The growing chasm between society's complex problems and what the systems can do to help is driving reform in all sectors. Just as schools alone cannot compensate for the disadvantage created by troubled homes and communities, welfare and social agencies cannot hold out a hopeful future to clients lacking employment abilities. Comprehensive…

Difficulties faced by homeless children include depression, low self-esteem, lack of sleep and nutrition, and feelings of shame and embarrassment. Challenges faced by schools in providing education to homeless children include: (1) keeping children in one school despite frequent family moves; (2) ensuring that children's health records are…

Research indicates that problems faced by many youngsters and families, such as poverty, inadequate housing, and poor health care and nutrition, are interrelated in complex ways. These problems are often inadequately addressed because of flaws in the social service delivery system. These flaws include a lack of communication between public and…

This paper examines various aspects of Indochinese immigration and resettlement patterns and problems with respect to the ethnic, cultural, and educational characteristics of refugees, and the effects of Federal, State, and local assistance programs. Highlighted among the problems are the high concentrations of refugees in urban areas, their…

Recommendations for starting a process of collaboration between public schools and social service agencies are offered in this digest. The first step, information gathering, is discussed, as well as strategies for carrying out other stages in the process--selecting, approaching, and meeting with participants; problem solving; and maintaining the…

This monograph examined the concept of full-service schools and considers how students with disabilities may interface with them and ultimately benefit. Full-service schools have been described as a one-stop center at which educational, physical, psychological, and social requirements of students and their families are addressed in a coordinated,…

The children who have generally been termed "at-risk" are usually poor and often from other cultural backgrounds. Schools need to find ways to reach and involve at-risk families with their children's education. Steps include collaboration with other community agencies, helping parents identify what they are capable of doing, and…

The three essays of this collection explore the prevention of violence in urban schools. The first, "Preventing Violence in Schools," by Mary Hatwood Futrell and Lee Etta Powell, focuses on how to prevent violence in schools and offers recommendations on what schools and communities can do. The factors contributing to school violence are…

The role of the school in the prevention of and intervention in child sexual abuse is examined in this digest. Information is provided on factors that affect recognition and reporting by school personnel; potential indicators of child sexual abuse, both behavioral and physical; issues related to allegations involving school employees; the…

This digest provides some guidelines for developing partnerships between schools and outside service agencies and suggests some roles that teachers can play in the process. The successful provision of service depends not only on administrators, but also on people in direct contact with students, including classroom teachers. School administrators…

The "At-Risk Youth in Crisis Handbook" series has been designed to promote inter-agency agreement on procedures for schools to follow in managing crisis situations with at-risk students. Volume 1 explains the rationale for the Handbook, tells how it was developed, and guides school districts in adapting the Handbook to meet their own…

A number of factors put pressure on schools to work more closely with health, social service, and other youth-serving institutions but poor communications, program redundancies, fear for job security, and concerns about parent and community support for controversial services inhibit close collaboration. Recent successful collaborative school,…

Collaboration has become a pervasive strategy for systemic change in human services, education, government, and community agencies. Collaborative partnerships require a change in thinking and in operating. Such changes can be intimidating or threatening. In addition, other barriers must be overcome to make partnerships work. Examples of successful…

Migrant children should become acquainted with their communities, however briefly they live in them. They should learn what the community represents, the services that a community offers, and how their lives can be improved by making use of those services. Migrant students should have the opportunity for involvement in extracurricular activities…

Community service is a voluntary contribution to the commonweal that teaches valuable lessons about the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society. Vital services are provided through thousands of organizations created to meet needs not otherwise provided for by government. Participation in these community service projects help create a…