Parents are one of the most important influences in positive child and youth development, yet too many caregivers, especially those in higher risk families, fail to receive supports that would improve parenting and family functioning. By strengthening parent/caregivers and their connections to resources, communities can improve child and youth…

This paper discusses the need for continuity of services for preschool children. The paper focuses on three topics relevant to this concept: the preschool child, the necessary services, and the need for continuity. For the purposes of this paper, continuity refers to both the continuity of development and the continuity of services. The first…

Major changes in Massachusetts public policy governing early intervention programs for very young disabled children were described. The process of policy change and formation was analyzed by focusing on the principal catalysts for change. Factors were examined in terms of issue definition, proposal formulation, support mobilization, and decision…

Discusses how child development research, social policy design, and human service delivery for children and families reflect three separate yet related cultures. Argues that transmitting knowledge from the academy to social policy and practice could be facilitated by a simple taxonomy differentiating established knowledge from both reasonable…

In response to the growing need to provide health and social services to rural America, the conference addressed the political, economic, and social issues involved in providing appropriate health and social services to rural residents. A cadre of individuals from various disciplines presented alternatives and solutions to these issues. This…

The purpose of this paper is to develop a rationale for the conscious integration of a political component into professional practice. The rationale involves a re-definition of professional roles in the human services as a powerful means of political struggle. The aim of the political strategy is to eliminate the sources of social, economic and…

Commissioned by the Office of Career Education (OCE), this monograph provides a perspective from which the OCE could (1) examine the human services education model implemented by the authors, and (2) consider its possible usefulness in OCE's future planning and development. The focus is on the potential alliance of career education and human…

Major research findings are synthesized and innovations of current concern to vocational rehabilitation professionals are reported in this document, which covers the area of independent living. Independent living is described as an integral part of the rehabilitation process for the severely disabled in which the individual is assisted in…

This guide distills lessons from an extensive body of research into practical advice for policymakers and practitioners concerned with helping hard-to-employ individuals find jobs and succeed in the work force. Part 1 examines the following topics: characteristics of the hard-to-employ; the prevalence of various barriers to employment; and the…