Profiles the parenting seminars and counseling services for divorcing parents offered by the Children of Separation and Divorce Center, a community service agency in Maryland. The seminars are designed to help parents adjust to divorce and understand the needs of their children during and after the divorce process. (MDM)

Conjectures about the future use of controlled randomized experiments for planning and evaluating social programs suggest that they will frequently involve institutions and organizations rather than individuals and that their applications and the publicity surrounding them will increase as they are used in new and controversial ways. (SLD)

The Child Protection Center in Lubeck (Germany) offers a nonpunitive, self-help approach to prevent child abuse by encouraging families to determine their own needs. Over half of families served over a two-year period were self-reported and almost one-fifth received help to prevent violence against children before the occurrence of child abuse or…

Examines problems related to child sexual abuse assessment and intervention methods, especially in instances of intrafamilial offenses. Discusses the benefits of alternative strategies in use today, and the adaptations that child welfare workers, social workers, and other professionals have made to enhance intervention effectiveness. Suggests that…

Examines differential patterns of cultural and social assimilation of Israeli immigrants using a cross-sectional mail survey of 155 naturalized and 50 nonnaturalized immigrants in New York City. In general, the higher the economic status, the greater the degree of cultural assimilation. (SLD)

Examines four innovative staff training programs in Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, and Washington: four states with varying human service traditions and social needs. Maintains that those involved with the design and development of child protective services training programs should take into account the significant strides made by these four programs.…

Identifies factors contributing to difficulties involved in developing ethnic sensitivity training for child protective services caseworkers. Examines frameworks for training caseworkers in ethnic sensitivity. Proposes a new approach to improving caseworkers' ability to complete ethnically sensitive assessments and discusses implications of this…

Establishes the need for social work course offerings in rural Victoria, Australia, to improve access to education and social services. In 1989 Phillip Institute of Technology offered its Bachelor of Social Work degree and Graduate Diploma in Community Development in the Central Victorian city of Bendigo. (KS)

Several Canadian surveys revealed a need for training of health and social service personnel in long-term case management of elderly clients. Proposed curriculum content areas are understanding case management, special knowledge of older adults, environmental factors, and case management techniques. (SK)

A review of demographics, family/household organization, timing of life transitions, and kin assistance shows that isolation of older people in society today is due to transformation and redefinition of family functions and values. Transfer of social welfare functions once performed by families exacerbates lack of assistance to elders. (SK)

Case files (n=284) from a social services agency and juvenile court were reviewed to investigate how cases involving drug-exposed infants were processed. Data showed an overrepresentation of African American and Hispanic cases and underrepresentation of Caucasian and Asian cases. About 80% of children were removed from the mother; about one-third…

Analysis of governmental promotion of out-of-home child care (OHCC) versus parental child care indicates no superiority of OHCC based on children's welfare or families' economic requirements. Ways are needed to support parental care of young children and to counterbalance day care subsidies with equivalent subsidies to parents raising their own…

Effective practice reviews (EPRs) are described as used in evaluation studies for the Office of Evaluation and Inspections, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Examples are given of EPRs in addressing new problems, structuring and improving federal programs, and decreasing costs. (SLD)

Interviews with 137 primary caregivers with developmentally disabled family members (ages 2-62) on waiting lists for out-of-home placement found that caregiver stress was a significant predictor of the urgency of placement need. Behavior problems of the disabled person were almost as important. Lack of support services was correlated with…

In Washoe County, Nevada, public and private social service organizations, the public schools, and the business community joined together in a partnership. The Children's Cabinet has proved to be an innovative and successful model for coordinating government services and community resources for children. (MLF)