IN BRIEF
EYES ON MIDDLE-MEN Ombudsmen provide an important pathway of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) within European justice systems. Researchers will examine what people expect from an ombudsman procedure as well as the differences and similarities of various national settings and types of grievances. Their aim is to compare levels of perceived procedural fairness and trust in ombudsman systems in France, Germany and the UK. ESRC grant number ES/K00820X/1
ONLINE MISOGYNY In July 2013, Caroline Criado- Perez was inundated with misogynistic abuse on Twitter having campaigned to have a woman appear on an English banknote. Legislative bodies came under pressure to deal with the issue despite the dearth of research on the topic. Researchers aim to address this gap through a study of online misogynistic threats and will explore why ‘trolls’ make rape threats. ESRC grant number ES/L008874/1
REDUCING WASTE New perspectives on the causes and management of food waste are the aim of a research and knowledge exchange project led by the University of Manchester. Interviews with stakeholders including retailers, activists and charities will help researchers explore how the challenge of food waste reduction is being framed, interpreted and addressed. They aim to identify innovative practical mechanisms for waste reduction.
ESRC grant number ES/L00514X/1
Disadvantage increases disabling conditions
FOR CHILDREN LIVING in the UK’s most socio-economically disadvantaged households the odds of developing chronic, disabling conditions are twice those of children living in the least disadvantaged, according to a new study from the University of Warwick. In the first study of its kind, researchers examined data from the UK Office of National Statistics Longitudinal Study (ONSLS). “Our aim was to look at children who were identified as being free from conditions that had a significant impact on daily life – for example, severe asthma and chronic mental health or developmental conditions – in early childhood (0-10 years) and examine whether exposure to socio-economic disadvantage during this period increased their risk of developing a disabling chronic condition in later childhood and early adulthood (10-20 years),” says project leader Dr Clare Blackburn. Researchers also undertook the first
systematic review of existing evidence for the link between socio-economic deprivation and child disability. “Findings show that in high-income countries, a high majority of studies indicate a statistically significant relationship of childhood disability with socio-economic disadvantage,” says Dr Blackburn. For children living in low socio-economic households, the odds of being reported to have a disabling chronic condition were 70 per cent greater than for children in better-off households.
4 SOCIETY NOW SUMMER 2011 SPRING 2014 Together these studies add to
the evidence indicating that the level of exposure to socio-economic disadvantage in early childhood matters in terms of health and future life chances. And that concern over the issue of childhood disadvantage appears warranted. A quarter of UK children are still living in low-income families and the number of children experiencing material deprivation is forecast to increase between 2010 and 2015. “Without targeted policies and programmes to tackle socio-economic disadvantage, the prevalence of chronic disabling conditions in childhood may increase resulting in further demands on health, education and social services,” says Dr Blackburn. “Our study confirms the findings from other studies of child health, that targeting preventative efforts to reduce socio-economic disadvantage in early childhood is likely to be an important public health strategy to reduce health inequalities in later childhood and early adulthood. Although more research is needed, the current evidence tells us that developing policies that result in more favourable social and economic living conditions are important. Reducing poverty among households with young children is likely to remain key to achieving this.” n
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Contact Dr Clare Blackburn, University of Warwick Email
c.m.blackburn@warwick.ac.uk Telephone 0247 652 4132 ESRC Grant Number RES-062-23-2883
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