Kinship care for children in the UK: messages from research,lessons for policy and practice1

This article presents a comprehensive overview of kinship care, or as it is also known, family and friends care, paying particular attention to the UK child welfare, legal, policy/practice contexts. The aim of the article is to raise awareness, and provide information, about a hitherto largely invisible, yet expanding placement option being widely used in child welfare systems in the UK, in Europe and elsewhere. The article places kinship care within a UK and European child welfare legal context, including the European Convention on Human Rights 1998 [Articles 8 and 14] and European kinship care developments are also highlighted. It contains the main findings of a kinship care research study conducted by the author, based on interviews with children and young people living with kinship carers, as well as with the kinship carers. Following an examination of theoretical and policy issues, the article examines ways forward for developing and supporting kinship care. In the final section, and based on the research findings and literature review, a new paradigm for child welfare is introduced. It is argued that this new paradigm is necessary in order for kinship care practice and policy to develop within a supported and sustainable family support framework.     

Acculturation,Social Support,and Family Conflict: Korean–American Adolescents’ Perceptions

Numerous studies have examined the nature of parent–adolescent relationships within mainstream families; but few have focused on conflicts in the Korean immigrant population. In addition, there has been no attempt to develop and test a theory-driven model of social service practices for the immigrant families. Thus, the current study developed and tested a structural equation model based on three latent variables, which are acculturation, social support system, and family conflict. This study offers a first step by investigating the overall nature and outcome of conflict between parents and adolescents. The analysis with data taken from 304 Korean American adolescents, ages 14–18, revealed that a social support system was the most significant means of predicting immigrant family conflicts. A number of practice applications, based on the results, along with implications for future study were discussed, and proved a great need for a support system.     

The behavior of the battered child: A behavioral deficiency syndrome resulting from developmental interferences and reactive learning

Behavioral observation of battered children reveals a generalized syndrome consisting of apathy, social isolation, emotional constriction, aggression, and intellectual, motor and language retardation. This syndrome is considered to be a ‘behavioral deficiency syndrome.’ Developmental interference imposed by abusive parents upon the child, and subsequent reactive learning by the child are discussed as etiological factors in the development of this syndrome. Implication of these etiological factors for therapy of the abusive family are also discussed.     

评《霍华德庄园》中的新型家庭关系

本文通过对《霍华德庄园》家庭结构的分析，揭示出威尔科斯家庭是如何从传统的家庭结构模式一步步发展成为平等、独立的新型的现代家庭。     

满族家庭伦理道德教育

满族家庭伦理道德教育包括伦理道德与修身齐家两部分。伦理道德包括孝友、廉洁、仁义;修身齐家包括去恶行善、节俭、文明、谦恭、正直、坦诚。其结果是满族整体道德素质的提高。     

《我妻我女》:一个教育与影视人类学的研究展示

家庭教育、学校教育和独生子女教育是目前比较热门的话题,人类学有其独特的考察视角。影片《我妻我女》通过捕捉一对母女生活中的交往过程,展示了独生子女家庭在应对急剧变化的外在世界时所面临的矛盾和困惑。这一作品展示了教育人类学观察世界的独特视角、独特维度。     

留守儿童教育现状调查研究——以沙埠小学为例

我国城市建设在社会、政治、经济、文化等方面获得了飞速发展,但由于广大农村地区存在着经济基础落后,物资设施匮乏等弊端,众多的农村青壮年选择进城务工,致使农村留守儿童数量大幅增加。截止到目前为止,有关国家机关调查显示,中国目前有近2000万留守儿童,其中14岁以下占86.5%,通过对留守儿童教育现状的分析,研究其中存在的问题,明确留守儿童教育问题是一项重大的社会问题,它不仅关系到留守儿童的身心健康,也关系到国家教育的公平性,关注留守儿童的教育问题需要社会各方通力合作,共同推进。     

When does part-time employment allow managers with family responsibilities to stay on the career track? A vignette study among German managers

The present study examines the specific conditions under which part-time (PT) arrangements in managerial jobs allow parents with childcare responsibilities to stay on the career track. By integrating economic signaling theory and gender role congruity theory, a vignette study among German managers revealed that substantial PT hours, flexible working schedules, and flexible childcare arrangements positively influence decision makers’ personal promotion decisions. Further, we found a significant fatherhood bias with male PT managers receiving less favorable promotion decisions than female PT managers. The study further reveals that decision makers’ evaluations of managers’ levels of advancement motivation mediate several significant relationships. The paper discusses practical impactions and future research directions.