The handbook provides parents of children with disabilities guidance on planning for the child's future needs with special attention to resources and laws of Iowa. Section 1 gives a Future Planning Checklist and definitions of common legal terms. Section 2 addresses estates, trusts, and wills and provides common estate planning questions and…

The conference on "Support for Family Caregivers" reported in this document was designed to identify, encourage the development of, and disseminate information about effective approaches for strengthening the capacity of families to care for their impaired relatives. The first of two presentations in the opening plenary session reviews the needs…

The case study describes a family residential service for three people with profound and multiple disabilities in Burlington, Vermont. The disabled individuals live with a couple and their two children who are also provided support services in the form of weekend relief and helpers for the late afternoon and evening period. The house is owned by a…

The immediate and short-term effects of a preplanned, 10-day overnight respite on 14 mothers of school-age and adult children with multiple disabilities were evaluated. Results indicated that, during respite, mothers experienced increased well-being and less depression, and these changes continued after respite. Mothers also exhibited changes in…

This brief paper reviews six studies which examined out-of-home placement by Israeli parents of children with severe developmental disabilities. Implications for policy and practice are drawn, including the need for respite-care services, extended hours in schools, recreation programs, support services for parents, and training programs for…

Background: Parents of children with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk for stress and other mental health problems. The purpose of the present review is to consider the evidence base for psychological intervention to remediate stress in these parents. Methods: A selective review of interventions designed to reduce stress in parents…

The provision of respite services for families with adolescents who are at risk of abusing or neglecting the young person is discussed, with attention to program design, services to parents, and services to adolescents. Respite programs can provide an important resource for families that lack sufficient supports to deal with the difficult period…

The challenges that families face in caring for a child with a disability or a chronic illness are reviewed in this report on respite care. A parent's narrative describes the difficulties in providing around-the-clock care to a child with a chronic illness. The benefits of respite care are outlined as follows: gives the family peace of mind,…

This bulletin reflects the commitment of Syracuse University's Center on Human Policy to the idea that children belong with families. The bulletin contains a policy statement which recommends; that all children, regardless of disability, belong with families and need enduring relationships with adults; that families with severely disabled children…

South Carolina, a basically rural state, faces interrelated problems (housing, transportation, education, etc.) for 23,000 developmentally disabled individuals. These individuals are extremely vulnerable because of the lack of programs designed to meet their needs. Housing for the developmentally disabled remains very sparse and is often…

Describes developmental and behavioral characteristics of homeless young children and their parents. Reports on how states and communities are attempting to meet the early education and care of young children in homeless families. Discusses the needs or problems that early education and care programs that include homeless children should address.…

This booklet documents the ability of parents of children with special health needs and disabilities to achieve balance in their lives, by moving from crisis to control, from challenge to opportunity, from questions to answers. The booklet discusses concerns that confront parents of children with special needs, and answers the most common…

This report describes results of an evaluation of respite care programs and crisis nursery programs for children with disabilities, based on survey forms received from 81 programs and site visits to selected programs across the United States. The survey of crisis nursery programs and the survey of respite care programs gathered data on amount of…

The Delaware FIRST Program is designed to meet the needs of handicapped infants and toddlers through trained family day care providers. The program is based on a developmental family systems approach. It strives to provide families with ongoing support by offering mainstreamed family day care or respite care, by developing and/or facilitating an…

Family support services are systematic efforts to support natural, adoptive, or foster families who have a family member with a disability. Programs vary in the types of services offered, goals, and number of families served. The most promising approaches to family support provide services that are flexible and individualized, build on informal…