The Families Matter series of papers from the Harvard Family Research Project advances the concept of family-centered child care, advocating an approach to early childhood education that addresses the development of the child and family together. Grounded in family support principles, which build on family strengths and work from a community's…

This article presents the goals and objectives of the Home Start Program, a description of the program, evaluation results, dissemination and replication outcomes, and results of a longitudinal research study of Home Start. The article concludes with implications for family policy as inferred from findings regarding Home Start. (DB)

Describes a qualitative case study of a Los Angeles school that is succeeding in creating a supportive, effective learning environment for its highly transient study body. Identifies several types of transiency and the structural, cultural, and pedagogical strategies used to address students' and families' unique needs. Discusses urban mobility…

The Niagara Falls Secondary School Family Learning Program targets young disadvantaged parents and their preschool children for family literacy development that focuses on parent-child literacy and social interaction. Guidelines for program development include establishing partnerships based on a shared vision of family literacy, developing plans…

This study identified the content and educational methods of family-centered training programs designed to prepare professionals for interprofessional, interagency, and family-professional collaboration. Although the main focus was on training to improve services to families whose children have serious emotional disorders, the programs identified…

Project FOCUS is aimed at enhancing literacy education for non-native speakers of English through the use of photography. It was offered as an elective course within a family literacy program for Hispanic adults. This collection of writings and photographs originated in the program. The collection begins with an overview of Project FOCUS, personal…

This Spanish-language publication reflects the philosophy and support of the Bernard van Leer Foundation for early childhood care and development. It highlights different approaches to early childhood care and development and explains why the foundation believes that investing in early childhood is one of the best ways of building a brighter,…

This report updates and expands two earlier editions which describe Federal programs which affect children and their families. An introductory section discusses and presents tables of data concerning target groups and participation in the programs; program administration; and program funding. The bulk of the report consists of profiles of…

This report is the first of a series focusing on school-linked services, family support programs, and school-family-community partnerships in Rhode Island. The report provides a rationale for school-linked services as a strategy to improve outcomes for children, describes Rhode Island's Child Opportunity Zone (COZ) Family Center initiative, and…

Family Friends is a nationwide outreach program that enlists the support of senior volunteers in providing nurturing help to children and their parents. Homeless Children is a branch of the program in which volunteers are matched to homeless families with young children, and, during biweekly visits to homeless shelters, become surrogate…

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…

This publication reflects the philosophy and support of the Bernard van Leer Foundation for early childhood care and development. It highlights different approaches to early childhood care and development and explains why the foundation believes that investing in early childhood is one of the best ways of building a brighter, better future. The…

This booklet discusses the origins and components of Head Start, a federal project launched in 1965 to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. The description of the program notes that in fiscal…

By strengthening families' ability to nurture their children physically, emotionally, and intellectually, family support programs increase the likelihood that children will grow up healthy, safe, and successful. This report provides child advocates and others who work for children's well-being a clearer idea of what family support programs do, how…

This manual is a guide from the Montana State Library for libraries interested in setting up a family reading program with a multicultural theme. The purpose of a family reading program is to encourage reading and foster an enjoyment of reading among children and families. This manual contains an introduction which gives planning information,…