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ABSTRACTThe adoption of multi‐agency working is a key component of the government's agenda for the reconfiguration of children's services. This study examined multi‐agency working from the perspective of social workers within an early‐intervention family support team. Qualitative methods were used, involving individual interviews as well as focus groups with a total of 29 professionals within the early‐intervention social work team and its partner agencies. Thematic analysis of transcripts showed a number of challenges to multi‐agency working, which included issues focused on differences in partner agencies' protocols, as well as issues concerning professional status and identity. Messages for best practice that emerged stress the need for clear protocols and methods of negotiating and reviewing protocols; opportunities for informal as well as formal communication between workers; and adequate financial support and timetabling of service developments. Benefits of multi‐agency working involved enhanced inter‐agency respect and communication, greater understanding of child protection thresholds among partner agencies and fast‐track referrals. Areas requiring further investigation include the blurring of professional boundaries for social workers delivering early‐intervention services in community settings and the outcomes for children of multi‐agency working in early‐intervention services.

Attachment theory is becoming increasingly influential across health and social care fields in providing explanations of individuals' capacities to achieve effective support, close partner relationships and good parenting of their own and others' offspring. Adoption and fostering services were among the first to use attachment theory to inform evidence-based practice. While it has been used for the assessment of parenting capacity and attachment insecurity in children, there has been little parallel development of standardised assessments for carers, especially in terms of partner relationship, close support figures and ability to access support. This is a critical element in determining suitability for adoption and fostering carer roles and post-placement support. The Attachment Style Interview (ASI — Bifulco et al, 2002a,b) provides such a tool and concurs with requirements identified for carers in DfES Practice Guidance (Department for Education and Skills, 2006). Antonia Bifulco, Catherine Jacobs, Amanda Bunn, Geraldine Thomas and Karen Irving explain the research background to the ASI and describe its growing use in the adoption and fostering assessment process. They also discuss the importance of using evidence-based and standardised assessment tools to maximise effective practice.

Abstract: The ?-tomatine is a glycoalkaloid found in immature tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculetum). Currently, ?-tomatine has shown anticancer effects due to its anti-proliferative property. Stressors are one of the factors contributing to the antiproliferative activity of ?-tomatine that can modify cellular homeostasis. Among the cell stressors are the endoplasmic reticulum stress response elements, which can be altered leading to cell death. In the course of this study, we verified the expression of genes involved in the stress response of the endoplasmic reticulum in HepG2/C3A cells. The ?-tomatine reduced the viability of HepG2/C3A cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, we selected 2µg/mL of ?-tomatine (62% in cell viability) to evaluate the gene expressions. After 24 hours of exposure to ?-tomatine, the level of HSPA5 transcripts was reduced. The HSPA5 chaperone reduced marker is an indicative of homeostasis unbalance with the consequent lack of cellular resistance and, probably, cell death. Our results indicate the involvement of oxidative stress mechanisms in the death of HepG2/C3A cells exposed to ?-tomatine and show the effectiveness of the system as a future candidate for the cancer therapy studies.