The Voices of Youth Count initiative's systematic evidence review is the most comprehensive synthesis of evaluation evidence on programs and practices related to youth homelessness to date. This document is one in a series of seven topical evidence summaries derived from the longer evidence review brief. Herein, evaluations of family interventions…

This Research-to-Impact brief is the eighth in a series from Voices of Youth Count. Voices of Youth Count is a national research and policy initiative designed to fill critical gaps in the nation's knowledge about unaccompanied homelessness among youth and young adults ages 13 to 25. Voices of Youth Count research estimated that nearly 4.2 million…

Recently emerging intervention studies for toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were reviewed through a systematic assessment of intervention outcomes, research rigor, and intervention features. The review includes published peer-reviewed experimental studies of toddlers with high risk for or diagnosis of ASD in which the majority of…

Background: To date, research on mental health in HIV-affected children (children who have an HIV-positive caregiver or live with the virus themselves) has focused on risk factors associated with the disease. However, simultaneous identification of factors that contribute to resilience in the face of risks is also needed. A greater understanding…

The profound injuries caused by child maltreatment are well documented in the neurological, attachment, cognitive, and developmental literature. In this review paper, we explore the potential of early childhood education (ECE) as a community-based resilience intervention for mitigating the impacts of child abuse and neglect and supporting families…

We conducted a review of empirically based prevention programs to identify prevalence and types of family support services within these programs. A total of 238 articles published between 1990 and 2011 that included a family support component were identified; 37 met criteria for inclusion. Following the Institute of Medicine's typology, prevention…

Teen pregnancy in the United States has declined significantly in the last two decades. Despite these declines, rates of teen birth, HIV, and STIs in the United States remain among the highest of any industrialized nation. Socio-economic, cultural and structural factors such as poverty, limited access to health care, racism and unemployment…

The purpose of this synthesis is to present summary information on family-centered practices, and on interventions aimed at promoting positive parenting practices, teaching parenting skills, and influencing parent child interactions that have demonstrated associations with positive social emotional development for children aged 0-3 years. The…

Describes investigation undertaken to develop a family-based intervention model designed to address problems of juvenile offenders and reduce effects of delinquency. Risk factors investigated included age at first court referral, seriousness of offenses, parental supervision, school functioning, peer group, alcohol and drug use, and criminality in…

This report was commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) to inform the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and LGA work on "Narrowing the Gap." It focuses on early years' provision and presents findings from a review of the best evidence on narrowing the gap in outcomes across the five Every Child Matters…

Reviews common barriers to family participation in prevention services and highlights advances in strategies for recruiting families. Presents practical, detailed procedures for enlisting hard-to-reach families into prevention services and into prevention research evaluation interviews. Reports on recruitment success rates from a family counseling…

The field of adventure family therapy has emerged as a means to construct lasting functional change for troubled youth. Seven reasons why adventure therapy can be successful with troubled youth are: (1) therapeutic processes are centered in action-oriented experiences; (2) therapy is conducted in an unfamiliar environment; (3) adventure therapy…

This article reviews research showing that high-quality parent-infant interaction is important in the promotion of child resiliency and should be emphasized in family-centered early intervention programs. Research on risk factors that threaten the quality of parent-infant interaction and thus resiliency in infants and young children is also…

This research review examines what is known about the effectiveness of parenting support, and assesses the international evaluation evidence focusing on primary and secondary prevention programmes. It outlines several factors affecting the success of parenting support interventions in terms of service implementation and delivery, as well as…

This article examines the role of assessment in developing Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Emphasis is on determining eligibility, collecting assessment data for describing developmental performance, and establishing desired outcomes. (PB)