An estimate of the total number of adoptions in the United States and the proportion of total adoptions conducted by public agencies in 1987 was drawn from adoption information from state social services agencies, bureaus of vital statistics, and state court administrative offices. (BB)

Reviews feminist theory and practice, spelling out implications for a feminist theory of social welfare containing both public and private realms. Uses these implications to examine a woman's grassroots voluntary organization that contains possibilities for rethinking societal responses to social welfare needs. (Author/LS)

Discusses the role and position of an educational buffer agency, as exemplified by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, with references to: (1) accreditation; (2) quality audit; (3) support of academic leadership; and (4) internal quality enhancement. Concludes that change is best accomplished by emphasizing support in the early…

In this article I use the concept of "re-agenting" to explore and explain the role of non-state agencies, principally private companies and business entrepreneurs, as key instruments in the government's transformation of the school system in England. Their role takes both for-profit and not-for-profit forms. The outsourcing to private…

Traffic crashes are a significant source of loss of life, personal injury and financial expense in the United States. In 2008 there were 37,261 people killed and an estimated 2,346,000 people injured nationwide in motor vehicle traffic crashes. State and federal agencies are beginning to focus traffic safety improvement effort on local agency…

Objective: Sexually or physically abused children are at risk for neurobiological dysregulation as well as for internalizing and disruptive behavior disorders. Stress-related autonomic nervous system (ANS) down-regulation has been proposed as a sequela of abuse and was investigated in the present study. Methods: Child Protective Services…

This report is a collection of abstracts describing the salient features of 20 adoption programs for children and infants of black and biracial background and attempts to delineate those program features which appear to be associated with effectiveness. Information on each program was collected by means of an unstructured interview with…

This report is a survey of the volume and nature of requests for service to the voluntary and local public member agencies at the Child Welfare League of America. The study focuses on the objectives, content, and outcome of services to children and families receiving them. Ninety-three percent of the agencies eligible to participate in the survey…

Based on the assumption that demographic data regarding persons who utilize public assistance is the best starting point for effective public assistance programs, the author examines such data for several groups of welfare-vocational rehabilitation clients. The hazards of viewing these people from the aspects of emotional problems, character…

Communities In Schools (CIS) was introduced to Cormack Trail School District in 1991. Using a whole-school philosophy it offers non-targeted programming to all children through the building of community-based partnerships and community involvement. The purpose of this article is to explore what participants said about their work with CIS: where…

This paper describes the current circumstances surrounding the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and its location and functioning of power in the accrediting process. Strengths and weaknesses of NCATE are listed and discussed, as are positive and negative effects the association has had on teacher education.…

The directory lists 66 national voluntary agencies which are involved either directly or indirectly in providing services for the mentally retarded. Each agency has described in its own words its activities, role, and relationship to the mentally retarded. Addresses and telephone numbers of the national office of each organization are also…

This report examines past and present procedures of private employment agencies by studying the history, abuses, and social control of the agencies, professionalism of the agent, and the nature of the relationship between the applicant and agent. Private employment agencies started in this country around 1820, and have grown to about 7,600…

A representative spectrum of voluntary organizations in the field of adult education is contained in this directory. Criteria for an organization's listing were (1) attendance at the adult education Galaxy Conference in 1969, (2) membership in the Coalition of Adult Education Organizations, (3) the existence of adult and continuing education as a…

Organized development of community agencies facilitates the use of available human resources in the improvement of community education. (JD)