This keynote address at the 1995 International Division for Early Childhood Conference on Children with Special Needs focuses on the need for early childhood education and society in general to: embrace principles of diversity, put into practice what has been learned from research, foster family-focused programs, encourage inclusiveness in…

Discusses current welfare reform focus on state-level funding for child care, offering implications for early childhood professionals. Notes that with temporary assistance, low-income mothers must move into the work force, resulting in increased reliance on center-based child care. Urges professionals to work with local and state policymakers to…

Describes a private, early (birth to four) therapeutic intervention center in Italy that provides short-term intensive treatment to children with severe visual impairments and possible additional disabilities. The residential program emphasizes maximum use of residual vision, vision stimulation and training, psychological counseling for parents,…

Examines the Coram Community Campus, an innovative model of service provision for young children and families in a multi- ethnic areas of inner London, providing care, education, family support, and other services. Uses case study and interview data to describe "one-stop" service provision and how the program makes services more…

Interviews conducted with 17 families of children, youth, and adults with problem behavior investigated inclusive lifestyle issues that are important to families. Issues surrounding family life, friendship, school, community inclusion, and supported living/supported employment are discussed. Results indicate the families want more collaborative…

Discusses how groups that include early childhood educators can create dynamic support services to combat homelessness. Covers causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless families and their young children, and presents several strategies to develop effective services for them. Emphasizes parental involvement, school and community…

Notes that teaching social and emotional skills can have a long-term positive effect on academic achievement. The University of Washington's Raising Healthy Children Project tries to reduce children's risk of developing problems in adolescence by providing interventions that bond students to family and school. The program features staff…

The need for good child care in the South will increase dramatically when the 1988 Family Support Act (FSA) takes effect. The FSA requires mothers receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children or welfare payments to enroll in the Jobs Opportunities and Basic Skills program and calls for states to pay for child care for mothers in the program.…

Infants of depressed mothers who were visited at home outperformed infants of depressed mothers who received no intervention services by an average of 10 points on the Bayley Mental Scale and were twice as likely to be classified as securely attached. Unserved, high-risk infants showed a high rate of insecure-disorganized attachments. (RH)

Services for people with mental retardation in the Netherlands are examined, with emphasis on normalization, placement options including group homes and institutionalization, guidance for families through the Social Pedological Service, and the care of mental illness in mentally retarded persons through special diagnostic and treatment centers.…

Camp Minnow Lake (California) for at-risk families was developed with foundation and corporate funders and volunteer staff. Obtaining such funding requires developing a mission statement, identifying funders, making contact, and identifying ways to advance funders' goals. Describes elements of successful proposals and how to attract, work with,…

This article proposes a home computing intervention program aimed at empowering children with learning disabilities and their parents. The program aims to promote children's academic performance and emotional growth, and is based on a sense of coherence construct. Two suggested strategies are viewed as representing a continuum of parent-child…

Presents practical guidelines for starting a family center in a school as a place set aside for making the school accessible and helpful to family members and encouraging involvement in their children's learning. Funding, cultural sensitivity, activities, transforming the school culture, and outreach are discussed. (SLD)

A study with 48 family caregivers of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) examined the relationships of family functioning, stress, and social support. A family adaptational model is suggested, which integrates the concepts of stress, coping, and ecological systems. Service delivery considerations for family support are discussed. (JDD)

This report of the Joint Committee of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Council on Education of the Deaf presents definitions and service requirements for deaf and hard of hearing children under the age of three and their families, as mandated by the amended Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--Part H. (DB)