Discusses the results of a survey of characteristics of adult students of French attending courses at the Alliance Francaise in Paris. Also examines some of the social services provided by the Alliance, including housing, employment, and meal services. (AM)

This article describes a model program called EXITO which was developed to help elderly Hispanics in Natalia, Texas, make use of health and social services that they had not previously taken advantage of because of low income, language and cultural differences, and geographic isolation. (EB)

Briefly describes the results of experiments using the ATS-6 Satellite in the delivery of social services in several geographic areas: Appalachia (education and Veterans Administration education), the Rocky Mountain region (education), the Northwestern region (medical endeavors), and Alaska (medicine and education). (JMF)

Describes the services provided by the Family Stress Consultation Team, an Illinois community-based consultation group which has an experimental, multidisciplinary approach to the handling of child abuse and neglect cases. (CM)

Describes New Zealand's Family Group Conference as a model for quality relationship between families and social work professionals. Examines adaptation of the model in the United Kingdom, noting how the model reasserts kinship as a valuable resource in all matters of care and protection, and establishes a clearer role for professionals as skilled…

Discusses areas of revision on the 1996 British Government's Draft Adoption Bill: aspects of the welfare principles; criteria for dispensing with parental consent; orders for stepparents; and the use of residence orders as an alternative to adoption. Concludes that resolving those issues would be an important step toward meeting the diverse needs…

Describes several omnibus social work/human services Web sites with "social problems" links. Strategies are also suggested, and examples provided, for identifying additional Internet resources by framing the search in the context of lifespan development and in terms of institutional stakeholders. (Author)

This study used mailed questionnaires to obtain 66 foster parents' views on the supports needed to maintain their caring role. An overarching finding was the need for respect and recognition, manifested in many ways, which appeared to be in short supply. The presence of several ambiguities in the relationships between agency, children in care, and…

Study of one state's first-time welfare recipients found less evidence of welfare dependency than previously reported. Argues that client self-sufficiency hinges on an investment strategy in education, work preparedness, job training, and public-sector jobs, along with the provision of supportive services, such as child care. (RJM)

Examined type of service, volume, and mix of services provided to 270 poor and frail elders. Predictors of use and volume of service differed depending on type of service. The most prescribed service combinations included nursing, home health, and homemaker; homemaker only; nursing and home health; nursing and homemaker; and nurse only. (RJM)

Analyzes labor market effects of the aging population, examines projected population and employment trends in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries; effects on savings and productivity; and projections for 2000-2050 in six countries. Discuses national and international policies to increase employment of older adults and…

Includes "Community Work in the U.K.: Reflections on the 1980s" (Miller, Bryant); "Multiplication and Divisions: Trends in Community Development in Ireland since the 1960s" (Cinneide, Walsh); "Reconstruction to Deconstruction: The Transformation of Community Work in Australia" (Meekosha; Mowbray): "Community…

Discusses the importance of liaison in special education by focusing on three areas: (1) liaison with the home; (2) liaison within education; (3) liaison within the community. Describes the establishment of a directory of support organizations and suggests sources of services and support. (RJC)

Advantages of internal evaluation are illustrated through an in-house study of the familiarity of clinicians at a social service agency with the Tarasoff decision about responsibility concerning potentially dangerous clients. Advantages include multiple alliances among staff and researchers, increased cooperation, and an improved likelihood of the…

The article suggests that computer expert systems that do not require exotic languages and machines will soon be applied in human services to help decision making in the areas of eligibility determination, casework quality control, written service plans for clients or students, job placement, service acquisition, and policy interpretation.…