Backgroud: Despite the advancements in the rights of persons with disabilities in Western countries, the motherhood of women with intellectual disabilities remains scarcely visible. The approval of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) and its subsequent ratification by the Spanish Government (2008) recalls the…

Little is known about preparing BSW students to work with intimate partner violence (IPV). This study describes an experiential exercise designed to introduce them to working with survivors of IPV. Qualitative methods were used to explore BSW student descriptions of their experiences of and learning from the exercise. Analysis revealed students'…

Objectives: To evaluate Israeli Arab social workers' custody recommendations, given the unique cultural context in which they operate. Methods: The current study used an experimental-design embedded within a survey. Data regarding custody recommendations were collected from 137 Israeli Arab social workers. Results: Israeli Arab social workers tend…

Guardianship is a complicated legal concept, which is further complicated by differences from state to state in the framing and implementation of distinctly different forms. Few professionals explain the long-term consequences of obtaining guardianship or provide the range of alternatives available to support an adult with disabilities. This study…

Approximately, 20% of divorcing couples in the United States require judicial intervention to reach a custody agreement. In such cases, courts often call on child custody evaluators to conduct comprehensive evaluations and recommend custody agreements and services that meet children's best interests. Estimates suggest that allegations of domestic…

Relationships that have not been formalized by marriage but that function like marriage are increasingly common among couples. Many of these relationships involve children who are related to only one of the adults but who have established parent-child relationships with both adults. This raises questions about how best to preserve children's…

The divorce explosion has placed a substantial burden on the judicial system of the United States. About 10 percent of divorce cases involve child custody battles. The adversarial legal process may be contrary to the children's best interest. Custody mediation has been used as an alternative to court litigation. California law requires an attempt…

Interviewed 55 divorcing couples regarding factors they considered in reaching child custody decisions. Mothers and fathers agreed on relative importance of criteria, but differed on extent to which criteria favored one parent. Parents perceived themselves as more suited for custody than they were perceived by their spouses. (NRB)

Examined the social resources used by divorcing parents (N=65) regarding issues of custody and visitation, and evaluated their interest in four types of intervention. Results showed almost unanimous discussion with the other parent, and 75 percent discussed custody with the children. Only half specifically discussed custody with their attorney.…

Replicated earlier study in which parents negotiated child custody disputes either in mediation or through adversary system. Subjects in new study were 35 mediation families and 36 litigation families. In both studies, mediation greatly reduced frequency of custody hearings, allowed earlier settlements, and improved satisfaction reported by…

Examined issues surrounding mothers' decisions to relinquish custody of their children and explored their postdivorce relationships with their former spouses and children. Analyzed qualitative and quantitative interview data from 13 noncustodial mothers. Subjects varied in terms of actual reasons for giving up or losing custody. Subjects perceived…

Explores how child and family factors influence judicial decision making in contested custody cases through interviews with 18 family court judges. Judges cited a variety of factors as being influential, including the child's age and developmental status, the child's wishes regarding the custody arrangement, the child's stability, parental…

Attempted to identify sources which influence custody decisions and determine association between arrangements and changes in child's and parents' lives. Results from 72 divorced parents revealed that custody arrangements did not predict life change events. Respondents reported contacting attorneys first, then friends and family. Physicians and…

Forty pairs of separated parents were randomly assigned to attempt to settle their child custody dispute either in mediation or through adversary procedures. Outcomes of the two methods of dispute resolution were compared in regard to diversions from court, parents' evaluations of the court experience, and parents' psychological adjustment.…

Presents a decision-making model which is based on selected philosophical concepts and professional ethical guidelines and is designed to help child welfare practitioners deal with ethical issues in all aspects of their work. Use of the model is demonstrated in its application to selected aspects of a case study involving child custody…