This album tackles the complex relationships social workers experience in the wide spectrum of their work, from those with families affected by social deprivation to those with judges, lawyers and other members of the legal system. The tracks analyse the role of the family in Scottish life in relation to the many voluntary bodies that exist to assist and inform them, and the legal obligations of social workers. Participants from single mothers to solicitors presented their perspectives in a series of frank, informative interviews.

This material forms part of The Open University course K207 The law and social work in Scotland.

This series of tracks looks at social work practice around the world and compares attitudes and management techniques within the social work field. Material is taken from The Open University Course K315 Critical social work practice.

At least 171 million people worldwide have diabetes, and this figure is set to double by 2030. This chronic condition, which occurs when the body cannot produce or effectively use the insulin it needs, can be the cause of many serious health complications leading, amongst other problems, to blindness, foot ulcers and kidney failures. This album is a must-watch for diabetes sufferers and medical staff training to work with diabetes patients. Six video tracks introduce various aspects of a patient’s diabetes annual check-up, and the accompanying 'activity' files can be used while watching the videos to increase your understanding of how to control diabetes. The main audio track gives background information on the history of diabetes and information on how patients can help to manage their own condition. This material forms part of The Open University course SK120 Diabetes care.

The law and aspects of the legal system have a massive impact on the lives of social workers, from defining policy and procedure to the actual process of day-to-day working. This album presents an encompassing and engrossing look at the interaction between legal and social teams, and how different professions and groups interact to ensure equality and representation for all members of society. Not only do these discussions offer an insight into the justification and implementation of policy, they also provide illumination onto the realities and experience of working with vulnerable and disadvantaged people. This material forms part of The Open University course K269 Social care, social work and the law (England and Wales).

What happens if children aren’t making progress with language and literacy, and what sort of learning impairments might be the cause? How can the study of children’s thinking help us to understand these learning difficulties? This album offers insights into some of the problems faced by children with the developmental disorders dyslexia, poor comprehension and specific language impairment. In the main audio tracks, educators, therapists and researchers explore why children might have language and literacy difficulties, and how schools can work with psychologists to help these children develop key language and literacy skills. The interviews are introduced and contextualised by Professor David Messer of The Open University. The material forms part of The Open University course ED841 Understanding children's development and learning.

How do young children learn, and how can adults help them? This album looks at how nursery teachers support children in their development. We follow a practitioner’s day, looking at how she works with children, observes and plans for further activities while she also records her thoughts and ideas using a video camera. Further video tracks reveal how creativity is nurtured in young children to develop their abilities, how an artist in residence works with nursery children, as well as how the work of bilingual and special needs assistants mean that no child is excluded from the learning process. The audio tracks cover the importance of parental input, and the fantastic opportunities available to develop children’s creativity using technologies. This material forms part of The Open University course E124 Supporting children’s learning in the early years.

In the last century which women writers have truly challenged the existing forms of literature? How did they make their voices heard using brand new techniques and styles? For centuries there have been women writers who have changed the face of literature, but we tend to talk of their lives and work in very certain terms. This series of video-slideshows reveals how writing and reputation are often forged in transition, uncertainty and change. In these 4 films we re-examine the lives, work and influence of: Virginia Woolf, Jean Rhys, Katherine Mansfield and Jeanette Winterson.

This material forms part of the Open University course A300 20th century literature: texts and debates.

Do we use our buildings to declare who we are? How far does our heritage influence our collective identity? This insightful album reveals Ireland's shifting attitudes towards its cultural heritage. In 1922 when it broke free of British rule to become an independent nation state, the Irish nationalists abandoned high-profile buildings like Dublin Castle as it was symbolic of their British oppressors, and it fell into ruin. Yet they proudly restored older sites like Cashel and New Grange, which is even older than the pyramids, to emphasise an earlier romantic Irish past. In doing so they literally reconstructed their new identity through obliterating the memories they didn't want to keep and reinforcing those they did. Today, with the passing of time and after joining the EU, the neglected buildings no longer provoke associations with a painful colonial history. St Mary's Church is now appreciated as a bar as well as a work of art. Ireland has moved on, and now embraces all of its heritage. In the audio track, Anne Laurence, a History Professor at The Open University, elaborates on the issues addressed in the album. This material is drawn from The Open University course AA100 The arts past and present.

Long before the EU - back before the outbreak of the First World War - young people from the continent were descending on London taking up poorly-paid roles in the hospitality industry. This extract from the Daily Mirror explains: