Discusses the coordination and history of pre-school services in Britain since the 1970s. During this century, British preschool services have developed within separate areas of public policy. In the late 1970s, coordination became a central issue in public debate and government policy. (RJC)

Discusses several legal options to help adolescents in foster care make the transition to self-sufficiency. Recommends that state laws be amended to authorize use of independent-living arrangements as alternatives for young people in lieu of continuation in traditional foster home or group care. (RJC)

Provides an overview of issues that families encounter over time in the adoption of children with special needs. Reports on a two-year survey of special needs adoption, which supported much of the conclusions provided by cross-sectional studies. Implications of the findings for the service system are discussed. (TJQ)

Outlines the purpose, organization, themes, and usefulness of the research agenda formulated by the National Council on Research in Child Welfare (NCRCW). The agenda's four areas of focus are information technologies, prevention of child abuse and neglect, child protection and reunification, and out-of-home care. (TJQ)

The inadequacy of available foster homes frequently paralyzes the foster-care system and hinders agencies in meeting their most basic mandates. This examination of foster-parent recruitment discusses escaping the inoperable system cycle, a broad-based holistic recruitment approach, retention efforts initiated and maintained comparable to…

Discusses 10 clusters of stress-inducing factors affecting today's child- and youth-care executives. The clusters, overlapping and not mutually exclusive, are the governing board, change management, client management, time management, staff diversity management, financial management, fund development, risk management, quality assurance, and…

Notes that one of the most critical challenges the child welfare field faces is the need to understand and respond effectively to striking changes in the multicultural nature of American society. Discusses leadership approaches to the delivery of services to a multicultural client population and outlines several guidelines for developing…

Examines the relationship between political correctness, social work, and breakdown of the child abuse system. Examines groups that stand to gain from perpetuating the myth of classlessness. Investigates high turnover rates among social workers, declassification of public welfare jobs, and problems in screening and provision of services to…

Recounts an interview with Olivia Golden, Commissioner for the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) who oversees a broad range of programs for children and families. Discusses her career; goals for her office; and Head Start, particularly the program's future, highlights of the reauthorization legislation, collaborative efforts,…

This article suggests that the current philosophy of treating everyone the same (i.e., community placement at any cost for all individuals with mental retardation) is leading to taxpayer revolts and does not necessarily produce effective services for the individuals involved. Residential facilities can provide individualized services for some…

Summarizes benefits and negative aspects of organized gambling on American Indian reservations in Minnesota, including job creation, direct payments to tribal members, funding for education and social services, compulsive gamblers requiring treatment programs, economic entanglements with outside investors, possible infiltration of organized crime,…

Discusses legal and psychological issues involved in erroneous reporting of child abuse. Addresses whether the child protection field will have the vision and initiative to address the problem proactively from within or whether regulation and restriction of activity will be imposed from without. Explores ideas to make child abuse detection more…

Title VII-Part B of the Rehabilitation Act of 1978 created federally funded independent living centers (ILCs), but funding shortages left many rural areas unserved. A survey found 76 ILCs in 24 states that did not receive Part-B funds. Most were supported solely by state and local funds. (SV)

Reviews existing studies of use of formal care by families of Alzheimer's sufferers with special attention to findings relevant to access, particularly perceptions of appropriateness and acceptability or consistency with other needs and values. Applied conceptual model represented by these findings to narrative that serves as proxy for real case.…

Describes child labor in the Philippines and two responses to the needs of child scavengers: the Drop In Center, which provided health, social, and employment services to children and their families, and SABANA, a sheltered learning place for child workers. (JOW)