Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDAC) were introduced to England in 2008 following their development in the USA. Pilots launched across the country adopted a family-based strategy with the aim to improve outcomes for children that live with parents who misuse substances or alcohol. The numbers of children entering the care system has increased…

This article reflects on a few of the major intellectual contributions Ann and Rud Turnbull and their colleagues at the Beach Center on Family and Disability have made to their academic fields and to the wider society. The focus is on some of their key ideas that have been particularly innovative and important in changing the way scholars, policy…

This article arose from the author's experiences as a researcher exploring children's reactions to their parents' separation. Between 1999 and 2004, the author undertook to find out what a sample of Australian children thought of their abilities to participate in decisions that directly affected them following family breakdown. Before beginning…

This annotated bibliography provides bibliographic information and non-evaluative annotations of about 46 publications based on research with families of children with disabilities and authored by staff members of the Beach Center on Families and Disability in Lawrence, Kansas. Citations are organized into sections on book chapters, hearings and…

HOMEBUILDERS, a home-based crisis intervention model, is described. The core beliefs of the program are listed; therapists' availability and caseloads are discussed; and reasons for limiting intervention to a four-week period are indicated. (BC)

Annotates four books related to child welfare: (1) "Removing Risks from Children: Shifting the Paradigm" (Alma J. Carten, James R. Dumpson); (2) "Turmoil to Turning Points: Building Hope for Children in Crisis Placements" (Richard Kagan); (3) "Wrongful Adoption: Law, Policy, and Practice" (Madelyn Freundlich, Lisa…

Changes that have recently taken place in the composition of the American family and the circumstances in which children and youth are now growing up are highlighted in this Congressional report. While this compilation of approximately 64 tables of data is not intended to be comprehensive, nor does it use every statistical series available, it…

Can the contemporary family's problems be solved in ways that seemed effective in the past? The extent to which the family has changed argues in the negative. The American family has been stripped of two of its traditional social functions: serving as a unit for economic production and as a school for the vocational training of children. The first…

The role of psychologists in helping families of the one in five Americans suffering from mental illness is described. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill has been active in bridge building between psychologists and families through enhanced communication and improvements in support systems. An agenda of 15 recommendations for further…

Focusing on the United States as a case study, explores the nature of responsibility for children and families in America; attitudes toward responsibility for children and families; issues to be considered when shaping responsibility for children and families; and possible change if strategies for improving services to children and families are…

Family based services attempt to maintain and strengthen the client family and prevent family dissolution and the placement of a child or several children in substitute care. This study compared programs that serve children and their families in their home. Variances in program costs were attributed to differences in number of casework hours per…

Noting the potential of family support as an effective agent for change, this essay explores family support as community-based services to promote the well-being of children and families designed to increase the strength and stability of families, to increase parents' confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, to afford children a…

Emphasizes the need for radical improvement in agencies' response to domestic violence, based on a general raising of sensitivity and awareness at both worker and agency level. Suggests an emphasis on safety planning with women's services as well as child care and child protection agencies, and the promotion of positive and healing work with…

Child abuse and neglect is a problem of concern to local communities, state legislatures, state agencies and the federal government. In providing protective services, welfare departments encounter legal aspects concerning law enforcement officials, attorneys and the judicial system. This manual can provide practical guidance to those who are…

Provides a brief overview and analysis of the legislation of Family Preservation and Support Services. Suggests that the legislation provides the states with the necessary funding to conduct needs assessments and prepare thorough plans to address the problems facing families. Notes that the legislation involves some risks due to lack of strong…