Historically there has been a huge gulf between families and residential programs serving their children. This contradicted classic studies showing that family involvement is the cornerstone for successful outcomes with children in out-of-home care. But in spite of frequent early calls for such inclusion, the family was historically considered to…

This essay discusses methodological and ethical problems in the implementation and evaluation of home-based intervention programs for young children and their families. Part I notes the difficulties in (1) selecting an appropriate research design to evaluate a program (e.g., preventing sample bias), (2) specifying precisely the intervention method…

Offering a discussion for administrators and practitioners serving disabled and at-risk infants, toddlers, and their families, these three addresses explore issues, strategies, and models of program evaluation. "Major Issues in Program Evaluation," by Kathryn Barnard, discusses the purpose of, process of, and ways of doing program…

Explores why mental health has been a contested issue in Head Start and describes recent efforts to bring mental health closer to the center of the program agenda. Describes areas of challenge and innovation that might further the program goal of improving the well-being of parents and children in poverty. Concludes with recommendations for…

This report describes an evaluation of Project SELF HELP, a school-based family literacy program serving parents and other caretakers, elementary school age children, and preschool children 2 days per week during the school year. A summer reading program was also available to families. The evaluation was conducted in 1992-1993 to inform program…

This paper provides a checklist of 10 potential ethical problems associated with intervention in families through home-based programs. Problems which directly involve program participants are (1) pressure on parents to join the program, (2) violation of confidentiality, (3) intrusiveness, (4) need to respect the family's style of living, (5)…

This study examined the effects on low-income families of being on a waiting list to receive child care subsidies under the Minnesota Child Care Sliding Fee Program. It surveyed 270 randomly-selected families in Hennepin County who had been on the waiting list, 38 of whom had begun receiving assistance at the time of the study. It found that: (1)…

Described is the successful development of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in a school system in Maryland. The importance of training both staff and the community are stressed. (CW)

Maine's Parents as Scholars (PaS) program provides parents who are eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) with cash assistance and support services while they attend a two-year or four-year postsecondary degree program. PaS participants receive the same cash benefits and access to support services as TANF recipients receive.…

Early childhood development is increasingly viewed as an affirmation of children's rights. This report describes the concept of early childhood development and presents several viewpoints regarding early childhood care and development, parenting, and approaches to early education. The report also presents 10 case studies of programs to enhance the…

Based on a 1978 State Implementation Grant Conference in Denver, Colorado, the report presents 10 papers on the implementation of statewide early childhood special education programs for handicapped children. Titles and authors include "An Introduction to Technical Assistance" (P. Trohanis, L. Gilkerson); "Statewide Technical…

Family support and parenting programs exist for parents who need help in acquiring the support, resources, and skills that encourage positive child development. Noting increasing demands for program accountability, this paper identifies 12 recommendations for the future of family support and parenting programs, based on the field's history of…

The Southwestern University School of Law (California) program of part-time daytime legal instruction for students with child-care responsibilities is described. The traditional curriculum is adapted to the special scheduling, mentoring, and child-care needs of mothers and has been effective in promoting student academic success. (MSE)

This report explains the state of child care in Canada and proposes specific solutions to remedy the inadequacies of the current system. Part one discusses the changing composition and needs of Canadian families, defines the nature of child care, and explains what a comprehensive child care system should consist of. Part two addresses the…

This collection of short articles focuses on bilingual education for Hispanics. The lead article cites statistics concerning the education of Hispanics, the segregation of Hispanics in schools, and the educational level they are likely to attain. The second article presents a historical perspective on bilingual education in American schools and…