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This chapter discusses prevailing biological and cognitive accounts of how the mind creates meaning. It starts with the notion that the mind is the work of a biological brain, provides a brief review of the structure and function of the brain, and goes on to explore cognitive models of mind, including associative network and parallel distributive processing models of organized memories (or schemas), and declarative and procedural forms of knowledge. The chapter discusses points of convergence among these conceptions, their contributions to the C-I perspective, and their practical utility in informing practice. In particular, emphasis is given to processes involved in helping clients transform declarative or descriptive knowledge into procedural or how-to knowledge.

Although the research participants were all born in Romania, the exceptional case in which Romania’s children were reflected in international relations, international media and research make it an interesting study case for any country that sets to close down its residential institutions. This chapter addresses implications for practice and sets the research findings into a wider context. It challenges the global and aggressive deinstitutionalisation policy as a goal to improve lives of children in care in different countries and cultural contexts. It makes reference to systemic challenges and invites the reader to reflect on the key aspects of care. One important conclusion is that the quality of care is more important than the type of placement.

As shown through the book, families’ everyday lives are often, though not always, at odds with the kinds of practices and programs planned elsewhere, requiring them to adapt and adjust to priorities not necessarily their own. Guidance for practice and policy comes from the lessons shared by families: that the everyday practicalities of ‘doing dementia’ need to be part of the policy story, that shifts in daily life are never ‘settled’ once and for all, and that if formal care practices are not going to miss the ‘whole picture’ of what is going on, there is a need to build an understanding of specificity and localness into styles of getting to know families and supporting family practices and arrangements. The analyses offered have shown the range of people, materials, institutional practices, activities and relations that might, if conscientiously considered and foregrounded, not only contribute to care but create the conditions of possibility for good care at home.

Chapter 4 of Practice Research in the Human Services: A University-Agency Partnership Model offers examples of practice research that employ cross-case comparisons in order to identify practice implications and enable senior managers to identify innovations for application to their own organizations. The key steps are described, including the dialogue and negotiation process that involves the university researcher with the practice community of agency administrators. The first study described in the chapter examined welfare reform implementation by county agencies, based on interviews with social service agency staff and consumers, as well as documents relevant to each program or practice. The second study focused on organizational knowledge-sharing processes in county agencies, while the third study explored organizational growth and resilience among nonprofit organizations. Practice research principles generated by the projects relate to generalizability limitations, data source triangulation and timeliness, and case study context.

The concluding chapter synthesizes the insights and gives a comprehensive answer to the volume’s overall question. It sets directions for future research and discusses implications for public organizations’ practice. There is ample evidence that management contributes to performance, both directly and indirectly, through influencing employees’ (public service) motivation, organizational commitment, and job performance. There is also evidence that management contributes to employee outcomes, both positive, such as their job satisfaction and employability, and negative, such as stress and burnout. The chapter reflects critically on the state of public management research and outlines four key issues for future research: (1) work toward an integrated theoretical framework; (2) develop more comprehensive theoretical models; (3) pay attention to the public sector context; and (4) increase methodological rigor. The chapter contends that public management–performance research remains relevant in the era of inter-organizational networks and co-production, if and when studies pay explicit attention to the public sector context and to the frontline employees involved in service production. The chapter advises public organizations to invest in service provision policies that fit the organizational mission and create the conditions for their implementation by frontline managers who can help public employees create public value.

This concluding chapter reviews and summarises the key themes addressed over the course of the book – including the elaborate and ritualistic nature of the public performances played out in court; the evident marginalisation of lay court users; and court users’ perceptions of legitimacy of the court process and its outcomes. The final part of the chapter briefly considers the implications of the study findings for policy and practice. Here, it is argued that that the position of victims and witnesses at court has considerably improved over the past two decades, but could yet be improved much further in terms of the treatment they receive throughout the judicial process. With respect to defendants, it is noted that their marginalisation within the court process and stance of ‘passive acceptance’ have troubling implications for their ability to exercise fully their right to a fair trial. It is suggested that procedural justice perspectives on court processes and interactions can help to identify ways of challenging defendants’ passivity and building their capacity to participate effectively in the judicial proceedings which concern them.