Current federal legislation identifies three goals for the child welfare system: safety, permanence, and family and child well-being. Unfortunately, child well-being becomes subordinate to the more easily achievable and measurable goal of permanence--returning children to the biological family, facilitating an adoption, or placing them with…

Explores licensing of out-of-home care as nonservice protective approach to child welfare distinguished from placement protective services. Discusses individual and role conflicts in relation to common goals of community protection of vulnerable children. Reviews administrative and organizational issues in light of assuring consistent and uniform…

Draws on information collected from 877 subjects in Hong Kong using structured questionnaires to highlight the importance of parental involvement in the child's prospects of returning home from residential care. Challenges decisions in discharge planning that do not take into account an overall view of the child's needs. (MOK)

Describes the development and evaluation of a community-based program that provided an alternative to residential care by providing "wraparound" services to children with moderate to severe emotional difficulties. Program goals were preventing admission to residential care, maintaining children in the area, and assisting in early…

Describes model licensing proposals for residential services for pregnant and parenting adolescents. Developed from a federally funded project, these proposals highlight licensing rules in four areas: (1) staff and training; (2) staff-client ratio; (3) program and health requirements; and (4) services to fathers. The rules represent baseline…

In Rhode Island, an extensive study of the service delivery process affecting children in residential treatment reaffirmed the mounting criticism of inadequacy and limitations of existing programs. The findings played a part in the creation of a centralized state program for such services. (DP)