ERIC Number: ED235660
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1982-Mar
Pages: 156
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Intensive Services to Families At-Risk Project. Working Papers in Developmental Disabilities.
Rosenberg, Steven A.; And Others
ISFAR (Intensive Services to Families at Risk Project), a program designed to prevent foster care among children at risk for placement because of documented or suspected abuse or neglect, is described, and its effectiveness evaluated. ISFAR's staffing patterns, guiding philosophy of helping parents become more adequate in their interaction with their children, and positive organizational climate are discussed. Program operations are viewed in terms of intake and screening procedures, case assessment, parent's commitment, use of consensus as a decisionmaking tool, problem identification, case planning, individualized client services (including parenting education, home visits involving close friends and extended family, and group activities), case monitoring and evaluation, and followup. Project evaluation findings focus on system impact, client perceptions of services, and measures of individual and family functioning. Comparison with the county protective services revealed that ISFAR cases had lower rates of recidivism and resulted in fewer days in foster care. ISFAR cases were found to be more expensive, at least in short-term consideration. Process analysis underline the importance of support in casework decisionmaking. Characteristics of clients and of the services leading to successful outcomes are analyzed. More than half of the document is composed of appendixes: the actual project evaluation report, ISFAR entry criteria, a copy of a family interview instrument, a description of treatment groups, guidelines for staffing and restaffing, and descriptions of dissemination activities. (CL)
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (DHHS), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Nebraska Univ. Medical Center, Omaha. Meyer Children's Rehabilitation Inst.; Nebraska State Dept. of Public Welfare, Lincoln.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A