Social science research can make a valuable contribution to family law analysis and formation. It can help define problems, identify possible solutions, and challenge underlying normative assumptions. Recent studies related to family law reform have analyzed the use of wage-withholding and other changes to increase child support amounts and…

Parents of children with disabilities are frequently asked to tell all or part of their family's life story. These stories are potentially powerful ways to develop empathic relationships among parents and professionals. This document discusses ways parents can prepare and present their stories so that key themes are emphasized and the information…

This report announces the publication of an annotated bibliography on family literacy and family literacy programs. The bibliography summarizes writings and research on family literacy and on topics directly relevant to family literacy programs. Directed toward program staff, researchers, community leaders, and policymakers, the publication covers…

The Positive Parenting Project, developed by Scotland's Save the Children, has worked with children and families for 3 years to identify and develop structures to meet their needs for parenting support. The project, which works in collaboration with local organizations, consults widely with parents, young people, agencies, and organizations in…

This investigation examined the prevalence of collaborative community endeavors in California and Washington that addressed the well-being of children and families, and the nature, quality, and usefulness of the training and technical assistance (T/TA) to members of collaborative community endeavors. Collaborative community endeavors were…

The New York State Council on Children and Families is charged with acting as a neutral body to coordinate the 13 health, education, and human services agencies within the state to promote children and families' well-being. The Council uses the Touchstone accountability framework to facilitate the development of state and local service systems…

Noting the potential of family support as an effective agent for change, this essay explores family support as community-based services to promote the well-being of children and families designed to increase the strength and stability of families, to increase parents' confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, to afford children a…

As part of a UNESCO-sponsored series of studies examining how integrated and coordinated early childhood policies are implemented, this case study focuses on Senegal's integrated early childhood policy. The case study examines the context for policy development and analyzes the structure and resources of the Ministry for the Family and Early…

Based on the evidence that early intervention and support can reduce family breakdown, strengthen children's school readiness, and benefit society in the long term, the Sure Start program in England is designed to offer support enabling parents to strengthen their relationship with their children and to access more fully local community services.…

The Families in Education Program, dedicated to nurturing a family-community-school partnership, provides this packet for Wisconsin schools to use throughout the year to promote families and learning. The articles in this packet contain ideas for making family-community partnerships work in the schools. Articles address the following topics: (1)…

During 1997, in cooperation with 17 southern states and the District of Columbia, the Southern Institute on Children and Families held site visits to identify ways to uncomplicate the delivery of health coverage, child care and other benefits to assist low wage families. This report presents key findings and recommended actions states can take to…

To assist states in easing the burden of Medicaid application procedures and verification requirements for families, the Southern Institute on Children and Families conducted a regional meeting to discuss child health coverage verification issues in September, 1998. Participating in the dialogue were Medicaid and state child health insurance…

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…

The goal of England's PEERS Early Education Partnership (PEEP) is to support early communication and literacy skills and to support parents as their children's first educators through both home- and group-based programs. The program is offered to children under 5 and their families in a disadvantaged area of Oxford, England. This report describes…

The Even Start Family Literacy Program is a national program that addresses the literacy and educational needs of adults in eligible families, teaches effective parenting skills, and addresses the preschool readiness needs of young children in the family. The Monongalia County (West Virginia) Even Start Program was unusual in that it took place in…