Income maintenance policies are geared to reducing the risks of parental dependence on children. Although such help is extensive, families do not possess unending resources for attending to the complex health and social needs of aging relatives. Discusses present income maintenance strategy as well as alternatives to traditional care. (Author)

A child abuse project is described which identified families with an abused child and used behavior modification and social learning principles to increase effective parental behavior and decrease abusive behavior. Of 41 cases 84 percent were improved or very improved. However, there was no control group. (SE)

Suggests that systematic provision for the participation of clients in decision making could mitigate a number of longstanding problems in child welfare. Argues that clients' opinions are not, a priori, any more or less subjective than those of child welfare professionals. (Author)