The purpose of this study is to determine whether less informal child care support from family and friends is related to supervisory neglect and, if there is a relationship, to test several explanations for why some mothers receive less child care. Thirty-two low-income mothers who did not adequately supervise their children were matched to 32…

Most foster parents in the United States are required to participate in training, yet no empirical support exists for the training's effectiveness. During the past two decades, high-quality clinical trials have documented that parent management training (PMT) programs produce positive outcomes for children and families in clinical and school…

The authors of this special edition of "Child Welfare" have shared current shifts in perspective about parenting and parenting education that are raising some interesting challenges. We will first briefly review the shifts identified in the articles presented here. Second, we will raise questions about the implications of these shifts…

Foster parents have increasingly assumed new and challenging roles during the past decade. Meeting the developmental, attachment, and grieving needs of children and youth in out of home care is challenging by itself, but can become even more difficult with the issues that arise when the child is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning…

Parents continually struggle to find better ways to make decisions regarding their children, and many use popular parenting books. The purpose of this article is to discuss the critical thinking skills needed by parents and practitioners who work with parents to make informed parenting decisions influenced by popular media. It also addresses…

Historically, a shortage of skilled and dedicated foster parents has existed in America. Lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LBG) foster parents have received little attention in the published literature. This article documents the challenges and successes of a group of 60 LGB foster parents. All participants provided foster parenting for public (state or…

To minimize potential problems in a family which is adopting a large sibling group, adoption workers should look for particular skills and resources in the adoptive family. These include administrative skills, community knowledge, the presence of adequate support systems, and the ability to adapt. (Author/BN)

This naturalistic study, designed to explore family empowerment as one outcome of cooperative preschool education, included observation, focus groups, and home visits with caregiver participants. Findings highlight the personal growth and acquisition of skills that occurred during the empowerment process in such areas as affiliation, setting the…

Investigated attitudes toward parenting and help seeking among low-income parents. Found that although most participants agreed that even good parents need parenting advice and support, low-income parents were less likely to believe in or seek out help. Also found that parent support and education groups were likely sources of support for only a…

Drawing largely on the literature from adult learning and development, this article presents parents as continuous learners whose critical reflections on their experiences with parenting can be rich fodder for their growth and development. Theories and models are highlighted that may suggest a wider repertoire of approaches for helping…

Discusses factors in providing safe, supervised setting for visits between parents and children who have been removed from them by child protective services. Presents common overestimations of parental capacity that doom visits, principles for effective visiting, and practical and inexpensive suggestions that are easy to implement and enjoyable…

Reports results of an analysis of differences in functioning in families able to sustain special needs adoption placements and families in which placements were disrupted. The father was found to play the pivotal role in maintaining placements. Active involvement in parenting and nurturance and support of mother helped sustain placements.…

Investigated foster parents self-reported needs for good parenting of their foster children. Categorized parents' reported needs within five themes: good working relationships; cultural sensitivity; harmonious and stable family relationships; adequate payment for services; and range of personality characteristics and parenting skills. (JPB)

Presents Parental Environment Cluster model of child neglect which identifies three clusters of factors involved in parents' neglectful behavior: (1) parenting skills and functions; (2) development and use of positive social support; and (3) resource availability and management skills. Model offers a focal theory for research, structure for…

Reports a project which tested participatory drama and lecture-discussion programs as possible methods of providing parent education to West Indian parent groups. (NH)