It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, with the boundaries of the post-1975 City of Edinburgh District Council of the Lothian region..
This paper develops a conceptual framework for unified socio-technical design for energy transition that treats engineering innovation and socio-technical analysis as a single integrated design problem rather than as separate concerns addressed in sequence. The framework is motivated by a persistent pattern in which technically sound interventions falter in the field because the social and institutional conditions that govern their durability are neither measured nor designed for. In response, this paper articulates a model in which social variables, centrally a general method making the social dimension as tractable and optimizable as the engineering dimension, are rendered explicit and brought into the design problem on the same footing as technical parameters. The contribution is conceptual: this paper sets out the foundations of the framework, specifies its components and the relationships among them, illustrates its reasoning, and derives design and policy implications, with the aim of supporting energy systems that are simultaneously technically efficient, economically accessible, socially responsive, and adaptable to developing and resource-dependent regions
Introduction: Open access aims to provide access to research and scholarship without barriers. An important tool in this process has been institutional repositories (IRs), which disseminate and preserve open scholarship. The goal of this research project was to examine the extent to which IRs in the U.S. are incorporating publicfacing accessibility practices to make their open access works accessible to users of all abilities. Method: This environmental scan reviews the IRs of Library Accessibility Alliance member institutions to identify the prevalence of accessibility practices across those IRs, including contact information, accessibility statements, instructions for submitters, and accessibility-related metadata. Results: This environmental scan found that all but two institutions offered contact information, an avenue for requesting remediation and asking questions. Just over half of the institutions offered IR accessibility documentation, and many linked to other institutional accessibility documentation. Additionally, slightly under a quarter of the institutions provided support for researchers hoping to make their submissions accessible, and three included accessibility information in item-level metadata. Conclusion: While many IR teams are taking some steps to ensure that their IRs are accessible, many accessibility features are not standard across the IRs examined in this study, which suggests the potential for future improvement. Expanded adoption of accessibility best practices would improve access to IR materials and help achieve the ultimate goals of the open access movement.
Visual supports are an important intervention for autistic individuals and others with neurodevelopmental differences. However, families often report limited access to visual supports and lack of information and confidence in their use at home. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a home-based visual supports intervention. Methods: 29 families with children (n = 20 males; mean age 6.59 years [Range 3.64–12.21 years SD 2.57]) receiving support for autism or related needs participated in the study. Parents engaged in an individualised assessment and intervention process through home visits, completing pre- and post-measures. Qualitative methods were used to explore the parents’ experiences of the intervention. Results: The intervention led to a statistically significant improvement in parent-reported quality of life (t28 = 3.09, p = 0.005) and parent-reported perception of autism-specific difficulties (t28 = 2.99, p = 0.006). Parents also reported improved access to resources and relevant information and increased confidence in using visual supports at home. The home visit model was strongly supported by the parents. Conclusion: The results provide initial evidence of the acceptability, practicality, and utility of the home-based visual supports intervention. These findings suggest that outreach into the family home may be a beneficial mechanism for delivering interventions related to visual supports. This study highlights the potential of home-based interventions to improve access to resources and information for families and the importance of visual supports in the home setting.
The Independent Care Review in Scotland has encouraged a policy shift towards recognizing young people's potential to contribute to their own and others' experiences of care. This paper makes an important contribution to debates around the role of children in the social support systems of others who have experienced loss and trauma. It reports on a research project which explored young people's views on peer support in care and their experiences of it. It highlights the crucial role that 'peers' play in looked after children's social support systems at both an individual and systemic level. Friendships, in this context of a social support system based on a shared set of experiences, were regarded as transformative. Barriers to the formation of such social support systems also emerged, for example, limited understanding within the 'adult' support system of the significance and benefits of relationships among children. Young people experienced their peer social support systems as overlooked, downplayed or misunderstood by adults. As a result, decisions and actions were often taken which disrupted or, in some cases, destroyed effective social support systems. The paper argues for changes in practice to support the friendships looked after children have whilst in care.
