Parents have a long history of seeking child-rearing information in the popular media. This trend continues on the World Wide Web, with the number of parents online still on the rise. The Web offers speed, 24-hour access, and extremely large quantities of child rearing information. Although the availability of huge quantities of child-rearing…

Discusses the claim that little has been done by health, social work, and educational professionals to speak up about the fact that children born out-of-wedlock lack the economic and psychological benefits that attach to the right to legal paternity. (RWB)

Identifies three styles of sibling rivalry and three parent leadership styles, discussing parental mediation of sibling disputes through contracting and providing examples of group discipline techniques that facilitate development of less negative forms of rivalry and that support positive sibling bonding. (RH)

Discusses the advantages of foster parents as primary teachers of independent living skills to the foster adolescents in their home. Discusses the skills which are most essential to youth for self-sufficiency. (RJC)

Describes a sex education program that offers classes for four groups: (1) mothers and their 9- to 12-year-old daughters, (2) mothers and their 13- to 17-year-old daughters, (3) fathers and their 9- to 12-year-old sons, and (4) fathers and their 13- to 17-year-old sons. Curricula relevant to the two age groups and classroom activities are…

Examines from legal and psychological perspectives counseling services that are provided to minors without parental knowledge or consent. Explores current mental health agency policies and practices, and makes recommendations regarding the counseling needs and rights of minors. (SKC)

Emphasizes that foster parent recruiting is becoming increasingly difficult. Describes a successful alternative foster parent recruitment effort which includes the provision of fiscal incentives for foster parent recruiters. (Author/RWB)

Describes a systematic approach to recruitment of prospective adoptive families for children with developmental disabilities. The recruitment methodology, preliminary conclusions, and implications for future recruitment of families are presented. (Author/RWB)

Examined placement prevention programs intended to help troubled families stay together. Contrasted programs which terminated with continuance of family care with programs that ended in placement of children. Found that in the placed cases, problems were worse and more numerous, and family attitudes toward therapists and agencies were less…

Based on personal experience and a professional perspective, presents a theory about adult adoptees' reunions with their biological family. Identifies four stages of postreunion emotions: (1) paralysis; (2) eruption; (3) loss and grief; and (4) empowerment. Three factors that impact these stages are reunion success, reunion timing, and the fact…

Although fundamental in helping multiproblem families avoid placement, social support is a complex construct not easy to define and difficult to carry out conceptually and practically. Four family support programs are described that illustrate certain common denominators for implementation. (Author/RWB)

Details the author's experiences in helping her adopted four-year-old daughter from Bangladesh cope with the loss of her biological family and her adjustment to a new culture, and offers suggestions for professionals and parents helping young children make similar adjustments. (HOD)