As a component of a participatory research project, incarcerated women designed and led a nutrition and fitness program, which resulted in improved body measures and self-reported health benefits. ORIGINALITY VALUE: Incarceration provides opportunities to engage women in designing their own health programs with consequent potential long-term "healing" benefits.

This article considers the role that music plays in contemporary UK funerals and the meaning that the funeral music has for bereaved families. It is based on findings from a recently completed study of 46 funerals funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council. Music contributes to the public ceremony and the personal existential quest of the bereaved. It is important to both the content and process of the contemporary funeral, an event of deep cultural significance in our response as individuals and communities to death and the loss of a significant relationship. There is evidence that for many people, the music chosen and used also evokes and conveys their spirituality. Spirituality may not be intrinsic to the music but spiritual experience may result from the meaning that the music has for that particular person.

A B S T R AC TThis paper discusses aspects of the implementation of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) in the UK, introduced under the Change for Children Programme and designed to facilitate early intervention and improve multi-agency working. The study area was rural in character and findings are compared with evaluation of early CAF implementation which focused primarily on urban areas. The study provided lessons for practice, many of which resonate particularly with rural problems identified in the international literature. There may be advantages in rural areas in ease of involvement of families in processes, in early awareness of practitioners of difficulties in families and in depth of relationships with families. These in turn may support early intervention. Disadvantages centre around resource issues, those of skills and confidence and lack of contact with and therefore distrust of other agencies.

This article discusses the methodological issues encountered in an AHRC funded study conducted between October 2008 and March 2010. The project used qualitative methods to explore the ways in which mourners sought, ascribed and expressed meaning through the funeral and analysed these processes in relation to evidence of religion and a broader spirituality. The research involved case studies of 46 funerals, and 29 interviews with professionals involved in the funeral industry. Each case study comprised: observation of pre-funeral meetings between families and funeral directors and celebrants; observation of the funeral; and a post-funeral focused interview with the bereaved person(s). The article considers ethical and practical factors in conducting research around a sensitive event where participants may be vulnerable. It describes the analysis process of data obtained concerning religious and other beliefs and comments on the value and difficulties of a multidisciplinary approach.