This guide contains a brief history of the Internet and explains how to connect to the Internet. It then lists Internet addresses of national organizations, federal agencies, and foundations that provide information on children's issues such as disabilities, child abuse, health issues, legislation, and funding opportunities. (CR)

Respite care curriculum content, training approaches, and evaluation strategies are reviewed and evaluated. The need for social and ecological validity in both the content and process of instruction is discussed, as are key elements for training activities. Specific attention is drawn to the need for individualized training and curriculum…

The parent of a severely handicapped child encourages parents to prepare written care plans when leaving a child with others for a respite period. (DB)

Parents of severely disabled or chronically ill children need to find competent baby-sitters for respite as well as opportunities to spend time with other family members. Baby-sitters, who may be found among supportive professionals, community groups, and college sutdents, may be trained to deal with specific child care concerns. (CL)

Designed for parents who wish to develop local respite care services for families with disabled children, this primer outlines strategies for: evaluating current available services and programs; pulling people together; conducting a needs assessment; raising money; and writing a proposal. (CB)

The book examines approaches for developing supports for families with special needs. Following a brief introduction to the needs of families with disabled family members, a section considers basic questions to be used in determining the needs of individuals within the family and of the family as a whole. An example of short-term care services is…

Intended for parents of children with disabilities, the booklet lists types and addresses of resources available in Alaska. Resources are organized according to the following types of services: support services, medical and health services, education, respite care, day care, homemaker and home health aides, residential services, vocational…

Intended for people interested in replicating the ideas contained in this manual in their own communities, the handbook describes the Family Exchange Center (FEC), an approach designed to support families with developmentally disabled children. Services offered include social, recreational, educational, mutual aid, support, and respite activities.…

The booklet is designed to help people interested in babysitting for children with special needs. A brief explanation of each of the four disabilities covered by this guide (autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental retardation) is followed by a checklist designed to elicit information on practical issues from parents, such as communication…

The manual is intended for use in training institutes for persons providing respite care for families of children with developmental disabilities in Montana. Expectations for participants and objectives for training are outlined in preliminary sections. Each chapter contains a brief statement of the chapter's main point or points, a selected…

The report discusses financing respite care (short term care of the handicapped to provide family relief) services for the developmentally disabled (DD). Respite care is examined as a component of a comprehensive service delivery system for the DD, and the scope of respite care services as conceptualized by its advocates is reviewed. Nationally…

This fact sheet focuses on principles and practices of collaboration, especially between community crisis nursery and respite care services for families of children with special needs. First, the paper distinguishes among various ways to share resources, including networking, coordination, cooperation, and then collaboration, which is seen as…

The manual is designed to provide basic information on disabilities to future respite providers. The first chapter examines the nature and characteristics of handicaps in general as well as specific types, such as cerebral palsy, deafness, mental retardation, and behavioral disabilities. The chapter also introduces changing social notions…

The newsletter offers perspectives on the provision of family support services for families with disabled members. An introductory article by Madeleine Will, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, stresses the impressive coping skills exhibited by many such families and their relationship to service professionals.…

The manual covers the design and implementation of respite care services for families with developmentally disabled members. An introductory chapter examines the concept of respite care, notes the benefits for families, providers, and community residential programs, and places the service as one part of a comprehensive array of family support…