Objective: This study attempts to uncover barriers to participation in a marital enrichment program that had been expected to be attractive to eligible couples. Method: Work products associated with a multiyear demonstration project were subjected to ethnographic analysis. Results: Eligible couples did not see congruence between the program's…

Describes a British Columbian demonstration project which employed permanent planning to reduce foster care drift. (Author/MP)

Laws and special projects to reduce unplanned long-term foster care are briefly described. Analysis of these laws and projects show that certain components are essential for effectiveness: clear definition of the goal as permanent planning; a review system; and training of agency staff. (Author/SE)

Describes a class designed to meet the needs of adoptive parents through discussion, educational presentations by specialists, and group visits to hospital labor and delivery rooms. (SDH)

This report describes how barriers to planning for children inappropriately placed in foster care were overcome in a 3-year demonstration project: Freeing Children for Permanent Placement, conducted by the Children's Services Division, Department of Social Services, State of Oregon. Clients, amount of effort made, personnel involved, social work…

Describes services and operation of the Family Protection Act Unit in San Mateo County, California. After three years, the number of children receiving financial aid in foster care decreased by 33 percent and the number of children placed in institutions decreased by 40 percent, while guardianships and adoptions increased by 16 and 25 percent,…

This follow-up study of a special demonstration project (Oregon, 1973) evaluates the placement of children in foster care by exploring the stability and quality of placements. The project included 509 children who were under 12 years of age, unlikely to return home, and adoptable. The following questions were investigated: (1) How does the…

In 1973 the Children's Services Division (Oregon State) initiated a project to reduce the backlog of children in indeterminate status by developing more Permanent alternative placements. This follow-up study evaluates the placements of foster children who returned to their parents, were adopted, or remained in foster care. A literature review…

This report presents findings from the evaluation of the Regional Adoption Program in New York, a program designed to recruit adoptive families for hard-to-place children. Two hundred children averaging 11 years in age constituted the project's target population. Nearly half these children had a diagnosed medical problem, one fourth a diagnosed…

This report outlines emerging paradigms of service for mentally retarded adults emerging from a nationwide search for innovative programs and practices. It was prompted by the consistent finding of a Pennsylvania longitudinal study that mentally retarded school completers tend to live indefinitely with parents or guardians. The study found the…

This report provides descriptive information on the research, demonstration, and evaluation program of the Office of Child Development (OCD) for fiscal year 1975. An overview describing the role, function, and long range goals of OCD is included along with a discussion of the research, demonstration, and evaluation program's major areas of…

This pamphlet contains a descriptive list of projects funded in Fiscal Year 1973 by the Research and Evaluation Division of the Children's Bureau, Office of Child Development. In addition, a few projects are included which were funded in earlier years but are still ongoing due to an extension of the grant period. The projects are arranged by these…

This paper presents an example of "optimistic research," a qualitative approach which focuses on positive interventions helpful to practitioners, in this case an examination of programs successfully integrating people with severe disabilities. The study evaluated 40 programs through site visits which focus on observation, interviews, and…

This report provides descriptive information on the research, demonstration, and evaluation programs of the Office of Child Development during fiscal year 1974. An overview describing the role, function, and long range goals of the Office of Child Development is presented. Specific research, demonstration, and evaluation projects (both…