Issues related to family assessment as part of early intervention programs with handicapped children are reviewed and the need for a family needs assessment as a first step in developing family focused interventions is stressed. Suggestions for the design, selection, and use of a needs assessment are made. (Author/DB)

This paper identifies themes of the Second African Conference on Child Abuse (1993), notes the importance of the breakdown of family structure, and stresses the importance of prevention. Prerequisites for prevention programs in developing countries are considered and development of a macro campaign and local micro efforts is urged. Examples of…

Home economics programs must be reexamined in light of the increasing number of dual-career families. New programs tailored to meet their needs help to keep home economics on the cutting edge. Home economists must be flexible, creative, and willing to meet the challenges. (JOW)

The Child and Family Justice Project, designed to help communities improve the quality of life for their children and families, is described in terms of its development, evaluation, and its long range effects. (Author/MP)

Considerations related to the design and development of a respite care service delivery network for families of developmentally disabled persons are addressed. A five-component model for developing a respite care service network is presented, focusing on the need for competency-based service-provider training and parent involvement. Lastly,…

Child rearing is a difficult task in the 1990s. Among U.S. youth today there exists an alarmingly high prevalence of learning, emotional/behavioral, or developmental problems, most of which can be directly traced to the disintegration of family stability. Yet, despite the difficulties of parenting, few people have actually been trained to be…

The author states that home economists interested in the prevention of family problems can collaborate with practitioners who plan and implement marriage preparation programs. She says that home economists have the potential to assist marriage preparation practitioners in needs assessment, the setting of objectives for programs, and devising…

This paper looks at the often troubled development of the White House Conference on Families and at the views of its director, John Carr, on its appropriate topics and objectives. (SJL)

Children comprise the largest group of poor Canadians. While childhood poverty is closely related to a number of factors pertaining to the structure and functioning of families, such as parental marital status and wage-earning patterns, the poverty of children is a consequence of the poverty of families. As such, childhood poverty can be reduced…

The use of crisis nursery care as a viable alternative for the consumer experiencing chronic and ongoing family crises calls for consideration of various programmatic and staffing issues. Combinations of family problems, including homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration, family violence, and chronic illness of a family member, may precipitate…

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations from the Children's Policy Project, which examined the child welfare system in Illinois. The report: (1) outlines the project's findings about the difficulties faced by existing child welfare services; (2) proposes ways to improve existing arrangements; (3) examines the fundamental problems…

Describes the coordination of health and human services from sites within schools. Discusses funding trends and the following proposed strategies: (1) case management; (2) networking; (3) "one-stop" services; and (4) administrative consolidation. Discusses steps for advocacy, leadership, participation, and funding at the policy and local…

The authors discuss problems of the present in families: functional illiteracy; violence and abuse; adolescent pregnancy; dual earner, single parent, and blended families; alcohol and drug abuse; ethnic diversity; and the aging of America. How high school home economics programs can help with these issues is explored. (CT)

On the Northern Cheyenne Reservation--where the alcoholism rate for Cheyenne persons 14 years and older is approximately 80%--there are numerous resources available to the recovering alcoholic, but children in alcoholic families are sometimes forgotten. There is a need for preventive programs to insure that today's children do not become the next…