Presents tips for meeting the needs of parents of children in child care settings who are unable to see their children's teachers on a regular basis. Focuses on the importance of providing accurate information, broadening the school-family communication approach to encompass the entire family, establishing a family relationship before the child…

Discusses the need for careful consideration of family and cultural factors in transition planning. Issues explored include degree of independence for the adolescent desired by the family, rules of acceptance, needs for information, changes in family routines, and family and child life experiences. (Author/CR)

A study of 246 child victims of extrafamilial sexual abuse (ages 2-14) investigated effectiveness of family participation in crisis counseling, individual parent/child treatment, children's treatment groups, and parent support groups. A family approach and services for parents in addition to intervention for child victims were key components in…

Multiple, daily decisions about a myriad of things add to people's sense of stress, complexity, and being stretched too thin, but especially for parents of young children. This article points out the need to offer parents quality options, not simply more options, and advice and support in following through on the decisions they make affecting…

A survey of 18 families in New South Wales (Australia) examined rural parent perceptions concerning early childhood services. Cost, inflexibility, lack of specific services, and distance were considered problems in service provision. Parent recommendations included flexible use of facilities, outreach services, local development of services, and…

Imagine a program in which caring school professionals help families cut through bureaucratic red tape when dealing with county agencies to meet the various needs of children that might otherwise interfere with their learning. In Frederick County, Maryland, that program is known as Community Agency School Services, or CASS. Run by the school…

This article discusses the promise of parents as advocates on behalf of family support and high-quality care for infants and toddlers. The authors note that parents organize around specific issues or immediate problems. Parent action grows from the bottom up--from community advocacy to national issues. Effective public policy promotes parent…

The present review of the literature aims to look at two-generation programs and their effects on children and parents as a potential strategy to improve parent involvement in Head Start while responding to the self-sufficiency needs of families. This paper reviews several two-generation program evaluations: Comprehensive Child Development…

There has been little empirical research regarding the needs of family members of incarcerated male alcohol and drug offenders. This study surveyed the perceptions of eighty-five family members using FACES II, Quality of Life, and Quality of Counseling Services instruments. Statistically significant results yielded a relationship between…

Research and experience from throughout the child welfare system have established that maintaining a strong connection between children and their families is critical to ensure positive outcomes for children in out-of-home care. Ways in which administrators and managers in out-of-home care agencies bring a family focus to their policy,…

This report summarizes a postconference evaluation of the "Linking Family and Community Strengths" conference, held in Louisville, Kentucky, in June 1996, and describes 12 community projects based on conference lessons. Six months after the conference, an evaluation was completed by 100 of 192 participants. The conference aimed to…

In the fall of 2003, PACER Center's Parent Partnership Project for Children's Mental Health conducted a survey to better understand what parents and families need from the children's mental health system in Minnesota. The research team developed a survey questionnaire, a telephone interview, and a focus group session directed at learning what was…

This paper discusses how families and schools can work together to better care for and foster learning in children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Four dimensions of the family-school relationship are addressed with 16 basic premises proposed. First, three premises offer a philosophical basis for family-school relationships and include adoption…

This guide for state policymakers argues that Connecticut is facing a "quiet crisis" in the provision of early care and education (ECE) supports for the state's youngest children. The guide provides estimates for current and future ECE needs in the state and details five goals and related action steps to address the crisis: (1) all…

Communication and the exchange of information are key components of the relationships between parents of young children and the staff of programs that serve them. Professionals who work with families are likely to be more effective when they are aware of how aspects of their own communication practices may affect parents' ability and willingness…