This paper profiles nine model programs for supporting families who care for a child with a severe illness or one or more disabilities and discusses current trends as they emerged from interviews with key persons in the field. Core components examined include self-help, advocacy, parent education, respite care, family-centered case management, and…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of Partners Plus: Families and Caregivers in Partnerships, a model demonstration project designed to expand respite care options for families of children (birth to 8 years old) with disabilities. The program uses a natural and family-centered model that involves families in the design,…

This longitudinal study inventoried the types of services accessed by a sample of Alberta families of children with or at-risk for disabilities. We explored the role of severity of disability, parental stress, and family income on services accessed. With few exceptions, services were accessed more frequently as the children's lives progressed but…

This annotated bibliography presents a selective overview of materials on the topic of children with special health needs. Materials are divided into the following topics: (1) early identification and intervention (21 resources); (2) family-centered, community-based, culturally competent care (23 resources); (3) financing services (10 resources);…

This volume consists of a background discussion, coordinator's manual, and training manual dealing with developing programs for the in-home respite care (IHRC) of the developmentally disabled. Addressed in the background information unit are the nature of developmental disabilities; program variables, planning, and funding; and practical…