Summary of the impact

The research conducted through the C.Ind.Le project, between 2002 and 2006, was the first to reveal and catalogue the metacognitive and self-regulatory abilities of children in the 3-5 age range. The project outcomes included an observation instrument, now widely used by teachers in early years educational settings, and a training course on pedagogies supporting development of these abilities in young children. This research has had direct regional impact on practice at the Foundation Stage in Cambridgeshire, national impact through its influence on the 2012 revision of the DfE framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and international impact through consultancy to the LEGO Foundation and other collaborations.

Summary of the impact

Bulimic eating disorders are disabling conditions affecting approximately 5% of the population. Effective specialist treatment exists in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but only a minority of patients access this. Researchers at King's College London developed book-, CD-ROM-and web-based CBT self-care interventions for bulimic disorders that provide early effective treatment with outcomes comparable to costly specialist CBT. Locally, at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Eating Disorders Service, this has significantly reduced waiting lists. The research has had national and international impact with UK, German and US guidelines endorsing guided self-care as a first treatment step for bulimic disorders and the KCL manual and website are internationally recommended.

Summary of the impact

Research carried out at the Centre for Forensic Linguistics (CFL) at Aston has achieved the following significant impacts:

1. Casework: Reports for forensic investigations, and provision of opinion and evidence for police investigations, criminal trials and civil proceedings, have all contributed to verdicts of guilt or innocence and to judgements in civil and appeal Courts.
2. Policy development and training: Research findings have changed police practice in interviewing witnesses and suspects, and specifically in cases where there is an interpreted interview. Changes to Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) taking of non-native English speaker witness statements represents a significant, concrete example.

Summary of the impact

Dr Paul McDonald is an award-winning writer whose comic novels, short stories, and poetry have established him as a leading figure in the literature of the Black Country. His creative output is informed by scholarly research into humour and humour-writing that has national and international reach, and has contributed to the public knowledge of the history and cultural significance of humour. Specifically, he has:

• benefited economic prosperity through media commissions in the creative sector (e.g. via promotion, sales, and web traffic);
• contributed to creating, inspiring, and supporting the cultural life of the West Midlands.

Summary of the impact

Leyshon and French's research on the geography of UK bank and building society branch closures influenced the decision by the Financial Inclusion Taskforce to target 25 under-served local authority areas for additional support from the government's £42m Growth Fund between 2008 and 2011. The Growth Fund, which is targeted at Credit Unions, Community Development Financial Institutions and other, not-for-profit `third sector' lenders, enables financially excluded households to access credit on more affordable terms.

Summary of the impact

This case study outlines the impact of research investigating the character of a legitimate contribution to schools by religious believers. The impact is twofold. Firstly, it has stimulated considerable public debate by offering an influential alternative to those who object to religious contributions in schools. Secondly, it has influenced the classroom work of teachers in church schools by offering a positive rationale and practical model for developing a distinctively Christian approach to pedagogy. The main beneficiaries are Anglican and Roman Catholic dioceses, their schools and teachers.

Summary of the impact

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is by far the leading cause of blindness in older people in the developed world, affecting 30% of those aged over 65, and is set to increase. The naturally-occurring carotenoids lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) are located in the central retina (macula) and are collectively called the macular pigment (MP). High MP levels confer protection from AMD. Murray and colleagues have developed a new instrument, the Macular Pigment Screener (MPS), which allows regular, non-invasive monitoring of MP in ophthalmic practice. This means that, for the first time, the MPS can show the effect of intervention on the MP, providing a management strategy for AMD patients, and allowing early identification of those at risk of developing AMD. Over 750 instruments have been sold to date, with more than 1M patients in the US alone estimated to be benefiting from routine MP testing.

Summary of the impact

This case study describes impact derived from Fisher's practice-as-research, during which, through painting and printmaking, he sought to develop approaches to image making involving narrative structures, and formal and technical methods and procedures, that achieved `visual equivalents' of the nineteenth century `texts' of Schubert's Winterreise song cycle and poet John Clare's Journey from Essex (both narratives of walking). The outcomes of the research were publicly exhibited and discussed in a variety of contexts during the period under review, thereby contributing to public engagement with, and understanding of, contemporary art as well as to critical/professional discourses surrounding contemporary painting and printmaking. Secondary impact was derived from the introduction of Clare and Clare's poetry and Schubert's song cycle to many hundreds of people previously unfamiliar with them.

Summary of the impact

The Unit's research is at the centre of changing approaches to the relationship between contemporary art and religious institutions by helping a variety of faith communities to reflect on their practices and by influencing public attitudes. The work focuses on 3 areas: the relationship between nature and spirituality; the spiritual well-being of individuals; the role of performance and temporary works of art to increase understanding of religious communities and sacred spaces. Our findings have been used in policy documents published by the Church of England on commissioning art in churches, in the National Conference of the Pagan Federation, the Swedenborg Society and by the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. These impacts are particularly relevant in the context of a new UK legal framework placing religious belief among the protected characteristics of Equality and Diversity.

Summary of the impact

Wastes management represents a major global environmental challenge. In the early 2000s Defra recognised that the UK's emphasis needed to change from managing waste to preventing it arising, and that Local Authorities must be equipped to produce cost-effective waste reduction plans. To this end, WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) financed a major Local Authority training programme involving the Centre for Sustainable Wastes Management (CSWM) due to its track record of research expertise. Evaluation of this training demonstrated that over 90% of 204 delegates (from 33% of Local Authorities) developed a deeper understanding of waste prevention and 41% consequently upgraded their plans, embedding sustainable practice into their organisations and reducing arisings. The ultimate impact of this has been to save Local Authorities money and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.