there have been various types of gender inequalities that have affected each post an individual has been allocated by an employer. As women are becoming more educated their has been a rapid increase in the amount of women that are professionals in the workplace as a result educated women are still being under paid as men are considered to be more competent workers. In manual workplaces unions are considered the primary means for women to take control over what actions should be placed in order to change the working environment as a majority of women are generally underpaid in manual industries. (http://www. eldis. org/static/DOC12479. htm) In the workplace there are various formations of gender inequalities that are in affect, which have been highlighted in the wage gap between men and women who are employed in the same workplace, job security for men is in affect initially as they are told by there senior where as for women they are required to prove that there purpose in the workplace has added to the effective run of the entire department as well as the whole organisation. Men further have the ability to achieve alternative employment more conveniently as women have the added pressure of domestic duties in the home that includes child rearing. http://www. eldis. org/static/DOC12479. htm) Sexual exploitation and violence towards women has occurred for years, which has mainly been initiated by senior management as they generally feel that they have the authority and dominance to over power women. In order for men to maintain and understand that it is vital to under go change in terms of women being treated as equals j ust as men are a number of issues need to be considered by men both in the workplace and in the (home. http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0763170. tml) Men need to understand that the domestic duties around the home need to be divided so those women have the ability to go out and make a career for themselves just as men do. Men being able to keep their masculinity is an important factor of being a man as many men feel that when their wives go out to work they have lost there purpose as being the man of the house as women as just as capable of carrying out the same responsibilities in the workplace as men, which can be very threatening for a majority of men. Social stigma has influenced the fact that men are afraid of being undermined by a women but can be acceptable by a fellow male colleague. Furthermore men should accept and adapt to equality in the workplace as a result of much of the work load can be shared as well as new ideas can be generated that the male colleagues may not have explored. The advantages of women becoming equal in the workplace can generate a better standard of living for men as the pressure for men being the sole breadwinner can be shared along with sharing the duties in the workplace. This will encourage a better atmosphere in the workplace as the male colleagues will have less pressure to produce certain tasks by a given deadline as women are able to help with the performance and outcome of the task. The importance of women sharing the workload allows men to be more active fathers, as they will have the time and energy to spend with their children rather then having women playing an active part in the child’s life. The functionalist perspective on gender inequalities are evident as Talcott Parsons suggests that in order for socialisation to be clear it is important that individuals are able to have a supportive and stable family as Parsons believes that the family life is the most precise and effective way for individuals to understand sexual divisions that occur in social institutions home. (http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0763170. tml) This suggests that sociologists are more concerned in the way society segregates men and women to explain why gender inequalities occur and how changes can be made in order to make society a institute that is bases on each individual being treated equal regardless of age, sex or gender. Gender wage gap highlights the significant difference in salary that women get compared to men. It has been estimated that on average women earn 23. % less than men do. This figure highlights that majority of employers value the role and exist of the male workers which are indicated in the salary that they take home each month, where as women are paid less regardless of the time and energy that they put in the workplace. Stockyard and Johnson (1992:32) have both recognised that there are significant differences in wages between men and women although both sexes carry out full time jobs. In 987, the average wage for a male in America was $28,313 where as the wage for women was $18,531, which works out to be approximately 65% of a male workers wages. Stockyard and Johnson have indicated that ‘lower pay does not represent lower qualifications than men have or employment in areas that require less education’. This suggests that education is the key to a better-paid job not the fact that gender affects the amount of wages an individual is entitled to. Grint (1994:203) suggests that the main reason to why women are treated unequally is dependent on the class position of their husband as the ‘higher the class of the male the higher the class of the female’. This suggests that if a woman has a husband or a partner of a higher social class then the women is more likely to be respected by society, where as if a woman is from a lower social class then the women is most likely to be treated unequally. Gamarnikow, Morgan, Purvis and Taylorson (1983:99), in relation have highlighted the fact that ‘working class women’s oppression as inextricably linked with their exploitation as workers’. This suggests that working class women are vulnerable in the workplace as they have no choice but to expect the conditions of work as the value of the money they are getting is too valuable to give up although they are being exploited. Furthermore, employers are able to target individuals to exploit in the workplace in relation to wages and hour of work. Siltanen (1994:120), has further highlighted that ‘men work most commonly in higher grade occupations’, which suggests that women are ‘less likely to be near the top of occupational ladders’. Gamarnikow, Morgan, Purvis and Taylorson (1983:101). The disadvantages of what has been indicated by Siltanen (1994), is that employers have recognised that women are less likely to apply or be nominated for promotion, where as male colleagues are favoured over women even through many of the women have the same level of experience and education as the male colleagues in the workplace. This has provided to be discrimination towards women, which in many cases can result in women having a low self-esteem. It has been noted by Jacobs (1995) that generally women in the workplace are more likely to be more experienced than men. However, as women have numerous domestic duties in the home such as child rearing it makes it much more difficult for women to continue a career as well as weighing the responsibilities in the home. This factor is the primary factor that effects the position of women in the workplace. Arber and Ginn (Grint, K, 1991) have noted that gender inequality has been predominantly initiated by cultural norms which have been adapted in the work and domestic sphere. The domestic sphere has been commonly associated with the women being the secondary breadwinner who are defiantly likely to give up work in order to provide a stable environment for their children, as the fathers are predominantly the primary breadwinners. Where as work sphere is mainly cultural, which is associated with work responsibilities that have hindered women to develop themselves adequately. In conclusion, the analysis that has been researched to determine gender inequalities in the workplace highlight that the gender wage gap is a primary problem which women have been facing for a number of years. Although society today portrays men and women to be equal there are still inequalities that exist within the workplace. Examples of such inequalities are that women at work are the ones who appear to be weak, when in actual facts women have been seen to be extremely strong in the workplace. In my opinion I believe that inequalities in the workplace are still existence but are gradually dying down. However, it is also dependent on the type of employment that men are women are involved in which effects the inequalities that arise in the workplace.

Analyse The Factors Affecting The Strategic Plans

Analyse The Factors Affecting The Strategic Plans Tesco plc is a well-established and consistently growing food retailer global company operating in UK and many other countries like USA, Europe, Thailand, China, Japan and so on. It was established in 1919 by Jack Cohen, when he sold some groceries in the stall in East London and then it later lead to the opening of the first Tesco store in 1929 in North London. Using the well-researched and consistent strategy for growth, Tesco has been able to strengthen their core UK business and lead them to expand into new markets. Tesco has already been declared as the no.1 superstore in UK against its rivals Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison. Tesco is still aiming to broaden the scope of their business to enable it to deliver strong sustainable long-term growth by following the customers into the basic and the large expanding markets at cheaper price. Currently, Tesco has over 2200 stores in UK and has been able to reach every possible customer through its different types of outlets as superstore, metro, extra, express and by various means as online shopping through Tesco direct, Reserve and collect plus loyalty/club cards, insurance, clothing, banking and financial services, telecoms, insurance. So this report will be identifying Tesco’s vision, Mission, its current strategic objectives, evaluates them and analyses the factors that will be affecting strategic plan. The purpose of this case study is to review and determine the organizational strategic aims and objectives identify and analyse the progress towards organizational strategic aims and objectives and to determine and evaluate strategic options to support a revised strategic position. 1.1 Identify the current strategic aims and objectives TESCO’S STRATEGY Our well-established and consistent strategy for growth has given the business momentum to grow through the downturn. (1) Long term Strategy According to Tesco’s official website it is clearly evident that Tesco has a well-established and consi stent strategy for growth. The rationale for the strategy is to broaden the scope of the business to enable it to deliver strong, sustainable long-term growth by following customers into large expanding markets at home – such as financial services, non-food and telecoms – and new markets abroad, initially in Central Europe and Asia and more recently in the United States. Objectives:- The objectives of the strategy are: Successful global retailer Tesco aims to be one of the most successful global retailer organisation in the world. With this idea in mind they have opened stores in many other countries like Canada, USA, Europe, Thailand, China and Middle East. Growth in core UK business Tesco also aims on growing its business as the core UK business as it is originated here. It had 1500 stores in UK in 2007 whereas the number has reached to over 2000 by now. And it has diversified its market from only being a food retailer to selling fuel, clothes, housing, finance, bank ing, insurance, mobile broad band and electronics. Strong non food retailer As Tesco has been known for its food items and is the leader in food retailing, Tesco also aims to develop the rest of the retailing it has been doing. They are working hard to be as strong in non-food as they are in food.

The Influence of Children on The Buying Decisions of Their Parents Dissertation

The Influence of Children on The Buying Decisions of Their Parents - Dissertation Example In the recent times it is evident that the children are emerging as major players’ in the decision making processes of a family. In his researches McNeal gives an average, where we find that in the United States, children between the age group of 4-12 years tend to influence parents’ buying that is worth US$ 130 billion (Lackman & Lanasa, 1993). The influence of the children on their parents buying pattern varies with each sub-decision stage. Children that are the initiators, tend to exert to greater influence on their parents as regards decision-making on buying household products, than their non-initiator counterparts. The study of the literature also suggested that older children exert greater influence on their parents; more than the younger ones, but the child gender does not form a significant factor in influencing the parents buying decisions. From the review of the various articles, it can be easily derived that the marketers must now expressly take note of the growing influence of the children’s role within the arena of a family’s decision-making process. This review will first examine the family as a consumer base unit taking into perspective the presence of the child as a potential consumer within the realms of a family. The next segment would examine the children’s role on the parents’ decision-making processes; so that we comprehend the emerging picture where we find that the child from being at the background slowly comes out as a major player in the consumer segment of a marketplace. The third segment will examine the role of the children as a direct or indirect consumer (where he has established himself within the consumer segment) and will examine the various factors that influence the children’s purchase preferences. The fourth section will take a look at the various cognitive development theories that help a researcher to understand the biological/scientific reasoning behind a child’s at traction towards purchasing products and the consumer market. The fifth section will give a detailed insight into the theoretical reasoning behind a child exerting influence on his parents’ purchase decisions. Overall, the review gives a direction to develop a conceptual model after completely investigating all the factors that motivate the children's preferences of certain specific products and their influence strategies in family decisions. This will give us a clear perspective, as how and why modern marketers and consumer researchers should focus on children as an emerging primary segment, within the consumer market section. 1.1 A family as a consumer base unit â€Å"Family as a consuming and decision making unit is a central phenomenon in marketing and consumer behavior† (Commuri and Gentry, 2000, 1). For many decades the central role of the family in decision making and consumption of products has been identified by the marketing managers (Assael, 1998).  

Strabucks Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strabucks Case - Essay Example Simply, there are no unimportant customers. However, before drawing any recommendations, a careful analysis of the situation should be made. Especially I would like to focus on the three key points in the whole story. First, final costs of settling the issue with the dissatisfied customer, who went on anti-Starbucks ad campaign, are much greater than the initial costs of satisfying the client, who returned his defective cappuccino maker. Second, during the investigation of the case by Starbucks the customer was disturbed so many times, that his dissatisfaction had grown greatly, almost turning into aggression. He had to tell his story to every manager he talked to, and had to face several weak attempts of compromising before his demands were satisfied. Third, problems with Starbucks coffee makers did truly happen. It can be concluded from a wave of phone calls on the phone line established by the furious customer. "Upon the first advertisement's appearance, Dorosin received a "ton of calls." He said he had received thousands of calls, from customers, competitors and employees who felt Starbucks misrepresented themselves to the public." (Barr et al 1998) Therefore, Starbucks did perform badly. In fact the customer was so upset, that this issue has overgrown the simple financial compensation. What he though Starbucks should do is to apologize. The point is in moral compensation, not just financial. This fact is supported by $20,000 spent by client on the case: "He set up a toll-free line with six telephones installed in his small scuba shop and hired extra employees to answer the calls. In one year he received about 6,000 responses. His total estimated outlay: $20,000." (Kalis and Leaf 1999) The media attention to the situation made the position of Starbucks even more complicated. Now let us turn to Starbucks profile and background. The company has been developing rapidly since 1988, offering various coffee drinks and beverages, operating through its own stores. The company's competitive advantage was based on three whales: highly differentiated offers, suitable position of its stores, and a great attention paid to customers. "Customer service was a key ingredient to Starbucks' success. One of the five guiding principles of the company was 'Develop enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time.'" (Barr et al 1998) It was the reason people preferred the large corporation offering rather expensive beverages to tiny comfortable cafes. In the light of this strategy a weak decision of replacing Dorosin's and his friend's machines with two new ones at a cost of $270 instead of top-of-the-line cappuccino maker priced $2500 and apology looked very bad. From the external viewpoint it looks like, not only the company has failed to deliver its services to customer on the proper level of quality, but also tried to pinch pennies on the compensation. After all, what is one top-of-the-line machine to Starbucks in compare to its brand image Nothing. If given a decent amount of attention from the Starbucks' management the issue would have been resolved without unnecessary noise in the media. The hysteria raised by press was even more uncomfortable, because Starbucks experienced another problem: the company was accused in the elimination of local coffee businesses throughout the country, which could not match to the corporation. "'I like supporting a local business,' says Conrick, a

Modern Sculpture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Modern Sculpture - Essay Example These two notions are really very important for those who are going to comprehend the idea of art and the message of its authors. That is why space and time cannot be separated when one is going to analyze sculpture. The author of Passages in Modern Sculpture gives the analysis of several celebrated sculptures to demonstrate the development of art. It is also possible to find the information about the characteristics of neoclassical sculpture. Wanting to transcend the partial information that any single aspect or figure can convey, the neoclassical sculptor devises strategies to present the human body through multiple views. As for classicism, here the transcendence of the single point of view was often explicitly dealt with by using figures in pairs and threes. So, the writing contains many details about the history and peculiarities of art. It explains the difference between various centuries in art. For instance, throughout the nineteenth century, sculptors continually tried to provide the viewer about the information of unseen sides of all objects imbedded within the relief ground. The text is very useful for those whose study art. However, it would be better if the writer demonstrated the c onnection between modern sculptures and the ones from the

Schizophrenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Schizophrenia - Essay Example Several people who suffer from schizophrenia are not always violent and they do not cause harm to others. The disease is not associated with childhood experiences or inadequate parental guidance and the signs and symptoms  differ  from one person  to another (Swerdlow, 2010). The primary cause of schizophrenia is not very precise, and multiple factors have been associated to predispose and cause the disease. Several scientists have associated schizophrenia with genetics as the main cause since it runs in the familial tree and that an individual inherits the disease. Similarly, schizophrenia has been identified to develop when an individual’s body undergoes several hormonal and physical changes, for example during puberty in adolescents. The disease may as well be triggered by some environmental factors such as infections by virus or when an individual is in a highly stressful situation. Chemical imbalance in the brain is another major cause of schizophrenia, whereby serotonin and dopamine fail to be in optimal levels. These chemicals (neurotransmitters) have a major function of allowing the nerve cells in the brain to send a signal to other parts. An imbalance of these neurotransmitters affects an individual’s brain reaction to stimuli. Thi s provides an explanation why an individual with schizophrenia occasionally gets overwhelmed by some sensory stimuli such as loud music or dazzling lights, which normal individuals easily handle (Roder & Medalia, 2010). There are no specific signs and symptoms of schizophrenia and they differ from one person to another. The symptoms  can  slowly develop  over an extended period, sometimes several months to years and occasionally they may abruptly appear. In some cases, the disease may be on and off or persist continuously. Some of the symptoms include: hallucinations; where an individual feel or see things that are not real, an individual feels that he/she is always being watched, strange speaking of words,

Memo regarding gun violence and illegal use of narcotics Assignment

Memo regarding gun violence and illegal use of narcotics - Assignment Example However, their use should be solely after a doctor’s or professional pharmacist’s prescription. Nevertheless, many people tend to ignore this fact and go ahead to abuse these substances. The most common manner through which the abuse takes place is by taking these drugs in high dosages and, thus, altering their reception by the human body system. By modifying the reception, the brain fails to co-ordinate and function normally, and this leads to the users engaging in acts of violence. As in this case, the acts of violence often involve the purchase of firearms in an effort to settle old scores. In the normal and sober condition of these people, they may have had a misunderstanding with someone. The misunderstanding might have been negligible, but after the intoxication of the brain, all these emotions get heightened, thus resulting in the purchase of these weapons to commit acts of revenge or associated self-gratification tactics (Decker and Alarid 37). The other relation between gun violence and the illegal use of narcotics is concerning the economic environment. Over the last couple of years, the economy has been unstable with inflation hitting the market often. This has made it difficult for people that live under the poverty line and at times, even middle-income earners to survive these conditions. This leads to the indulgence in additional activities such as the sale of firearms in an effort to obtain additional money for the fulfillment of personal needs. For the addicts, these personal needs may even involve the purchase of more drugs. Another connection found between the illegal use of narcotics and gun violence is the systematic link (Decker and Alarid 47). Common to all countries in the world, the use of narcotics is a crime. This, therefore, makes it rather impossible for any peaceful drug business to take part legally. As widely perceived, any illegal activity is usually associated with violence. The narcotics environment is rather concealed

Main Responsibilities in the Nursing Profession Essay

Main Responsibilities in the Nursing Profession - Essay Example In 2008, the National Survey of Registered Nurses conducted research and found out that over 3 million nurses were registered. There are only 2.6 million nurses who have been employed out of the 3 million registered nurses. Out of these 2.6 million which is an equivalent of 84%, 50.0% are nurses prepared from Baccalaureate programs, 36.1% from Associate Degree programs while 13.9% were from Diploma Nursing Programs. The NCLEX-RN licensing examination is taken by those who are to be recognized as certified nurses. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation made a proposal in a report. This report on The Future of Nursing suggested that 50.0% of BSN should be increased to 80%. Many types of research have also been conducted, and the findings reported that BSN in most care centres has realized a reduced rate of mortality deaths. American Organization of Nurse Executives called for all nurses to undergo the Baccalaureate programs. This program is to make them competent enough to handle the challengi ng task ahead of their careers. The U.S Army requires nurses that are competent specifically with a degree in baccalaureate nursing so that these nurses can be given the position of a commissioned nurse. A study was conducted showing that a large number of people preferred nurses who were trained for the duration of four years and over. It is only fair that the life of a patient is entrusted on a competent nurse. This paper will explore the difference in competencies that are notable between associate-degree nurses and nurses who have been prepared at the Baccalaureate-degree level in nursing. Baccalaureate nursing program is inclusive of all the course work that is taught in diploma and associate degree level. The four-year training they go through is seen in the care they extend to patients. Baccalaureate nurses are taught on theoretical and practical aspects. These theories incorporate the various fields outside medicine. Nursing knowledge includes theories in humanities, science s, as well as, Biblical concepts.

Nursing Research Utilization Project Essay Example for Free

Nursing Research Utilization Project Essay Plans to Decide the Future of Your Solution This evidence-based practice method will be implemented as a proposed solution to decreasing heart failure (HF) readmission rates. Transitional care activities ensure health care continuity, reduce risk of poor health outcomes, and facilitate safe transfer between levels of care or health care settings (Naylor et al., 2011). Methods and Specific Plans to Maintain a Successful Project Solution Methods and Specific Plans to Extend a Successful Project Solution This proposal will be implemented as a pilot program between the Heart Hospital and the Norfolk branch of the home care agency. If this transitional care program is successful in reducing HF readmission rates, additional sites will be given the opportunity to participate. Preference will be given to those agency locations that have a large HF population served by the Heart Hospital. The project team will reach out to the branch administration and clinical educators to share program details and current data related to readmission rates as a result of program implementation. The team will also assess whether this program proposal is feasible at other hospitals within the health system. The team will gather input from hospital administrators and the informatics department to decide which hospitals would be best suited to pilot this program. In addition, there must be a home health agency that is part of the system located within 25 miles of the hospital. The end goal of this proposal is to achieve system wide implementation of the transitional care program at all 12 acute care facilities and 19 home health branches in Virginia. Methods and Specific Plans to Revise an Unsuccessful Project Solution Ongoing monitoring of the transitional care program for HF readmissions will be performed by the representatives of the hospital and home health agency. On the hospital side, a clinical nurse specialist on the cardiac unit and a program analyst will ensure that referrals are made to appropriate patients and discharge plans include the transitional care activities. On the home health side, the Norfolk branch team leader, clinical informaticist, and information technology data specialist will monitor program operations. This team will collaborate closely to ensure that program implementation is successful. If the program is not yielding the expected outcomes then a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis will be performed. All barriers identified will be addressed in a timely manner and changes may be made to the initial plan to promote success. In addition, staff and patients will be surveyed to ascertain challenges not readily apparent to the implementation team. These surveys will be designed and conducted by the clinical education department for the hospital and home health agency. The timeframe for conducting patient surveys will occur within seven days of admission into the program and then every 60 days. Since patients will need to be reassessed every 60 days for continuation of home health services, it is feasible to conduct the transitional care program survey concurrently. The team reserves the right to conduct additional patient surveys if a patient is readmitted to the hospital at any time during program participation or opts out of the transitional care program. Staff at the hospital and home health agency will be surveyed 90 days from their training date on the transitional care program and then every six months. Results of these surveys will be shared with the project team implementation coordinators during the monthly team meeting. Methods and Specific Plans to Terminate an Unsuccessful Project Solution Specific Plans for Feedback in the Work Setting and for Communicating the Project and its Results to Professional Groups External to the Project Conclusion Despite its high prevalence, HF care is often fragmented and uncoordinated. The transitional care program proposed by the team seeks to address these gaps in care and to reduce HF readmission rates. Discussion Questions References Melnyk, B.M., Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing healthcare: A guide to best practices. (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Retrieved from University of Phoenix eBooks. Russell, D., Rosati, R.J., Sobolewski, S., Marren, J., Rosenfeld, P. (2011). Implementing a transitional care program for high-risk heart failure patients: Findings from a community- based partnership between a certified home healthcare agency and regional hospital. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 33(6), 17-24. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Internal and external factors affecting Starbucks

Internal and external factors affecting Starbucks Introduction This report will provide a critical review of Starbucks and its place in the coffee house market in the UK using three well tested approaches to strategic market analysis: SWOT, Porter’s Five forces and PESTLE analysis. A brief history of the coffee house market is provided in addition to some background to the company in question, Starbucks. Then the company is analysed using the three frameworks. Finally a few conclusions are drawn. History of the coffee shop The coffee house is not a new idea – they were established in Britain in the 17th century, the first opening in London in 1651 (Wilkes Group, 2012.). Some elements of the Coffee House clientele worried the establishment of the day, causing King Charles to speak of them as resort of ‘idle and disaffected persons’ producing ‘very evil and dangerous affects’ due to the fact people met there to discuss the politics of the day (Ibid, no page no.) 300 hundred years later coffee shops are just as popular, with an estimated 5,700 in the United Kingdom in 2013 (Ibid.); the market is fiercely fought, with Costa Coffee being number one brand in the market (in terms of the number of stores), followed by Starbucks (Figure 1). Third is Cafe Nero and there are a number of smaller companies joining the market, including Cafe Ritazza and a joint venture between Tesco and an Australian coffee company called Harris Hoole (Ibid.) Figure 1 – Coffee House UK market share (number of stores) Source: The Wilkes Group, 2012. Starbucks Company background The company was founded in Seattle, Washington State in 1971; the name was inspired by the mermaid in the novel Moby Dick, and the mermaid also inspired the company logo. It is now a very successful coffee house using ethically sourced Arabica coffee beans (Starbucks n.d.) Howard Schultz, now the company CEO, first visited a Starbucks store in 1981; he subsequently travelled to Italy where the coffee bars inspired him to bring the concept back to the United States (Starbucks website, n.d.) In 1987 Schultz purchased Starbucks with investment from local businesses. The ethos of the firm is to create a welcoming place for conversation: a third place between work and home. Today there are 15,000 Starbucks stores in 50 different countries (Starbucks website, n.d.) SWOT Analysis – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) This section presents a SWOT analysis for Starbucks; SWOT is a method of market analysis; this familiar acronym stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. These four words represent the major constructs firms need to consider to make the most of their internal set up and the external marketplace characteristics. Its major value is in the identification of those business critical factors which provide opportunity for the firm, but also any threats from competitors and the changing business environment. These need to be weighed up against the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) of the business to develop the best business solutions and strategies, both short term and long term (Meek Meek, 2003). (i) Strengths ~ One of the major strengths of the company is the strong Starbucks brand and it’s stylish image; this has made it very popular with young people, particularly students. According to Alderman (2012, no page number) â€Å"laptop-wielding young people embrace the coffee chain as an avatar of American popular culture† ~ Starbucks has a very modern website which is attractive to users and easy to navigate. This is so important in this digital age when the majority of people rely on the Internet to gather information about goods and services. ~The loyalty scheme introduced by Starbucks is another major advantage, a strategy adopted early on in the firm’s development. Encouraging consumers to increase their frequency of purchase through the use of loyalty cards is now a marketing tactic successfully adopted by many companies in different sectors. ~ The fact that Starbucks beans are ethically produced is a strong advantage to the company as consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainable production and corporate responsibility. A recent large-scale survey on social responsibility (Nielsen, 2014) shows that around 50% of consumers will choose to buy socially responsible brands. This includes going so far as to check packaging for claims about sustainability. (ii) Weaknesses ~ Starbucks has been experiencing financial difficulties in recent years, even recording a loss (Wilkes Group, 2012.) putting it at a disadvantage in terms of having the capacity to invest in developing new products or expanding its network of stores. ~ Perhaps as a result of poor performance Starbucks has experienced some decline in its stock values which also can result in reduced investment. ~ As students and the youth market is one of the main market segments for Starbucks, this is one age group in the UK demographics which is declining and projected to continue to do so over the next few years (ONS, 2011). ~ The tax avoidance scandal of recent years, when Starbucks avoided paying corporation tax in the UK (Bergin, 2012), temporarily dented the company reputation. However, in the long term it does not appear to have affected the popularity of the firm with consumers still patronising the stores. (iii) Opportunities ~ The taste for coffee houses and coffee consumption, particularly as part of the working day routine is continuing (Wilkes Group, n.d.) and showing little sign of slowing down. ~ This is supported by a recovering economy and signs that consumers are finding they have more discretionary income to spend (CEBR, 2014). ~ The relaxation of the licensing laws has provided an opportunity for firms like Starbucks to broaden their offering in coffee houses to include alcohol. This will attract new market segments. ~ There are further potential niche markets or segments to target, for example developing a caffeine free alternative for those consumers concerned about the health risks of too much caffeine. ~ Increased interest in corporate responsibility, ethical trading and sustainable coffee growing techniques for reducing the carbon footprint provide Starbucks with a competitive advantage as it has always adopted ethical business strategies. ~ The enduring trend for ‘drive thru’ premises and kiosks on railway and bus stations as a valid and popular way of delivering products in the food and drink sector provides good, relatively low cost, ways for Starbucks to increase sales and raise brand awareness and loyalty further. ~ An extension of this might be ‘pop-up shops’; temporary occupation of premises as part of for example, music and cultural events. This would also be an ideal vehicle for reaching the target market segments particularly young adults and students. ~ The increasing globalisation of markets provides wider opportunities for Starbucks to expand into new markets; some authors maintain that young people in different countries have more in common than people of different age groups in the same country (Usunier and Lee, 2013). This presents â€Å"an opportunity to target consumers sharing a common set of values, needs, habits and preferences† (Usunier and Lee, 2013 p. 131). (iv) Threats ~ The increasing emphasis on healthy lifestyles and reducing caffeine intake for people with certain health conditions is a potential threat to coffee house companies (Lopez-Garcia et al, 2008). The secret will be finding suitable alternatives for those consumers who cannot or choose not to drink caffeinated coffee. A quality decaffeinated alternative will provide access to this sub-segment of the market. ~ Climate change may well represent a threat to coffee production and hence make the raw materials more expensive. ~ There is very strong competition in the coffee house market with Costa Coffee firmly in the number one spot (Wilkes Group, n.d.) It is important for Starbucks to maintain relationships with its customers; the loyalty card is a good way of doing this as is two way communication with consumers via social networking sites (SNS). However, Starbucks must be careful to ensure not all messages it sends out to consumers are sales promotions; according to (Cohen, 2011) nine out of ten communications should be sharing information not sales pitches. Porter’s five forces This represents an equally important activity for any firm competitor analysis; in a rapidly changing world and such a fiercely contested marketplace a scientific view of the competition is key to success. This particular approach being described was designed by Michael Porter and is a systematic approach to identifying and assessing the relative strength of the ‘five forces’ influencing the nature of competition in the coffee industry. Figure 2 below illustrates the five forces which include competitors, new products, new entrants to the marketplace and the bargaining power of consumers (Porter, 2008). Figure 2 – Porter’s five forces Source: Porter, 2008 1. The potential threat of a new competitor and/or a new product in the already crowded coffee house marketplace is high, with strong contenders such as Cafe Ritazza on the fringes. The barriers to entry to the market are quite high as any company wanting to compete with Starbuck or Costa would need to open a large chain of shops. However, the example of the coffee house joining forces with Tesco (Poulter, 2013) is a case in point and could have disastrous consequences for Starbucks. 2. Secondly, the bargaining power of suppliers and the costs of raw materials is another strong force for any firm. In the case of Starbucks and its commitment to only using ethically sourced coffee beans, prices are at a premium anyway for fair trade goods. This will squeeze profit margins if the company is not able to pass the increased costs on to the customer. Other coffee houses may get their raw materials, particularly the high cost coffee beans, elsewhere and non-fair-trade meaning the price is most likely lower. 3. The third of Porter’s forces is the increasing bargaining power of customers; most decisions are influenced to a considerable extent by on-line peer reviews and recommendations. This can influence which product consumers will buy, with a bandwagon effect applying i.e. consumers buying the brand which is most popular (Kastanakis Balabanis, 2012). The power of the consumer is not to be underestimated and smart firms invest in nurturing relationships and communication with consumers. This can ultimately result in co-production e.g. of new products. There is clear appreciation of the value of social media to communicate with consumers who want to feel engaged with their favourite brands. Such engagement cancels out the ‘us and them’ culture of corporation-consumer relationships; now customers feel closer to brands (Engeseth, 2005). Yan (2011, p.695) describes this phenomenon as â€Å"consumers want to know they have some influence over the brands that they connect with†. 4. Fourthly is the force resulting from substitute products entering the marketplace; this might be in the form of an innovative new product for an established competitor e.g. a new flavour coffee from Costa; or a coffee house offering from a non-coffee house company. This might be considered the case when McDonalds introduced the concept of ‘McCafe’ providing a coffee house concept within the traditional burger house (Petersen, 2014). 5. Finally, Porter’s fifth force is the way any combination of the four other forces may influence the strength of competition provided by rival firms and products. There is strong competition from rival companies in the coffee house market, particularly Costa Coffee which dominates the number one spot in the market (Wilkes Group, 2012). PESTLE Analysis This represents the marketing audit angle and those companies which are most thorough in their analysis of the internal and external marketplace are the best placed to exploit any opportunities and protect against any threats. The analysis is based on clarity around the following questions: 1. Where is the company now? 2. How did the company get where it is today? 3. Where is the company heading and what are the corporate objectives? Jobber (2010) defines a marketing audit as the process of examining marketing in a business in a systematic way, including the environment, corporate objectives, strategies and any activities to assist in identifying any factors that may impact on the company and its products. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM 2013) explains that the business environment is in a constant state of flux, hence a regular audit is necessary to provide any intelligence needed to inform sound decision-making. Such decisions have to take many aspects of current and future influences in the external environment into account in a process widely termed a ‘PESTLE’ analysis. The acronym stands for: 1. Political 2. Economic 3. Social 4. Technological 5. Legal 6. Environmental This method assesses the impact on the firm of macro-environmental factors (Kotler and Armstrong 2010) and may well include those PESTLE elements listed in Table 1 below. Some factors will be more relevant to the coffee house market than others and these will be drawn out in the analysis. Table 1 – examples of PESTLE analysis components Political Economic Social Technological Pressure to strengthen environmental regulation. Hangover from recession still limits discretionary spending. Income distribution: coffee houses tend to sell premium priced products which people on lower incomes cannot afford. New inventions, including advanced roasting techniques can provide advantage. Employment law –pressure to increase the minimum wage Interest rates will increase soon. Coffee drinking is enduring as a popular ‘fashion’ New product development, including flavoured coffees and improved decaffeinated coffee for those concerned about the caffeine content. Political stability – general election in May 2015. Uncertainty and unemployment is commonplace. Lifestyle changes, including longer working hours are making a coffee ‘pick-me-up’ a regular part of the working day. Energy use and costs are key with ethically sourced coffee beans adding to raw material costs. Inflation rates are on the up. Health consciousness with coffee having advantages and disadvantages: Consumer confidence is improving slowly. High caffeine intake raises pulse rate and hence is not recommended for certain groups e.g. those with hypertension (van Dam, n.d.), but doesn’t increase risk of death (Lopez-Garcia et al, 2008) -But coffee does contain high levels of anti-oxidants which are beneficial and may protect against diabetes, Parkinson’s and liver disease (Ibid.) Legislation Environment New/extra legislation around sustainable coffee production will impact. Consumers in the UK are conscious of the ethical implications, with increasing consumption of Fairtrade coffee (Blacksell, 2011). Biodegradable packaging is key to reducing waste. Tax evasion scandal – this has legal implications for the company and damages the corporate reputation. Organic production of coffee is also on the rise due to consumer demand for naturally produced goods (Blacksell, 2011) Source: After Kotler and Armstrong, 2010 Market segmentation â€Å"The purpose of business is to create customers† is a definition by the business guru Peter Drucker (Swaim, 2010, p.14) who recommends that the best way to do so is to look at the company from the customer’s viewpoint. There are also a number of questions which need to be asked about segmentation of the market; specifically â€Å"what products does the customer buy† and â€Å"what does the customer value†? Research provides an indication of the market segments which are of importance to companies such as Starbucks. (i) Students represent a clear and well defined segment which can assist in promoting and recommending the brand through social networking. (ii) Young professionals and white collar workers: picking up a coffee on the way to work is a growing trend in the UK; the provision of Wi-Fi and newspapers in the stores assists the professionals to use Starbucks as a second office. Crookes (2014) observes that this has been so for a lot longer than many people realise, citing a London coffee shop opened in 1688 where ship-owners, insurance brokers and merchants would drop in to drink coffee but also to trade. There has been a long history of connecting coffee with work in terms of the introduction of the concept of the coffee break, first introduced in 1902 by Barcalounger, an American furniture manufacturer (Crookes, 2014). And the fondness for coffee amongst workers was the cause of a strike at Chrysler in 1964 when the management tried to stop company coffee breaks in an effort to increase production (ibid.) (iii) Young adults may well be an increasing segment attracted by the availability of alcohol at Starbucks coffee shops (Crookes, 2014), hence providing an alternative to pubs and clubs for socialising. Marketing mix The marketing mix incorporates the traditional concept of the four Ps (product, price, promotion and place) and is integral to marketing strategy development. Some authors have expanded the mix to seven Ps (Kotler et al. 2012) encompassing three more criteria of ‘people’, ‘physical evidence’ or ‘environment’, and ‘process’; these might be considered to better describe any influences on the marketplace. Kotler (2012, p.31) explains that it â€Å"recognizes and reconciles the scope and complexities of marketing activities†. However, this report will focus on the four Ps and how they might apply to Starbucks. (i) Product: Lower caffeine content options may attract more health conscious consumers; plus emphasis on ethically produced coffee beans. (ii) Price: In a high price, premium market Starbucks might consider offering a value option to broaden the market, particularly for the student segment. (iii) Promotion: Maximizing the social media promotion of Starbucks and its good works in ethical and responsible coffee production will improve the firm’s reputation (Berry, 2000). A constant and interactive presence on social networking sites will build relationships with consumers and can encourage co-production of new products and services, through electronic word of mouth (Chu Kim, 2011). (iv) Place: Starbucks has introduced around 200 ‘drive-thru’ coffee shops in the UK over the past couple of years enabling consumers to access coffee 24 hours a day (Smith, 2014). There may also be scope for pop-up shops at events or kiosks at railway and bus stations (e.g. the new mini-shop at Birmingham New Street station). Conclusion Starbucks is a well established part of the coffee house culture in the UK, well regarded for its ethical approach to sourcing and buying coffee beans. There are global opportunities for the firm as well as niche markets within the UK to exploit. Although not the number one firm in the coffee house market (a position held by Costa Coffee) Starbucks has developed a strong following amongst the youth and student segments; whilst continuing to provide the requisite products for the working population in their busy working day. Having weathered the temporary storm of bad publicity over the income tax evasion scandal, Starbucks has worked hard to improve its position in the eye of the consumer by emphasising the ethical and sustainable principles the firm has always maintained. Such communication and relationship marketing is key to long term brand loyalty. Despite fears that coffee may be bad for health there is also evidence to support drinking coffee in moderation to have preventive value against certain diseases. Starbucks is well placed to continue to trade competitively in the UK market, particularly as it continues to find and exploit new and innovative ways to get their product out to the consumer in the form of drive-thru’s and kiosks in high footfall areas. There seems little sign of the trend and fashion for coffee houses to diminish any time soon and it continues to be part of the UK culture just as it was over 300 years ago. Word count: 3191 References Alderman, L. 2012. In Europe, Starbucks adjusts to a Cafà © Culture. [On-line]. Available @ [Accessed 23/10/14]. Bergin, T. 2012. Special Report: How Starbucks avoids UK taxes. [On-line] Available @ http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/10/15/us-britain-starbucks-tax-idUSBRE89E0EX20121015 [Accessed 23/10/14]. Berry, L. 2000. ‘Cultivating Service Brand Equity’. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28 (1): pp.128-137. CEBR, 2014. Disposable income increases. [On-line] Available @ http://www.cebr.com/reports/asda-income-tracker-july-2014/ [Accessed 23/10/2014]. Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). 2013. Marketing Planning Tool [On-line]. Available @ http://www.cim.co.uk/marketingplanningtool/tech/tech5.asp. [Accessed 10/10/2014]. Chu, S-C. Kim, Y. 2011. ‘Determinants of consumer engagement in electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites’. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1): pp.47-75. Cohen, H. (2011) ‘Is your social media marketing myopic?’ [On-line] available @ http://heidicohen.com/is-your-social-media-marketing-myopic [Accessed 16/10/2014]. Crookes, D. 2014. Thirsty Work – the coffee shop as office. [On-line] Available @ http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/thirsty-work-the-coffee-shop-as-office-2290725.html [Accessed 16/10/2014]. Engeseth, S. 2005. One: A consumer revolution in business. London: Cyan-Marshall Cavendish. Blacksell, G. 2011. How Green is your coffee? [On-line] Available @ http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/oct/04/green-coffee [Accessed 16/10/2014]. Jobber, D. 2010. Principles and Practice of Marketing. 6th Edition. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. Kastanakis, M. Balabanis, G. 2012. Between the Mass and the Class: antecedents of the ‘bandwagon’ luxury consumption behaviour. Journal of Business Research: Vol. 65 (10); pp. 1399-1407. Kotler, P Armstrong, G. 2010. Principles of Marketing. 13th Edition. Harlow, Essex: Prentice Hall. Kotler P., Keller, K., Brady, M., Goodman, M. Hansen, T. 2012. Marketing Management (2nd Ed). Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Lopez-Garcia, E., Van Dam, R., Rodriquez-Artalejo, F. Hu, f. 2008. The relationship of coffee consumption with mortality. Ann. Intern Medicine; 2008; 148: pp.904-914. Meek, H. Meek, R. 2003. CIM Course book – Strategic Marketing Management. Oxford: Elsevier Nielsen. 2014. Global consumers are willing to put their money where their heart is when it comes to goods and services from companies c

Chinese Culture Essay -- Cultural Identity Essays

Throughout China's encased history it has developed much differently than western parts of the world. Chinese culture varies greatly compared to ours. These great differences between eastern culture and western culture make China a very interesting place. Some of the vast differences include literature, social structure, and government. The greatest difference is Chinese philosophy and way of thinking. China has developed a strict system of tradition that has given China great advantages and disadvantages. This is shown in Chinese literature. Tradition in China is a set of unwritten laws. This is why China turned its eyes from the outside world and looked in. China found everything it needed in Tradition (4). The strong traditions and customs play probably the greatest factor in the life of a Chinese person. This strict philosophy influences marriage, children, family, and duty in life. Marriage is much different and has different levels of companionship. One man may have many wives and or concubines. The status of these wives and concubines are very important. The lower you are on the husband's list the lower you were treated (1). When in a marriage if you were having children a son would be most desirable for you to have. You would be thought better of if you produced a son. This shows the male dominance in Chinese culture. Once a son was born the expectations for him were great. He was supposed to learn all great literature and be very scholarly (2). A girl, also was supp...

An Unexpected Message from Our Past :: Barker Regeneration Essays

"An Unexpected Message from Our Past" Who decides that being different is a trait to be looked down upon? In the late 19th century, it was the English Parliament with the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, specifically outlawing all forms of male homosexual expression. This law, combined with the already negative attitude surrounding the gay community before and after World War I, implied that homosexuality was something to be ridiculed and scorned. This trend unfortunately continues yet over a century later. Pat Baker's Regeneration, starting on page 54 and continuing throughout the novel, repeatedly uses a non-fictional character, Siegfried Sassoon, to exhibit the unnecessary hurt that homosexuals experienced throughout history, an angle that was often neglected when homosexuals were discussed one hundred years ago. Regeneration displays the conflict that many homosexuals are tormented by when deciding whether to live for themselves and their personal needs or whether to conform in order to blend in with socie ty. In the late 19th century, the purity movement was well underway in England. Serious efforts made by those involved in legislation were creating "a climate where immorality could be tackled seriously" (Mort 114). With the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill in 1885, the first steps were taken toward an "improved moral climate in the country" (Mort 129). While this new law included some positive improvements such as elevating the age of sexual consent for women from 13 to 16, a surprising addition was made just before the final vote was taken in Parliament. Henry Labouchere, a liberal in the House of Commons, introduced a clause "outlawing all forms of male homosexual contact" (Mort 129). The public embraced the addition and the "general negative attitude toward homosexuality" continued to grow with the law on its biased side as well (Robb 57). Ten years later, circumstances for homosexual males continued to look grim. On May 25, 1895, Oscar Wilde, a renowned playwright, was found guilty of engaging in homosexual activity and sentenced to the maximum punishment allowed: imprisonment for two years with hard labor. The judge, disgusted with Wilde, declared, "People who can do these things must be dead to all sense of shame," and he deemed the sentence inapt for such a vial criminal (Barger). In the years following, little change was made to ease the growing tension. When Edward Carpenter published his book The Intermediate Sex in 1909, he encouraged the acceptance and understanding of people with different sexual preferences and practices than those who found themselves in the majority.

What’s Under my Bed :: Free Essay Writer

What’s Under my Bed As I cleaned and rearranged my room one day, I slid my bed forward and found my childhood teddy bear. When I first saw him I could not believe I still had him. It looked much different than I remember. It was covered in dirt and grime. It smelled like a dusty, mildew-infested basement. I remembered the bear’s name; his name was Horace. I named him after myself. Horace lay there on my floor; his body stretched out twenty-four inches across my floor. He is wearing my old blue denim Oshkosh overalls. The overalls’ appearance reminds me of pants that had been run through the washer several hundred times. Atop Horace’s head are two half brown, half mocha, orange slice shaped ears. The right ear has an inch slit where a sliver of white thread hangs out. He has a large orange-peach head like a scrap of metal going through the first stages of oxidation. The soft fur on his head is hard and matted on the end where sticky candy used to lie. He has one small half marble, black eye on the right side. On the left side he has a hole where fluffy dirt colored cotton hangs out. The left side also has a dark brown spot; the spot reminds me of a cartoon character with a black eye. Just under the left eye on his puffy, beige-colored cheek he has two dark brown freckles. In between his right eye, and left hole, he has a patch of hair missing, wh ich reveals tightly threaded fish netting holding the stuffing inside. An inch below that is his flat, oval shaped nose. I can see teeth marks made by a teething Child. Horace’s head attaches directly to his torso; there is no neck in between. There is an upside down beige triangle patch of fur top of his chest his chest. His upper body is dark brown, like the patch around his eye. The brown flows out to the outstretched, five-inch arms. It comes to an end at the last two inches of the arms where it changes to an orange-peach color again. His lower section is hidden in the overalls. The left leg of the overalls is cuffed just above the foot.

Dudley R. B. Grant

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD ACT (Act of 2005) ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 1. 2. Short title and commencement Interpretation. Registration 3. Registration of early childhood institutions. Application for registration. Permit to operate institution prior to registration. Refusal of registration. Register of early childhood institutions to be kept. Records of early childhood institution to be kept. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Complaints procedure. 10. Suspension and cancellation of registration. 11. Notice of suspension etc. , of registration. 12. Appeal. 13. Cancellation of permit. 14.Investigations. Operation and Inspection of Early Childhood Institutions 15. Qualifications of operator and employees. 16. Prohibition of corporal punishment and restraint of child. 17. Storage of toxic substances, etc. 2 18. Assignment of officers and powers of entry and inspection. 19. Obligation of staff to co-operate. 20. Penalty for obstruction. 21. Health inspection. 22. Order of closure of early childhood institutions. General 23. Regulations. 24. Offences. 25. Penalty where no express penalty. 26. Registration of existing early childhood institutions. A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT to Provide for the Regulation and Management of early childhood institutions and for other connected matters. BE IT ENACTED by The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Representatives of Jamaica, and by the authority of the same, as follows:Short title and commencement. Interpretation. 1. This Act may be cited as the Early Childhood Act, 2005, and shall come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Minister by notice published in the Gazette. 2.In this Act – â€Å"basic school† means a school that offers a course of educational training for students under the age of six years; â€Å"Commission† means the Early Childhood Commission established under section 3 of the Early Childhood Commission Act; â€Å"day care centre† means any p remises used for the provision of nonresidential day care service to more than four children up to six years of age for at least six hours per day and at least four days per week; â€Å"early childhood institution† means a setting that provides developmentally appropriate care, stimulation, education and socialization, for children under the age of six years, including day care centres and basic schools; â€Å"inspector† means a person assigned by the prescribed authority pursuant to section 18; â€Å"prescribed authority† means the Early Childhood Unit of the Ministry 4 responsible for education, or such other entity as the Minister may designate in writing. Registration Registration of early childhood institutions. 3. – (1) No person shall operate an early childhood institution unless that institution is registered under this Act. (2) Every application for registration under this section shall be submitted in accordance with section 4. (3) The Commissio n shall register an early childhood institution if n relation to an application the Commission is satisfied, based upon the written report of the prescribed authority, that – (a) (b) the applicant is eighteen years of age or over; the applicant is a fit and proper person to operate an early childhood institution; (c) where the applicant is an individual, the applicant has not been convicted of an offence under the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Offences Against the Person Act or the Child Care and Protection Act, or an offence involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude; (d) where the applicant is a company, none of its directors or in the case of another body of persons, none of its members, has been convicted of an offence mentioned in paragraph (c); (e) a person to be employed by the applicant in the operation of the institution has not been convicted of an offence mentioned in paragraph (c); (f) the applicant or a person to be employed by the applicant in the operation of th e institution is not, by reason of any infirmity of mind or body or otherwise, incapable of operating or being employed in the institution; and 5 (g) First Schedule. the premises in which the institution is to be operated meets the requirements set out in the First Schedule. (4) Where the registration of an early childhood institution is pproved by the Commission, the Commission shall – (a) within thirty days after such approval (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and public general holidays), issue a registration certificate to the institution; and (b) upon the issue of the registration certificate, cause a notice of the registration to be published in the Gazette. (5) (a) A notice under subsection (4)(b) shall state the name of the institution as it appears on the registration certificate; and (b) the name of the operator of the institution. (6) The operator of an early childhood institution registered under this section shall ensure that a valid registration certificate issue d to the institution under subsection (4) is displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises of the institution. 7) Registration under this section (a) shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of issue of the registration certificate; and (b) may be renewed upon application in accordance with the provisions of section 4, not later than thirty days before the date of expiration thereof. (8) A person, other than the holder of a permit issued under section 5, who operates an early childhood institution that is not duly registered under this Act, commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars. 6 Application for registration. Second Schedule. 4. – (1) Every application for registration in accordance with this section shall be in the prescribed form and shall be submitted to the Commission, together with the matters specified in the Second Schedule. 2) Within seven days (excl usive of Saturdays, Sundays and public general holidays) after receiving an application under subsection (1), the Commission shall forward a copy of the application to the prescribed authority. (3) Within fifteen days (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and public general holidays) after receiving an application submitted in accordance with subsection (1), an officer of the prescribed authority authorized in that behalf shall arrange with the applicant to – (a) (b) visit and conduct an inspection of the proposed premises; and conduct interviews of the applicant and, as the prescribed authority considers necessary, persons proposed to be employed in the operation of the institution.Permit to operate institution prior to registration. 5. – (1) The Commission may, upon the recommendation of the prescribed authority, issue to an applicant for registration under section 3 a permit to operate the institution pending the determination of the application. (2) A permit under subse ction (1) shall cease to be valid upon (a) the delivery to the applicant of a certificate of registration under section 3(4); or (b) where a notice of refusal of registration is delivered to the applicant under section 6, upon the expiration of twenty-four hours after the delivery of the notice or such longer time as the Commission may specify in the notice. 3) As a condition of the grant of a permit under this section, the Commission may, on the recommendation of the prescribed authority, 7 impose time scales for the completion of improvements or amendments to the mode of operation or the premises of the institution. (4) A permit issued under this section shall – (a) (b) be in the prescribed form ; and stipulate all the conditions imposed under subsection (3) in respect of the institution. (5) The holder of a permit under this section shall allow an inspector entry onto the premises of the institution, at all reasonable hours, for the purpose of carrying out any inspection t o ascertain whether or not the institution is in compliance with the conditions of the permit. Refusal of registration. 6. (1) The Commission shall, upon the recommendation of the prescribed authority, refuse an application for registration under section 4 – (a) in any case where the Commission is not satisfied as to the matters set out in section 3(3); or (b) if the Commission is satisfied that – (i) a person to be employed by the applicant is not a fit and proper person to be employed in an early childhood institution; (ii) for reasons connected with zoning, situation, construction, accommodation, staffing or equipment, the premises to be used for the operation of the institution are not fit to be so used. (2) Where an application is refused under this section, the Commission shall send to the applicant a notice of the refusal, specifying the reasons therefor. Register of early childhood institu7. The Commission shall keep a register of early childhood institutions a nd shall cause to be entered therein, from time to time, in respect of every early childhood institution registered in accordance with the 8 tions to be kept. Records of early childhood institution to be kept. Complaints procedure. provisions of this Act, the name of the institution and such particulars in relation thereto as may be prescribed. 8.An operator of an early childhood institution shall keep proper records showing the business conducted by him in respect of that early childhood institution and shall keep such other records as may be prescribed. 9. – (1) A person may make a complaint in writing to the Commission if that person has reason to believe that – (a) an early childhood institution has contravened any provision of this Act; or (b) a child at any early childhood institution has been abused or has suffered injury or harm as a result of the act or negligence of the operator, a person acting as an agent, or any person employed in the operation, of the ear ly childhood institution. 2) Upon receiving a complaint under subsection (1), the Commission shall refer the complaint to an inspector who shall, with a view to preparing the report mentioned in subsection (3), make such inquiries as he thinks fit and conduct discussions with the complaining party, the operator of the early childhood institution and, where appropriate, any employee of the early childhood institution involved in the complaint. (3) The inspector shall submit to the Commission a report containing the following information – (a) the grounds of the complaint, noting any facts in dispute between the relevant parties; (b) whether, in the opinion of the inspector, the matter can be remedied; 9 (c) if the inspector is of the opinion that the matter can be remedied, the measures recommended by the inspector to effect the remedy; and (d) he time period that the inspector considers to be reasonably sufficient to effect the remedy. (4) Upon receiving a report under subsec tion (3), the Commission shall – (a) give notice in writing of its intention to consider the report, to – (i) the operator of the early childhood institution and any employee of such institution who is involved in the complaint, together with a copy of the complaint and a copy of the report; (ii) the complaining party, together with a copy of the report; (b) in such notice, specify a period, being not less than seven days, during which any of the persons referred to in paragraph (a) shall be entitled to attend before the Commission, to make representations concerning the complaint. 5) After the expiry of the period mentioned in subsection (4), the Commission may – (a) (b) dismiss the complaint; or confirm the complaint and direct the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report, subject to such variations (if any) as the Commission thinks fit. (6) A person who attends before the Commission under subsection (4) shall be entitled to be accompanied by his attorney-at-law. (7) This section is without prejudice to any other proceedings that may be brought in relation to the complaint by virtue of any other law. 10 Suspension and cancellation of registration. 10. – (1) Subject to section 11, the Commission may, in accordance with subsection (2), suspend or cancel the registration of an early childhood institution. 2) The Commission may, by notice in writing to the operator of an early childhood institution – (a) suspend the registration of the early childhood institution if the Commission is satisfied that the institution – (i) is being operated in breach of any of the requirements of this Act or of regulations made under this Act; or (ii) in any case where pursuant to section 9(3)(c) an inspector recommends measures to remedy the matter, the operator has failed to comply with a direction made by the Commission under section 9(5)(b); (b) cancel the registration if the Commission is satisfied that – (i ) the operator of the early childhood institution or a person employed in the operation of the institution has been convicted of an offence mentioned in section 3(b)(i); (ii) the operator of the early childhood institution is, by reason of mind or body or otherwise, incapable of operating the institution; (iii) the premises of the early childhood institution are found to be unsuitable upon an inspection carried out pursuant to section 18; (iv) the early childhood institution is being operated in breach of the Public Health Act; or 11 (v) the registration has been suspended under subsection (2)(a) on more than one occasion over a period of eighteen months. (3) Where the Commission suspends the registration of an early childhood institution under subsection (2)(a), the Commission shall act in accordance with subsection (4). 4) The Commission (a) may cancel the registration if six months have expired after the date of such suspension, and the Commission is satisfied that the grounds fo r the suspension still exist at the institution; or (b) shall forthwith restore the registration if satisfied that – (i) the operator has complied with the directions (if any) issued under section 9(5)(b); and (ii) the grounds for suspension no longer exist, and shall, in writing, inform the operator of the restoration. (5) The Commission shall cause a notice of every suspension, cancellation or restoration of registration under this Act to be published in the Gazette. Notice of suspension etc. , of registration. 11. (1) Before refusing an application for renewal of registration, or suspending or cancelling the registration of an early childhood institution, the Commission shall give to the operator of the institution not less than seven days written notice of the Commission’s intention to do so, stating – (a) the grounds on which the Commission intends to refuse the application for renewal of the registration, or suspend or cancel the registration, as the case may be; and (b) that, if within seven days after the receipt of that notice, the operator informs the Commission that he desires an opportunity 12 to show cause why such action should not be taken, the Commission shall, before taking any action, afford the operator or his representative such an opportunity. 2) If the operator fails to show cause as mentioned in subsection (1)(b), the Commission shall – (a) in the case of suspension or cancellation, act in accordance with section 10(2) and shall send a copy of the notice referred to in that subsection by registered post to the operator; and (b) in the case of refusal to renew registration, send to the applicant notice of refusal to renew registration. (3) A notice referred to in subsection (2)(a) shall not be effective until the expiration of seven days from the date on which it was issued, or where notice of appeal is given under section 12, until the appeal has been determined or withdrawn. Appeal. 12. A person aggrieved by any decision of the Commission to refuse an pplication for registration or renewal of registration or to suspend or cancel registration may, within seven days after the date on which the notice of such decision was received by him, appeal against such decision to the Appeal Tribunal appointed by the Minister in accordance with the Third Schedule. Cancellation of permit. 13. – (1) The Commission, acting on the recommendation of the prescribed authority, may, by notice in writing to the operator of an early childhood institution, cancel a permit issued under section 5 if the Commission is satisfied that any condition of the permit is being breached in relation to the early childhood institution. 2) The provisions of section 11 and 12 shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to the cancellation of a permit under this section. provisions of the Third Schedule. 13 Investigations. 14. – (1) The Commission may, where it considers it expedient to do so, hold or cause to be held an investigation – (a) to determine whether any registration made, or permit issued, under this Act should be suspended, restored or cancelled; (b) in respect of the breach of any provision of this Act or any regulations made hereunder, or the terms or conditions of any such permit; or (c) as respects any matter related to or connected with its functions, so as to determine whether any of such functions should be exercised. 2) With respect to any investigation under subsection (1), the following provisions shall have effect (a) the persons holding the investigation (hereinafter referred to as â€Å"the investigator†) shall do so in such manner and under such conditions as the investigator may think most effectual for ascertaining the facts of the matter under investigation; (b) the investigator shall have for the purposes of the investigation all the powers of a Resident Magistrate to summon witnesses, call for the production of books and documents and to exami ne witnesses and the parties concerned on oath; (c) any person summoned to attend or to produce books or documents under this section and refusing or neglecting to do so, or refusing to answer any question put to him by or with the concurrence of the investigator commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars and in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months: Provided that no person shall be bound to incriminate himself 14 and every witness shall, in respect of any evidence given by him at such an investigation be entitled to the same privileges to which he would be entitled if giving evidence before a court; (d) any witness attending at the request of, or upon summons by, the investigator shall, subject to any order made by the tribunal, be entitled to like allowances for expenses as if summoned to attend a Resident Magistrate’s Court. Operation and Inspection of Early Childhood Institutions Qualifications of operator and employees. 15. (1) A person shall not operate an early childhood institution unless that person meets the qualifications prescribed under subsection (4) as to training in the care of children. (2) The operator of an early childhood institution shall not employ any person in the institution for the purpose of caring for the children therein unless that person meets the qualifications prescribed under subsection (4) as to training in the care of children. (3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence. (4) The Commission may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations prescribing qualification requirements in respect of operators and employees of early childhood institutions. Prohibition of corporal punishment and restraint of child. 16. (1) Corporal punishment shall not be inflicted on a child in an early childhood institution. (2) A mechanical or electrical device shall not be used to restra in a child in an early childhood institution. (3) Where restraint of a child is necessary, such restraint shall be administered in accordance with regulations made for that purpose. Storage of 17. All medicines, cleaning agents or toxic substances kept at an early childhood institution shall be appropriately labelled and stored in a 15 toxic substances, etc. locked cupboard or other locked receptacle, which shall be kept (a) out of the reach of children; (b) away from equipment; and (c) away from the area in which food is stored.Assignment of officers and powers of entry and inspection. 18. – (1) The prescribed authority may assign such officers as it thinks necessary to be inspectors of early childhood institutions for the purpose of investigating complaints and otherwise securing the proper observance of the provisions of this Act. (2) The assignment of an officer pursuant to this section shall be published by notice in the Gazette and such officer shall be furnished with a certificate of assignment, which he shall produce to the operator or any other person in charge of an early childhood institution, if required to do so, on entering any premises pursuant to subsection (3). 3) An inspector may at all reasonable hours enter and inspect any early childhood institution, or any premises which he has reasonable cause to believe is so used, for the purpose of determining whether the institution is being operated in accordance with this Act. (4) An inspector may, for the purposes of subsection (3) – (a) require the production of records or other documents required to be kept pursuant to this Act; (b) make copies of such documents or records. Obligation of staff to co-operate. 19. – (1) Every operator and employee of an early childhood institution shall co-operate with an inspector executing his functions pursuant to section 18. 2) Any person who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction befor e a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars and in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months. 16 Penalty for obstruction. 20. Any person who wilfully obstructs or impedes an inspector in the execution of his duties under this Act commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars and in default of payment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months. Health inspection. 21. The Minister may cause an early childhood institution to be visited t any reasonable time by the Chief Medical Officer or any other health personnel for the purpose of ensuring that proper health standards are maintained at that early childhood institution. Order for closure of early childhood institutions. 22. – (1) Where the Minister has grounds to believe that the welfare of children in an early childhood institution has been, is being or is likely to be, endan gered and that it is in the public interest to make an order under this section, the Minister may by order published in the Gazette direct that the institution be closed for such period or pending the fulfilment of such conditions, as the Minister thinks necessary. 2) A person who fails to comply with an order under subsection (1) shall be liable on summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months. (3) For the purposes of subsection (1) the Minister may take into account any report referred to the Minister by the Commission. General Regulations. 23. – (1) The Minister may, subject to affirmative resolution, make regulations generally for giving effect to the provisions of this Act. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Minister may, subject to affirmative resolution, make regulations – (a) prescribing ntries to be made in the rec ords kept pursuant to section 8; 17 (b) prescribing standards with regard to safety, security, sanitation and such other matters as the Minister considers necessary for the efficient operation of an early childhood institution; (c) prescribing conditions for admission of children into early childhood institutions; (d) prescribing the forms of application, registration, reports and other documents to be used under this Act; (e) regulating the manner in which and the conditions subject to which the services of an early childhood institution shall be performed; (f) prescribing the hours during which early childhood institutions may remain open; (g) rescribing guidelines for the nutrition programmes to be implemented by early childhood institutions; (h) regulating the manner in which a child may be restrained in an early childhood institution; (i) (j) the frequency of inspections carried out under this Act; the return, custody or disposal of registration certificates upon the suspension or cancellation of registration; (k) prescribing any other matter or anything, which may be or is required by this Act to be prescribed. Offences. 24. – (1) A person who contravenes section 3(6) (display of registration certificate) commits an offence and shall be liable upon summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding twentyfive thousand dollars. 2) A person who intentionally makes false statement or declaration in any application submitted under section 4 commits an offence and is liable upon summary conviction before a Resident 18 Magistrate to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding thirty days. (3) A person who, not being assigned as an inspector pursuant to section 18, assumes the designation or description of, assumes to act as, or impersonates, an inspector commits an offence. Penalty where no express penalty. 25. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of thi s Act, for which no penalty is expressly provided, commits n offence and is liable upon summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars and in default of payment to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding thirty days. Registration of existing early childhood institutions. 26. – (1) A person who, on the date of commencement of this Act, is the operator of an early childhood institution shall apply within three months after that date to the Commission to have that early childhood institution registered pursuant to this Act. (2) Every application under this section shall be submitted in accordance with section 4. (3) Where an application has been made pursuant to subsection (1), the operation of the early childhood institution to which it relates may be continued pending the determination of the application. Power to amend Schedules by order. 27.The Minister may, by order subject to affirmative resolution, amend the First or Second Schedule. 19 FIRST SCHEDULE (Section 3) Requirements in respect of premises to be used for the Operation of an early childhood institution Structure. 1. The premises on which an early childhood institution is to be operated shall satisfy the following requirements (a) the building shall – (i) be approved for that purpose by the local planning authority; (ii) be solidly and substantially built with a weather-tight roof; (iii) be floored throughout with timber, concrete, mortar or pavement of brick, stone, tiles or asphalt; (iv) be in good repair; (v) have at least 1. metres square of space for each child and adequate play area outside; (vi) be equipped with suitable and adequate toilet facilities; (b) the premises shall be properly fenced and a gate provided with a latch the height of which shall be beyond the reach of a child; (c) there shall be suitable and adequate number of cribs, cots or other sleeping devices; (d) there shall be an adequate supp ly of safe nontoxic play material; 20 (e) the facilities for food storage and preparation shall be clean, safe and hygienic, in conformity with the Public Health Regulations; and (f) the premises shall be properly ventilated and shall have such other facilities as will encourage the good health and well being of a child. Access. 2. Any premises, constructed after the date of ommencement of this Act, on which an early childhood institution is to be operated shall provide for access by a person with a physical disability, including – (a) (b) ramps for wheelchair access; adequate space for a person on crutches or in a wheelchair to manoeuvre in toilet and activity areas; (c) an appropriate number of wash basins and toilets at wheelchair height; (d) doors that open inward for the purposes of entry and doors that open outward for the purposes of exit. Layout and accommodation. 3. – (1) An early childhood institution shall not be located in a building where any person reside s unless the portion of the building where the early childhood institution is operated is used exclusively for the purposes of that institution during the opening hours of the institution. (2) The following shall be accommodated on the premises of every early childhood institution – (a) an internal play area and access to an outdoor play area; 21 (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) sick bay for children; separate bathroom facilities for staff and children; a food storage and preparation area; a dining area; an area for napping; an administrative area; an instruction area that shall not be used for any purpose other than the instruction of children, when children are present, so situated to allow for a defined space in respect of each of the areas mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (h) and so that the use of one area for its assigned purpose does not interfere with the use of another area for its assigned purpose. (3) The premises shall provide for adequate space for – (a) storage of equipment and materials used at the early childhood institution; and (b) children to move about freely, including crawl space for infants. Lighting. 4. (1) Proper lighting shall be provided in every part of the premises where children are accommodated and through where they may pass. (2) All electrical outlets shall be placed out of the reach of children and shall be protected by safety covers and mechanisms. Water. 5. Adequate supplies of safe drinking water shall be 22 provided for the use of a child in an early childhood institution. Equipment. 6. The premises shall be equipped with – (a) adequate supplies necessary for rendering first aid; and (b) adequate fire fighting and protective equipment. SECOND SCHEDULE 1. The following shall be submitted with every application for registration (a) (b) (c) the prescribed fee; two assport-sized photographs of the applicant; a reference, in such form as may be prescribed by the Commission in regulations published in the Gazette, from any two of the following persons (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) a Justice of the Peace; a Minister of religion; an attorney-at-law; the principal of an educational institution or the chairman of the Board of Management of an educational institution; (v) (vi) a former employer of the applicant; a Resident Magistrate or a Judge of the Supreme Court; or (vii) a police officer above the rank of Inspector; (d) a report, from an officer of the Jamaica Fire Brigade authorized by the Commissioner of the (Section 4) 23Brigade in that behalf, stating that the premises proposed for the operation of the institution have been inspected and that the officer is satisfied that reasonable steps are taken for the prevention of fire and for protection against the dangers of fire and other disaster; (e) a report from a Medical Officer (Health), or any other person authorized in writing in that behalf by the Minister or by a Local Board or by the Medical Officer (Health), stating that the premises proposed fo r the operation have been inspected and are in compliance with the provisions of the Public Health Act; (f) in respect of the applicant and each person proposed to be employed in the operation of the institution – (i) a certificate, from a registered medical practitioner certifying that the applicant or employee, as the case may be, is in good health; and (ii) (g) a food handler’s permit; the name and job description of each proposed employee and a copy of every proposed terms of employment; (h) details as to the proposed premises, including – (i) a floor plan of each building; (ii) a description of the structure; 24 (iii) the type of accommodation (internal and external); (iv) (v) furniture and equipment; such other details as may be prescribed; (i) particulars of fees to be charged and proposed sources of funding. THIRD SCHEDULE The Appeal Tribunal Constitution of Tribunal. 1.The Appeal Tribunal shall (a) subject to paragraph 2, consist of three members appoin ted by the Minister; and (b) have the following qualifications – (i) the chairman shall be an attorney-at-law; and (ii) each of the two other members shall be qualified in at least one of the following areas, that is to say, child care, child psychology, nutrition, paediatrics or nursing. Power of one member to sit alone. Tenure of office. 2. For the hearing of any appeal under this Act, the (Section 12) Appeal Tribunal may consist of one member sitting alone if the parties to the appeal agree. 3. The members of the Appeal Tribunal shall, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, hold office for such period, not exceeding two years, as the Minister may determine and shall be eligible for reappointment. Acting 4. The Minister may appoint any person to act in the 25 appointment. lace of the Chairman or any other member of the Appeal Tribunal in the case of the absence or inability to act of the Chairman or any other member. Resignation. 5. – (1) Any member of the Appea l Tribunal, other than the Chairman, may, at any time, resign his office by instrument in writing addressed to the Minister and transmitted through the Chairman and, from the date of the receipt by the Minister of such instrument, that member shall cease to be a member of the Appeal Tribunal. (2) The Chairman may, at any time, resign his office by instrument in writing addressed to the Minister, and such resignation shall take effect as from the date of receipt by the Minister of that instrument. Revocation of appointment. Filling of vacancies. 6.The Minister may, at any time, revoke the appointment of any member of the Appeal Tribunal if he thinks it expedient to do so. 7. If any vacancy occurs in the membership of the Appeal Tribunal such vacancy shall be filled by the appointment of another member. Publication of membership. Remuneration. 8. The names of all members of the Appeal Tribunal as first constituted and every change in the membership thereof shall be published in the Ga zette. 9. There shall be paid to the Chairman and other members of the Appeal Tribunal, in respect of each appeal, such remuneration, whether by way of honorarium, salary or fees, and such allowances as the Minister may determine. Voting. 10.The decision of the Appeal Tribunal shall be by a majority of votes of the members and in addition to an 26 original vote, the Chairman shall have a casting vote in any case in which the voting is equal. Power to regulate proceedings. Office of Chairman or member of Tribunal not public office. 12. The office of Chairman or member of the Appeal 11. Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the Appeal Tribunal shall regulate its own proceedings. Tribunal shall not be a public office for the purposes of Chapter V of the Constitution of Jamaica. MEMORANDUM OF OBJECTS AND REASONS There exists the need for a comprehensive framework for all aspects of early childhood education, care and development.An Early Childhood Commission has already been estab lished to oversee the regulation of early childhood services. In order to ensure proper standards, a decision was taken to make legislative provision for the regulation of early childhood institutions. This Bill seeks to give effect to that decision. The Bill provides for – (a) the registration of early childhood institutions; (b) the setting of standards for the operation of such institutions with respect to safety, sanitation, health and supervision and as regards the condition of the relevant premises; 27 (c) monitoring compliance with the legal requirements by a system of inspection. Maxine Henry-Wilson Minister of Education, Youth and Culture