Securing provision for children with autistic spectrum disorders: the views of parents

An original questionnaire was designed to seek the perspectives of parents about the process of securing appropriate educational provision for their child with autism spectrum disorder. In total, 738 responses were analysed using both quantative and qualitative data. Although a broad range of opinion was evidenced and a clear majority of families were happy with the end decision of placement, most families were significantly less happy with the process to determine that provision. Most families found this process difficult to navigate and frustrating. This caused a high level of stress for a significant proportion of families. Implications for practice are discussed.

Im Interesse der Macht: Ungarns neues Wahlsystem

Until December 2011, Hungary had the most stable electoral system in Eastern Europe: except for an increase in the electoral threshold in 1994, no significant change had taken place since the transition from communism in 1989. On 23rd December 2011, however, Parliament passed a wholly new electoral law, which will first be used in the elections due in 2014. The purposes of this article are twofold. The first is to outline the change of electoral system that took place. The previous electoral law was, famously, one of the most complex in the world. The new law is somewhat simpler, but nevertheless retains many of the old law’s features. The second purpose is to analyse the origins and implications of the new law. Did it simply reflect the interests of those in power or did it also respond to public concerns? Can it be expected to enhance or detract from the quality of Hungarian democracy?