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The importance of relationships for young people exiting residential care is noted extensively in the care-leaving literature. Helpful and supportive relationships cushion care leavers as they exit the statutory system and provide a network of supports that may develop resilience, facilitate their journeys into independence, and contribute towards better outcomes for young people who have experienced care. However, the available literature suggests that social workers are not skilled at identifying relationships that young people in care consider to be important. This article draws on a qualitative study conducted in four Child and Youth Care Centres in Eastern Cape, South Africa. This was a qualitative study using a phenomenological design. Twelve participants were interviewed using the possible me tree model, which requires participants to draw a tree with three aspects of their future selves. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule which included relationship specific questions. The young people identified relationships with their care workers, relatives, sports coach/es, and partner and partner's family as significant. From this it may be suggested that the possible me tree may be used to identify relationships that young people regard as important, and which may serve as resilience enablers. It is recommended that more studies using this approach, which include a longitudinal component, would add to this initial study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To understand how line managers make decisions about employee requests for time off at short notice and to consider the consequences for management training. Design/methodology/approach: Based on evidence from case studies carried out in four financial sector companies in Scotland, this paper illustrates a model of line manager decision making in relation to employee requests for time off at short notice. Findings: Factors that were found to have an impact on decisions of this kind included: organisational policies, the extent of devolution of personnel decisions and the role of the human resource function, operational constraints and the nature of the employee's request for time off and their previous commitment. Management experience and competence and the use of "common sense" mediated these factors. Managers received very little training in order to help them make appropriate decisions. Research limitations/implications: Although the authors consider that the model of decision making is general enough to be applicable outside the financial services sector, further research testing in other industrial sectors would be welcomed. Practical implications: While the use of management "discretion" can have advantages for employees, it could also have negative consequences resulting from inconsistent application, in terms of staff relations, company climate, morale, productivity and labour turnover. Therefore, effective training is important in order to deconstruct line managers' notions of "common-sense" decisions and make better decisions around these issues. Originality/value: The paper outlines a model of line manager decision making for dealing with time off at short notice that can be used by HR professionals in designing management training programmes. (Contains 1 note, 1 table, and 1 figure.)

Substance use disorder is an international problem. Rates of substance use disorder in South Africa are increasing, particularly among the youth, and relapse rates are high. A range of treatment modalities and support programmes are used to treat substance use disorder. Possible selves is a theory of selfconcept and behaviour motivation suggesting that self-concept has future components, namely, hoped-for selves, feared selves and expected selves. These serve to motivate behaviour either towards or away from an aspect of self and may be useful in personalising rehabilitation and contributing to maintained sobriety. In this qualitative study, we used a phenomenological design to sample nine participants in a treatment centre in Gauteng, South Africa. These participants engaged in the possible-me-tree-drawing activity to explore their hoped-for, feared and expected possible selves. The findings of hoped-for selves as sober, educated and in healthy relationships were identified. Feared selves included self as a life-long addict, homeless and alone. The participants discussed expected selves as family members and independent. The participants felt that the activity was useful to them. All participants stated that identifying their possible selves would help them to maintain sobriety after leaving the treatment facility. Based on these findings we recommend that possible selves be implemented in treatment programmes for substance use disorder. We also recommend that future research include replicating the study, including a longitudinal component and comparison studies based on a quasi-experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract--Focused ion beam (FIB) systems are commonly used to image, repair and modify integrated circuits by cutting holes in passivation to create vias or to selectively break metal tracks. The ion beam can also be used to deposit a metal, such as platinum, to create new connections. These techniques are very useful tools for debugging designs and testing possible changes to the circuit without the expense of new mask sets or silicon. This paper presents test structures which can be used to characterize a FIB induced platinum deposition process. Sheet resistance test structures have been fabricated using a FIB tool and the results of testing these structures are presented. The sheet resistance data has been used to fabricate platinum straps with a known resistance. This extends the capability of the focused ion beam system beyond the deposition of simple conducting straps. The design of the test structures has been improved through the use of current flow simulation to investigate the effects of geometry and misalignment on the measurement accuracy. The results of these simulations are also presented. Index Terms--Deposition, FIB, focused ion beam, metrology, organometallic, sheet resistance, simulation, test structures, van der Pauw method.

My mother always loved the colour blue. It suited her, and reflected the blue of her eyes. She told me once she hoped I would not 'end up like her,' [...]

Working the night shift can be fraught and experienced as demanding and, yet, is often dismissed as babysitting. Few researchers have explored the social and cultural meanings of night nursing, including storytelling rituals. In 2019, a narrative study was undertaken. The aim was to explore the stories recalled by nurses about working night shifts. Thirteen Australian nurses participated. Data were gathered using the Biographical Narrative Interview Method, and narrative analysis produced forty stories and three themes: strange and challenging experiences; colleagues can be mentors (or not); and textbook knowledge is only part of what is needed on night shift. Nursing students who engage with these stories may come to understand the challenges of the night shift, and the valuable work that nurses engage in throughout a 24‐hr period, work that involves adept psychosocial and interpersonal skills alongside technical and physical competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]