The multinational transfer of competency-based foster parent assessment, selection, and training: a nine-country case study.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates (Articles 19 and 20) that alternative care be available to protect children from maltreatment by parents and caregivers. Increasingly, countries around the world have recognized the benefits to child well-being of family-based care as an alternative to institutional care. The special if not extraordinary needs of children separated from parents because of abuse, neglect, and maltreatment and placed with foster families requires a commensurate effort to develop foster families who have special if not extraordinary skills. Methods that are effective and replicable across countries offer significant advantages, reducing investments in policies and practices that otherwise would have to be developed independently, country by country. This case study describes the factors that contributed to the transfer of knowledge in the assessment, selection, and training of foster parents and the impact to date.     

Child labor: a forgotten focus for child welfare.

Child labor is driven by child and family impoverishment, market forces, and political apathy concerning the rights of the child. Although a fundamental concern of the early 20th century child welfare system, today child labor is often seen as outside the scope of child welfare and child protective services. Making child labor a focus of child advocacy activity once again could do much to better the lives of children.     

Optimal mixed-model sequencing for balanced assembly lines

This paper describes an algorithm for solving optimally, the mixed-model sequencing problem when assembly line stations are balanced for each model. An optimal sequence is obtained with the minimization of the overall assembly line length for zero station idle time.The algorithm incorporates two basic steps. The first involves a search procedure that generates all cycle sequences; i.e. sequences having identical ‘start’ and ‘finish’ positions and whose work content can be executed within a defined station length. The second step uses integer programming (IP) to determine the number and combination of the various cycle sequences, such that the production demand is satisfied.     

The international transfer of foster parent selection and preparation technology: the example of the Netherlands and the United States

The biannual education conferences of the International Foster Care Organization "provide an opportunity for foster parents and agency staff to learn new ideas and share technical expertise.' Contacts between Dutch and American participants at the 1983 Education Conference led to the transfer and adaptation of an American foster parent selection-preparation program to the Netherlands. This article, based on a workshop presented at the 1989 Education Conference, describes the process and initial impact of this international experience.     

Health and mental health services for children in foster care: the central role of foster parents

It is well documented that children enter foster care with special health and mental health needs and, while in care, those conditions are often exacerbated. However, less attention has been given to foster parents who have the most contact with these children. Results are presented from a national study on the developmental, health and mental health care needs of children in foster care that included foster parents' perspectives and observations. Their role in improving child well being is explained and recommendations for policy, practice and advocacy also are included.     

Adolescent emancipation from foster care

This demonstration project tested the degree to which a short-term, competence-oriented service delivery model prepared 31 older adolescents to move into responsible independent living upon termination of foster home placement. The adolescents achieved significant growth as measured by independent living, employment, and social network skills but not in level of psychosocial functioning.