This article presents the authors' response to Gunther and Diekema's argument about growth attenuation and due process. As a case study, growth attenuation raises complicated issues. The authors address some issues that have not been sufficiently addressed. Those involve family support, assistive technology, constitutional rights to "self," the…

This newsletter theme issue focuses on the value of supervision in developing personnel in programs for infants with disabilities and their families. The first article, titled "Learning through Supervision and Mentorship To Support the Development of Infants, Toddlers and Their Families" (Emily Fenichel), is an essay explaining the thinking of the…

Years of categorical funding have led to fragmented service delivery systems related to children and families. States have had to devise mechanisms to coordinate the variety of funding streams which finance the array of children's programs. Creation of a single focal point for children's policy at the national level is recommended. Attempts to…

This newsletter issue contains 10 articles focusing on failture to thrive and the feeding of infants and toddlers with disabilities. Articles have the following titles and authors: "The Feeding Relationship" (Ellyn Satter); "Cultural Dimensions of Feeding Relationships" (Carol Brunson Phillips and Renatta M. Cooper);…

This newsletter focuses on the theme of early intervention which infants and young children with special needs in nine brief articles: "Early Intervention: A Matter of Context" (Samuel J. Meisels); "Early Intervention Research: Asking and Answering Meaningful Questions" (Jack P. Shonkoff); "From Case Management to Service…

This paper reports on several projects conducted in Georgia over the past 2 years that move the development of respite care services toward the goal of becoming a "cooperative, collaborative, and coordinated" effort. An overview of respite care in Georgia is provided as well as a summary of strategies used to provide such care. Emerging…

Describes the components of an educational project which teaches parents advocacy skills necessary for successful interaction with various kinds of agencies affecting their children's welfare. The components described include intake and assessment, staffing, medical visits, and program rationale. (Author/DB)

This article describes early intervention services provided to families with infants and young children with disabilities in Sweden. The "habilitation model" is based on medical, educational, psychological, and social perspectives placed in a family context. Government legislation stresses intervention focused on the handicapping…

This article describes a family-centered assessment and intervention approach that empowers and enables families of young children with disabilities in the selection and use of assistive technology. Included in the discussion are key characteristics of parent/professional partnerships and effective, helpful practices that facilitate the level of…

Ecocultural theory, which considers the sociocultural environment of the child and family, is proposed as a framework for designing intervention with handicapped children as mandated under Public Law 99-457, Education of the Handicapped Amendments (1986). The theory is illustrated with case material from two ongoing longitudinal studies. (DB)

The "support not supplant" theory of family support services is explained, and results of a national study of trends in family support are analyzed. Current efforts, state legislation, funding levels, respite services, financial assistance, and emerging issues are discussed. A directory of state family support programs is appended. (PB)

Describes a home-based intervention program that provided time-intensive, supervised, paraprofessional services to a family in which parents and infant had serious disabilities. Programmatic needs and delivery of services to disabled parents and families are discussed. (NH)

Examines the issues addressed at two of three Child Care Institutes sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), as well as the responsibilities of ACF in relation to the provision of child care. Specific programs administered by ACF are discussed, as are future trends in federal support for child care and early childhood…

A naturalistic study of Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) development included an examination of parent-professional relationships. Relationship quality and control issues emerged as significant factors in parent-staff interactions. A model is presented that can be used to monitor progress in implementing family-centered approaches.…

Expresses concern with prevailing models that suggest comprehensive assessment across all areas of family strengths and needs for Individual Family Service Plan development for families of young children with disabilities. Issues of instrument development and use, the types and nature of early intervention services provided, and the role of…