Globally, families who care for a child or adolescent with disabilities have been found to experience high levels of maternal ill health, stress, depression and family breakdown. In extreme cases, children and adolescents may have to move away from their family to a permanent residential placement. A potentially more appropriate and cost-effective…

Background: Specialist short break services aim to provide enhanced support to family carers as a means of preventing children whose behaviours severely challenge from being placed in full-time residential care. To date, there is limited evidence as to the functioning and effectiveness of such services. Methods: In all, 17 children were selected…

In this study, a family support program was carried out for primary caregivers of children with disabilities. The program included respite care, recreation programs, counseling, and social support coordination based on individual needs of each family. In order to verify the intervention effects, parenting stress and family quality of life were…

The purpose of this paper is to review intervention research to determine the types of family support that are reported and evaluated in early childhood. This review includes 26 articles evaluating (a) parent training programs; (b) general family-centered practice models which offer comprehensive supports; (c) peer support; (d) two-generation…

Background: As part of an international, multicentre project, the service and support needs of Australian family carers were investigated. Method: A sample of 1,390, 448 family carers completed a self-report survey, including an adaptation of the Family Needs Survey (FNS) and several open-ended questions. A mixed method design was used, employing…

Results of a survey of 2,800 parents of children with disabilities found that families are essentially pleased with their respite services, but are dissatisfied with the services' lack of flexibility, arbitrary limits on use, inability to respond to crises, lack of parental voice in forming or reforming services, etc. (JDD)

The record of the 1985 hearing addresses policy issues concerning families of disabled children. Statements are presented from parents of severely disabled children, educators, researchers, agency personnel, and disabled consumers. Topics addressed include sources of family stress, need for financial and respite services, the effects on other…

The article describes a Netherlands model for support and assistance to families of handicapped children. "Practical Help at Home" is an outgrowth of the Parents' Initiative Movement and relies on volunteers to provide a range of services including respite and training. (CL)

This paper discusses the development of an overall network of respite care services in the Federal Republic of Germany, the need for respite care services, efforts of a national organization called Lebenshilfe, evolution of the concept of respite care, and future tasks. (Author/JDD)

Significant evaluation findings for a respite care program include the following: (1) training sessions enhanced workers' knowledge of disabilities, (2) families with recently disabled children received more benefits from respite services than families with long-term disabled children, (3) services provided parents emotional relief, and (4)…

This two-page fact sheet summarizes typical approaches, programs, and resources in the area of family support and respite programs for families with special needs. Principles of family support programs are listed, stressing the common goal of increasing the ability of families to successfully nurture children. Typical components of such programs…

This annotated bibliography addresses issues, principles, programs, and research about respite care published in articles and books from 1978-1988. It covers a wide range of topics, from comprehensive overviews of respite issues, services, and policies to descriptions of specific respite care program models. A number of the bibliographic entries…

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.…

This directory offers a list of providers, planners, and researchers involved in respite care services for families with children who are mentally retarded, behaviorally disturbed, or physically disabled. The directory, based on information available as of October 1989, lists over 1,800 respite care providers and their addresses and telephone…

In spite of the growing awareness and development of respite services, many families in need of them have little or no access. This is especially true for families whose children have emotional handicaps. A rationale for respite services supports parents' entitlement to respite care, its importance to all family members, and its help in improving…