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This paper charts the journey from classroom-based training delivery to hybrid and virtual learning opportunities used to overcome the challenges imposed by public health restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The public health measures introduced in March 2020 had a significant effect on the ability of the Children First Information and Advice Service (CFIAS), in Tusla, Ireland's Child and Family Agency, to deliver services. One of the key tools used by the CFIAS to support understanding of responsibilities, and best practice, in child safeguarding by professionals, and within organisations, has been the provision of direct training and information sessions. The introduction of public health restrictions necessitated a complete rethink by the CFIAS on how child safeguarding training and information are delivered. The paper presents an outline of the background and context of child safeguarding in Ireland, followed by a description of some of the challenges experienced by the CFIAS in response to the pandemic public health restrictions. It includes discussion on strategies and solutions considered to overcome these challenges. There is further discussion on the tools and methods eventually used, followed by a reflection on lessons learned by the CFIAS in areas including training delivery and methodology, eLearning, and information provision. The paper provides an analysis of limited qualitative and quantitative data, as well as a reflection on the lived experience of the CFIAS team members responding to the challenges posed during this time period, rather than a preplanned research study on pedagogical approaches in adult learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental well-being of many community members was seriously impacted by COVID-19, with some experiencing the loss of loved ones and others losing jobs due to lockdown-related company cutbacks. There is evidence indicating that many people faced challenges in accessing essential services, including healthcare. This study aimed at investigating the effects of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions among community members of the Vhembe District, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory design was used for this study. Data were collected from 54 participants through nine focus group interviews with six participants each. This study identified two main themes originating from data analysis: community mental health during COVID-19 lockdown, lockdown regulations, and challenges encountered. The participants discussed the impact of COVID-19 during lockdown. This research underscores the vital necessity of implementing harm reduction strategies and long-term service policies for this group. It also emphasizes the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in upholding the rights of marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality through the empowerment, representation, and provision of equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender, is increasingly recognised as a driver of social outcomes and a fundamental human right. This study explores the longitudinal (2006–2018) relationship between gender equality, human development, and education results as measured by PISA. Gender equality and human development are consistently correlated with PISA scores at each time point; however, when controlling for starting values and country effects only change in gender equality positively predicts change in PISA scores (F = 22.6, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.58). Research and policy implications for the longitudinal interpretation of the relationship of PISA results with system-level factors as well as the relationship between gender equality and education are discussed in this paper. In consideration of the impact of COVID-19 on education and gender equality, the findings from this study support continued political effort towards gender-equal human development in a post-COVID-19 world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populist leaders have consistently rejected evidence-based policies in responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They acted later and with less intensity than non-populists in implementing public health measures such as physical distancing, lockdowns, and developing public health data sets. We describe the responses of ten large countries with populist leadership at the onset of the pandemic (Brazil, Hungary, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Together, these countries account for a disproportionately large number of cases and deaths associated with COVID-19 relative to their population. We categorize the policy responses into two types: (1) slow and ineffective, and (2) strict and illiberal. We conclude that while not all countries that responded poorly to the pandemic were led by populists, no countries with populist leadership performed well in either applying public health measures or achieving desirable health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic (16 March–5 May 2020), the Greek government took measures to close churches in order to protect the public health of the population. In this case, the purpose of this paper is to explore the response of Greek believers and Churches to the measures of the state, and whether these attitudes are affected by sociodemographic characteristics. Moreover, there was a collection of data on the attitudes of 353 believers through questionnaires, and the proper examination of these data through descriptive analysis and cross-tabulation analysis. The survey results showed that most believers are convinced that national measures are necessary, and they also revealed that believers' attitudes vary according to demographic variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation learning plays an important role in social work education, allowing students to explore how theory and practice parameters can be integrated into actual situations they are likely to experience in the field. The arrival of COVID-19 and the sudden cessation of in-field practicum opportunities raised challenges for students to gain needed practice experience. Simulation offers an opportunity to enhance learning in place of some direct experience when that is not available. This paper reports on a simulation development practicum, where students, not able to be in an agency, sought out ways to achieve learning through the development and implementation of simulation learning. This was combined with a literature review. Results showed that student-generated simulation could be used to support direct practice learning. This project also illustrated that social work simulation can be used to help students safely explore areas of practice that they may not be exposed to in practicum through scenarios that cause them to examine how to work with clients where cross-cultural needs exist, and challenge ethical dilemmas in a 'real-world' situation while being required to face their biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the open policy of integration, refugees in South Africa have been experiencing increasing exclusion and discrimination in socio-economic development and from social services. State-sanctioned discrimination contributes to mistrust among marginalized groups toward the government and its institutions. However, public trust towards healthcare authorities and government institutions is critical during pandemic outbreaks to ensure the population's willingness to follow public health initiatives and protocols to contain the spread of a pandemic. Eleven key informants, including refugee community leaders and refugee-serving NGOs, were virtually interviewed about refugees' access to healthcare in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of inconsistent access and discrimination on their trust of public healthcare initiatives. Interviews were analyzed using critical thematic analysis. The results suggest that refugees' access to public healthcare services were perceived as exclusionary and discriminatory. Furthermore, the growing mistrust in institutions and authorities, particularly the healthcare system, and misperceptions of COVID-19 compromised refugees' trust and adherence to public health initiatives. This ultimately exacerbates the vulnerability of the refugee community, as well as the wellbeing of the overall population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The portrayal of obesity in the media can impact public health by guiding peoples' behaviours and furthering stigma. Individual responsibility for body weight along with negative portrayals of obesity have frequently dominated UK media discourses on obesity. This study aims to explore how the media has represented obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic through a thematic analysis of 95 UK online newspaper articles published in The Sun, The Mail Online, and The Guardian. The first theme, lifestyle recommendations, accounts for media coverage providing 'expert' advice on losing weight. The second theme, individual responsibility, emphasises media appeals to self-governance to tackle obesity and protect the NHS during the pandemic. The third theme, actors of change, explores how celebrities and politicians are presented as examples of weight management. These results suggest that individuals are held responsible for their weight and accountable for protecting the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stigma can be furthered by the decontextualisation of lifestyle recommendations and exacerbated by the actors of change presented: Celebrity profiles reveal gendered goals for weight management, and politicians exemplify self-governance, which consolidates their power. In conclusion, individualising and stigmatising discourses around obesity have taken new forms during the pandemic that link health responsibility to protecting the NHS and invokes celebrities and politicians to foster action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of crimmigration connotes the currently prevailing approach between the different fields of penal, administrative and migration laws. It seems that, progressively, there is an amalgamation of penal law practices with those of civil and administrative law processes in a way creating confusion as to the boundaries of each law discipline and rational. In addition, the protection of public health from COVID-19 interrelates with the above three fields of law while at the same time the measures undertaken for the confrontation of the pandemic are further strengthening the social controls already imposed towards the migrant-refugee populations. Based on the Greek experience, we are particularly interested in mixed migration flows' status of a 'prolonged reception'. We have decided to examine the cases of the 'asylum-seeker' population and the 'undocumented' population who, to a large extent, constitute a large unseen category for the national vaccine program implemented to combat the COVID-19 hygiene crisis. The basic idea supported by our present study is that the health field is used as an additive component to crimmigration as it helps the establishment of a concrete screening intensifying the already imposed migration controls. In addition, the official social controls imposed to combat the COVD-19 health crisis contribute to crimmigration through the intensification of the dangerization of mixed migration flows. Currently, the health field, affected by COVID-19, contributes to the intensification of the crimmigration regime and at the same time to a dangerous cul-de-sac. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While global travel largely stopped and borders closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, states continued to deport individuals who had been sentenced for committing criminal offences. In Australia and New Zealand, questions over whether and how deportation of migrants during a global pandemic should occur were raised: weighing up arguments of legality, public health, and security. This left many migrants uncertain, isolated in immigration detention waiting for an unknown departure date. The decision was made to continue the deportation process for many, and in some cases breaches of public health restrictions were the basis for deportation. Once deported, mandatory quarantine on arrival under COVID-19 restrictions highlights and exacerbates the challenges that returning offenders normally face. These include extended detention periods; surveillance through detention and monitoring; and securitised discourse by the media and public creating ongoing stigma. This snapshot enables us to understand how states prioritised the removal of 'the crimmigrant other', a securitised threat, while facing the material threat of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased globalization has ushered in changes in diplomatic purposes and practices. As such, global health diplomacy (GHD) has become a growing field connecting the urgencies of global health and foreign affairs. More academics and policy-makers are thinking about how to structure and utilize diplomacy in pursuit of global health goals. This article aims to explore how the health, peace, and well-being of people in the region can be achieved through global health diplomacy. A systematic review of the literature was conducted on various terms such as "Global Health Diplomacy OR Foreign Policy"; "Disasters", "Infectious disease epidemics" OR "Non-Communicable diseases" AND "Caribbean" by searching PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science databases, and Google Scholar search engines. A total of 33 articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed, and the critical role of GHD was highlighted. There is an increasing need to understand the complex global health challenges, coupled with the need to design appropriate solutions. Many regional initiatives addressing infectious and chronic diseases have been successful in multiple ways by strengthening unity and also by showing directions for other nations at a global level, e.g., the Port of Spain Summit declaration. GHD has a great scope to enhance preparedness, mitigation, peace, and development in the region. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the region needs to strengthen its efforts on equity issues, health promotion, and sustainable development to promote peace and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]