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The following background papers and rapporteurs' comments are presented: (1) "Criteria for Indicators of Child Well-Being" (Kristin A. Moore); (2) "Children in Dire Straits: How Do We Know Whether We Are Progressing?" (William Prosser and Matthew Stagner); (3) "Indicators of Children's Well-Being: A Review of Current Indicators Based on Data from the Federal Statistical System" (Brett V. Brown); (4) "Kids Count Reports from the States" (Tom Kaplan); (5) "Assessing Children's Well-Being: How Many and Which Indicators, and at What Cost?" (Robert H. Haveman); and (6) "Rapporteur's Comments" (Sheldon Danziger). Most papers contain references. (SLD)

This volume groups papers discussing indicators of children's well-being into three areas: child health, education, and economic security. Papers concerning child health include: (1) "Prenatal and Infant Health Indicators" (Paula Lantz and Melissa Partin); (2) "Health Indicators for Preschool Children (Ages 1-4)" (Barbara L. Wolfe and James Sears); (3) "Health Indicators for Preadolescent School-age Children" (Barbara Starfield); (4) "Adolescent Health Indicators" (Arthur B. Elster); and (5) "Indicators for Infant, Child, Preadolescent and Adolescent Health: Discussion (Michael D. Resnick). The second section, Education, includes the following papers: (1) "Indicators for School Readiness, Schooling, and Child Care in Early to Middle Childhood" (Deborah Phillips and John Love); (2) "Indicators of High School Dropout" (Robert M. Hauser); (3) "Postsecondary and Vocational Education: Keeping Track of the College Track" (Thomas J. Kane); (4) "Indicators of Educational Achievement" (Daniel Koretz); and (5) a Summary of the four papers on education indicators (Richard J. Murnane). The last section, Economic Security, includes the following papers: (1) "Income, Employment, and the Support of Children" (Susan E. Mayer); (2) "Longitudinal Indicators of Children's Poverty and Dependence" (Greg J. Duncan); and (3) "Parental Employment and Children" (Judith R. Smith, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, and Aurora P. Jackson). Most papers contain references. (SLD)

Papers in this volume explore indicators of children's well-being in the following areas: cross-cutting issues; population, family, and neighborhood; and social development and problem behaviors. The first section includes: (1) "Potential and Problems in Developing Indicators on Child Well-Being from Administrative Data" (Robert M. Goerge); (2) "Potential and Problems in Developing Community-Level Indicators of Children's Well-Being" (Claudia J. Coulton); (3) "Context and Connection in Social Indicators: Enhancing What We Measure and Monitor" (Marc L. Miringoff and Marque-Luisa Miringoff). The second section includes: (1) "Demographic Change and the Population of Children: Race/Ethnicity, Immigration, and Family Size" (Dennis P. Hogan and David J. Eggebeen); (2) "Family Structure, Stability, and the Well-being of Children" (Gary D. Sandefur); (3) "The Influence of Neighborhoods on Children's Development: A Theoretical Perspective and a Research Agenda" (Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Hughes); and (4) comments by Donald Hernandez. Papers in the third section include: (1) "Indicators of Positive Development in Early Childhood: Improving Concepts and Measures" (J. Lawrence Aber and Stephanie Jones); (2) "Indicators of Problem Behaviors and Problems in Early Childhood, Draft" (John M. Love); (3) "Positive Indicators of Adolescent Development: Redressing the Negative Image of American Adolescents" (R. Takanishi, A. M. Mortimer, and T. J. McGourthy); (4) "Indicators of Adolescent Problem Behaviors" (Bruce P. Kennedy and Deborah Prothrow-Stith); and (5) a discussant paper, "Social Development and Problem Behaviors" (J. J. Card and James L. Peterson). Most papers contain references. (SLD)

This paper discusses the responses of schools and teachers in England and some other developed countries to Trans children, that is, those who feel that their assigned sex at birth was not correct. These children may be defined as Trans, that is wanting to change their assigned sex, or in other ways, such as having gender distress or dysphoria, or not being cisnormative which is, accepting one's sex assigned at birth. Recent years have seen a steady increase in the numbers of school children concerned about their birth assigned sex, presenting numerous problems. These include areas such as toilet facilities, changing rooms, sports studied, clothing, names and the use of pronouns and how to allot sleeping accommodation on a school journey. Parents in many cases are very concerned over schools' reactions, which have included schools agreeing to allow social transitioning without informing parents, ignoring the safeguarding instructions to schools, that parents must be informed of physical or mental health issues a child discloses. In addition, parents and schools can be at odds, with how schools should respond. In England, teachers have been waiting for guidance from the DfE on this matter since 2018, but this was not produced for schools until the end of 2023 for consultation, leaving schools to make individual decisions on actions. Comparisons are made with how schools in other developed countries have responded to this challenge and a small group of teachers in England, were asked to express their personal views on this subject and how it had affected their role in school. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

This position paper explores American under-development in the area of policy formation concerning children and families. Three pressing problems believed to be faced by American children and their parents are presented and discussed. These are: (1) the depopulation of the family, said to be largely attributable to the changes, assumptions, and newly generated demands for consumption, and not to the faults of individual parents; (2) the intellectualization of the child, said to originate in the nature of the American economic system and its influence on the school systems -- quantifying, measuring, and using these measurements to perpetuate the relative positions of existing groups in the society; and, (3) the problem of perpetuation of exclusion, siad to affect children characterized by the four factors of race, poverty, handicap, and parents overwhelmed by life. This last problem is discussed and explained in terms of the economic system. A final section on individual uplift and social change concludes by underlining the posited contrast between individual blame and uplift, and the need for social and economic change. (Author/AM)

This paper states the position of the Tennessee Association for Young Children (TAYC) on public policies affecting young children. Eight general principles are listed: (1) legislative action should be based on accurate assessment of the current status of young children in Tennessee; (2) support should be given to children from nontraditional as well as traditional families; (3) policies should be designed to compliment rather than substitute for the child rearing responsibilities of families; (4) policies seeking to improve children's development should concentrate on the period from conception to school age; (5) parent and community participation should be mandated in publicly funded social service programs; (6) equal opportunity to benefit from services should be provided to all children regardless of sex, ethnic, religious or cultural background; (7) policies should be designed so that they can be fairly and uniformly enforced; and (8) regular evaluation should be made of the impact of policies on children and their families. Three policy issues to be addressed in 1979 are also discussed briefly: licensing of day care programs, government reorganization, and child care and preschool programs (Author/CM)

This volume contains papers that were commissioned for the 1992 Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Summer Institute. These papers form the basis for the CCSSO's study of school-community collaboration, which focuses on the role of the community in ensuring the success of all students. Following the acknowledgements and introduction, the papers include: (1) "Community Support for Student Success" (Lisbeth B. Schorr); (2) "Changing the System for Children's Services: Building Linkages with Schools" (Michael W. Kirst); (3) "Pushing the Boundaries of Education: The Implications of a Youth Development Approach to Education Policies, Structures, and Collaborations" (Karen J. Pittman and Michelle Cahill); (4) "Current Human Service Reforms" (Ruth Massinga); (5) "Taking a Family-Centered Approach" (Judy Langford Carter); (6) "Funding Initiatives for School-Linked Family Services" (Frank Farrow); (7) "Collaborating to Meet the Readiness Agenda: Dimensions and Dilemmas" (Sharon L. Kagan); (8) "Collaboration for Young Adolescents: Transforming Middle-Grades Education" (Frank A. Loda); (9) "Comprehensive School Health Services: Does It Matter and Is It Worth the Fight?" (M. Joycelyn Elders and Jennifer Hui); (10) "Savannah's New Futures Initiative: Getting to the Root of the Dandelion" (Otis S. Johnson); and (11) "The Walbridge Caring Communities Program" (Khatib Waheed). An appendix contains the CCSSO policy statement, "Student Success through Collaboration." (LMI)

The 10 precepts offered in this paper in a spirit of tentativeness respond to the questions, "What ought society do when families crumble?" and "What ought government do when children are endangered?" The following ideas are discussed: (1) public policies and government programs should be differentiated according to the social capital accumulation in the lives of individual children and families; (2) a well-functioning society should speak the truth in public places about social norms that are known to be good for children and about the malignant consequences of deviating from those norms; (3) as a corollery, society members should understand and teach their fellow citizens that once the "normal" arrangements for child-rearing are ruptured, all alternatives are going to be worse; (4) antisocial behavior, not poverty, is the chief cause of the disintegrating family structure; (5) financial incentives cannot alter antisocial behavior and adults must be held legally accountable when they or their children deviate from behavioral norms; (6) social policy should be based on the principle that every child needs the loving care of one or more adults, but public policy cannot guarantee that every child will be loved; (7) private individuals and groups must implement social policy by addressing the moral, behavioral, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of children; (8) children should be removed from dysfunctional families and placed for adoption or in residential schools and orphanages; (9) means must be devised to build up "social capital" within the family and between parent and child; and (10) issues of "behavioral poverty" must be dealt with as firmly and with as much resolve as would be mobilized to meet a major menace to the national defense. (FMW)

What does it take to develop an asynchronous curriculum for social work students, with attention to precision, policy accuracy, and community accountability? We attempt to answer the question by documenting our process of community collaboration and partnership to develop a gamified case study on the Indian Child Welfare Act. The curriculum was developed in one year and is currently being evaluated for efficacy. Lessons learned in the process are consistent with the literature including honoring community timeframes, responsibility, transparency, and openness to change. Future development of similar curricula that incorporates tribal partnerships requires relational accountability with attention to respect and reciprocity. [For the full proceedings, see ED656038.]

The participants in this conference represent the fields of law and medicine, government and private agencies, foundations and academia. The papers presented deal with: justice in child health; the pursuit of justice for children in contemporary society; legal rights of children to health care; the role of the private sector in securing the rights of children; effective child advocacy; an overview of the New York State Division for Youth; and a cross national perspective on the pursuit of justice for children. The participants agreed on the necessity for a national commitment to accept responsibility for children's needs and rights. The group reached a consensus on certain priorities for action, including the better handling of the violent offender, and the reform of State and Federal reimbursement programs so that they support and provide incentives for effective care. Strategies for change were suggested. They included: creating a national network of child advocacy groups, test cases to broaden legal rights, and cooperation between the public and private sectors and the volunteer and the professional. (Author/AM)

The papers selected for this reader represent the broad range of "practice oriented" interests, problems, populations, and interventions found in both rural social work and at the Seventh National Institute. Section 1 contains four papers which deal with program development and community practice, i.e., planning social services in a nonmetropolitan area, rural networks, volunteer programs, and rural community education. Rural elderly are addressed in section 2 via papers on social work consultants, in-service needs of nursing home staff, and preparation of practitioners to work with the rural elderly. In section 3, abusing and neglecting families in rural areas are addressed in terms of education programs for abusing parents, teenage victims of incest, and incestuous fathers. Section 4 covers rural youth services via three papers on adolescents' perceptions of human services agencies, child protective services, and social work in rural schools. Concluding the reader is a section containing three papers on social work education and practice in rural areas. (AH)

The Council on Appalachian Women calls upon the governors of the Appalachian region to provide the leadership necessary for change that will benefit children and adults alike, that will provide access to the needed human services, and that will at the same time preserve the rural nature and the desirable qualities of Appalachian culture. The Council pledges support to and urges adoption of programs that stress the needs of families and young children, including: (1) national legislation addressing comprehensive family and health services, (2) continuation of the Child Development Program of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) at the present level of quality, (3) ongoing financial support for ARC demonstration programs that prove worthy of continuation, (4) single entry human service delivery systems planned and implemented at the local level, (5) human service programs aimed at prevention and early intervention rather than remediation, (6) creative and imaginative programs to teach parenting and family living skills, (7) national comprehensive child health insurance with coverage for children from birth to age 5. The Council believes that before any policy becomes public policy a "Family Impact Study" should be conducted to determine how legislation would affect children and their families. (JH)

SOS Children's Village Croatia is categorized as a children's home whose primary goal is taking care of children without an adequate parental care or parents themselves. Moreover, it aims at providing children, regardless of their racial, national or religious affiliation, with affection and love in a safe family environment. In addition, SOS Children's Village is a non-governmental organization founded and provided for by the international organization SOS Kinderdorf International with the headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria. SOS Children's Village itself dates back to 1949 when Hermann Gmeiner opened the first such institution in Imst, Austria. Furthermore, SOS Children's Village Croatia has been active since February 25, 1992. It consists of two SOS Children's Villages, namely SOS Children's Village Lekenik and Ladimirevci, five SOS Youth facilities and one SOS Kindergarten. SOS Children's Village Ladimirevci was built in 1995 and has been active since 1997. It is composed of sixteen SOS houses providing for more than eighty children. Equally important, two SOS Youth facilities have been actively working in Osijek. This paper aims at providing historical overview of SOS Children's Village Ladimirevci, analyzing its organization, work methodology as well as its educational policies. For the purposes of this paper, SOS Children's Village pedagogical documentation and annual reports have been analyzed. Additionally, qualitative analyses of documents contents and quantitative analyzes regarding children's and educational activities' fluctuation have been used. The purpose of providing the historical overview of pedagogical documentation is to study fluctuation of children regarding time dimension together with the methods used for educational purposes. SOS Children's Village Ladimirevci has been widely known for looking after children without an adequate parental care or parents per se, creating safe family environment and giving affection and love to the aforementioned; hence, it undoubtedly deserves the attribute of the children's friendly community.

This paper considers the question "What are good child outcomes?" from the perspectives of developmental psychology, economics, and sociology. Section 1 of the paper examines good child outcomes as characteristics of stage-salient tasks of development. Section 2 emphasizes the acquisition of "human capital," the development of productive traits such as cognitive ability, educational achievement, practical risk-taking, delayed gratification, and occupational decision-making. This section discusses critical constructs such as delayed gratification, risk tolerance, and career construction. Section 3 deals with social capacity, the ability to interact positively in intimate relationships and demonstrate positive concern and caring in a larger social arena. This section discusses central social relationships and suggests markers of successful development at each stage. Section 4 discusses points of overlap among the three perspectives. Drawing upon the three perspectives, this section suggests that good child outcomes would include the presence of: trust; security; exploration and self-regulation; competent language use; cognitive development and general knowledge; physical well-being and motor development; social problem-solving skills; personal identity; connections with parents and friends; empathy and caring; reading and math skills; the ability to delay gratification; the ability to take practical risks and develop an occupation choice; motivation toward entrepreneurship; the extension of attachments from family members to others; concern for other social groups; and volunteer efforts on behalf of others. The paper concludes by suggesting that identifying positive goals for children with significantly alter the nature of discussions about children and families and have implications for data collection. Contains 91 references. (KB)

Members of the academic and intellectual community are often faced with the dilemma of finding themselves inured to the lives of the individuals for whom they profess advocacy. Drawing on the real-life experiences of children and families in need, this paper places social-service agencies, professionals, and services within their historical and social contexts. The paper argues that the professionalization of the human service disciplines and the adherence to positivist research methodology has resulted in the social construction of clients and the pervasive use of the medical model. Further, the union of human-service professionals with bureaucratic structures is anathema to client-centered, collaborative practice. The human-service system must be transformed through a redefinition of traditional conceptions of child/family/client-centered, collaborative practice. Possibilities for reframing human services include: (1) community-based programming, which prevents the removal of children from homes and/or communities; (2) human-service professionals who function as enablers and advocates; (3) parallel agencies that coexist at a single, nonhierarchical site; (4) the empowerment of clients to solve their own problems; and (5) value given to the ethic of caring. Contains 40 references. (LMI)

Legal suits concerning sexual abuse of students in the schools have increased since 1987. This paper examines recent cases involving child abuse in the schools from two perspectives. First, it reviews a line of federal cases that have considered whether school districts have an affirmative constitutional duty to protect children similar to the duty that the state owes prisoners and mental patients who are unable to protect themselves. Most federal courts hold that students are not in state custody and can act on their own behalf. Second, the paper reviews factual allegations in recent cases involving sexual abuse in the schools and concludes that the sexual exploitation of students by school employees often occurs for long periods of time. Next, the paper reviews recent research on child abuse and trauma. Findings indicate that children who are victims of physical or sexual abuse often lack a supportive network of peers and adults. In addition, profound psychological trauma often renders children vulnerable to further abuse and diminishes their ability to get help. These findings suggest that the federal courts are wrong to assume that child abuse victims have the capacity to defend themselves or summon aid. (LMI)

Opposition to corporal punishment in the United States has increased over the last 2 decades. This paper explores the legal implications of the maltreatment of children in schools, particularly corporal punishment. Despite the general opposition to corporal punishment, several issues must still be resolved. The first of these is one of definition: What constitutes corporal punishment? The ramifications of using broad or narrow definitions are discussed. The second issue involves the drafting and enacting of an acceptable law. Problems center on defining whether the following practices constitute corporal punishment: infliction of pain (how much and what kind), confinement, verbal abuse, and force. The third issue is the retraining of teachers, who must be given alternatives for handling student discipline problems. In conclusion, the prohibition of corporal punishment is not enough--the legal and educational communities must refine the concept of corporal punishment, draft and enact more acceptable laws, and retrain teachers in the use of acceptable practices. The endnotes contain three references. (LMI)

In recent years, demand has increased for the development and implementation of a better overall human service delivery system for the United State's at-risk children and their families. Critics condemn the current system as being fragmented, too narrowly focused, beset with bureaucratic red tape and harmful restrictive regulations, difficult to access, and lacking in both fiscal and programming accountability. This paper highlights the major findings of selected recent national reports and studies involving the current and projected status of children and families in the United States. Identified are the major problems and obstacles that impede the effectiveness and efficiency of the current national human service delivery system. General strategies of how these problems can be overcome are discussed, as well as the role the nation's schools can play in human service delivery. It is argued that traditional concepts of schooling must change in order to accomplish this objective. Suggestions are made as to specific ways in which psychologists can contribute to the development and implementation of a more effective human service delivery system. (RJM)

This paper discusses the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted in 1989 and, over the next approximately 3 years, was ratified by 117 member countries. After a brief historical overview of children's rights, the paper presents a summary and analysis of the Convention's preamble, which states the preconditions of the convention and sets out guidelines for interpreting the convention, and articles of the convention. The articles include 41 substantial texts which are divided into three groups of articles which deal with: (1) provision for children's rights to survival and development; (2) protection of children from separation from their family, exploitation, and violence; and (3) children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. The convention also included four articles that concern the implementation of the convention, and nine articles that outline the conditions under which the convention will enter into force. Several articles that are especially important are discussed in greater detail. Sweden's responsibility as a ratifying nation is discussed, and suggestions for improving the standards and adding new articles are offered. (MM)

The last decade has seen the convergence of three trends in the United States: a decline in the well-being of America's children; increasing overlap between the educational policy agenda and a broader policy agenda for children; and a shift in responsibility for social policy from the federal to the state level. This paper examines the current capacity of states to address children's needs, particularly in light of changing demographic and socioeconomic conditions. The first section examines the underlying philosophical, political, and administrative beliefs and structures that characterize society's responses to children. The second section reviews the current mismatch between state policymaking and the condition of children. State policies designed to improve the coordination of policies and services are analyzed in the third section. The final section outlines a proposed state-level policy framework that corresponds with knowledge about optimal child development. (31 references) (LMI)

This paper examines social welfare policy and its impacts on Appalachian children. The discussion is based on a notion that a just society meets basic needs of all its members. Current social policy: (1) does not include a comprehensive family policy; (2) depends on state and local contributions which are limited in rural Appalachia; (3) has become more conservative; (4) has suffered from a stressed national economy; and (5) is geared toward urban areas, and does not consider Appalachian values. Income support programs include Social Security, Aid to Families with Dependent Children; Food Stamps; the Women Infants and Children supplemental food program; and the Federal School Lunch Program. Medicaid is the principal program for health care, while Community Mental Health Centers are the primary avenue for mental health needs. Child Welfare services include Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adoption Services, Day Care, Homemaker Services and Group Care. Public housing and housing subsidies attempt to provide adequate housing for the poor. Although new national policies could further the cause of social justice, the federal deficit, budget cuts, and other problems make it unlikely that funds will be available to implement the necessary policies. Therefore, rural communities should develop community-based programs to support children and families. By encouraging small-scale economic development, communities can use the informal economy to support families. In addition, voluntary associations could address mental health needs and serve as advocates for children and families. This paper contains 50 references. (KS)

This paper examines the problem of having many poor children in the wealthy United States and the need to find answers to this problem. Despite much recent talk about "family values," the dominant U.S. ideology holds that family welfare is a private rather than a public responsibility. Poor children are seen as a special population that diverts resources from "the rest of us." An alternative vision recognizes mutual responsibility and emphasizes support for families, especially their efforts to raise children. A comprehensive anti-poverty policy would employ three basic strategies: risk minimization (prenatal and postnatal care to improve child outcomes and wellness programs to prevent disabilities); career development (with consideration for the integration of work and family roles); and asset development (protection against sudden unemployment). A brief overview of childhood poverty demonstrates decreases in poverty between 1960 and 1970, especially in rural areas; increases between 1980 and 1990; consistently higher rates of child poverty and deep poverty in nonmetro areas and among African Americans; and the extent of poverty among two-parent families. Poverty is not good for children. In particular, family poverty may lead to poor birth outcomes, malnutrition, parental stress and punitive parenting, low child self-esteem, and poor academic performance and subsequent limited employment opportunities. Specific rural poverty-related problems include discouragement of eligible families from applying for welfare, reluctance of rural residents to apply, inadequate social services, and inadequate infrastructure to administer programs or compete for funds. (SV)

This publication is a compilation of papers presented at an April 1994 workshop sponsored by the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health and the Bureau-funded Johns Hopkins Child and Adolescent Health Policy Center (CAHPC). The papers are as follows: (1) "Defining the Issues and Planning for Change: Health Care Systems, Primary Care, and Reform" (David Heppel); (2) "Health Care systems and Primary Care for Children and Adolescents: Overview and Context" (Bernard Guyer and others); (3) "Delineating Public Roles in Planning, Providing, and Evaluating Primary Care Services for Children and Their Families: Les Nouveax Miserables--Modern Victims of Social Asphyxia" (David R. Smith); (4) "Assessing the Status of Primary Care Services: A Working Approach" (Barbara Starfield); (5) "Developing Population-Based Datasets at National, State, and Local Levels: Potential and Promise" (Deborah Klein Walker); (6) "Assessing the Status of Primary Care Services: Early Experiences of the Child and Adolescent Health Policy Center in Evaluating Primary Care" (Charlyn E. Cassady); (7) "Assessing Needs and Monitoring Progress in the Delivery of Primary Care Services for Children and Youth" (David M. Stevens and others); (8) "Community System Assessment and Child Health Planning in Iowa" (Charles E. Danielson and others); (9) "Evaluating the Delivery of Pediatric Primary Care in New York City" (Lucille Rosenbluth); (10) "Accountability in Primary Health Care Systems: Conceptual Frameworks and Policy Challenges" (Bernard Guyer and others); (11) "Primary Care Provider and System Challenges in Caring for High-Risk Children and Families" (Larry Culpepper); (12) "Meeting the Contemporary Needs of Children and Youth with Developing Primary Care Systems: Issues for Pediatricians in Health Care Reform" (Susan Aronson); (13) "CHIP--A Community Model for a Comprehensive Health Care System" (Peggy Balla); (14) "Pediatric Primary Care Systems Development Initiatives in Arizona" (Jane Pearson); (15) "Health Care Reform and Public Health Consideration in Alabama" (Larry Menefee); (16) "Public Health and Health Care Reform: Healthy People in Healthy Communities" (Martin Wasserman); (17) "What's Needed to Move Forward? State MCH Program Perspectives" (Maxine Hayes); and (18) "Commentary and Closure" (Bernard Guyer). Two appendices include the workshop agenda and a list of participants. (DR)

This paper describes a cross-agency model of training and technical assistance which prepares preschool teachers, therapists, social workers, drug treatment providers, parents, administrators, service coordinators, and bureaucrats to work with and understand children and families affected by alcohol and other drugs. Presented first is a brief background of the program, the Family Focused Early Intervention System (FFEIS). The program uses consultants to serve both as advisors and liaisons to regional and state authorities. Consultants who specialize in the areas of inclusion, developmentally appropriate practices, assistive technology for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, and programs for children and families affected by alcohol and drugs. Additionally, data from various hospitals, agencies, and state and local health departments were analyzed with an eye toward social diagnosis, epidemiological diagnosis, educational and organizational diagnosis, and administrative and policy diagnosis. Data analysis revealed that the development of strong linkages between community early intervention providers, alcohol and drug treatment programs, health care providers, and public education activities was necessary to enable a seamless system of referral activity and services. It is also argued that pupil services personnel in schools can enhance these kinds of programs. Schools at both the building level and the district level must be more attuned to the needs of children and families affected by alcohol and other drugs. Contains three references. (RJM)

Three central convictions provide the main thesis of this lecture: (1) that children and those working with them are undervalued; (2) that the quality of education for the young child suffers because young children and those who work with them have no status; and (3) that young children need an articulate and empowered body of professionals to act as advocates on their behalf. The discussion of the undervaluation of children touches on the nature and importance of childhood, the position of young children today, the low status of those who work with children, the impact of early educational experience on the nation's development, and current policy for young children. The variable quality of educational provisions for young children is discussed in the context of the lack of an evidential base, research on quality, and research on early childhood educators. The need for advocates is addressed in the context of the politics of early childhood education, political advocacy, the domestication of the early years practitioner, and empowerment and transformation. An agenda for empowered early childhood groups is recommended. This agenda would allow the groups to discuss the realities of their situation and more fully understand why inequalities have developed and how these are perpetuated. Contains 21 references. (SM)

A review of literature examining how children are affected by women's employment was conducted. The review focused on the changes during the past two decades in the general approach of the researchers, with a specific focus on researcher bias and use of theory. First, literature reviews from the past three decades were conducted. Second, the work and family and child care research areas were sampled and evaluated quantitatively on several different variables to determine, statistically, what differences have taken place across the decades. These variables included the use of explicit theory-based hypotheses, the issue of ethnic bias in research design, the use of subjects from a variety of socioeconomic status (SES) levels, and the focus on father-child interactions in the research. Results showed that researchers in these areas, overall, have not made significant gains in addressing the issue of bias or increasing the use of theory; in fact, during the 1980s, the largest increase was in the percentage of studies where SES was not specified, and over one-half of the studies during this period did not specify ethnic group. Results did, however, show an increased focus on father-child interactions within the work and family research, although less than one-third of the studies examined father-child interactions in the 1980s. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for improving further research on the effects of parental employment on children. (TE)

The basic issues of child rearing and child development as well as the application of knowledge about child development are addressed in this paper. It is noted that to date children, their families, and their subcultures have been studied and that advice has been given to parents and to teachers about the child's development. Yet it is suggested that the findings concerning the kind of relationship a family needs with institutions and the society in order to be able to rear a child to become a competent and humane adult have been ignored. Because little attention is paid to the relationships between families and society, there is no preparation to look carefully at the kind of institutional and societal changes needed to keep up with changing technology. It is noted that children continue to be reared for the nineteenth century rather than the twentieth, and the impact of technological change has been ignored. One problem has been the fact that the response to change and challenge is to collect new knowledge rather than to apply tried and true knowledge; to be concerned about the intellect rather than the effect and the resultant quality of human relationships. Although some movement towards the implementation of policies that favorably affect the lives of children is noted, there remains a long way to go in developing the kind of interest, knowledge, and organization necessary to affect social policy. (Author/AM)

This paper presents arguments for a closer relationship between the American legal system and developmental research in such areas as attachment, the effects of early home environment, cognitive development, and the consequences of giving children decision-making power. It is suggested that greater knowledge in these areas would allow policy makers to better consider the consequences of laws concerning adoption, disposition of minors in divorce cases, child abuse or neglect, foster care, and parental rights. It is argued that too often judges and agency workers are forced to make decisions affecting the lives of children on the basis of intuition alone. Developmental psychologists are called upon to aid in making the juvenile justice system more sophisticated and more likely to serve the best interests of children. It is suggested that many courts and child welfare agencies would be willing to work with behavioral scientists in carrying out the needed research. (BRT)

This paper summarizes data and experience with child abuse pertinent to child health practice. It goal is to foster sound and rational medical management. Because of the complex origins of child abuse, however, and of the institutional and social changes which shall have to accompany excellent practice if child abuse is effectively to be treated and prevented, issues of program and policy development are also addressed. The knowledge base about child abuse is conceptually and methodically limited. Our understanding of the problem of child abuse is broadened by several recent descriptive reports which demonstrate that childhood accidents and child abuse are temporally associated, that the parents of abused children are rarely neurotic or psychotic, and that the developmental sequelae of child abuse and neglect are serious. Child abuse has also been observed to be associated with poverty, low birth weight, parental alcohol and drug abuse, crime, social isolation, marital stress, and unemployment. The coordinated, interdisciplinary management of child abuse may reduce the toll of reinjury while children stay in their own homes. A helpful integrating concept in the diagnosis and treatment of child abuse is the family's capacity to protect its child, either from the consequences of their own angry feelings toward him, or from the hazards of his nuturing environment. (Author/JM)

This paper examines the arbitrary distinctions between intentional and unintentional child injuries, noting that a careful review of the literature of both child abuse and unintentional child injury revealed similarities among the risk factors associated with the two outcomes. A single, multifactor model of injury etiology, the ecologic model, is described, providing a framework for systematically comparing risk factors for abuse with those for unintentional injuries. The etiology of childhood injury is examined in an ecological context, making possible a unified approach to prevention of many kinds of intentional and unintentional child injuries. While the model is described as useful in bringing together research on child abuse and research on unintentional child injuries, it is noted that the social responses to abuse on the one hand and to unintentional injuries on the other remain very different. Individual, familial, social, and cultural factors in childhood injury are identified and the role of social support and social networks is explored. Because the ecological model postulates that life events, chronic stressors, and perceived stress immediately precede an injury event, whether intentional or unintentional, stress and life events are considered in the context of their universality in both types of injury. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed, and a list of 109 references is appended. (Author/NB)

The paper presents an analysis of learning disabilities (LD) issues from a systems perspective. Noted are the possible causative factors, different manifestations of the condition, and maturational delays in age appropriate ego functioning. Difficulties of parenting a handicapped child are said to be magnified for families with limited resources. Issues involved in serving handicapped children, specifically those with LD, within the child welfare system, are examined. Implications for clinical and systems intervention are considered regarding intervention for the children themselves and the systems in the community. Professionals' roles in understanding and involving multiple systems are addressed. Barriers to collaborative relationships between child welfare workers and school personnel are noted, including physical distance, different professional turfs, status, different expectations and terms of accountability and confidentiality. A three-page list of references concludes the report. (CL)

This paper presents proceedings of a 2000 conference on the disproportionate number of African American children in out-of-home placements. The objectives of the lecture and issues forum were to provide a forum where people concerned with the welfare of African American children and families in Minnesota could discuss concerns; to promote meaningful dialogue and cooperative problem solving regarding the status of African American children in the welfare system; and to explore issues and strategies that address child wellbeing and safety and safeguard communities of color. Papers include: "History and Significance" (Glenda Dewberry Rooney); "Where Does it Begin?" (Thomas Morton); and responses from the field (Peggye Mezile, African American Family Services; Nancy Rodenborg, Augsburg College; Ted Thompson, Licensed Practitioner; and David Thompson, Minnesota Department of Human Services). (SM)

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a 1999 symposium on mental health in infants and toddlers, particularly the role of attachment, held at the University of Minnesota. Presentations by Kathryn Barnard of the University of Washington and Anne Gearity of the University of Minnesota are included. Following an introduction and conference overview, the paper presents Barnard's comments, "High Risk Families: The Emotionally Unavailable Parent and the Child," which assert the central importance to the infant of a secure attachment with the primary caregiver, and discusses a list of indicators to use in assessing emotional connection between primary caregiver and child. This paper also reports figures from the literature and from Barnard's own research that indicate that significant numbers of parents, especially among low-income families, have a history themselves of such insecure attachments that they cannot establish the critical emotional connection with their own children or with other helping adults. The paper discusses the attachment interview used to assess adult attachment and discusses interventions that may help caregivers, and thus protect their children's development. Gearity's presentation, "Response: Observations from the Field," discusses the importance of the attachment function in helping people tame traumatic experiences so that the trauma does not interfere with learning. This paper explains that unless there is a reparative process that helps insecurely attached parents to process old traumas, they will not be available for their child to form a secure attachment with them. This new learning must be provided with an affective component rather than purely cognitively. The paper also offers comments on child protection's role in this process. The proceedings also include a question/answer session, a panel commentary, closing comments, and conclusions. (EV)

In 1998, one decade after the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was implemented and research results on the impacts of funding were becoming available, an evaluation of the effectiveness of fifteen programs, which included services such as emergency shelter, primary health care, and education, was needed This report presents 13 papers from a conference on homelessness research: (1) "Demographics and Geography: Estimating Needs" (Martha R. Burt); (2) "Special Populations of Homeless Americans" (Robert Rosensheck, Ellen Bassuk, and Amy Salomon); (3) "Homeless Youth: Research, Intervention, and Policy" (Marjorie J. Robertson and Paul A. Toro); (4) "Making Homeless Programs Accountable to Consumers, Funders, and the Public" (Dennis Culhane, David Eldridge, Robert Rosenheck, and Carol Wilkins); (5) "Giving Voice to Homeless People in Policy, Practice and Research" (Nicole Glasser); (6) "To Dance with Grace: Outreach and Engagement to Persons on the Street" (Sally Erickson and Jaimie Page); (7) "A Review of Case Management for People Who are Homeless: Implications for Practice, Policy, and Research" (Gary Morse); (8) "Balancing Act: Clinical Practices that Respond to the Needs of Homeless People" (Marsha McMurray-Avila, Lillian Gelberg, and William R. Breakey); (9) "Emergency Shelter and Services: Opening a Front Door to the Continuum of Care" (Judith D. Feins and Linda B. Fosburg); (10) "Transitional Housing and Services: A Synthesis" (Sue Barrow and Rita Zimmer); (11) "Reconnecting Homeless Individuals and Families to the Community" (Debra J. Rog and C. Scott Holupka); (12) "What Do We Know about the Systems Integration and Homelessness?" (Deborah L. Dennis, Joseph J. Cocozza, and Henry J. Steadman); and (13) "Rethinking the Prevention of Homelessness" (Marybeth Shinn and Jim Baumohl). Three appendixes contain an agenda, biographies, and participant list. (Each paper contains references.) (SM)

Child Life Programs in hospital settings aim to involve children in activities and relationships appropriate to their needs. Child Life programming is an essential component of health care, as it promotes: (1) advocacy for children, families, and individuals; (2) the sharing of resources and knowledge; (3) cohesion in the health care team; and (4) the ability to cope effectively with stressful situations. It is cost efficient and results in good public relations. Child Life encompasses assessment and planning; the building of supportive relationships; preparation; health care play activities and other focused interactions; support during medical procedures; documentation; and interdisciplinary collaborations. This paper offers observations on Child Life Programs in Australia, England, Canada, and the United States that are drawn from experiences at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and visits to hospitals in the other countries. Topics addressed include the importance of play and the consequences of cultural tendencies to trivialize it; efforts to incorporate a Child Life approach at the Royal Children's Hospital; and differences in the development of policies, accreditation standards, and quality assurance guidelines in Canada, England, and Australia. The paper highlights the Child Life program at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in the United States as an outstanding example of well-integrated care and education. The paper concludes by discussing the benefits of Child Life departments, including the reduction of post-hospital psychological upsets and the increased efficiency of allied health professionals. (AC)

Welfare reform is unavoidably related to children. The importance of considering children's well-being when governments change the rules of support for poor families cannot be overestimated. Findings in the welfare reform proposal contained in the "Contract with America," and elsewhere, are deeply disturbing because they seek to: deny benefits for teenage mothers, limit the time of welfare receipt to 5 years without guaranteeing a workfare slot after that period, and end the entitlement to public assistance by folding that program into a block grant. All of these proposals interact with the balanced budget amendment, which has the potential to cut spending on discretionary entitlement programs by 30 percent. Using the Foundation for Child Development as a case study shows how foundations have responded, and are now responding, to the welfare reform debate. The best solution is to commit to the hard, long-term enterprise of operating humane, individualized, serious welfare-to-work programs, and to try to be realistic about policies to make work pay. (WP)

This collection of papers is drawn from a conference dedicated to children suffering from the harm associated with being born to neglecting families, a circumstance that has emerged as the most challenging phenomenon for the child welfare system. Papers consider the dimensions of the problem, treatment models, policy considerations, and recent trends. Papers include: (1) "Introduction. Neglected Children: Killing Them Softly" (Esther Wattenberg); (2) "Overview of the Conference Papers" (Esther Wattenberg); (3) "Alive but Not Well: An Overview of Policy, Program, and Practice Concerns with Neglecting Families" (Jeanne Giovannon); (4) "Testing the Community Standard on Neglect: Are We There Yet? Findings from a First-Stage Survey of Professional Social Services Workers" (Esther Wattenberg and Laura Boisen); (5) "Reconceptualizing Social Support: The Results of a Study on the Social Networks of Neglecting Mothers" (Sandra Beeman); (6) "Risk Assessment: What Do We Know? Findings from Three Research Studies on Children Reported to Child Protective Services" (Diana English); (7) "Throwing a Spotlight on the Developmental Outcomes for Children: Findings of a Seventeen-Year Follow-up Study" (Martha Farrell Erickson and Byron Egeland); and (8) "Testing Two Innovative Approaches: Summaries of Practice Project Presentations Given at the Conferences: 1. Amplifying Choice for Neglecting Families: Early Findings from a Research Study" (Philip AuClaire); 2. "Empowering Families To Disconnect from Public Agencies as They Find Resources within Their Own Communities" (Nancy Schaefer and Charles E. Jackson). References follow each paper. (Contains 17 tables.) (SLD)

This paper discusses home visiting programs for low income parents and infants and describes five such programs known collectively as the Child Survival/Fair Start (CS/FS) projects, funded by the Ford Foundation. It describes a conceptual model which links risk factors and intervention activities to effects on mothers and children and explains how interpersonal intervention through home visits sets out to change maternal behaviors--use of available health care, habits of self-care and nutrition, and skill and sensitivity as a parent--and thereby improve child health and development outcomes. Basic elements of a home visiting program are discussed, including education to provide information, advice, and role-modeling; practical assistance to increase the mother's access to services; and social support activities to increase her motivation to apply that knowledge. The five CS/FS programs served the following populations: migrant Mexican farmworkers in southernmost Florida; young Black mothers in rural Alabama; isolated families in Appalachia; recent Haitian immigrants in south-central Florida, and Mexican families in Austin, Texas. The ensuing discussion touches on three particularly important issues: (1) meshing, not competing, with the mother's existing support system; (2) providing support that creates self-confidence and not dependence; and (3) coping with the variability in program effectiveness that results from differences in the nature and evolution of supportive relationships. The paper concludes with an overview of the results of CS/FS program evaluations. Paper copies of presentation slides are included. (TE)

Because of the threat of gangs, drugs and violence in their community, in the fall of 1990 16 African-American men started the Positive Impact Program (PIP) in Wynne, Arkansas for at-risk African-American boys. The program was originally developed to serve boys in kindergarten through eighth grade, but it has recently been made available to all youth. Wynne contains a poor neighborhood in which 95% of the 2,000 residents are black. Also, the unemployment rate is about 60% and about 70% of the residents are welfare recipients living below the poverty level. There are problems with teen pregnancy, drugs, violence, and gangs. The PIP program serves about 130 youth in grades K-8, about 43% of the black male youth population in the neighborhood. Three-fifths of the adolescent participants come from a one parent-household and 75% of them receive free or reduced-price lunch. The program has 17 adult advisors who supervise community service and work activities of the youth. The youngsters are encouraged to participate in tutoring services provided by advisors and teachers. PIP offers a comprehensive meeting of needs for at-risk youth in addressing concerns for their safety, academic success, relationship with peers and adults, emotional well-being, and cultural and recreational interests. Contains five references. (JE)

Since 1985 the Southeast Regional Troubled Children's Committee (SERTCC) has formed local committees and promoted interagency collaboration to serve troubled children and their families in 24 counties in southeast Georgia. SERTCC provides intensive family-based services within the homes of dysfunctional families for 12 weeks, with the goal of keeping families together and preventing out-of-home placement of children. In the past 7 years, 203 children and 848 family members have been served through the program. The program has been successful in keeping 80 percent of children in the home and family units intact. Additionally, the cost of intensive family-based services is significantly lower when compared to intermediate care placement and intensive care placement. The goals of SERTCC include ensuring appropriate case resolution and staffing at the local and regional levels, developing effective policies and procedures, developing or facilitating a continuum of community resources to meet the needs of troubled children and their families, supporting services to children through age 22, and increasing the responsiveness of various agencies to the needs of children and their families through staff development and staff training. Includes recommendations for implementing an intensive family-based service program, a map of the area served by SERTCC, and client statistics from 1987-1993. (LP)

A number of research seminars were organized to clarify the fundamental principles underlying local, regional, and international efforts to establish a structure for monitoring and promoting children's rights. This book contains papers presented at these seminars by experts on child advocacy, promotion of children's interests by children, and children's knowledge and views. The 14 papers presented are: (1) "The Search for the Achilles Heel: Monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Its Implications for the States Parties" (Eugeen Verhellen); (2) "Working for the Rights of Children in Norway" (Malfrid Grude Flekkoy); (3) "Activities of the German Society for the Protection of Children: Establishing the Office of the Child Commissioner in the Federal Republic of Germany" (Walter Wilken); (4) "'Baby Kissing' or a Real Policy for Children?" (Ludwig Salgo); (5) "French Public and Private Initiatives Contributing to the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in France" (Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig with Annie Bouyx); (6) "Out of the Mouths of Babes," on the difficulties of implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Judith Ennew and Virginia Morrow); (7) "Do the Rights of the Child Bring Childhood from the Periphery to the Centre of Society?" (Marjatta Bardy); (8) "Ways of Presenting Children's Lives and Activities" (Jens Qvortrup); (9) "Policy for Children: The Situation in Norway" (Per Egil Mjaavatn); (10) "Children or Youth Town Councils" (Evelyne Lebault); (11) "The Conference 'Voices of the Children,' A Participation Project of and for Children" (J. J. Voeten); (12) "Children's Express: By Children for Everybody" (Robert Clampitt); (13) "Working Children: Leading the Struggle to Obtain and Defend Their Own Rights" (Nelly Torres); and (14) "The United Nations of Youth" (Jeroen Keppens). (TJQ)

This document contains papers presented at the Seventh National Conference of the Children's Rights Council, also known as the National Council for Children's Rights. The papers presented were: (1) "Alternatives to the Adversarial Process for Resolution of Child Custody Cases" (Hugh McIsaac); (2) "New Decision Making Models in Child Protection Cases" (Nancy Thoennes); (3) "Socializing Techniques: Positive Parenting in a Hostile Environment" (Kris Kline); (4) "How To Prepare for Your Day in Court" (Karen Chandler); (5) "Improving the Legal System Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse Involving Very Young Children" (Howard Davidson); (6) "The Custody Revolution" (Richard Warshak); (7) "Revising the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act--Our Best Hope for Dealing with Sex-Abuse Hysteria in the United States" (Richard Gardner); (8) "How To Better Distinguish between Real and False Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse" (Dean Tong); (9) "What Children Need from Parents after Separation and Divorce" (Risa Garon and others); (10) "Grandparents as Resources for Children and Grandchildren" (Ethel Dunn); (11) "The Crisis, Courage, and Challenge of Single Parenting" (Suzy Yehl Marta); (12) "Play Therapy for Adults: Enriching the Child Within" (June Hutchison); (13) "Understanding Child Psychotherapy (or) When Talk Isn't Cheap" (Kim Boedecker-Frey); (14) "Symposium: A New Financial Child Support Guideline for the States To Consider" (Roger Gay); (15) "Maximizing Child Support" (Donald Bieniewicz); (16) "The Use and Misuse of Mental Health Experts in Child Custody Cases--Relocation" (Arnold Rutkin); (17) "The Use and Misuse of Mental Health Experts in Child Custody Cases--Standards" (Ronald Henry); (18) "How Parents Can Use Life Insurance To Provide for the Financial Security of Their Children after Divorce" (Ted Knight); (19) "How To Work with the Courts and Commissions" (H. W. Burmeister and others); and (20) "Working with the Media and State Legislatures" (Eric Anderson). (TJQ)

This conference proceedings document includes 43 papers on the provision of mental health services to children. Eleven papers focus on evaluation of systems of care, addressing: preliminary findings from several program evaluation studies, systems of care in California, several Robert Wood Johnson projects, a parents' satisfaction survey in Colorado, comprehensive services and prevention, multicultural issues, and innovative neighborhood-based approaches. Five papers discuss the organization, staffing, and financing of systems of care. These papers consider state financing strategies to promote home-based and community-based services, workforce issues related to community-based services, residential treatment programs in Florida, embeddedness and resource transfers between agencies, and the role of cash subsidies. Program evaluation is the focus of six papers considering issues of children's in-home psychiatric emergency services, family reconciliation services, a home-based mentor program, community-based programs, qualitative evaluation of community-based prevention programs, and multisystemic treatment with adolescent offenders and substance abusers. Eight papers look at the role of education in systems of care. These papers discuss: the school-based wraparound approach, three demonstration projects in Texas, a primary prevention and early intervention demonstration project, attitudes of teachers and students toward mainstreaming, and attitudes of parents toward collaborative educational teams. The final section presents five papers on child welfare/foster care systems. They address: factors influencing appropriate placement, treatment foster family care, an individualized system of care and juvenile delinquency, the use of aggregated progress indicators to evaluate treatment foster care, and integrating research into practice in a public welfare agency. Most papers contain references. (DB)

Child care costs place a heavy burden on working families with young children. This study investigated relationships among income, cost of living, and child care costs in families who purchased center-based child care. Subjects were 720 families from Massachusetts, Georgia, and Virginia. Parents were interviewed separately to obtain information on income, employment, child care costs, family structure, child rearing styles, attitudes, role expectations, and subjective measures of individual and family well-being. Median and per capita incomes for the sample were calculated, and a standard of living index was established for comparison with 1990 census data on populations of families with children. Analysis revealed that the standard of living of families who can afford child care was significantly higher than the average standard of living from families with children in all three states. Single parent and ethnic minority families had a much lower standard of living, especially when they had more than one child. The study demonstrated the reliability, for cross-geographical comparison, of the standard of living index as an objective measure of family economic welfare. (Contains 12 tables/figures.) (MM)

This study investigated the effects of cocaine addiction on mothers' ability to care for their children. The population interviewed included 25 cocaine-addicted mothers in a drug treatment center and a comparison group of 25 mothers of children in a Head Start program. Each mother was questioned about: (1) her pregnancy with a specific child (children's mean age = 3.2 years); (2) the child's social, motor, and cognitive development; (3) her expectations for the child's future; (4) the adequacy of her resources and social support; and, (5) her level of depression. The addicted mothers were also asked how their drug use affected their ability to take care of their children. Emotional neglect or abuse of the children was reported by 60% of the cocaine-addicted mothers. Physical neglect was also reported by 60% of the addicted mothers. Children of the addicted mothers had more chaotic home environments, moved more frequently from home to home, and were more likely to have been placed in foster care than children of mothers in the comparison group. Compared to mothers in the comparison group, addicted mothers described their children as having been more difficult as infants, rated their children lower in overall development, had lower expectations for their children's future, and were more worried that their children would get into trouble in the future. The results of the study reveal that there are clear and important differences between the environments of children whose mothers abuse cocaine and those whose families are simply poor. (SM)

This document synthesizes the critical issues discussed at a symposium designed to examine strategies that social institutions, particularly child care and early education institutions, can use to bolster parent and family effectiveness in providing healthy environments for children. First, the document describes four dimensions of parent choice: (1) enabling parent selection of appropriate services; (2) empowering parents; (3) improving quality; and (4) reforming the early care and education system. Next, the document assesses the present effectiveness of choice in each of the four areas identified as dimensions of parent choice. Finally, the document outlines specific strategies for addressing shortcomings in each of the four dimensions of parent choice. Contains 34 references. (MM)

This conference report presents papers delivered during the three sessions of the conference. The first session concerned violence against children. In this session, two papers discussed the goal of achieving a healthy childhood for all children. The second session addressed the topic of early child care and education. Papers presented in this session described a two-generation project for providing community-based early childhood care and education in Aberdeen, Scotland, and a multicultural project that served children in a German town with a large population of Turkish immigrants. The sole paper presented in the third session discussed changes in mass media since 1955 and the right of children to receive information that furthers their well-being. A list of conference participants is appended. (BC)

Teachers have a special trust with students that includes not taking advantage of or abusing them. To ensure that sexual abuse is handled correctly in the school system, a policy must be adopted that requires employees to report incidences of abuse and make sure that the reporting requirement is balanced against the accused individual's rights. From a legal perspective, almost every state requires reporting of suspected instances of child abuse. The adopted policy must be communicated to all teachers, staff, students, and parents. Prompt but confidential investigation of any claims is recommended. Suggested procedures, liabilities for failure to perform duties, and the role of board members are outlined. The Ohio Revised Code on child abuse, a sexual abuse fact sheet, and newspaper article are included. (EJS)

This section presents public and nonprofit conference paper abstracts, including a study that focuses on the multiple individual decisions that bring a person into an agency to volunteer, an exploration of potential differences between the two sectors and their resultant implications for knowledge sharing effectiveness, and a discussion of management training offered by states in the field of child welfare.

This collection includes five papers dealing with different foci on the ecology of child development. The first presentation discusses childhood social indicators as means of monitoring the ecology of development. The second, on the social context of childhood, shows that how society treats its youngest members depends both upon its perception of what children are like and its perception of what is required for effective functioning of society itself. The value of children to parents and the decrease in family size is the subject of the third paper. This paper notes that in order to predict fertility trends and birth rates, one needs to understand the motivational factors underlying the desire to have children and to analyze these motivations in relation to other social conditions--such as analyzing the needs that children satisfy, as well as costs (both emotional and financial) that are involved in parenthood. The fourth paper, on "reality and research in the ecology of human development", documents the changes over time that have been taking place in one enduring context which is critical for human development--i.e., the family. The final paper focuses on mounting effective child advocacy. (Author/JM)