Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of two alternate forms of Family Connections (FC), a child neglect prevention program, in relation to changes in risk and protective factors and improvements in child safety and behavioral outcomes. Methods: In the original FC study, a sample of 154 families (473 children) in a poor, urban neighborhood,…

The high-tech environment of the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) may seem a million miles away from the classroom, but the baby who has been born prematurely, wired up in an incubator in the former, will in five years' time be a learner in the other. The journeys through our education system of children who have survived premature birth to become…

This research was conducted to understand paraprofessional home visitors' perceptions of their training in addressing poor mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence, and their actions in working with families in addressing these issues. Five focus groups were conducted with a total of 28 paraprofessional home visitors. Three main…

The Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is a program for Minnesota families with children from birth to the age of kindergarten enrollment. This booklet provides answers to common questions asked by individuals interested in the ECFE. The booklet's first section, "What Is Early Childhood Family Education," describes the model, while…

Results of a survey of 2,800 parents of children with disabilities found that families are essentially pleased with their respite services, but are dissatisfied with the services' lack of flexibility, arbitrary limits on use, inability to respond to crises, lack of parental voice in forming or reforming services, etc. (JDD)

Describes four successful public library programs for families and gives suggestions for planning programs and measuring their success. (LLS)

The family dimensions of 24 Individualized Family Service Plans written for infants/toddlers with handicaps and their families were examined to determine the presence of key legislative requirements, the domains of family goals, structural dimensions, level of parent involvement, and time parameters for goal attainment. Issues surrounding family…

Research on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy, and in particular, exposure with response prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), has only been systematically evaluated in children and adolescents ages 7-17. These treatments do not address the unique characteristics of young children with OCD. This paper discusses…

The purpose of this directory is to facilitate networking and collaboration among those caring for or providing support services to children with chronic illness or disabling conditions. It is hoped that this directory will enable parents to identify other parents who share their interests and concerns, as well as assist professionals in locating…

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is designed to encourage banks and thrifts to meet the financial credit and service needs of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, requiring that lenders use their private-sector resources to meet the financing needs of all communities in which lenders conduct business. This brief outlines several types of…

This article describes three dimensions of normalization that extend beyond mainstreaming in the context of early intervention: (1) the physical environment, (2) teaching and therapeutic strategies, and (3) family-focused services. Examples of normalized practices within each dimension are offered, and issues related to normalization are…

This resource guide was developed to provide a single source of current information for practitioners working with African American children and families. The guide describes materials, programs, national organizations, and other sources of information pertaining to the African American family. It presents information on a wide array of topics,…

"Family learning vacations" 5-10 day summer residential programs for families with deaf children, are described. Guidelines for establishing such a program are given concerning rationale, physical plant, eligibility, scheduling, parent activities, children's activities, and evaluation. (Author/DB)

Parents (N=229) of young children with handicaps in 10 states evaluated the Family Needs Survey, one instrument sometimes used to develop Individualized Family Service Plans. Overall, parents felt the survey to be useful in communicating useful information to professionals. The survey was equally acceptable to minority and low income parents.…

This article describes an early childhood special education personnel preparation program designed for family specialists. Specialized family coursework and field-based experiences are provided in addition to training experiences in child-related skills and competencies. (Author/PB)