Welfare Reform on the Web (August 2005): Care Welfare - Overseas

Crisis nurseries: important services in a system of care for families and children

S.A. Cole and others

Children and Youth Services Review, vol.27, 2005, p.995 - 1010

Particularly following declines in funding for family and mental health support services in the USA, crisis nurseries provide safe emergency child care, respite for parents, and trusted referral to other community services in circumstances of domestic violence, substance abuse or acute medical or mental health problems. This study reports on an evaluation of crisis nurseries in Illinois based on administrative data reported to the Department of Human Services.

A dream come true: no more residential care: a corrective note

F. Ainsworth and P. Hansen

International Journal of Social Welfare, vol.14, 2005, p.195-199

Australia has sought to phase out institutional care for children and young people. This has led to difficult and disturbed youth being inappropriately placed with foster carers who cannot cope with them. Others have been offloaded onto services for the homeless, or have migrated to the criminal justice system. Authors argue that residential care and treatment programmes are essential for seriously disturbed youngsters.

Handbook of youth mentoring

D. L. BuBois and M. J. Karcher (editors)

Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2005

This handbook provides the first comprehensive survey of current theory, research, and practice in the field of youth mentoring. The handbook explores mentoring that occurs within the formal programmes but also examines natural mentoring relationships that youth establish with adults outside of programmes.

The impact of residential placement on child development: research and policy implications

M. Little, A. Kohm and R. Thompson

International Journal of Social Welfare, vol.14, 2005, p.200-209

Article reviews the research evidence on the development of children in residential settings. It concludes that there is insufficient evidence to say what types of children are likely to benefit from what types of setting. Residential care has become a place of last resort for children who cannot receive the support they need from their own families or from foster carers, or who pose a danger to others.

Kinship Care Connection: a school-based intervention for kinship caregivers and the children in their care

A. Strozier and others

Children and Youth Services Review, vol.27, 2005, p.1011-1029

This article reviews outcomes from Kinship Care Connection, a school based intervention designed to increase children's self esteem and moderate the caregivers' burden in kinship care situations. The intervention offered mentoring and tutoring for children in kinship care, and mutual support groups and case management services for the caregivers. The evaluation demonstrated that the intervention both increased caregivers' sense of self-efficacy in dealing with their children's educational needs and provided a valuable source of self-esteem for the children themselves.