This volume, the last of a six-part report, is a guide that provides an overview to the Building Villages series. It discusses the need for comprehensive programs, and examines the corresponding need for change in the family-services framework. It sets forth the organizing principles of family support as the movement grows from a program to a…

A child's success in school is often determined by the level of involvement of the family in his or her education. This newsletter presents articles on helping parents collaborate in the schooling process. The title article describes the "universal controlled" public school choice allowed in several Massachusetts school districts, and a…

This special issue focuses on problems and challenges confronting the California family and on research and extension efforts to provide at least partial answers. Research briefs by staff include "Challenges Confront the California Family" (state trends in poverty, divorce, single-parent families, child abuse, delinquency, teen births,…

The current trend toward collaboration is having an impact on the fields of adult basic education and adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and literacy education. This digest looks at collaboration for adult ESL programs and for family bilingual and ESL literacy programs. It discusses the distinctions among cooperation, coordination, and…

This newsletter issue focuses on the theme of fostering collaboration between parents and professionals in meeting the mental health needs of children. Structured group interviews (focus groups) were held with both parents and professionals who have been members of decision making boards and committees. Interview excerpts illustrate findings that…

This booklet contains guidelines to help families coordinate health care of a child with diabetes. The first section provides general information covering what diabetes mellitus-Type I is, the symptoms of diabetes, causes of Type I diabetes, and effects of diabetes. A section on health care focuses on the membership and functions of the Family…

This paper explores the barriers and possible solutions toward the implementation of the goal of a coordinated service system for young children with special needs and their families. The components of the vision of a comprehensive, interagency, multidisciplinary, coordinated service system are outlined, such as interdisciplinary cooperation, a…

Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood initiative, seeks to improve early childhood programs and ensure that all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to learn. This study evaluated outcomes related to Smart Start program inclusion of young children with disabilities: (1) access to inclusive programming; (2) quality of…

Even Start was created by federal legislation to address poverty and illiteracy among low-income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program. Migrant Education Even Start (MEES) projects resemble other Even Start projects but are affected…

It is imperative that effective preparation and training strategies for future early childhood personnel, teachers, social workers, and health practitioners be established so that low-income, high-risk, multiproblem families can be adequately served. Effective programs and services for such families are family-centered, neighborhood-based,…

This report presents a research-based framework for identifying high-quality early childhood centers. Quality in a school-based early childhood center is identified by: (1) classroom parameters, including curriculum and adult-child interaction; (2) client parameters, relating to children, families, and communities; and (3) school structure…

Project PAT (Parents Are Teachers), a program for parents and their children from birth through 3 years, is described. PAT is a nationally validated Title III, Elementary and Secondary Education Act demonstration project in the St. Cloud Community Schools district of Minnesota. The focus of PAT is the quality of the parent-child relationship and…

The Family Oriented Structured Preschool Activity (FOSPA) program, an Early Childhood/Family Education program for parents and their 4-year-old children, is described. FOSPA is a nationally validated Title III, Elementary and Secondary Education Act demonstration project in the St. Cloud Community Schools district of Minnesota. Based on research…

This report, in two volumes, contains recommendations and supporting documentation for restructuring mental health services to Texas' children with an emphasis on the cost effectiveness of developing accountable school and community based services, family centered prevention services, and early intervention services. Major mental health issues for…

This booklet, which is designed for Colorado families with children who have physical or mental disabilities or are at risk for such disabilities, outlines six support mechanisms for these families. The mechanisms include: (1) the early identification process, which is used to locate, evaluate, and identify eligible young children; (2) case…