Describes the range of health or social service home visiting programs in the United States, examining the characteristics of successful programs, the outcomes produced by such programs, and the future direction of home visitation. Recommends that home visiting programs be voluntary, flexible, culturally sensitive, well-staffed, and realistic in…

Discusses how home visiting, as a process, can be used to improve the health and development of young children, outlining a conceptual framework to evaluate home visiting programs. Argues that successful programs must be comprehensive in their approach to addressing children's and families' needs in multiple health and development domains. (MDM)

Documents efforts in which social-work services in schools are linked by a partnership between a university and a public school system. Analyzes factors that contributed to the program's success, such as the availability of skilled, ethnically diverse social-services personnel. (MKA)

The severity and diversity of problems for which drug-using clients (N=182) seek treatment is investigated during assessment and follow-up using cluster analysis. Five clusters in eight life-functioning domains were identified at each point. The constellations and severity of problems reported indicate changes over time in service needs. (EMK)

A coordinated school health program has numerous mutually reinforcing components: a healthy environment; comprehensive health education; physical education; health services; counseling, psychological, and social services; nutrition services; staff health promotion; and family and community involvement. Program implementation steps are outlined. A…

In a South Carolina rural middle school with four school-based service programs, 30 seventh graders, their families, and teachers were surveyed. Students and parents felt the services increased school safety and reduced substance abuse and other problems. Teachers were especially positive about the violence prevention program. (SK)

Argues that youth welfare in Germany needs to establish its reference points in the experiences of its targets. Analyzes the requirements for planning youth welfare in light of the diversified needs of young people based on a study of the living conditions of young adults in the new German states. (DSK)

Visually impaired persons (n=871) with developmental disabilities, in 42 states, were surveyed to determine effects of separate state blindness-specific vocational rehabilitation agencies on the receipt of services. Results suggest that clients in states with specialized agencies were less likely to receive services, except when the agency in…

Four Native American tribes have successfully integrated services for children into their child care programs. Two tribes operate child care and Head Start-preschool programs in the same facility. Another tribe runs a child care program with extensive outreach and assistance for families with special needs children. The fourth has a child care…

An evaluation of case management services to families on public assistance suggests that a "logic model" and an "open systems" evaluation approach might be useful in program evaluation. A second study describes how the logic model and open systems evaluation were used to develop an evaluation plan for services to homeless…

Examines factors associated with abuse of children in residential child care institutions including: failings in staff recruitment, training, and supervision; ineffective management and accountability; development of inappropriate institutional cultures; public ambivalence toward children in care; slow response to threats posed to children in…

Maintains that Schorr's provocative book omits consideration of the basic question raised: whether the social reform the book seeks is possible without a sea change in national politics. Suggests that the book's insights should spur policy makers, nonprofit sector leaders, agency officials, community builders, and philanthropists to use resources…

As part of a larger case study, this co-operative inquiry explores the lecturers' perspectives of the added value of the higher education experience of mixed ability groups of experienced care workers undertaking a 60 credit Certificate in Empowering Practice programme. Following consistent positive programme evaluations the success of the course…

American Organizations bringing assistance to deaf people in developing countries unintentionally create relationships of dependency or oppression rather than relationships of support. Using qualitative methods, the author examined the effectiveness of development assistance provided to the Jamaican Deaf community by two American churches, one…

Background: Informal evidence suggests that many Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) students from outside of the UK and/or Republic of Ireland who come to the UK either do not return to their home country on qualification or do not practise as SLTs in the public sector. Many factors may contribute to this situation. Concern that it may result in…