In the United States, two approaches have developed to exercise collective influence on how parents raise their children. One is mandatory public intervention in families who have placed their children at risk, exemplified by the child welfare system. The other is voluntary offers of assistance, for example, child abuse prevention services that…

The focus of this article is on understanding Early Intervention as a discourse; how it is generated and reproduced and how it makes possible certain processes and practices and limits others. In particular the research study considers the dominant discourse of neuroscience associated with the notion of early childhood and how this is translated…

Despite the multitude of obstacles that low-income parents face, many of them succeed in helping their children flourish. They raise children who possess the social-emotional competence needed to develop and keep friendships; establish good relationships with parents, teachers, and other adults; and experience a range of achievements that…

Family policy is an issue of concern for many Governments. Family policies are organized around the four main functions of the family: marriage, childrearing, financial support and family care. Eastern Europe is an area with significant socio-economic and political changes in the last decades that determined revisions of social policies. The goal…

As cities across the country and globe continue to generate new solutions to a wide variety of vexing problems, sharing information about what works and what doesn't has become more important than ever. Yet, outside of a few prominent policies, the vast majority of successful municipal experiments never reach a national audience or, for that…

We evaluated the Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) national initiative to integrate behavioral health services (parenting, mental health, and drug treatment) into the pediatric health care setting for families with young children. Data are presented from five pediatric care (PC) sites, drawing from families at risk due to demographic and…

Three New Hampshire communities (Keene, Lebanon, and Portsmouth) were sponsors of model demonstration adolescent parenting programs funded by the Comprehensive Children and Youth Project (CCYP) during the first nine months of 1981. In each community, one agency, in collaboration with other providers, implemented a program designed to meet the…

Noting that the focus of early intervention has expanded to include family-oriented programs and services, this report proposes a framework for evaluating outcomes for families. The framework is offered as a vehicle for further discussion and is based on current values, theories, and models of family functioning, and relationships between families…

This Conference focused on policy options for promoting the well-being of children and families in the United States. These conference proceedings present a range of strategies that have proven effective in building parental competence and providing the support needed to enable families to survive and function adequately. The keynote address,…

The Warnock Report, recognizing the need to provide parents with additional support and advice, introduced the concept of the "named person"--essentially a counselor and advisor. The article defines the role of the "named person," and the advantages and disadvantages of different groups of professionals and voluntary…

Recent Government policy has advocated universal support services for parents, including a national telephone helpline (for example, Department for Education and Skills, 2003). The Home Office funded just such a helpline--Parentline Plus--as part of the "Supporting Families" initiative. The efficiency and effectiveness of this service in…

Describes a successful effort to develop services for ex-offenders and their children and families that enhance community integration, build social support networks, and assist community institutions in mobilizing services for this population. Considers program components, the development of the program through a school of social work, and…

Early childhood development is increasingly viewed as an affirmation of children's rights. This report describes the concept of early childhood development and presents several viewpoints regarding early childhood care and development, parenting, and approaches to early education. The report also presents 10 case studies of programs to enhance the…

This essay examines the challenges that today's children and families face due to the rapidly changing nature of modern society, and suggests some solutions to help ensure the optimal development of children and adolescents. Rapid technological change, the decline of the extended family, the increased number of women in the workplace, and…

This position paper by Voices for Illinois Children describes alarming problems faced by Illinois children and proposes legislative and programmatic interventions. It is noted that the well-being of children in Illinois has deteriorated dramatically in the past 10 years, and that significant improvements in policies and programs for children are…