Over a decade ago, the Minnesota state legislature funded the Council on Quality Education to create nine exemplary and experimental pilot programs to support young children and their families. One of the early models was a family-oriented, structured preschool activity that featured weekly 2-hour sessions during which parents of 4-year-olds…

The structure and function of family literacy programming in Illinois is examined in this two-part report. National models are reviewed to provide an understanding of research and practice in the field, and a framework is proposed for the systematic development and evaluation of family literacy programs. Based on visits to 19 sites (59% of the…

This guide assists in establishing a collaborative unit or a task group to deliver services to children and youth with serious emotional disabilities and their families. The guide is not intended to be an exhaustive manual, but does address the primary activities of professionals using interagency collaboration to establish comprehensive systems…

This volume, third in a series evaluating the Child and Family Resource Program (CFRP), provides an overview of the evaluation, documents the first 6 months of the study, and examines initial program impact on families. Chapter 1 briefly summarizes the design of the CFRP evaluation and addresses the issues of sample selection and attrition, data…

Presents an exploratory, descriptive study on family-centered, home-based services, involving a secondary analysis of an existing database. Suggests that both these services are effective in the prevention of placement for both high- and low-risk clients. Notes, however, that home-based services seemed to be more effective with multi-problem…

This article provides some basic foundation of family systems concepts for school professionals who work with students with disabilities. It addresses communication skills and psychological issues that can result in barriers to implementation of family systems concepts and describes a five-step process leading to conflict resolution. (Contains…

A study investigated why some of the low-income single caregivers of 104 children (ages 7-40 months) with disabilities were more involved in early intervention services than others. Difficulties in family functioning and lower levels of knowledge about child development were directly related to caregiver involvement. (Contains references.)…

Objective: This article selectively reviews evidence-based family and peer interventions for co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. Although few researchers have specifically investigated family interventions for dual disorders, considerable empirical evidence exists for the effectiveness of such interventions in treating each of…

The "Guidelines for Effective Practice" series was begun in 1991 to meet the need for better definition and articulation of what constitutes best practice in family support programs. This guide, the first issue of the series, focuses on the importance and necessity of linkages between family support and early childhood programs. Chapter…

This digest examines barriers to parent participation in the education of Mexican American students, and successful programs and strategies for overcoming those barriers. Research has found family participation in education to be twice as predictive of academic achievement as family socioeconomic status. Mexican American parents care about their…

Developed in Florida during for the International Year of the Family (IYF) 1994, this packet contains lesson plans and resource materials for activities designed to strengthen families. The lesson plans can be used in middle schools and high schools. Lesson plan topics are as follows: family wellness; commitment; communication; appreciation;…

Considerations in designing and implementing family literacy programs for the limited-English-speaking population are examined and some solutions are illustrated in one federally-funded program for Latino families, Project FLAME (Family Literacy: Aprendiendo, Mejorando, Educando/Learning, Bettering, Educating). An introductory section looks at the…

This study examined provision of services to children with developmental disabilities and their families in the context of requirements of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires family centered services for infants and toddlers. Focus group discussions were held with health professionals at two sites in each of…

The articles in this issue of "Focal Point" focus on the Research and Training Center's current work, which reflects the evolution of expectations for partnering with youth and families. Partnering successfully requires not only a philosophical commitment to the value, but also intentional, specific steps to redesign services and reallocate…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of Project Ta-Kos Outreach, a 3-year program to provide consultation and site-specific training for families, educators, and health care providers. Project Ta-kos, through its curriculum and training approach, was designed to increase the probability that children, ages birth through eight…