This research aimed to ascertain the impact of a pragmatic Cognitive Stimulation Therapy course of ten sessions on the cognitive function of people living with dementia and whether attending a concomitant carers support group was beneficial to carers.A mixed method quasi-experimental approach was adopted, data was collected pre and post intervention. The quantitative arm utilised three validated questionnaires rated by the carers. Carers also perceived that attending the carers support group was beneficial for them in terms of gaining a better understanding of dementia, developing coping skills and having peer support.The study was limited in scale and further research with a larger sample, using direct measures of the impact of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy with people living with dementia and supplementary research exploring which characteristic of carers support groups are effective would be worthwhile.

Despite an extensive evidence-base linking patterns of health with social determinants, recent public health policy has emphasized 'lifestyle diseases' and risk factor modification through behavioural and pharmacological intervention. In England, one manifestation of this has been the launch of the National Health Service Health Check programme. This paper reports findings from a small-scale qualitative study exploring experiences of engaging with a community-based health check in Knowsley, England, among 17 males and 19 females, with varying levels of risk for cardiovascular disease, who agreed to be contacted for the purpose of research at the time they underwent their check. Analysis revealed that the community-based nature of the checks provided opportunities for people to find out more about their health who might not otherwise have done so. Participants expressed a range of responses to the communication of the risk score, often revealing their confusion about its meaning. Changes in behaviour were identified, which participants connected with having had a check. This study raises questions about where, how and by whom health checks are delivered. Emphasis on health checks reflects the dominant individualist ideology, but this study also suggests that the process provides opportunities to enable and empower individuals, albeit in small ways. However, they remain a 'downstream' approach to public health, emphasizing medical and behavioural options for risk factor reduction rather than focussing on primary prevention through changes to the wider environment. Furthermore, although developed as a central feature of the UK's strategy to reduce health inequalities, health checks may widen them.

An impact and feasibility evaluation of a 6 week (9 hour) active play intervention on fathers' engagement with their preschool children: A feasibility study http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/1003/ Article LJMU has developed LJMU Research Online for users to access the research output of the University more effectively. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Users may download and/or print one copy of any article(s) in LJMU Research Online to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain.The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of the record. Please see the repository URL above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.

The Fathers' Engagement Project was designed to assess the impact and feasibility of a six week physically active play based programme on fathers' engagement with their three to five year old children. Sessions were held at City based Children's Centres. Fathers' engagement and attitudes to child PA were measured pre-and post-intervention via questionnaire. Acceptability of the intervention was explored through participant and staff focus groups. Results from questionnaires showed that fathers felt more in control of their children and had increased awareness of their role in motivating their child to play. Fathers also suggested that sessions provided opportunities to spend quality time with their children despite there being no significant increase in the overall time fathers self-reported spending with their child during the week or at the weekend. A number of recommendations for both research and practice are provided. What was the Fathers' Engagement Project?Researchers and policy makers have reported the benefits of positive paternal involvement, particularly during the child's early development e.g., language acquisition, motor skills, and social skills. These benefits provide positive outcomes for the child in their teenage and adult years, while demonstrating a clear link between uninvolved fatherhood (the lack of paternal involvement) and societal problems. Active play programmes have been used to increase levels

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