The "Integrated Approaches to Supporting Child Development and Improving Family Economic Security" project was conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and Northwestern University for the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human…

Programs that address the needs of low-income parents and children at the same time may hold promise for reducing the transmission of poverty across generations. Contemporary programs of this type address some key weaknesses that may have limited the effectiveness of earlier such approaches, including too little attention paid to the quality,…

Traditional approaches to disseminating research based programs and innovations for children and families, which rely on practitioners and policy makers to make sense of research on their own, have been found insufficient. There is growing interest in strategies that "make it happen" by actively building the capacity of service providers…

Family-centered, community-based programs are particularly suited to support families with at-risk children or maltreated children and achieve family preservation or reunification. In these child protection and child welfare cases, assessment is of great importance to inform decision making. But the implementation of services to support the…

Articulates how the family support movement emerged in the last 20 years, and describes the philosophical premises, principles, and practices that currently guide it. Considers the inability of current family support program typologies to guide outcome evaluations, and introduces a typology that deconstructs family support programs into their…

Describes the latest research finding from an evaluation of the Homebuilders model of intensive family preservation services in Washington and Utah. Treatment success rates of the Homebuilders model matched or exceeded those of other programs. (GLR)

Analyzes data from three recent studies and identifies three models of family-centered programs: crisis intervention programs; home-based programs; and family treatment programs. Discusses the models' similarities and differences and lays the groundwork for further definitive research. (NH)

Describes several innovative types of shared family-care arrangements that demonstrate promise in the protection of children and the promotion of family well-being. Emphasizes the shared-family foster-care model, whereby children and parents are placed with host families rather than separating them. Notes key elements of the model: funding and…

This manual is a guide for those who are planning preventive/restorative family service programs to provide alternatives to placing children in state foster care systems. Chapter I briefly discusses the rationale for family-centered social services. Objectives, characteristics, and advantages of these services are listed. Planning and…

Explored the inter-professional collaborative experiences of professionals working with children and their families in two areas of high social need. Found that although the way professionals conceptualize their practice may hinder effective collaboration, a complex interplay of several factors is involved. Constructed a typology of various…

Uses the pyramid-of-services model to organize the complexity of child day care systems and to delineate their place in the framework of family preservation and support services. Argues that the family focus of family preservation and family support can utilize the unique elements of child day care as a vehicle for family empowerment. (MDM)

Intended for child welfare caseworkers and others working with children and families in crisis, this guide presents principles and techniques of crisis intervention with child abuse or neglect cases. After an overview of the manual, the first section considers a definition of crisis, the elements and phases of crises, and the psychological effects…

On June 9, 1987, a hearing was held for the purpose of receiving testimony about family preservation programs that aim to keep children out of foster care by strengthening troubled families. Testifying were program providers, a juvenile court judge, and families who have benefited from family preservation services. Testimony focused on the…

This fourth document in the Education and Human Services Consortium's Series on Collaboration puts current efforts to create comprehensive and coordinated child and family-serving systems in a 30-year context of related endeavors. Starting from the premise that thinking about ways to structure and improve human services has been clouded by decades…

Examines problems related to child sexual abuse assessment and intervention methods, especially in instances of intrafamilial offenses. Discusses the benefits of alternative strategies in use today, and the adaptations that child welfare workers, social workers, and other professionals have made to enhance intervention effectiveness. Suggests that…