Presents a set of questions that can be used to (1) assess the classroom or center as a play-promoting environment; (2) set goals for the play portion of the curriculum; (3) begin a discussion of play with other staff members; or (4) help teachers think about the play of particular children. (BB)

The study examined decision making among 190 informal caretakers of people with a mental handicap (ages 2-62) in North Wales. Results of discriminant analysis suggested the importance of social support, socioeconomic class, and subjective well-being as predictors of decision-making strategies. (DB)

Includes "The World Ages, the Family Ages" (Myers, Agree); "Grandparents as Parents in Developing Countries" (Tout); "Grandparents as Parents: The American Experience" (Minkler); "Playing for Informal Care" (Evers, Leichsenring); "Family Care in America" (Keigher, Stone); "Concerns for Carers: Family Support in Denmark" (Leeson, Tufte);…

Investigated impact of support from family and friends, workplace, and community services agencies on perceived stress and health outcomes of 133 employed caregivers of dependent parents. Found that support from family and friends and community agencies buffered negative impact of caregiving and work and family role strain, and supportive work…

Notes that home child care workers are motivated by satisfying relationships with the children and families with whom they work and that worker dissatisfaction results more from impersonal family relations than from inadequacy of pay. Argues that attention to a relationship continuum, ranging from home parent to occasional baby sitter, would allow…

Examined mothers' and preschoolers' emotion talk for age- and gender-related patterns in use of labels and explanations. Found that children used emotion words mainly in labels. Boys' emotion talk increased with age. The youngest girls had more emotion talk than same-age boys. Mothers used more explanations than labels with boys but similar…

Professionals in schools are a major source of child maltreatment reports nationally. Review of literature indicates these professionals contribute only a small amount of school-based research data to the understanding of consequences of child physical abuse and neglect or maltreatment of child victims. Presents strategic multisystems approach for…

Maintains that Baxter and Read's book deals with controversial and contentious issues in a proactive manner and effectively challenges and stimulates attitudes, beliefs, and approaches to working with children with special needs. Notes that the use of labels shows how entrenched professionals have become in a deficit-oriented model to describe…

Effects of child characteristics and home environment on caregivers' behavioral intentions regarding placement were examined longitudinally for 100 families of children with severe mental retardation. Prior behavioral intentions significantly predicted actual placement independent of other factors. Among child characteristics, only normative…

Describes the evaluation of a training program in the Netherlands to enhance the professional competence of residential child-care workers in dealing with difficult situations involving adolescents. Pretest and posttest data from 35 adult subjects and 20 controls indicate a significant increase in knowledge and behavior after the program. (SLD)

Reports results of a 2-year program to put high-quality children's books in urban child-care centers. Gives an overview of the project, detailing its progress, processes, and impact on children's literacy development. Suggests to increase the volume, quality, and intensity of young children's stimulating experiences with good books at an early age…

Analysis of 202 questionnaires completed by childcare center personnel found 90 percent of respondents agreed with the concept of integration of young children with special needs and 76 percent thought integration was beneficial for typically developing children. Curriculum adaptations, classroom integration, and identification of developmental…

Addresses the debate over aversive versus nonaversive treatment for preschool children with severe behavior disorders. Discusses problematic aspects of an ideological approach to behavior disorder treatment; relative intrusiveness of psychoactive medications; alternatives to legal actions against school districts; side effects; therapeutic effects…

In an exploratory, qualitative study of 16 daughters- and sons-in-law and their 16 spouses, 4 patterns emerged that highlighted the differences in their motivation for involvement in caregiving. Differences related to notions of obligation, reactive versus pro-active involvement, managerial roles in the family, and the differences in the impact of…

Describes a unified, statewide effort to increase outreach activities targeted to ethnic minority families with a demented relative. Provides data demonstrating the effectiveness of these programs. (SNR)