Policy & Practice
Policy Press publishes policy review and polemic books that aim to challenge policy for, or thinking about, a certain field of policy or practice as well as books aimed at a practice audience. These books are written in an accessible style whilst being academically sound and appropriately referenced.
Neighbourhoods on the net
The nature and impact of internet-based neighbourhood information systems
How a neighbourhood is viewed can affect the lives of those who live there and the attitudes and behaviour of others towards them. This report examines the increasing use and sophistication of Internet-Based Neighbourhood Information Systems and considers their potential impact on how neighbourhoods are viewed. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
Migration and social mobility
The life chances of Britain's minority ethnic communities
Creating a more open society and improving race equality are core current policy concerns and understanding the roles of class and ethnicity in determining life chances is critical. This report aids such understanding by investigating the impact of class background and ethnicity on class position. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
Economic segregation in England
Causes, consequences and policy
One of the key objectives of government neighbourhood policy is to encourage a sustainable mix of tenures and incomes. This report addresses questions of why integration has been so difficult to achieve in practice and draws conclusions for future policy.
FREE pdf version available online at www.jrf.org.uk
The persistence of poverty across generations
A view from two British cohorts
The recent focus on reducing child poverty stems mainly from worries about the future consequences of poverty on children's later achievement. This report explores the link between childhood poverty and poverty later in life, and asks whether this link has grown stronger or weaker in recent decades. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
Household spending in Britain
What can it teach us about poverty?
Much of the recent policy debate surrounding poverty in Britain focuses on income as a measure of living standards. In this report we consider one alternative to income for measuring poverty that has been largely overlooked in the mainstream poverty debate in the UK: namely household expenditure. Free PDF version available at www.jrf.org.uk
Housing matters
National evidence relating to disabled children and their housing
Housing Matters presents evidence to support and inform change in policy and practice to ensure that the housing needs of disabled children and their families are better met.
User-defined outcomes of community care for Asian disabled people
The NHS and Community Care Act (1990) specifically emphasises the health and social care needs of disabled people from minority ethnic communities, urging local authorities to be culturally sensitive to individual needs. This report examines what a culturally sensitive service looks like from the users' perspective.
Building better credit unions
In the UK there is increasing acceptance that credit unions have an important role to play in providing affordable credit to all sections of society. This study identifies current patterns of credit union development, quantifies their performance and isolates factors which make some more successful than others. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
The poverty trade-off
Work incentives and income redistribution in Britain
Two strategies that governments have to help people on low incomes - providing them with financial support directly, and encouraging them to earn more - generally conflict. This report provides new evidence on the trade-off between redistributing income and improving work incentives.
FREE PDF version available online at www.jrf.org.uk
'Planned' teenage pregnancy
Perspectives of young parents from disadvantaged backgrounds
This in-depth study explores the motivations for 'planned' teenage pregnancy in England. The findings have important implications for the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and the increasing political agenda on young people and health.
A free pdf version of this report is available online at www.jrf.org.uk
Contract or trust?
The role of compacts in local governance
This report is the first evaluation of the structural means by which the meaning of partnership is being operationalised at local level, through the development of local compacts. Using detailed case studies of the development of compacts, the report highlights some of the major barriers to, and key lessons for, effective partnership working
Child poverty in large families
The UK child poverty rate for large families is among the highest in the OECD. This study investigates the prevalence and characteristics of poor children in large families in the UK and how we compare with other countries.
FREE pdf version available online at www.jrf.org.uk