An external evaluation of the Family English Literacy, Plus (FEL+) program of the Sweetwater Union High School District (California) is presented. Program objectives included: (1) development and implementation of curriculum and activities integrating technology-assisted instruction into the existing literacy program; (2) increasing parent/child…

This report examines the Way to Grow (WTG) school readiness program, which is designed to promote healthy development and school readiness of Minnesota children from birth through age 6 by coordinating and improving access to community-based health, education, and social services. This pilot program began in fiscal year 1990 and was being…

This document suggests ways in which Canadian organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can approach the development of policies that are supportive of families. The document is organized into 4 chapters. The first chapter describes changes that have occurred in Canadian Families in the last 50 years. Twelve charts depict data…

The North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) released this report in response to recent calls for a return to institutionalized care for children. The response is based on NACAC's long-held position that: (1) every child deserves a family; (2) institutionalization is not an acceptable substitute for a family; and (3) many important,…

A summer parent involvement project was set up in a Chicago inner city public school in a Hispanic neighborhood. The eight-session program was intended to help parents: (1) become involved with the school program by becoming comfortable with the school setting; (2) enjoy reading and writing and replicate these experiences with their children; (3)…

In 1992, community leaders in Fort Collins, Colorado, met with their concerns about the needs of low-income families for comprehensive services. This paper describes the resulting Family Learning Place, a community-based, public-private collaborative program that serves preschool children and their families. The program operates in facilities…

This book analyzes how welfare reform can improve the lives of children, based on a study of successful programs that provide services to needy children and their families. The study looked at programs that operated in conjunction with the welfare department before the enactment of the Family Support Act and that operated successfully. Chapter 1…

Developed through a modified DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process involving business, industry, labor, and community agency representatives in Ohio, this document is a comprehensive and verified employer competency profile for individual and family support services occupations. The list contains units (with and without subunits), competencies,…

This guide to early intervention services under Part H of Public Law 101-476 (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is intended to aid state legislators who have the primary responsibility to create and shape programs under this Act. Three aspects of Part H legislation are stressed: (1) requirement of unprecedented coordination among…

In January 1991, the National School Readiness Task Force was formed to promote the national goal of assuring that all children start school ready to learn. This report presents the Task Force's considerations and recommendations based on research reviews and interviews with practitioners nationwide. Following a brief discussion of the Task Force…

The 1993 recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on migrant health emphasize that all available federal and state public service programs be mobilized to also serve farmworkers, and that coordination of efforts among federal agencies and departments take place. The following recommendations offer approaches to secure…

Culled from the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health reference collection, this list contains 102 materials concerning guidelines or standards for any aspect of care for children with special health needs. Each listing contains a brief description of the resource and information for obtaining the materials. Topics include:…

The purpose of this guide is to amplify the specific issues concerning substance abuse which Head Start grantees need to address, and to suggest resources and strategies to respond to these issues. The guide consists of five chapters, a bibliography, and two appendixes. An introduction (chapter I) discusses the problem of substance abuse and the…

This overview examines underlying precepts and components of family support programs. The role of the family in a child's resistance to alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse is discussed. Comprehensive prevention programs encompassing the family, school, and community have shown more promise in helping children avoid AOD abuse than programs that rely…

A family literacy demonstration project was conducted to offer family literacy classes in three public schools in Philadelphia. Instruction was offered for 2.5 hours per day 4 days per week for parents of kindergartners and first graders from January to June and for parents and children together in July. The project was designed to help adults…