Environmental Vocabulary for English Learners

Environmental Vocabulary for English Learners For English-language learners, vocabulary related to environmental issues can be challenging. Tables sectioned according to types of environmental issues can help. These tables provide the word or phrase in the left column and an example of how to use the term(s) in the righthand column to provide context. Important Issues From acid rain to pollution and radioactive waste, there are many environmental issues around which discussion and debate have evolved. Students will likely hear many of these terms on the news or read about them on the internet and in newspapers. The general list of issues should prove helpful. Term or Phrase Example Sentence acid rain The acid rain ruined the soil for the next three generations. aerosol Aerosol can be extremely toxic and must be used with care when sprayed in the air. animal welfare We must consider animal welfare as we strive to create a balance between man and nature. carbon monoxide Its important to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home for safety. climate The climate of an area can change over long periods of time. conservation Conservation focuses on making sure we protect the nature we havent already lost. endangered species There are many endangered species all over the planet that need our help. energy Humans are using an ever increasing amount of energy. nuclear energy Nuclear energy has passed out of fashion after a number of serious environmental disasters. solar energy Many hope that solar energy can wean us off our need for fossil fuels. exhaust fumes The exhaust fumes from cars standing in traffic can make you cough. fertilizers Fertilizers used by huge farms can pollute drinking water for miles around. forest fires Forest fires can burn out of control and create hazy weather conditions. global warming Some doubt that global warming is real. greenhouse effect The greenhouse effect is said to heat up the earth. (non)renewable resources As we move forward, we need to become more dependent on renewable energy resources. nuclear The exploration of nuclear science has created great boons, as well as horrific dangers for humanity. nuclear fallout The nuclear fallout from a bomb would be devastating to the local population. nuclear reactor The nuclear reactor was taken offline because of technical problems. Oil slick The oil slick caused by the sinking vessel could be seen for tens of miles. ozone layer Industrial additives have been threatening the ozone layer for many years. pesticide While its true that pesticides help kill off unwanted insects, there are serious problems to be considered. pollution Water and air pollution situations have improved over the last few decades in many countries. protected animal Its a protected animal in this country. You cant hunt it! rainforest The rain forest is lush and green, bursting with life from all sides. unleaded petrol Unleaded petrol is certainly cleaner than leaded petrol. waste The amount of plastic waste in the ocean is shocking. nuclear waste Nuclear waste can remain active for many thousands of years. radioactive waste They stored the radioactive waste at the site in Hanford. wildlife We must take the wildlife into account before we develop the site. Natural Disasters From drought to volcanic eruptions, natural disasters are a big part of the environmental discussion, as this table shows. Term or Phrase Example Sentence drought The drought has gone on for sixteen straight months. No water to be seen! earthquake The earthquake devastated the little village in the Rhine River. flood The flood forced more than 100 families from their homes. tidal wave A tidal wave hit the island. Luckily, no one was lost. typhoon The typhoon hit and dropped more than ten inches of rain in one hour! volcanic eruption Volcanic eruptions are spectacular, but they dont occur very often. Politics and Action Discussion generally leads to the formation of environmental groups and actions, some positive and some negative, as this final listing demonstrates. Environmental groups are followed by a listing of verbs (or actions) related to the environment and environmental issues. Term or Phrase Example Sentence environmental group The environmental group presented their case to the community. green issues Green issues have become one of the most important themes of this election cycle. pressure group The pressure group forced the company to stop building on that site. cut down We need to cut down on pollution drastically. destroy Human greed destroys millions of acres each year. dispose (of) The government must dispose of the waste properly. dump You can dump recyclable garbage in this container. protect Its our responsibility to protect the natural habit of this beautiful planet before its too late. pollute If you pollute in your own backyard, youll eventually notice it. recycle Make sure to recycle all paper and plastics. save We save bottles and newspapers to take to recycle at the end of each month. throw away Never just throw away a plastic bottle. Recycle it! use up Hopefully, well not use up all our resources before we start solving this problem together.

Civil War Admiral David G. Farragut

Civil War Admiral David G. Farragut David Farragut - Birth Early Life: Born July 5, 1801, in Knoxville, TN, David Glasgow Farragut was the son of Jorge and Elizabeth Farragut. Jorge, a Minorcan immigrant during the American Revolution, was a merchant captain as well as a cavalry officer in the Tennessee militia. Naming his son James at birth, Jorge soon moved the family to New Orleans. While residing there, he aided the father of future Commodore David Porter. Following the elder Porters death, the commodore offered to adopt young James and train him as a naval officer in gratitude for the services rendered to his father. In recognition of this, James changed his name to David. David Farragut - Early Career War of 1812: By joining the Porter family, Farragut became foster brothers with the other future leader of the Union Navy, David Dixon Porter. Receiving his midshipmans warrant in 1810, he attended school, and later sailed aboard USS Essex with his adopted father during the War of 1812. Cruising in the Pacific, Essex captured several British whalers. Midshipman Farragut was given command of one of the prizes and sailed it to port before rejoining Essex. On March 28, 1814, Essex lost its main topmast while leaving Valparaiso and was captured by HMS Phoebe and Cherub. Farragut fought bravely and was wounded in the battle. David Farragut - Post-War Personal Life: Following the war, Farragut attended school and made two cruises to the Mediterranean. In 1820, he returned to home and passed his lieutenants exam. Moving to Norfolk, he fell in love with Susan Marchant and married her in 1824. The two were married for sixteen years when she died in 1840. Moving through a variety of posts, he was promoted to commander in 1841. Two years later, he married Virginia Loyal of Norfolk, with whom he would have a son, Loyall Farragut, in 1844. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, he was given command of USS Saratoga, but saw no major action during the conflict. David Farragut - War Looms: In 1854, Farragut was at dispatched to California to establish a naval yard at Mare Island near San Francisco. Working for four years, he developed the yard into the US Navys premier base on the west coast and was promoted to captain. As the decade drew to a close, the clouds of civil war began to gather. A Southerner by birth and residence, Farragut decided that if a peaceful separation of the country were to occur, that he would consider remaining in the South. Knowing that such a thing would not be permitted to happen, he declared his allegiance to the national government and moved his family to New York. David Farragut - Capture of New Orleans: On April 19, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln declared a blockade of the Southern coast. To enforce this edict, Farragut was promoted to Flag Officer and sent aboard USS Hartford to command the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in early 1862. Charged with eliminating Confederate commerce, Farragut also received orders to operate against the Souths largest city, New Orleans. Assembling his fleet and a flotilla of mortar boats at the mouth of the Mississippi, Farragut began scouting the approaches the city. The most formidable obstacles were Forts Jackson and St. Philip as well as a flotilla of Confederate gunboats. After approaching the forts, Farragut ordered the mortar boats, commanded by his step brother David D. Porter, to open fire on April 18. After six days of bombardment, and a daring expedition to cut a chain stretched across the river, Farragut ordered the fleet to move forward. Steaming at full speed, the squadron raced passed the forts, guns blazing, and safely reached the waters beyond. With Union ships in their rear, the forts capitulated. On April 25, Farragut anchored off New Orleans and accepted the citys surrender. Shortly thereafter, infantry under Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler arrived to occupy the city. David Farragut - River Operations: Promoted to rear admiral, the first in US history, for his capture of New Orleans, Farragut began pressing up the Mississippi with his fleet, capturing Baton Rouge and Natchez. In June, he ran the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg and linked up with the Western Flotilla, but was unable to take the city due to a lack of troops. Returning to New Orleans, he received orders to steam back to Vicksburg to support Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grants efforts to capture the city. On March 14, 1863, Farragut attempted to run his ships by the new batteries at Port Hudson, LA, with only Hartford and USS Albatross succeeding. David Farragut - Fall of Vicksburg and Planning for Mobile: With only two ships, Farragut began patrolling the Mississippi between Port Hudson and Vicksburg, preventing valuable supplies from reaching Confederate forces. On July 4, 1863, Grant successfully concluded his siege of Vicksburg, while Port Hudson fell on July 9. With the Mississippi firmly in Union hands, Farragut turned his attention to the Confederate port of Mobile, AL. One of the largest remaining ports and industrial centers in the Confederacy, Mobile was defended by Forts Morgan and Gaines at the mouth of Mobile Bay, as well as by Confederate warships and large torpedo (mine) field. David Farragut - Battle of Mobile Bay: Assembling fourteen warships and four ironclad monitors off Mobile Bay, Farragut planned to attack on August 5, 1864. Inside the bay, Confederate Adm. Franklin Buchanan had the ironclad CSS Tennessee and three gunboats. Moving toward the forts, the Union fleet suffered the first loss when the monitor USS Tecumseh struck a mine and sank. Seeing the ship go down, USS Brooklyn paused, sending the Union line into confusion. Lashing himself to Hartfords rigging to see over the smoke, Farragut exclaimed Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! and led his ship into the bay with the rest of fleet following. Charging through the torpedo field without any losses, the Union fleet poured into the bay to do battle with Buchanans ships. Driving away the Confederate gunboats, Farraguts ships closed on CSS Tennessee and battered the rebel vessel into submission. With Union ships in the bay, the forts surrendered and military operations against the city of Mobile began. David Farragut - End of the War and Aftermath In December, with his health failing, the Navy Department ordered Farragut home for a rest. Arriving in New York, he was received as a national hero. On December 21, 1864, Lincoln promoted Farragut to vice admiral. The next April, Farragut returned to duty serving along the James River. Following the fall of Richmond, Farragut entered the city, along with Maj. Gen. George H. Gordon, just prior to President Lincolns arrival. After the war, Congress created the rank of admiral and immediately promoted Farragut to the new grade in 1866. Dispatched across the Atlantic in 1867, he visited the capitals of Europe where he was received with the highest honors. Returning home, he remained in the service despite declining health. On August 14, 1870, while vacationing at Portsmouth, NH, Farragut died of a stroke at the age of 69. Buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York, over 10,000 sailors and soldiers marched in his funeral procession, including President Ulysses S. Grant.

Developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility Essay - 2

Developing a conceptual framework is an impossible possibility - Essay Example Conceptual frameworks have been constantly changed from them. However, individual organizations have come up with their own conceptual frameworks that suit specific organizational needs. A conceptual framework provides an over view of how things should be done in an organization. It is a coherent system of related objectives and fundamentals that should lead to consistent standards that prescribe the nature, function, and limits of financial accounting and financial statements.† (Foulks Lynch 1998) A conceptual framework development takes time. The worst part is that once it is ready, hardly any of those principles are applied since the dynamic economic environment will be experiencing other challenges. Conceptual framework is like a constitution in financial accounting that stipulates its nature, function and its limits. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) also came up with an internationally recognized conceptual framework, which aims at streamlining the accou nting principles worldwide. This promotes external investments. The second function of the conceptual framework is to solve any emerging problems in the accounting sector. This explains why the boards are constantly reviewing the conceptual framework to suite the new challenges. ... The risk of not having a conceptual framework is the cropping up of haphazard standards. Without standards, businesses will even come up with their own frameworks that give them an advantage over others. This will lead to inconsistence in the basic principles. A strong conceptual framework will shield the financial sector from manipulation by other powerful forces such as the politicians and other interested parties. The process of developing a conceptual framework is done through a long deliberation among the board members. A good framework forms a good basis for a company. The advantages of a conceptual framework are as follows. It establishes standards that are logical and consistent. The CF stipulates rules and policies on how certain things should be carried out. The company will not just act anyhow, but it will be guided by certain rules, which maintain standardization. The conceptual framework provides rules to be followed when no other accounting principle can be applied. In accounting, rules are followed to the letter, but in some cases, there are no rules. The conceptual framework will come in; though most of its rules are general, they deal with all aspects of accounting. A conceptual framework builds the public trust in accounting. Financial reports and statements are known to be credible. This is because the public knows that there are bodies that set principles to govern them. Other advantages of the conceptual framework include avoiding conflict between user groups and ensuring accountability. The demerit of the conceptual framework is that it does not address the needs of the diverse users. There is no conceptual framework that can address the needs of everybody, and that is

Stereotype paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Stereotype paper - Essay Example Moreover, I believe that there is no afterlife because there seems to be no purpose in it and no one has proven it so far. I am prejudiced against these pastors who spread the so-called â€Å"Word of God† in order to convince their congregation to buy everything that they say simply out of faith and perhaps for their own benefit, even if that benefit were only a smug feeling of satisfaction that they have done something good or others have followed them. The more they assert their beliefs, the more they make me feel that it is just easy for them to say those things because they live rich lives and they are not exactly the ones suffering. I believe their convictions about God would be different if they were the ones waiting for their execution in Rwanda or dying of cholera in Sierra Leone. Nevertheless, I have realized that Peter Ditto of the University of California-Irvine was right in saying that â€Å"people are much more skeptical processors of information [that] they don’t want to believe† (â€Å"How Pre-existing Beliefs,† 2012). Perhaps, my arguments were also flawed in that I have assumed that for God to exist, then He must be good, and that for heaven and the afterlife to make sense then they must at least require some proof. It appears that I was not able to consider the idea that God may exist but may be just and not kind, and He may have a purpose that I may not be able to comprehend. Moreover, the afterlife may really actually exist and that just because something does not have proof does not necessarily mean that it does not exist. Lastly, I may have committed the fallacy of argumentum ad hominem against pastors because I may have attacked them and their personal circumstances instead of their actual convictions (Walker, 2009). I may have unjustly assumed that they were rich and had good things happening around them all the time that is why I assumed that they would not be able to exactly understand how hard the poor

Religion, science and faith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion, science and faith - Essay Example By deconstructing these institutions, Vonnegut invites us to appreciate the fact that most of the truths to which we hold fast are really rather silly when examined closely as well as things we used to believe in. John’s gradual conversion from Christianity to Bokononism, the fictional religion created by Vonnegut, is at the heart of the novel. As he pursues the Hoenikkers across the globe, each time he comes to a realization that pushes him one step closer to a Bokononist outlook. Brave New World being a classical example of a dystopian novel revolves around the idea of totalitarianism and is set in a futuristic world where a combination of science and pleasure form a rather feudalistic society. I think this book is really interesting as it explores the dangers of technology and what it can do to a whole world; Brave New World explores the idea of just how far science can go without being immoral. Would we really want to live in a world where eugenics rule and despite everyon e being equal on the surface, deep underneath prospers the idea of inequality and unfairness (1)? Vonnegut uses the plot of Cats Cradle to make a postmodern parody of how science really does not lead to a utopia and clashes with faith and religion. He employs humor as a means to make his reader assume a critical stance toward science and religion. We can assume that in Cat’s Cradle science became a revered institution of truth and knowledge, and few people seriously questioned whether the truth and knowledge of modern science were necessarily beneficial. Vonnegut uses a religion he created for the novel called Bokononism to convey society’s misconceptions about the usefulness of truth. Bokononism is a religion that identifies with its own falseness. It rejoices in accepting that its ideals are not true. At the same time, when we talk about Brave New World, we usually have in mind the

Apple Swot Essay Example for Free

Apple Swot Essay Apple is a brand which is being recognized for good reasons through out the world. â€Å"Brands are unlikely to become successful if their end motive is simply to be different, consumers demand that brands become different in a meaningful way which means delivering on that difference† (Helen Fern 2010). Apple has a great sense of creativity especially in connecting with consumers and this can be seen from the fact that even the most generic products can still be perceived to be different. There are many smart phones out there in the market but the iphone is the most recognized today. From the fact that Apple maintains a good range of products which compliment each other from the itunes online store which is an excellent source of revenue derived from sales of music and applications for Apples iphone, ipod and ipad touch devices, this is bound to bring good customer loyalty buying multiple products from Apple, some of whom may well be influenced by other people as Apple seem to have an aggressive presence on the social media networks such as facebook and twitter where the majority of consumers spend a lot of their time these days. This increases further awareness and adds strength to the brand. Apple has not in many years use celebrities to strengthen its brand which is a great deal in saving money. Instead it is the celebrities who tend to use Apple now in order to increase their income and diversify their business. This in return increases the strength of the brand almost effortlessly. A good example to this will be the Will i.am iphone cases. â€Å"Will.i.am has officially unveiled four â€Å"i.am † iPhone cases, designed to improve the Apple smartphone’s camera capabilities. The Black Eyed Peas frontman took to London’s Selfridges department store to show off the â€Å"foto.sosho† range, with the press release claiming the device, which comes in several variants, to be â€Å"the world’s first digital camera accessory and app combination designed to turn an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S into a sophisticated point and shoot digital camera.† http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/will-i-am-launches-i-am-foto-sosho-iphone-cases Apple has won several awards in recent years and has been â€Å"voted the  overall winner of the 2012 CMO survey awards for marketing excellence, yet again Apple has been selected as a winner or co winner for five consecutive years by the sample o0f top marketers†. Christine Moorman 2012. Apple had originally followed the following points in order to create success. * Epathy – Making sure that customers needs are truly been understood more than any other company in this competitive industry. * Focus – Time management in terms of eliminating unimportant opportunities therefore a good job can be done on the chosen tasks for example deciding what to produce and then focusing on product differentiation from other producers. * Impute – Product presentation is of high importance since people always judge a book by its cover therefore, high quality product and most usefull software has to be presented in a creative proffessional manner. Apple is an innovator and technology leader Strategic Management Assignment references. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/24/tech/mobile/heart-monitor-smartphone-app/index.html Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://techpinions.com/apple-as-innovator-three-contributions-that-changed-computing/9863 Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/StraightTalk.aspx http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0312/why-pay-the-high-price-for-apple.aspx#axzz2HJhClMRf Accessen on 29-12-2012 Price http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/will-i-am-launches-i-am-foto-sosho-iphone-cases. Accessed on 28-12-2012 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254300/Has-Google-finally-taken-bite-Apple-App-developers-switching-allegiance-search-giants-Android-software-dominates-Christmas-sales.html Accessed on 29-12-2012 http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/Post/2012-11-14/Apple-tablet-wars-and-the-Red-Queen-Effect.aspx http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/Post/2012-11-14/Apple-tablet-wars-and-the-Red-Queen-Effect.aspx Steve jobs being a good leader.

Application of Systems Theory in Social Work

Application of Systems Theory in Social Work Systems in Practice Introduction The United Kingdom Children Act 1989 (HMSO, 1989) sets forth all childcare law as such relates to children that are being accommodated by a Local Authority. At the core of the Children Act are the beliefs that children are served best when they are in their own homes (Devon County Council, 2007a). Additionally, the core beliefs of the Act are that the child’s welfare is of the utmost importance, that the child’s parents should stay involved in any and all legal proceedings concerning them, and that such a course of action be avoided if possible (Devon County Council, 2007a). It, the Act, also holds that child welfare is to be promoted, and that children should stay within their families unless unavoidable (Devon County Council, 2007a). Lastly the needs of the child taking into account factors such as race, religion, culture as well as language represent critical facets. In those instances when a child comes under the care of a local authority, it is the responsibility o f the local authority to see to the needs of children in these instances (Devon County Council, 2007b). The foregoing represents important background considerations with regard to the foster care, and the principles underlying such. These basics represent the foundations of any fostering care, placement, and related applications. This examination shall review a case study on social work placement to delve into the manner in which the application of theory, and ideas as they relate to group work on social work practice. Hammond (2003, p. xi) indicates that the â€Å"concept of systems is a theoretical framework in the physical sciences, the life sciences, and the social sciences†. The systems theory is generally acknowledged to have begun with four people, â€Å"Bertalanffy, Boulding, Gerard, and Rapoport, who met in 1954 at the Stanford Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences† (Hammond, 2003, p. xiii). They founded the Society for General Systems Research, which has since become the International Society for the Systems Sciences (International Society for the Systems Sciences , 2007). The systems theory is â€Å" the transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena†, in a context that is â€Å"independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence† (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007). The systems theory â€Å"investigates both the principles common to all complex entities† as well as â€Å"models which can be u sed to describe them† (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007). In the context of social work, the systems theory, in its broadest sense, represents the interdisciplinary study concerning human life, along with social organization as represented by systems (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007). The complexity, yet simiplicity of what the systems theory is, is represented by the following explanantion by Hammond (2003. p. 32) â€Å"Although developments in engineering and management fields are highlighted in the technocratic approach to systems, the emergence of organismic conceptions in biology, psychology, and sociology during the early twentieth century was more important for the evolution of general systems thought†. She continues â€Å" Of course, biological concepts were interpreted in varying ways within different currents of systems thought, and were often appropriated to reinforce and legitimize managerial applications of systems concepts† (Hammond, 2003, p. 32). Ludwig von Beralanffy (1968, p. xxiii), provides his description of systems theory as â€Å"The humanistic concern of general system theory as I understand it makes a difference to mechanistically oriented system theorists speaking solely in terms of mathematics, feedback and technology, and so giving rise to the fear that system theory is indeed the ultimate step towards mechanization and devaluation of man and towards technocratic society†. The concept, while rather complex, does have a sense of simpliticity in that systems theory â€Å"really refers to â€Å"a way of thinking about† or â€Å"an approach to studying† complex systems† (Hammond, 2003. p. 104). Harris (2002, p. 2) advises that von Beralanffy’s approach was â€Å"a more organismic approach to the study of complex systems, objecting to the narrow reductionism of classical science†. The systems theory, in terms of humans and the social sciences, as expressed by Harris (2002, p. 10) has â€Å"something to offer in the articulation and implementation of a more sustaining and sustainable vision of humanitys future.† In terms of social work, Harris (2002, p. 4) states, â€Å"Within this framework, the welfare state has provided the primary vehicle for the mediation of social work†. Harris (2002, p. 4) continues, â€Å"The institutional and organisational processes of the welfare state have been the source of social work’s legal and moral authority and have constituted the material conditions for its practice.† Pinderhughes (1997, p. 20) tells us that â€Å"Training practitioners for competence with diverse populations is high on the list of corrective initiatives to address †¦ inadequacies† in social work practice†. Harris (2002, p. 4) indicates that social policy is influenced by social workers who â€Å"implement legislation on behalf of the state†, thus exercising considerable influence in their roles as professionals. Importantly, Harris (2002, p. 4) points out â€Å"The law sets out the rights, duties and responsibilities of social workers, on t he one hand, and of service users, on the other, in those socially problematic areas which have been accorded official recognition. The law not only defines the ends of social work, but constitutes the source of social workers’ authority for the means by which they intervene in service users’ lives in the pursuit of statutory duties†. Johnson (1972, p. 77) interprets the preceding by stating that social work is not mediated by its context, rather, it is a mediated professions whereby the state decides the clientele as well as what should be provided on their behalf. Harris (1999, pp. 915-937) tells us that social work represents the â€Å"operational embodiment of the welfare state’s intervention in individual citizens’ lives†. In understanding the context of social work in the United Kingdom, Briggs (1961, p. 228) defines the welfare state a â€Å"state in which organised power is deliberately used†¦to modify the play of market forces†¦first, by guaranteeing individuals and families a minimum income irrespective of the market value of their work or their property; second, by narrowing the extent of insecurity by enabling individuals and families to meet certain ‘ social contingencies’, for example, sickness, old age and unemployment which lead otherwise to individual and family crises; and third, by ensuring that all citizens without distinction of status or class are offered the best standard available in relation to a certain agreed range of social services†. The preceding is important in und erstanding the forces behind social work and how such impacts upon its application, usage and context on lives, as well as the conscious and unconscious view that the public has. In helping to shape this picture further, Marshall’s (1963, p. 74) helps to color the palette further in explaining that the social element means â€Å"the whole range from the right to a modicum of economic welfare and security to the right to share to the full in the social heritage and to live the life of a civilised being according to the standards prevailing in the society† He continues that â€Å"The institutions most closely connected with it are the educational system and the social services† (Marshall, 1963, p. 74) In fact, social work plays an important part in linking the state to its populace as it represents the physical human link between government and what it does for the people that can be seen, felt and touched. Or in other words, used! State functions such as roads, infrastructure, sustainable communities, parks, airports, laws, police, and all of the others services that the state provides are there in a physical sense, such as roads, etc, or there for instances of danger, such as the police and armed forces. Social work is a helping, touchy arm of the state that reaches us in the same manner as health services. Wootton (1959, p. 298-299) offers a description in stating that â€Å"The social worker who does for the run of ordinary people what confidential secretaries and assistants do for the favoured few is putting a genuine professional skill at the disposal of those who may properly be called her clients and she is as essential to the functioning of a welfare state as is lubrication to the running of an engine. Without her the machinery would seize up†. Marshall (1975, p. 205) illustrates the preceding by referring to social workers as the mechanics that apply â€Å"their expertise to the lubrication of the welfare state engine were professionals using their expertise in the delivery of social services†. The government, along with social work identify the segment of the population that requires assistance and thus through budgeting and policy, allocates the resources to meet those needs (Alaszewski and Manthorpe, 1990, p. 237). Interestingly, as the areas of accepted social work practice have come to be seen as the norm, and injustice was made less tolerable, historically, new services were thus clamoured for to feel other needs thus explaining the growing nature of the state and social care (Harris, 2002, p. 13) Gertrude Wilson is generally acknowledged as being a key individual in the development of group work (Smith, 2004). Her first book â€Å"Case Work and Group Work† put forth the integrated approach to social work practice which is based in the theory that personal problems stem from both internal and external sources, and thus must be investigated and examined in tandem (Smith, 2004). Her definition of group work states that 1) it is developmental, in that it provides â€Å"for normal social growth, 2) is â€Å"protective or corrective, representing that it can â€Å"be offered to people without groups†, 3) and that it is â€Å"instrumental† in terms of â€Å"achieving socially desirable ends† (Smith, 2004). The last facet entails the understanding of each member’s personalities, the influence of the social worker in terms of their interaction on the group, and the process of participation (Smith, 2004). A key facet of this process represents the c apability to â€Å"assist participants in dealing with conflict and in accepting ‘outsiders’† (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). She points to the preceding as essential in making the group work relationship become reciprocal (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). It is reciprocity that represents a key element in the process as it sets the foundation for give and take as well as fosters trust, cohesion within the group and this can thus be transferred to the outside world (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). Trecker (1948, p. 7) advises, â€Å"social group work represents â€Å"one method on the profession of social work†. He indicates that â€Å"social case work and community organization work† represent the other methods†. Trecker (1948, p. 7) believes that a definition of social group work is easier to describe than define. He sees it as a method that is comprised of â€Å"an orderly, systematic, planned way of working with people in groups† (Trecker, 1948 pp. 7-8). Trecker goes on to add that the â€Å"method is a conscious procedure, a designed means of achieving a goal† (1948, pp. 8). Additionally, he adds that it is â€Å"a method is a way of doing something, but underneath the doing we always discover an integrated arrangement of knowledge, understanding and principles.† (Trecker, 1948 pp. 8). Important to the understanding of group work in the context of social work placement is the family. Hartman and Laird (1983, p. 4) help to provide perspective in stating, â€Å"Human beings can be understood and helped only in the context of the intimate and powerful human systems of which they are a part, of which the family is one of the most important†. Smith (1995, p. 7) elaborates in stating, â€Å"there is no single, correct definition of family†¦. Rather, there are multiple definitions derived from particular theoretical perspectives.† She adds, â€Å"No one theory could satisfactorily represent the truth, but the many ways we look at families can help us to better understand them† (Smith, 1995, p. 7). Lastly, we shall take a look at Hartman and Laird (1983, p. 30), who tell us: â€Å"A family becomes a family when two or more individuals have decided they are a family, that in the intimate, here-and-now environment in which they gather, there is a sharing of emotional needs for closeness, of living space which is deemed â€Å"home,† and of those roles and tasks necessary for meeting the biological, social and psychological requirements of the individuals involved.† The preceding has been included to aid in rounding out the important external as well as internal elements that are factors in a case study concerning social work placement. A Study One of the most important, delicate, and critical functions carried on by social work is the placement of children in foster homes. As can be imagined, it represents an important as well as confidential process for the child as well as the placement team engaged in the process. Owing to that confidentiality, direct case files are not available, only synopsis of placement studies entailing the methodologies employed. Placement stories entail descriptions of external variables as indicated by basic placement overviews, but not the substance. The Bracknell Forest Borough Council (2005) provided an equitable resource in that it provides an outline of the procedures, and practice guidelines concerning foster placement arrangements made under private fostering regulations. Under the new regulations governing the placement of children, local authorities must be satisfied concerning the suitable nature of any proposed arrangement (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). If the foregoing is not the case, then said local authority must exercise its powers ether prohibit and or impose requirements prior to the child being fostered, along with any and all needed safeguards. In understanding the nuances of social work placement, certain descriptions and definitions of a few terms will aid in the understanding of the process. A privately fostered child represents any child under the age of 16 years of age, 18 if disabled, that is â€Å"cared for and accommodated for 28 consecutive days† or longer by someone other that the child’s parent, relative or someone provided with parental responsibility as provided by the parent for said instance (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). The carers responsibility entails an individual â€Å"who does not have parental responsibility for a particular child†, however does have care of the child (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). The definition indicates that the carer â€Å"may do what is reasonable† in terms of any, and all circumstances to safeguard, and or promote the welfare of that child (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). In terms of the duties of the local authority, wh ich represents an extremely important facet in the placement of a child, said local authority has a number of important duties to fulfill. These entail factors such as 1) publise advise and information, 2) ensure compliance with regulations, 3) carry out proper checks and visits, 4) ensure children under care is safeguarded in accordance to regulations, 5) ensure timely officer visits, 6) ensure visited children are seen alone and interviewed, 7) investigate al complaints, 8) inform parents or other authorized individuals of the child’s welfare, 9) ensure authority satisfaction with foster placement, 10) monitor compliance, 11) take appropriate action(s), 12) annual evaluations sent to Director of Children’s Services on placements and outcomes (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). The family placement social worker has the following responsibilities. First, they conduct the initial suitability evaluation of the proposed foster carers as well as all other household members (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). Next, the social work conducts an evaluation of the accommodations, and neighbourhood environment, and forms a close liaison with the social worker of the child concerning placement suitability and the potential of the placement in meeting the needs of the child as well as the likelihood of furthering the child’s welfare (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). With the preceding handled, the social worker then makes recommendations concerning the suitability of a meeting with all parties (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). If the foregoing steps have all concluded positively, the social worker’s ongoing responsibilities thus entail providing support, as well as assistance to the carer and others as appropriate and or necessary (B racknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). The preceding board steps represent the outline of the procedures in child placement. In a actual case, the steps as well as details are more defined. In an actual placement, the fieldwork staff conducts contacts with the parent, if such is the case, and the proposed foster carers (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). After all the relevant steps under the preceding have been seen to, the assessment is forwarded to the placement social worker, provided the foregoing has met requirements, and the placement process begins. The summary placement outline above brought into the equation the concept of social work from its broader perspective as brought forth by Harris (2002, p. 4) where he indicates that social policy is influenced by social workers who â€Å"implement legislation on behalf of the state†, thus exercising considerable influence in their roles as professionals†. The statement continues with â€Å"The law sets out the rights, duties and responsibilities of social workers, on the one hand, and of service users, on the other, in those socially problematic areas which have been accorded official recognition† (Harris, 2002, p.4). The preceding refers to the rules, procedures and requirements that must be adhered to by the placement agency, social workers and all other involved in the process. The aspect of group work is evident throughout the entire process, even before it begins. The local authority, placement agency, field workers, placement social worker, and child social worker all are engaged under the same regulated procedural network, even if no cases, and or placements are being handled. The regulations call for consistent, and constant monitoring of outstanding placement, thus requiring and causing the varied teams, and individuals to maintain contact. That ongoing working relationship represents the group work theory in practice and application. Trecker (1948, p. 7) described group work as â€Å"an orderly, systematic, planned way of working with people in groups†. To the preceding Trecker (1948, p. 8) added the â€Å"method is a conscious procedure, a designed means of achieving a goal†. McDermoot (2002, p. 3) adds to the foregoing in stating â€Å"Social workers, psychologists, community workers, youth workers and other service providers in the human services field spend much of their time working with groups—as staff members, as colleagues—using groups as intervention strategies†. The initial contact stage starts this collative group work process in the placement environment. The family placement social worker meets with the field social worker and discusses the proposed placement, obtaining a copy of the reports (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). The trust and competence issues are strong in that each step in the process relies heavily on the steps that preceded it. As a result, the systems theory represents the underpinning that binds the entire process. It also represents the underlying framework that constitutes how the rules, regulations and processes were devised and set up, as well as their ongoing modification as information, expertise and experience warrants. To review, the systems theory â€Å"investigates both the principles common to all complex entities† as well as â€Å" models which can be used to describe them† (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007). Ludwig von Beralanffy explains that an important element of the systems theory â€Å"really refers to â€Å"a way of thinking about† (Hammond, 2003. p. 104). The systems theory’s interdisciplinary study concerning human life, along with social organization as represented by systems (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007) represents the underpinning via which the described rules, procedures, regulations, follow up, monitoring, interview, research, and evaluation processes take place. The intial contacts as well as checks conducted by the placement social worker include interdepartmental checks on the proposed carer as well as information gleaned in the initial and follow up meetings and interviews (Bracknell Forest Borough Council, 2005). All of these steps as well as the ones that follow are elements of the systems theory, foundations of social work and group theory. If one steps back from the process and reviews the overall steps again, the relevance of the systems theory begins to take shape. It, the systems theory is â€Å" the transdisciplinary study of the abstract organization of phenomena†, in a context that is â€Å"independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence† (Principia Cybernetica Web, 2007). The steps in the active procedure do take place in a temporal time frame. However, the functioning of the system of rules, regulations and procedures is always active, functioning and waiting to be utilized whether there is something engaging it or not. In this context, the foregoing precepts underpinning the systems theory gains clarity. McDermott (2002, p. 14) aids in bringing the group work concept into the preceding placement situation in her discussion of reciprocity. She states that it is reciprocity that represents a key element in the process as it sets the foundation for give and take as well as fosters trust, and cohesion within the group and this can thus be transferred to the outside world (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). The foregoing aptly describes the internal working mechanism of the group which at the investigation stage centers upon the placement social worker, and later pulls in the child’s social worker to complete the process. This continues with the evaluation of suitability concerning the carers as well as other family and household members. Through the utilization of the systems theory, all contingencies are evaluated and considered as a part of the whole, and extended whole. In reviewing the process in terms of the lessons learned, and potential for different application(s) in the future, is a prospect of evolution. Regardless of how correctly the system seems from the review of the procedural steps, there is always room for improvement as a result of the human factor, group work, systems theory and social work contexts. The potential for human error looms as the biggest failing point in that the entire procedural methodology is based, dependent and reliant upon human input, decisions, evaluation and observations. The central component in the process the placement social worker who makes the final determination based upon the salient inputs from all other quarters. And while it is true that the field work social worker as well as the child social worker could potential taint the input and results, it is the placement social worker that sorts and arrives at the determination. Thus, as the potential weak segment within the process, a phased step review whe reby a second placement social worker, or supervisor briefed at every turn, periodically steps in at any stage in the live process and makes observations, suggestions, and or calls for additional information to shore up the potential for error, and or critical factors needing closer attention, and or review. In addition, computer modeling of the effectiveness of the group members as an evaluation projection, would serve to alert the supervisory personnel to the potential for weak points in one of the tam member profile as a signal for either an additional check, and or review. Conclusion The seemingly distant facets of systems theory, group work, and social work as a cohesive aspect of placement requires the long view in order to see the fit of these elements up close. At the heart of these theoretical and practical applications is a child, which is and remains the focus of these aspects. Thus, with the well being and welfare of a vulnerable human being at stake, the processes, systems, regulations, rules and procedures can never be too precise, careful or correct, as the cost of error is incalculable. McDermott (2002, p. 1) says, â€Å"You have to have done a bit (of group work) yourself to understand the process.† In terms of the context of this examination, McDermoot (2002, p. 3) advises that â€Å"Social workers, psychologists, community workers, youth workers and other service providers in the human services field spend much of their time working with groups—as staff members, as colleagues—using groups as intervention strategies†. She adds, â€Å"group work is about building bonds between people which depend on the establishment of trusting relationships† (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). She further elaborates, â€Å"It is also about helping to forge connections between people who may be different or unlike one another. This latter activity—finding common ground across differences—is the more difficult, and it is here that group workers and participants require knowledge and skills† (McDermott, 2002, p. 14). The foregoing summarizes the interlinked aspects of the process that call for increased cohesion as well as improvement through modification, interpersonal relationships and skills, as well as understanding that the potential for error always exists, and can hide itself anywhere in the process. With that consideration uppermost in the minds of the participants, the occurrence is less likely to happen. Bibliography Alaszewski, A. and Manthorpe, J. (1990) Literature review: the New Right and the professions. Vol. 20. British Journal of Social Work Bracknell Forest Borough Council (2005) Private Fostering: Policy, Procedures Practice Guidance. Retrieved on 13 May 2007 from http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ Briggs, A. (1961) The welfare state in historical perspective. Vol. 2. No. 2. European Journal of Sociology Devon County Council (2007a) The Children Act 1989. 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