Child protection : trends and issues in Alberta
The Honourable Iris Evans, Minister of Children's Services for Alberta, has stated that "Alberta's children deserve to be cherished and cared for in quality childcare settings that contribute to their social and personal development" (Government of Alberta, December 16, 2002). Fortunately, the majority of parents are raising their children in such environments. However, there are families who pose a risk to the safety and security of their children, and child protection services may be involved with these families. The Alberta Response Model is based on the assumption that families who come to the attention of the child protection system are currently handled in a manner that is intrusive and stigmatizing. Instead of being a helpful and proactive service, child protection can become detrimental and potentially harmful to the clientele it serves. The Alberta Response Model is a new departure in child welfare practice and provides an alternative approach. Each of the 18 regional Child and Family Service Authorities is to develop its own initiatives incorporating the activities and philosophy of the Alberta Response Model. In the southern Alberta region, Sun Country Child and Family Services provides child protection services and has developed many innovative and creative projects to keep children safe. This project examines the Alberta Response Model in four sections: the historical context, current practice, Sun Country's response, and concerns and dilemmas.
News release
Singapore, May 11, 2017 – Wilmar International Limited (“Wilmar” or “the Group”), Asia’s leading agribusiness group, reported a 40% increase in core net profit to US$312.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 (“1Q2017”) (1Q2016: US$222.4 million). The strong result reflected good performance from Oilseeds & Grains and Tropical Oils as well as higher contributions from the Group’s associates. Gains from the Group’s portfolio of investment securities, due to improved conditions in equities markets, led to a 51% improvement in net profit to US$361.6 million for the quarter (1Q2016: US$239.4 million).
Welfare of Children
so tested and subsequently reacting to the injection the test had been negative in 5 developing fatal shock and 6 with severe shock, and positive only in 6 out of 15 with less severe shock and 5 out of 22 with urticaria. These results suggest that such a test is capable of (inconstantly) detecting only the less dangerous type of sensitivity. Another objection to such tests is that they may themselves cause a reaction. P. S. Mayer and his colleagues2 observed profound shock after the injection of only 10 units. To obviate this danger W. B. Shelley3 has devised a rapid in vitro test which consists in mixing one drop each of the patient's serum, a solution of penicillin, and a suspension of the buffy coat of the patient's own blood, or that of a rabbit if his is unsuitable. A reaction between the penicillin and antibody in the serum results in degranulation of the basophils in the leucocyte suspension within ten minutes. The test has also been employed successfully in detecting sensitization to other antibiotics and to other drugs including aspirin, procaine, and sulphonamides. Although rapid in actual execution, this test evidently calls for practice and skill, and seems scarcely feasible as a routine procedure before starting treatment. Moreover it has not been proved to be entirely dependable. Only 4 out of 70 patients who had recently been given penicillin without reactions gave a positive result. Of 138 " with a history of penicillin intolerance" 38 were positive in a test using their own leucocytes and 60 out of 137 were positive in a test with rabbit leucocytes, but the observations were not carried to the point of actually administering penicillin to either positive or negative reactors. An entirely different approach to this subject, and one which promises to afford a safe and practical test for sensitivity, originates from the work of A. L. de Weck and H. N. Eisen.4 It has been generally assumed that the antigen concerned in this sensitivity is a penicillinprotein complex. These authors maintain that penicillin does not combine firmly enough with protein to function as a haptene. On the other hand, penicillenic and penicilloic acids, successive stages in the natural degradation of penicillin after its solution in water, form stable compounds with proteins thus creating potent antigens. These authors are satisfied that the basis of sensitivity to penicillin is formation of antibody to such a compound. The erratic results of tests with penicillin itself are thus explained: whether a reaction is obtained in a sensitive subject will depend on whether penicillenic acid has been formed in the solution used. According to de Weck5 it is unjustifiable deliberately to use this substance for such a test, since it may itself produce the very condition which it is being used to detect. On the other hand a penicilloyl derivative of penicillin combined with a polypeptide (penicilloyl-polylysine), which elicits