The work of Urie Bronfenbrenner is a key framework in Family Science, yet there are many areas where it has seldom been applied, including in the processes experienced by divorcing families in Family Court. Acknowledging the paucity of scholarship applying ecological systems theory to these topics, the paper offers instructive interpretations of…

The use of the multiaxial dimensions of the DC:0-5 classification system during the assessment process provides an organizing framework for understanding the impact of family relationships on a child's functioning. In this article, the authors describe an assessment with a high-conflict family and how contrasting the impact of parental conflict…

This report examines the involvement of the child welfare system in children's care and protection when parents are incarcerated, with a focus on kinship care. Kinship care is defined as care in which relatives other than a child's parent assume parenting responsibilities for the child. It is a common care arrangement for children of incarcerated…

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international law whose purpose is to establish uniform rules to be applied in cases of international child abduction, is described. The Hague Convention requires that children wrongfully removed or retained abroad in connection with parental custody disputes be…

Conducted one-year follow-up study on families randomly assigned to settle custody disputes either in mediation or through adversary procedures. Consistent with Time 1 reports, at Time 2, fathers who mediated were substantially more satisfied than were fathers who litigated. Fathers who mediated also complied more with child support orders.…

Although popular literature cites between 25,000 and 100,000 parental child snatchings a year, no empirical studies have been conducted to support this estimate. To determine an empirical estimate of the extent of parental child snatchings, telephone interviews were conducted by Louis Harris and Associates with a representative cross section of…

The purpose of this article is to elucidate the sources of controversy between the use of the terms Parental Alienation Syndrome and Parental Alienation and to delineate the advantages and disadvantages of using either term in the context of child-custody disputes. It concludes that families are best served when the more specific term, Parental…

This information memorandum of the Wisconsin Legislative Council describes two pieces of state legislation: 1987 Wisconsin Act 355, which revises the laws relating to child custody determinations in actions affecting the family, and 1987 Wisconsin Act 364, which clarifies and revises the initial applicability provisions in Act 355. Part I of the…

Describes what joint physical custody involves, the kinds of families who currently have this type of custody arrangement, and the effects on parents and children. Current research supporting two perspectives on joint custody, one emphasizing the continuity of psychological care from one parent, the other emphasizing the importance of the father's…

While adoption remains the most permanent of alternate homes for displaced children, it is not always a realistic alternative. Legal guardianship provides a permanency option between adoption and long-term foster care. This article contrasts permanency alternatives, gives an overview of legal guardianship, and provides definitional and historical…

Describes the addiction recovery process and its impact on parenting behaviors, as this information pertains to child welfare workers involved in family reunification decisions. Reviews two models of recovery, one from alcoholism and one from cocaine addiction, and discusses women's recovery issues, case examples, and child welfare applications.…

Explored the impact of caregiver alcohol and other drugs (AOD) use on child protective services (CPS) case substantiation: cases with indications of AOD use were more likely to be substantiated than those without. Compared CPS-involved and non- involved women in AOD treatment; increasing numbers of children and younger maternal ages are risk…

Reviews the empirical research on divorce mediation with regard to: (1) the overall effectiveness of mediation, especially compared to the traditional use of lawyers; (2) the kinds of divorce conflicts in which mediation has been found most effective; and (3) mediator behaviors most often correlated with success. The existing studies are solely of…

Examines role of police in responding to family abduction episodes using data from a national survey. Addresses questions concerning frequency of police involvement, how abductions to which police respond differ from those to which they don't, actions taken by police, and the effects of their actions on episode outcomes. (LKS)

Parental kidnapping could lead to a lawsuit against the school or principal. After general building security, schools need to check on custody status, network with the courts, and convince both custodial and noncustodial parents that schools are on the children's side. A summary provides 14 steps to safeguard against parental kidnapping. (MLF)