BBC Panorama have uncovered a multitude of issues regarding the unacceptable care standards of one of the country’s largest care homes. The exposure has resulted in several suspensions and one sacking.

The 93-bed home in Braintree, Essex has been under close observation since August 2012 when whistleblowers first identified issues within the care home. Footage of service users being mocked, insulted and slapped will be revealed tonight on the Panorama show.

Recent figures released by the Care Quality Comission (CQC) have revealed since 2011, an astonishing 1 in 3 care homes have been issued warnings in regard to not meeting basic standards.

A case was put together by undercover workers over a period of 36 shifts, with secret cameras being set up to monitor staff. The findings from the investigation have caused outrage and the chief inspector of social care, Andrea Sutcliffe said, “I’m shocked and really angry about what Panorama have found. People shouldn’t be getting into this business if they don’t care.”

The offending care home, Old Deanery, which charges around £700 per week for its services have launched an investigation into the allegations. The home has revealed they are “shocked and saddened by the allegations”. The care home changed ownership in November 2013, which may have delayed the processes put in place to investigate previous complaints.

The outcome of the program is to outline the severity of the level of care provided in the UK. The competency of staff must be assessed and measures for proper training implemented. The main discoveries of the investigation have revealed:

– A female resident suffering from dementia and partly paralyzed after a stroke was slapped by a member of staff who had previously been reported for her negative attitude.
– This woman was also mocked and taunted by other care workers
– A service users cries for assistance in going to the toilet went unanswered, with her call bell being unplugged by staff on one occasion
– A resident suffering from chronic illness and bed-ridden was left lying in his own excrement after two care workers had ignored his cries and then proceeded to turn his call bell off

The reporter who infiltrated the care home and gathered the evidence stated that, “many good care workers are trying their best” but some staff would openly “mock, goad, taunt, roughly handle and ignore” elderly residents, “some were even left in their own mess for hours”.

Measures are being put in place by the CQC to tackle the issues raised by this investigation and since 2011, with 158 homes having closed following action from the CQC.

NCC Home Learning offer a wide variety of high quality health and social care courses for care professionals.

Panorama – Behind Closed Doors: Elderly Care Exposed will be shown on Wednesday 30/04/2014 at 9pm on BBC1

The NCC Home Learning Monthly Newsletter will now be sent directly via e-mail. If you would like to receive updates on offers and NCC news please subscribe to our mailing list at www.ncchomelearning.co.uk

Have you ever fancied a career in Digital Photography? Today we outline what it really entails to become a Digital Photographer.

What is Digital Photography?

So what is Digital Photography? It is as simple as pointing the camera at the subject and pressing a button. This revolution has brought ease to the user meaning they can take and view photos easily.

Digital photography first started in the 1960’s- 1970’s, when it was used as an experiment for military purposes. Rather than more traditional methods, digital photography allows the user to improve print issues for example red eye. Did you know that Barack Obama’s official portrait was taken using a digital camera? This just shows how high the quality of image can be!

Digital photography has been around for much longer than people think. It has only been in the last ten years that it has become an increasingly popular method of taking pictures. It has almost replaced the more traditional methods of taking photographs through the use of film. Digital Photography enables users to capture a moment through an image and create it on software. Rather than photographic prints, digital photography is generally stored in memory.

The camera will use digital technology to produce images. If your camera doesn’t require you to add any photographic film to record pictures then you are most likely to be using a digital camera. Digital photography involves the art of manipulating digital photographs. Images can be created in several ways such as:

• Directly with use of a digital camera
• Through scanning a conventional photograph
• Capturing a frame from a video

There are four key factors that work together to make up the quality of a digital image. The quality is dependent on the device used, the size (in pixels) of the digital photograph, the technical proficiency of the user, and also the format of the image in which it is stored.

As you can see this is a very in depth and complex topic, so if you love a challenge and would like to learn more about this subject area, we highly recommend you study a distance learning programme.

Suitability

Distance learning programmes are becoming an increasingly popular method of learning. It enables students to study at a time and pace to suit the individual. This means your can fit working towards a qualification around your busy lifestyle and personal commitments. A Digital Photography course is ideal for those who would like to pursue this area beyond just a hobby or to enhance your career prospects.

Education

For those of you who would like to learn more about Digital Photography, why not study a distance learning course. There are a number of distance learning providers, which enable you to study at a time and pace that is convenient to you. NCC Home Learning have more than 14 years of experience in delivering excellent training courses. They offer a Digital Photography course which is reasonably priced from £288. The suggested learning time to complete this programme is 260 hours. This really is dependent on the time you can dedicate to the course.

The course strives to provide students with a greater knowledge and understanding when it comes to the basics of photography techniques, understanding the equipment, the different photography specialisms, an understanding of image editing and much more!

Testimonials

At NCC Home Learning, there are a number of satisfied customers. Here is what some of them thought of their learning experience…

“I found the course materials easy to understand and my tutor was very supportive throughout my studies.”

Luke Matthews, Leeds

“I loved learning all about Digital Photography, it inspired me to do my own research into it on the internet and in books.”

Linda Pearson, Surrey

“I thoroughly enjoyed my course, I found it very interesting and challenging”

Tim Jeffries, Manchester

Career Prospects

There are a wide range of career paths you may wish to choose. Whether you would like to simply learn more about digital photography out of interest or if you would like to pursue a career in this field. You may decide you would like to become a wedding photographer. A distance learning programme in this area will help develop your expertise in this area. You will learn more about the different specialisms and techniques involved in digital photography. You may choose to start up your own business. The opportunities are endless!

Students will receive all the necessary learning materials and tutor support needed to successfully complete the course. If you would like a snapshot into what it really entails to work in Photography, then why not study a distance learning programme today!

 

It has recently been revealed that the National Union of Teachers have voted against using teachers who do not have formal teaching qualifications. The NASUWT conference has come to a verdict on the Government’s new ideas of offering teaching roles to industry professionals.

The Government have suggested that individuals with vast amounts of industry expertise and experience are the perfect candidates to move into the classroom. This has been identified by the Teacher’s Union as a “cheap alternative and an “attack on professional status”.

The general secretary of the National Union of Teacher’s was forthcoming with her definition of a teacher, “A teacher is someone who has patience, enthusiasm, subject knowledge and pedagogy. A teacher has a degree and a teaching qualification.”

The argument from government officials has stemmed from the way in which independent schools have exercised their freedom to employ industry specialists to fill certain teaching roles. The fields of expertise ranges from engineers to linguists and has proved a successful strategy in many independent schools.

The Teacher’s Union general secretary, Chris Keates was open with his opinions on the matter, “our children and young people have been robbed of a fundamental entitlement to be taught by qualified teachers. The decision to remove qualified teacher status had nothing to do with raising standards and everything to do with reducing costs, depressing teachers’ pay and feeding the free market.”

It appears Labour have backed the NUT over this matter and have promised to make qualified teacher status a requirement for permanent teaching staff in state schools. This is a interesting stance and the motivations of this backing may be disputable, but the future of qualified teacher status is sure to be an issue that will see no quick result.

There are many ways in which to gain Teaching and Teaching Assistant qualifications, and the NUT are confident in ensuring a qualified teaching staff for our children’s future. Online teaching courses are a great way to start your career journey and build your skillset.

In preparation for the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, we have taken a look at the highest and lowest grossing Marvel films of all time. Could The Amazing Spider-Man 2 be another box office smash for Marvel?

Highest

1. Marvel’s The Avengers

Budget: $220 million
Gross: $1.51 billion

This is the pinnacle of Marvel’s achievements, bringing together some of the planets biggest Hollywood stars and superheroes. The film was the largest grossing of all time for Marvel, with award nominations from BAFTA and Academy Awards. The recruitment of Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor had the fans drooling at the prospect of this all-star superhero team. The fans pushed the Avengers to the third highest grossing film of all time behind James Cameron’s Titanic and Avatar.

2. Iron Man 3

Budget: $200 million
Gross: $1.2 billion

Robert Downey Jr returned for a third instalment in 2013 and smashed all previous Iron Man box office records. The overall figures made the film the second highest grossing film of 2013, which was a testament to the dedication of the true Iron Man fans. A conflict between Paramount and The Walt Disney Company over distribution rights made negotiations for the film difficult. This was settled as Disney agreed to pay paramount around $110 million dollars for the worldwide distribution rights of Iron Man 3 and The Avengers. This looks like being the right investment, with both films bringing in over $2.5 billion.

3. Spider-Man 3

Budget: $140 million
Gross: $890 million

Notice a pattern? It seems like third instalments perform the best, with Spider-Man 3 coming in as the next highest grossing film. Peter Parker returned to the streets of New York City with a darker side to his personality. The release of Spider-Man 3 was possibly the most anticipated of all, with a large amount of interest gained through the high DVD sales of the two previous films. Fans were anxious to see the dark side of Spider-Man and the effect this may have on New York’s favourite vigilante. This film was Sony Pictures second most successful production, only beaten by Skyfall.

Lowest

1. Punisher: War Zone

Budget: $35 million
Gross: $10.1 million

This was the third Marvel film to feature The Punisher character but was deemed a massive flop after making a substantial loss. The film reached number 8 in the US box office on its opening weekend which for a film shown in over 2500 cinemas is a disappointing climax. The future plans for the Punisher are undecided, with the rights now being handed back to Marvel. Some blame poor marketing of the film for its failure, as some critics hailed the film a massive success.

2. Howard the Duck

Budget: $37 million
Gross: $38 million

Slim profits for the 1986 film make it one of Marvel’s earlier disappointments. You may expect to associate inadequacy with the legend that is George Lucas, but his role as producer on this film was not enough to make it a success with the viewers. The film was received negatively by not only the paying public but the critics as well, with many still regarding it one of the worst films of all time. This is not the type of film we are used to seeing from the modern day Marvel, and it’s probably just as well they learnt from their mistakes!

3. Elektra

Budget: $43 million
Gross: $57 million

An abysmal rating of 4.8/10 on the Internet Movie Database sums up the public reaction to this film. With criticisms ranging from poor actor performances to ineffective plot lines the critical reception was unforgiving. Elektra was released in 2005 and followed Batman Begins, Fantastic Four and Sky High, all of which outperformed it at the box office.

Save the Children Week commences Monday 14th April 2014, with the aim to raise awareness of the campaign ‘No Child Born to Die’. Here we outline who Save the Children are, the key aims and objectives of the campaign, as well as their achievements.

The Campaign

Save the Children set up a campaign known as ‘No Child Born to Die’. Save the Children was first established at the beginning of the 20th century by two sisters known as Eglantyne Jebb and Dorothy Buxton, who had a vision to safeguard and protect children around the world.

Mission Statement:

“To inspire breakthrough in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.”

Nearly one hundred years on and this organisation is still operating effectively. They work in 120 countries with the intension of protecting and saving the lives of children through the implementation of world-class programmes. Not only this, they fight for children’s rights and assist in helping them to reach their full potential.

Other campaigns:

– Every Beat Matters
– Get Ready. Get Safe
– Keeping Kids Strong
– Mom’s the Word
– Syria Relief

Shocking Facts

Here we run through some alarming facts and figures. The ‘No Child Born to Die’ campaign strives to help and support children.

– Did you know 6.6 million children die every year? This is an appalling figure!
– In 2013, Save the Children gained a huge investment in vaccines, which by 2015 will save around 4 million lives. This is a dramatic amount of children’s lives that will benefit from the new investment.
– Save the Children managed to secure commitments to train more health workers, meaning children can access a doctor/nurse when needed.
– Are you aware that 1 in 3 children are left with permanent damage to their mind and body as a result of being malnourished in their early years? This is an outrageous amount, this suffering can’t go on.
– Every hour of each day, 300 children die from malnutrition.

Aims and Objectives

Save the Children strive to breakthrough the way in which children are treated around the world. They aim to raise awareness of a number of issues regarding child protection including the following matters:

– Hunger – Save the Children have an eight step plan of action in place, in which strives to combat child hunger around the world.
– Health and HIV – they help children access better healthcare with the aim of helping children to grow and develop healthier.
– Child Poverty – children who are born into poverty have a reduced chance of a better life.
– Children’s rights – Many governments promise to protect children and their rights, but they are still violated.
– Education – Save the Children strive to provide children with access to education to those who unfortunately miss out on going to school.

There are several projects Save the Children work on, all of which contribute to helping children in a number of different ways. Each campaign strives to raise awareness about a key issue.

Achievements

Below we outline some of Save the Children’s achievements:

– In 2012, Save the Children helped approximately 10 million children, and went on to gain around 100,000 supporters who regularly donate to such a valuable organisation. In the years 2006-2009, Save the Children held a campaign called Rewrite the Future, which supported 1.4 million children gain access into schools around the world, especially those where conflict may exist.
– In 2004, Save the Children put in place a five year response to the Asian tsunami, which helped and supported approximately 1 million people.
– They worked hard to reach children in intense areas of conflict during the Dafur, Sudan and other communities which were affected by the Pakistan earthquake in 2005.
– 2010-2015 Save the Children has put in place a strategy to help children gain an education and help to develop their learning knowledge.
– In 2012, they helped around 9 million children through the support of community volunteers, government officers and others involved in the process of helping children learn and develop.
– They continually challenge world leaders to help give children a better future.

As you can see, Save the Children conduct remarkable work which makes a huge difference to the lives of children around the globe. There are a number of distance learning courses available for those of you who would like to learn more about child care, and safeguarding and protecting children.

 

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing can include any sort of writing where the main aim is to express your thoughts and emotions, rather than to produce a piece which just states information. Creative writing is becoming an increasingly popular pastime. It is a great way to get your thoughts out on the paper. You are sure to find creative writing a challenging but highly rewarding activity, whether it be as a hobby or for those of you who would like to pursue a career in this field. You can’t beat that feeling of accomplishment when you have finally finished your piece.
There are also a number of writing styles and techniques that can be used to convey your feelings and thoughts. There are a wide range of methods that can be used when writing in different styles. As a Creative Writer you can expect to explore a number of different texts and genres. Students will also learn more about writing short stories, poetry, writing for the radio, novels, life writing, non-fiction writing, the editing process, writing for children and much more!

Suitability

There are a wide range of distance learning providers who offer Creative Writing courses. Such programmes offer students a much more flexible way of gaining an education. It enables learners to study at a time and pace to suit the individual, meaning you can learn around other commitments such as work and family life. Students will receive all the necessary materials and support needed to successfully complete the course.

Education

Distance learning courses are becoming an increasingly popular method of gaining a qualification. Whether you want to develop your existing skills or gain new ones, or if you want to pursue a career in your chosen area, you are sure to find something to suit your needs.
NCC Home Learning is a training provider, with more than 14 years of experience in providing quality distance learning courses. They offer a Creative Writing course which gives learners the opportunity to study at a time and pace to suit you. Reasonably priced from £288, you will learn how to write in a range of different styles and use a variety of techniques. The suggested learning time for this course is 200 hours. This is dependent on how much time you can dedicate to course and your speed of learning. The Creative Writing course is benchmarked at Level 3, and is approved by NCFE.

What learners thought…

At NCC Home Learning, there are a great number of satisfied customers. Here is what some of them thought of their learning experience:

‘My tutor was very helpful and gave me quick responses to my questions. This course was definitely value for money and I would certainly recommend it to others‘
Terry Osborne, Surrey

‘An Excellent course, I learned so much with great support from my tutor’
Katie Harper, Leeds

‘Fantastic learning materials and a great tutor too. I am extremely happy with my experience’
Mark Lee, Newcastle

Opportunities

There are a range of career paths you may wish to follow as a Creative Writer. Writing has no limits, meaning if you have an idea, you can write about anything. The distance learning programme will provide you with a greater knowledge and understanding of Creative Writing, which will leave you in good stead for the future.

So if you think you have great ideas and imagination, and think you have what it takes to be a successful Creative Writer, you may decide to enrol on to a distance learning Creative Writing course! For a future with great prospects, why not start your new chapter now! The opportunities are endless.

Remember writing has no limits!

Everyone has an opinion on what has happened to missing flight MH370, whether it be a government operation or a tragic accident. NCC have put together a list of other mysterious flight disappearances that have never been solved. Maybe we can piece together some of the clues?

1979 – Boeing 707-323C Tokyo to Rio

In January 1979, a cargo ship heading from Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro with a stopover in Los Angeles disappeared 30 minutes after take-off. The plane would have been approximately 200 km NE of Tokyo at the time of disappearance. The 6 crew members were experienced professionals, with Captain Araujo da Silva having more than 23,000 logged. There was one slight difference that made the vanishing of this cargo plane all the more intriguing. The small matter of 153 Manabu Mabe paintings with an estimated value of $1.24 million threw a different angle to the investigation. This though was eventually discounted and the official report stated cabin depressurisation as cause of the crash. The wreckage was never found.

1937 – Lockheed Electra 10a Round the World

Amelia Lockhart is a name synonymous with early aviation, but her career came to a sad end with her disappearance in 1937. Amelia was attempting to be the first person to fly the equator route around the earth. After gaining celebrity status through being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Earhart wanted to take her career to the next level. This though was to be her last journey, as 22,000 miles into the journey Amelia was lost around the Howland Islands. The search was unsuccessful and the plane was never found. There are a number of theories as to what happened to Amelia. Some documentation has been found from Ex-Japanese soldiers who claim to have bared witness to the capture and execution of Amelia.

2003 – Boeing 727 Angola to destination unknown

The Boeing 727 was station at an Angolan airfield. The plane formerly belonged to the passenger fleet of American Airlines. It was then leased to Angola Airlines in which time it was idle for 14 months building up an incredible $4 million in unpaid fees. In 2003 the plane was seen by air traffic control preparing for unauthorised take off, when communication was attempted the pilot cut radio connections within the airliner. The plane then took off, and neither the plane nor pilot Ben Charles Badilla have been seen since. There are not many leads of the whereabouts of the plane even after a huge FBI and CIA investigation.

1962 – Lockheed L-1049 California to Vietnam

In 1962 a plane carrying 107 U.S servicemen from California to Vietnam was lost somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. The plane had landed in Guam to refuel, ruling out many technical issues that would have been identified in the stop over. An 8 day search was carried out with not one piece of evidence found. The search was called off as no credible witness accounts of any crash could be sourced. The disappearance remains a mystery to this day.

1944 – UC-64A Norseman England to France

Glenn Miller was once of the biggest stars in the world during WW2 and accompanied by his big band he shot to stardom with 70 top ten hits in 4 years. Miller was scheduled for a performance in Versaille and left a foggy runway in Bedfordshire on the afternoon of 15th December 1944. Miller was never seen again. There are a number of theories that suggest the aircraft may have navigated incorrectly, but new evidence in the form of a young boy’s plane spotting notes from 1944 suggest the aircraft was seen over Maidenhead which was the correct line of navigation when leaving the British Isles.

There are a number of reasons why planes go missing and are never found and it has happened countless time throughout history. Let’s hope flight MH370 is not added to this tragic list of unsolved mysteries.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development show (CIPD) are holding the annual CIPD Learning and Development show at the Olympia Exhibition Centre. The event will take place on Wednesday 30th April and Thursday 1st May. Over 100 exhibitors will be represented, from Universities to Magic Whiteboard Ltd making this an important event for any individual involved in learning and development.

The conference will feature informative workshops and seminars exploring some of the most important issues in learning and development, including Leadership Development and Technologies as well as professional development advice on your personal career path. Tickets for this event are free meaning that a wealth of career development information and pathways are available with no cost attached.

There are some incredibly high profile guest speakers appearing at the event including, Jeff Turner, Head of Learning and Development for Facebook and Tim Drewitt, Head of online Learning Vodafone. They will be providing insight into their current roles as well as how to develop high-performing line managers.

There will also be great opportunities for interaction with learning professionals and training managers. Speed networking is a new idea that will be available at the event, get the opportunity to take part in lots of introductions in a short space of time!

The CIPD will also be offering opportunities for young people to get involved with initiatives such as Steps Ahead Mentoring and Inspiring the Future. There will be a topic taster held at the CIPD stand on both days of the event.

If you would like more information on the event, please got to http://www.cipd.co.uk/events/learning-development-show

As the hot weather approaches, theme parks become a hot spot for day trips.So if you’re a thrill-seeker you’ll soon be hitting the super-fast roller coasters.Here we outline some of the most popular theme parks around the world.

1) Disneyland, Paris

Disneyland Paris first opened in 1992, and has been dedicated to the world of fairy tales and Disney characters ever since. It is a fun filled park, suitable for the whole family, or anyone who is young at heart!

This is the perfect theme park for those of you who would like to experience the fascinating imagination of Walt Disney. It includes two theme parks, and a range of 59 attractions. In 2013, Disneyland® attracted 14.9 million visitors to the park. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Europe, 51% of which were visitors from France, 14% from the UK and the other 35% was tourists from other countries around the world.

2) Ocean Park, Hong Kong

This theme park first opened in 1977. The park offers a unique mix of education and conservational aspects to attract marine-life lovers. This is the perfect place for those of you who would like to combine the enjoyment of rides with the aquatic theme. There are a number of intriguing animal exhibits and thrill rides on site for you to enjoy!

In 2012, the park gained world recognition as being one of the most visited theme parks with around seven million visits. Ocean Park have also won the prestigious biannual Applause Award, impressive isn’t it?

3) Cedar Point, Ohio, USA

Cedar Point has been voted the best amusement park in the world by roller coaster enthusiasts for 10 years in a row, and seems to be many people’s favourite park. Cedar Point has the largest collection of roller coasters and rides in an amusement park. There are approximately 150 rides, attractions and shows. It is home to three carousels, giving you the choice to ride 164 animals.

4) Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia, United States

Busch Gardens opened in 1975, and is one of America’s most popular parks. This park is split into nine themed lands, all of which have been designed and based on a different European country. There are a number of restaurants and shops for you to enjoy. All the rides are based around each countries heritage. Popular rides include Alpengeist and Apollo’s Chariot. Rather than focusing on the rides at the park, Busch Gardens concentrates more on the theme of the shops and restaurants.

5) Universal Studios – Los Angeles

This park is full of world-class rides including Transformers™ and The Simpsons™. It opened for visitors to go on tours of the studios including the sets and soundstages, and to experience the theme park. Apart from the amazing rides on offer, there is also a range of exhibits which are linked to current films. You also have the choice to eat at one of 24 restaurants, and buy souvenirs from one of the many gift shops on site. Not only this, you can take time out to watch mini clips of movies on one of the big screens around the park. This is one of the oldest Hollywood movie studios that is still in use. There are also a number of musical parades and live shows, so you are sure to find something you’ll enjoy.

So if you’re lucky enough to visit some of these theme parks, you’re sure to have an amazing time, and create memories that will last a lifetime!