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Identifies programs in the U.S. and Canada that offer services specifically for children and families of adult offenders. Each entry provides the following information: telephone, address, e-mail, website, contact person(s), area served, year established, publications, and a brief description of the program and its services. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Changes in rituals and routines between drinking and sobriety were examined in families in treatment due to paternal alcohol abuse. Information was gathered through a semistructured family interview. Recurrent disruptions of rituals and routines were found between different phases in the drinking cycle. Disruptions were found typically with regard to the fathers' participation in rituals and routines, the parental roles and responsibility, the affective quality of the rituals, and the general family climate. Four categories of families were distinguished based on amount and type of…
The Sure Start Plus pilot program was implemented in England to target support services to teen parents. The initiative was intended to reduce social isolation and improve parenting skills, health care, housing opportunities, and child care. Through a variety of models, Sure Start Plus offered individual advisors, advocacy, group therapy, and parenting classes. This executive summary presents an overview of the program and highlights the findings of an evaluation. The review indicated that crisis services, parenting activities, and health assistance were successful in helping the young women…
Other
Family structure changed rapidly in the second half of the 20th century, with two-parent families increasingly replaced by other family forms. Divorce is common, one-third of all births occur out of wedlock, and cohabiting couples are widespread. The decline of marriage has been particularly evident in poor communities. In this societal context, three of the four purposes of the 1996 welfare legislation were related to marriage and family formation: states were urged to promote marriage, reduce out-of-wedlock childbearing, and support two-parent families. Panelists at this First Tuesday forum…
Brief
Consistent emotional bonds between families and adolescents have been found to be a significant protective factor for young people and a necessary component to achieve positive outcomes. That being said, it is estimated that there are 2,473,300 children of male prisoners and 319,718 children of female prisoners in U.S. correctional facilities. Our nation's high rate of incarceration takes a heavy toll socially and economically on children, their families and communities. Supports are needed because they make communities more resilient to the effects of incarceration and serve to prevent…
Other
Designed for child welfare workers in North Carolina, this journal issue focuses on fathers. It begins by discussing father involvement in child welfare, the importance of fathers for healthy childhood development, and the potential impact of having an absent father on children. Factors influencing father involvement are explored, and findings from a study of father involvement in kinship care are shared. Findings from the study indicate caseworkers lacked information about the fathers, focused on the deficits of the fathers, and did not involve fathers in case planning. Strategies for…
Training Materials, Book
The Money Habitudes workbook is designed to be used with Money Habitudes cards and the Money Habitudes Training DVD. Its exercises help people discover how habits and attitudes about money support or sabotage their life, relationship, career and financial goals. The guide can be used in the context of a group training or can be used by individuals and couples working on their own. The workbook walks people through the steps to sort and interpret the Money Habitudes cards; provides space to record results and interpretations; includes tables relating Habitudes to typical financial and life…
This chapter draws upon 14 years of related ethnographic studies to uncover the principal features that characterize family life among the poor. Experiences dealing with multiple agencies are discussed, as well as experiences dealing with health problems in the context of the U.S. medical care system, and the aftermaths of household emergencies. 34 references.
This chapter reviews how theorists and policymakers portray the state’s capacity to alter the behavior and beliefs of low income parents and then highlights findings from a study of two women’s experiences in their efforts to find jobs and supportive resources. Finding a job and securing welfare supports were linked to their parenting pathway, however, the mothers’ first concern was their children’s well-being. The chapter concludes by exploring whether the motivating power of raising children might lead to a more effective family policy. 34 references. (Author abstract modified)
This chapter synthesizes the results of both quantitative experimental and qualitative research about how low-income children fare as their mothers spend more time in the labor market and attempt to strike a new balance between work and parenting. Findings indicate policies that effectively increase parental income as they increase employment improve the well-being of young children and are the most promising for helping families cope. Numerous references.