Replies to Schlossman's (1978) critique of federal initiative in parent education. Examines the type of criticism illustrated in Schlossman, evaluates the accuracy of his claims, and presents an alternative view of the parent-child development center programs criticized by Schlossman. (Author/RH)

This report outlines the views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 40-member Advisory Committee on Services for Families with Infants and Toddlers in regard to the Early Head Start Program. This program, introduced in 1995, is designed to provide services to children from birth to age 3 (and their families) who were not previously…

Notes the accomplishments and deficiencies of Head Start programs as society, and the landscape of social services, have changed since the program's inception. Presents recommendations for programs in the future, including that Head Start expands the number of children served and the scope of services provided and that it forges partnerships with…

Provides a historical overview of parents as educators in ancient times and the middle ages. Discusses influential theories of child rearing in the United States and the history of parent education, particularly the focus on parent education that emerged in federal programs in the 1960s. Notes the continuing need for school-home collaboration in…

The Advisory Committee on Head Start Quality and Expansion was created by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in June 1993 to review the Head Start program and make recommendations for improvement and expansion. The report recommends that HHS: (1) develop new initiatives to utilize qualified "mentor teachers" to provide…

This paper examines the status of social welfare programs in the United States and recent efforts to reform such programs. It proposes key issues that need to be addressed in any attempt to overhaul the federal welfare system. Welfare reform should ensure that: (1) those families on public assistance are able to meet their basic needs in order to…

Asserting that children who are abused or neglected are at risk of becoming future violent criminals, this report argues that this cycle of violence can be prevented by investing in recently confirmed abuse prevention and intervention strategies. The report presents information on the number of deaths each year due to abuse and neglect and calls…

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…

The federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau has launched a five-year initiative that will support state efforts to build comprehensive early childhood service systems. This initiative--the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative (SECCS)--provides two year planning grants followed by three year implementation grants to the 50 state…