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Partnering With Parents: Promising Approaches To Improve Reunification Outcomes For Children In Foster Care, J D. Berrick, Edward Cohen, Elizabeth Anthony

Journal of Family Strengths

Family reunification is one of the central tenents of the child welfare system, yet research supporting effective practices to promote safe reunifications is limited. As a departure from previous initiatives, the Parent Partner (PP) program enlists as staff mothers and fathers who have experienced child removal, services, and reunification. This study examines outcomes for children served by the PP program. The experimental group includes 236 children whose parents were served by a Parent Partner and a matched comparison group of 55 children whose parents were served by the public child welfare agency in 2004, before the Parent Partner program was …

Practitioners' Views Of Family Strengths: A Delphi Study, Kathleen Romero, Jessica Crowder, Kenneth Wedel

Journal of Family Strengths

Reported is a research study to assess the opinions of family practitioners on the status of families in Oklahoma. Researchers employed the Delphi method to achieve consensus among key informants in the family practice field about the strengths and weaknesses of Oklahoma families, threats facing families in the state, and means to strengthening family life in Oklahoma. The study yielded qualitative data from the key informants, which the researchers then condensed into response categories to feed back to informants to rate. Family practitioners identified resilience, spirituality, and access to support systems as the greatest strengths, and listed substance abuse, poverty, …

Low-Income Fathers’ Barriers To Participation In Family And Parenting Programs, Shawna J. Lee, Anna Yelick, Kimberly Brisebois, Kelvin L. Banks

Journal of Family Strengths

This exploratory study used semi-structured focus groups to examine: 1) where and from whom fathers obtain information about parenting; 2) the types of parenting services men are aware of, and their attitudes about participating in such services; and 3) fathers’ perceived norms about the acceptability and utility of various parenting practices. Low-income men (N = 17) were recruited from a human services agency in Detroit, Michigan. Four major themes emerged. First was the need for male-focused community resources for fathers. Second was that men were aware of and used positive disciplinary strategies. Third was emphasis on fathers’ positive and effective …

The Impact Of Family Stressors On The Social Development Of Adolescents Admitted To A Residential Treatment Facility, Cynthia Harr, Tancy Horn-Johnson, Nathaniel Williams, Lacey Dejager

Journal of Family Strengths

The focus of this research was to determine the impact of family stressors on the social development of adolescents at admission to long-term mental health residential care. The study was conducted at the Waco Center for Youth, the only long-term residential care agency serving emotionally and behaviorally challenged adolescents and their families that functions under the authority of the Texas Department of State Health Services. Data was obtained from social assessment forms (N=457) in case records of clients. The prevalence of problem behaviors exhibited by the youth upon entry to the residential facility was examined and it was found that …

Connecting The Dots: Families And Children With Special Needs In A Rural Community, Saundra Starks, Dana J. Sullivan, Vella Mae Travis

Journal of Family Strengths

Due to the rising number of children with disabilities, the needs of these families must be addressed. This article describes the development and implementation of a regional forum in a rural community to address education and training needs of families and professionals. The Special Needs Summit provided workshops, information, and activities for parents and professionals. Participants were invited to participate in a study through a survey soliciting feedback regarding the importance and effectiveness of the training and information received through the Summit, gaps in resources, and future educational and training needs. Overall, participants gave satisfactory ratings regarding the training and …

Grandparents In Kinship Care: Help Or Hindrance To Family Preservation, Patricia A. Wilkerson, Gloria J. Davis

Journal of Family Strengths

The phenomenon of grandparents and other relatives raising children is a tradition rooted in the African American culture. However, a substantial increase in the number of relatives raising children has drawn attention to the child welfare system. Many of the biological parents are incarcerated for drugs or suffering from other social ills. Kinship care is an important component of family preservation and prevents court intervention based on child protection concerns and avoids formal placement of children in the child welfare system (Wilkerson, 1999). The child welfare system, however, is not conducive to this phenomenon. Placing children with grandparents and relatives …

Family Stability And Childhood Behavioral Outcomes: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Stephen Baldridge

Journal of Family Strengths

As the definition of what is considered a family changes in our society, the family unit itself continues to undergo changes. These changes can sometimes lead to decreased stability within the family unit. One of the greatest challenges facing those researching this phenomenon is the lack of consistency within the existing body of research surrounding what familial instability actually is (the definition). This critical review of the literature examines the current body of literature in order to identify what is known about family stability and its impact on adolescent behavior, as well as what gaps currently exist. This review focuses …

Strengthening Families: Parents' Voices On Discipline And Child Rearing, Elizabeth M. Breshears

Journal of Family Strengths

This qualitative study conducted semi-structured, multi-session focus groups and interviews with twenty-seven participants to explore in-depth, participant constructs of child discipline and punishment methods and reasons for the continuing support for corporal punishment of U.S. children. The research assumed that parents want to parent well and utilized the strengths perspective as the instrument to listen to participants' voices. Narratives revealed that participants were thoughtful about discipline and parenting strategies and viewed their parent role as a serious commitment. Non-violent discipline strategies, particularly communication, were often used. However, parents generally framed use of physical punishment as “when children need spanking” versus …

An Examination Of The Contextual Environment Of Families With Sexually Abused Adolescents, Javonda D. Williams, Debra Nelson-Gardell

Journal of Family Strengths

This study examined the impact of the contextual environment of the family on post abuse adjustment of sexually abused adolescents. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory was used to investigate how the external influences of the family impact the capacity of families to foster the recovery of sexually abused adolescents. The results from this secondary analysis of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being Wave I (NSCAW, Dowd et al., 2002) support contextually sensitive treatment planning for sexually abused adolescents and their families.

Resilient Families Help Make Resilient Children, James P. Coyle

Journal of Family Strengths

Many children are resilient despite dysfunctional families and communities. Resilience theory and research describe families’ positive impact on children’s resilience, yet it can often be challenging to identify these factors in children’s multi-problem families. Strategies for enhancing family resilience can strengthen the family treatment approaches that are commonly used to help children. This paper explains how family resilience influences children's resilience and applies this knowledge to a case example of a struggling family. It proposes methods for identifying and enhancing family protective factors that support children’s resilience.

That Wall Is Around My Heart: Family Centered Practice, Roger Friedman

Journal of Family Strengths

The author uses a clinical case study, in which he works with a teenager and his adoptive parents to illustrate how placement and adoption decisions can provide physical safety while at the same time exacerbating and extending overlooked and destructive effects of child abuse. The case study highlights the continuing impact of childhood trauma on the interpersonal patterns of behavior within the family, whether biological, kinship, foster or adoptive. The tendency for patterns of aggression and reactivity to be repeated by the victim and his or her caregivers in a foster or adoptive home, and then to extend into the …

Is Our Business Family-Centered?, David Berns

Journal of Family Strengths

Human Services agencies often claim to be family-centered, but continue to implement “Service Integration” in a way that supports their mission rather than supporting families. David Berns, guest editor for this issue of the Journal of Family Strengths, presents a framework for redefining the role of governmental agencies beyond their day-to-day delivery of services to one that prevents the need for more intrusive and more costly interventions. Under this philosophy, agencies must consider how families functioned before they requested assistance, and how they will function if services are not successful. By taking the time to truly understand a family’s needs, …

Strengthening And Preserving Family Is Essential To America's Future, William B. Flores

Journal of Family Strengths

This editorial provides an overview of how the articles in this issue contextualize the wide-range of perceptions and practices that support (and sometimes undermine) family strengths. Data on the challenges facing today’s families are presented.

New Name, New Format, New Publisher, Same Principles And Values, Alvin Sallee, Angelo P. Giardino, Robert D. Sanborn

Journal of Family Strengths

This issue of the Journal of Family Strengths is an opportunity for a fresh start, as the Family Preservation Journal is renewed and revived under a new name and a new format. Still keen on being a definitive record on developments in family strengths and parenting, the Journal is devoted to presenting theory, practice and evaluation articles on the strengths perspective in family preservation practice, all to assure and improve services and programs that promote and sustain family systems.

Child Welfare Workers’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of The Organizational Environment On Permanency Decisions For Families, Belinda Smith, Rhonda Wells-Wilbon

Journal of Family Strengths

The findings of this study suggest that while child welfare workers are consistently distracted by competing priorities from unexpected events, most are committed, and to understand perspectives is more inclusive and may improve retention rates. Notably, while it is recognized that permanency decisions are not made in an intellectual, legal or clinical vacuum and certain traditional aspects of the bureaucratic structure do not impact decision making, this study advances the body of knowledge on child welfare decision making. Examined in this study are child welfare case workers’ perceptions of the extent to which the organizational environment influences the permanency decisions …

Library Holiday Hours, Subscription To Microbiology, Jama & Archives, Vol 9 (11), Texas Medical Center Library

Insider Express (2003-2013)

No abstract provided.

Related Resources, Children At Risk

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Related resources for Volume 2, Issue 2: Teen Pregnancy.

Review: Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide For Developing And Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs, Ralph J. Diclemente

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

A review of Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs by Douglas Kirby.

Saturday Morning Television Advertisements Aired On English And Spanish Language Networks Along The Texas-Mexico Border, Cristina S. Barroso, Dianeth Rodriguez, Perla L. Camacho

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Objectives: The aim of this content analysis study is to characterize the TV advertisements aired to an at-risk child population along the Texas-Mexico border.

Methods: We characterized the early Saturday morning TV advertisements aired by three broadcast network categories (U.S. English language, U.S. Spanish language, and Mexican Spanish language) in Spring 2010. The number, type (food related vs. non-food related), target audience, and persuasion tactics used were recorded. Advertised foods, based on nutrition content, were categorized as meeting or not meeting current dietary guidelines.

Results: Most commercials were non-food related (82.7%, 397 of 480). The majority of the prepared foods …

Implications For Adoption And Implementation Of Effective Sexual Health Education Programs, Karin K. Coyle

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Research on school-based sexual health education programs is at a critical juncture. With the growing number of evidenced-based programs, more focus is needed on how to help schools adopt and implement these programs. The article in this issue titled “Sexual Health Education from the Perspectives of School Staff: Implications for Adoption and Implementation of Effective Programs in Middle School” provides data on individual cognitive factors that may influence adoption and implementation. This commentary explores another framework, Concerns Based Adoption Model, as a tool for examining and supporting change associated with adoption and implementation of sexual health education programs.

A Coordinated And Systematic Model For Adopting, Implementing And Maintaining Effective Sexual Health Education Programs In Schools, Stephen W. Banspach

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Getting evidence-based sexual health education activities into schools can be a complicated process. Working models that assist our educational system in the selection, implementation, and maintenance of effective school-based adolescent health programs are needed. Replicating sexual health programs in school-based settings: A model for schools provides a comprehensive and applied approach that engages all of the important stakeholders within a school district. The results from this study hold much potential to inform Texas and the nation about how a coordinated and practical model can assist school districts to increase the use of evidence-based programs addressing teen pregnancy prevention and sexual …

The Challenge Of Preventing Teen Pregnancy In Texas, Forrest L. Alton

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

A reduction in teen pregnancy and subsequent reduction in teen births correlates to myriad improvements in personal (e.g., high school completion, experience of abuse and neglect, etc); social (e.g., number of children in single parent families, life-long poverty, incarceration rates, etc); and economic (e.g., Medicaid costs, decreased tax revenue, etc) outcomes. In 2005, over 73,000 teen girls in Texas age 15-19 became pregnant, a number significantly higher than any other state. Given the severity of the issue the formation of a statewide organization in Texas devoted to addressing the prevention of teen pregnancy is long overdue. The challenge of reducing …

Rediscovering The Evidence: Parental Support For Sex Education In Schools, Michael D. Resnick Phd

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Invited commentary on Dispelling the Myth: What Parents Really Think about Sex Education in Schools

Commentary On "A Tale Of Two States", Ronna Popkin, John Santelli, Douglas Kirby

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

While both California and Texas have experienced declines in teen birth rates over the past three decades, declines in California have been larger, particularly among Hispanic teens. Differences in state policies may have shaped this disparity, as suggested by Tortolero and her colleagues in their article “A Tale of Two States: What We Learn from California and Texas”. Fundamental differences exist between Texas and California in their approaches to sex education, access to family planning services for teens, and public-private partnerships. However, methodological challenges are present when drawing state comparisons, including the limitations of available public health data and the …

Adolescents’ Sexual Health Matters: Texas Should Get On Board, Jane D. Brown

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Texas has an appalling record on adolescent sexual health. The Markham, et al. analysis of three data sets comparing Texas with the United States suggests what can be done to remedy the state's negative trends: (1) acknowledge that teens are having sex; (2) provide earlier, medically-accurate sex education; and, (3) provide reproductive health services in school-based health centers.

Sexual Health Education From The Perspective Of School Staff: Implications For Adoption And Implementation Of Effective Programs In Middle School, Melissa F. Peskin, Belinda F. Hernandez, Christine Markham, Kimberly Johnson, Shellie Tyrrell, Robert C. Addy, Ross Shegog, Paula M. Cuccaro, Paul E. Deroulet, Susan R. Tortolero

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Introduction: US teens are having sex early; however, the vast majority of schools do not implement evidence-based sexual health education (SHE) programs that could delay sexual behavior and/or reduce risky behavior. This study examines middle school staff’s knowledge, attitudes, barriers, self-efficacy, and perceived support (psychosocial factors known to influence SHE program adoption and implementation). Methods: Professional school staff from 33 southeast Texas middle schools completed an internet or paper-based survey. Prevalence estimates for psychosocial variables were computed for the total sample. Chi-square and t-test analyses examined variation by demographic factors. Results: Almost 70% of participants were female, 37% white, …

Does Immediate Access To Birth Control Help Prevent Pregnancy? A Comparison Of Onsite Provision Versus Off Campus Referral For Contraception At Two School-Based Clinics, Peggy Smith, Gabrielle Novello, Mariam R. Chacko

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of different policies on access to hormonal contraception and pregnancy rates at two high school-based clinics.

METHODS: Two clinics in high schools (Schools A and B), located in a large urban district in the southwest US, provide primary medical care to enrolled students with parental consent; the majority of whom have no health insurance coverage. The hormonal contraceptive dispensing policy of at School clinic A involves providing barrier, hormonal and emergency contraceptive services on site. School clinic B uses a referral policy that directs students to obtain contraception at …

Choosing And Maintaining Programs For Sex Education In Schools: The Champss Model, Belinda F. Hernandez, Melissa Peskin, Ross Shegog, Christine Markham, Kimberly Johnson, Eric A. Ratliff, Dennis H. Li, I. Sonali Weerasinghe, Paula M. Cuccaro, Susan R. Tortolero

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Background: Despite effective solutions to reduce teen birth rates, Texas teen birth rates are among the highest in the nation. School districts can impact youth sexual behavior through implementation of evidence-based programs (EBPs); however, teen pregnancy prevention is a complex and controversial issue for school districts. Subsequently, very few districts in Texas implement EBPs for pregnancy prevention. Additionally, school districts receive little guidance on the process for finding, adopting, and implementing EBPs. Purpose: The purpose of this report is to present the CHoosing And Maintaining Programs for Sex education in Schools (CHAMPSS) Model, a practical and realistic framework to help …

School Based Health Centers Should Provide Contraception To Teens, Laura Davis, Emily Bridges

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Many students are sexually active, and hundreds of thousands experience pregnancy every year. Smith, Novello, and Chacko’s research found that students at a school where contraception is available on site were more likely to access contraception and less likely to experience pregnancy – illustrating the power of school based health centers (SBHCs) to help students take responsibility and protect their own futures. Yet the majority of SBHCs are prohibited from dispensing contraception. To remove barriers in access to contraception and help reduce teen pregnany, policymakers, school administrators, and health providers should ensure that SBHCs follow youth-friendly protocols and provide confidential …

Adolescent Sexual Health: Time To Engage, William Smith

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Issue editor introduction to Volume 2, Issue 2 of the Journal of Applied Research on Children.