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 is an introduction. Chapter 2 examines the methodological question of how to define successful programs. Chapter 3 discusses barriers that welfare agencies face in reforming services to meet children's and families' needs. Chapter 4 describes services offered by successful programs, which range from nurse home visits and early childhood education to advocacy on behalf of welfare families with other community agencies. Chapter 5 analyzes strategies that enable programs to succeed and overcome barriers, arguing that these programs address a common set of tasks but develop different approaches to them in order to respond to each agency's unique circumstances. Chapter 6 provides recommendations for advocates, policymakers, administrators, and others. Even in agencies whose mandate and resources are sharply constrained, committed and skillful administrators can rethink and refocus their services in welfare agencies, public schools, child protective agencies, and the health system in ways that will be much more helpful to needy children and their families. They can reconceive their programs as two-generational, whereby they identify and take seriously the needs of children and adults and apply the growing knowledge of child development and family functioning. Appendix A includes the case studies. Appendix B describes the research methodology. A 133-item selected bibliography is included. (JB)