Engaging families and communities in physical activities for the benefit of children is an extension of the role of a physical education instructor. Although it is possible for a physical educator to generate ideas that encourage families and communities to move, a certified director of physical activity (C-DPA) would be better trained to…

Teachers know that when families are involved meaningfully in schools, students perform better in academic, behavioral, and emotional domains. This article describes a project designed to enhance the quality of children's literacy interactions with family members and simultaneously increase family involvement at school. The level of participation…

A mental health program in the schools is described which uses a nurse trained in mental health, with the support of a psychiatrist, to coordinate a mental health team and act as a liaison between the school and the health professionals, to assess referrals and arrange team meetings to plan interventions. (JMF)

Describes the Families, Agencies, and Communities Together (FACT) initiative. Active in Utah, FACT is a collaborative effort within communities to assist at-risk children and their families. FACT combines values-based support with flexibility to find community-based solutions. (MKA)

This document is part of a series of monographs on community-based services for children and adolescents who are severely emotionally disturbed. The series is the product of a national study of community-based service approaches, which identified over 200 programs serving emotionally disturbed children and included visits to several programs…

Describes how family literacy programs help increase adult literacy levels, broaden reading skills for children, and foster good reading habits for all family members. The recipients of Bell Atlantic/American Library Association Family Literacy Project grants are listed, their programs are summarized, and 11 clues that can help determine a…

Described in this report is the Saturday Afternoon Free respite care program for moderately to severely handicapped children operated under the auspices of the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Education. In service for 4 years, it has been evaluated by parents and student participants as excellent. It was developed in response to the need…

This overview examines underlying precepts and components of family support programs. The role of the family in a child's resistance to alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse is discussed. Comprehensive prevention programs encompassing the family, school, and community have shown more promise in helping children avoid AOD abuse than programs that rely…

This document consists of the three 2000 issues of a journal reporting new research in early child development conducted by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Articles in the spring 2000 issue focus on a follow-up study of the Abecedarian Project, children of depressed mothers,…