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This study explored the effect of item exposure on two conventional examinations administered as computer-based tests. A principal hypothesis was that item exposure would have little or no effect on average difficulty of the items over the course of an administrative cycle. This hypothesis was tested by exploring conventional item statistics and Rasch estimates of ability and difficulty of four separate groups of candidates who took a licensing examination in a continuous testing environment over the course of a 6-month administration cycle. Subjects were 1,001 candidates for a state license in clinical social work (LCSW) and 1,660 candidates for licensure as a marriage and family therapist (MFT). Taken together, results suggest that even if candidates took the examinations later in the cycle, there was no clear indication that information obtained form candidates who took the test early in the cycle improved performance. The most important implication for small testing programs is that they can enjoy the benefits of computer administration without having large item pools and candidate populations or using computer adaptive delivery systems. (Contains 4 figures, 2 tables, and 22 references.) (SLD)

Summarizing findings from a forthcoming book, this policy brief examines when and how child welfare agencies rely on kin to care for children who are taken into state custody. The discussion is based on intensive case studies of local kinship care policies and practices; the case studies were conducted in 13 counties in Alabama, California, Connecticut, and Indiana. Findings revealed that the use of voluntary kinship care varied among counties, among offices within a county, and among individual workers. Agencies provided various types and levels of support to private kin caregivers seeking assistance from the child welfare agency. In California, Connecticut, and Indiana, as in most states, child welfare agencies used voluntary kinship care on a fairly limited basis, with few clear policies, procedures, or guidance on when and how workers should rely on voluntary kinship care. The result of this lack of policy was that kinship care could be used, intentionally or not, to influence birth parents and kin, especially in situations where there was substantiated child abuse/neglect. Alabama, like a handful of other states, used voluntary kinship care whenever possible. The brief highlights several issues regarding the child welfare agencies' role and responsibility when abused or neglected children are placed with kin, particularly that child welfare agencies must determine whether to treat kinship care as an extension of the biological family, or as a type of temporary substitute care. The brief asserts that additional research is needed that assesses the risk of different kinship care arrangements and helps guide child welfare agencies and staff in making decisions regarding their role and responsibility. (KB)

This brief summarizes the report "Essential but Often Ignored: Child Care Providers in the Subsidy System," examining child care subsidy policies and practices shaping experiences of providers serving subsidized children, particularly those affecting providers' payments and their overall experience with the subsidy system. Research on the voucher subsidy system was based on interviews with state and local child care administrators and key experts, and focus groups with caseworkers, parents, and providers in the subsidy system in 17 sites in 12 states. The study found that how much providers are paid is critical for them and was affected by several issues, including policies affecting the maximum amount that state subsidy agencies paid. A challenging issue for states was how to deal with providers whose rates exceeded the maximum payment rate. Policies and practices serving to undercut whether providers received from the state the full rate they were due included issues related to absent days, reimbursement for other fees, part-time subsidies, and reimbursement for full period of service. Although provider-reported difficulties in collecting fees from parents are not unique to subsidized care, such difficulties could affect what providers receive. Factors influencing how providers experienced the subsidy system included policies/practices affecting the payment process (obtaining payment authorization, onerous paperwork requirements, and timing and reliability of payments), the ease of interacting with the subsidy agency (number of programs/agencies, staffing responsibilities within the agency, interactions with caseworkers, and the extent to which providers were viewed as partners. The brief includes a list of strategies to address providers' needs and compares the financial bottom line of a hypothetical provider under three subsidy scenarios. (KB)

As part of the "Assessing the New Federalism" project monitoring and assessing the devolution of social programs from the federal to the state and local levels, this report examines the child care providers upon whom the child care subsidy system depends. The report relies on data collected from subsidy agency administrators, key child care experts, child care caseworkers, parents, and providers in 17 sites across 12 states. The report focuses on subsidy policies and practices that can shape the experiences of providers serving subsidized children, including how much providers are paid and how providers experience the subsidy system. The report's findings suggest that a number of policies and practices can affect how much child care providers receive and the ease of their interactions with the subsidy system. In some cases, policies and practices appeared to undercut the amount providers received or made it more difficult for providers to interact with the subsidy system. Respondents suggested that these issues may also ultimately affect the willingness and ability of providers to participate in the subsidy system, thereby affecting whether children receiving subsidies have equal access to the range of providers available to nonsubsidized children. These policies and practices may have implications for the financial stability of providers and the quality of care they provide. Although a range of more supportive practices was also identified, the report notes that implementing these strategies is challenging within the current context of inadequate funding for children. The report's three appendices describe the study methodology, list the provider focus group participants, and compare the subsidies received by a hypothetical provider under various scenarios. (Contains 68 notes and 24 references.) (KB)

In Scotland's unified system of juvenile justice and child welfare, the Children's Hearings system deals with over 60,000 referrals annually. If the hearing officer is satisfied that compulsory measures of supervision are necessary, it may require home supervision when the child remains at home. In 2001, over 6,000 children were on home supervision with their parent or guardian. This report presents the findings of a study of home supervision in Scotland with the aim of examining the effectiveness of home supervision in promoting beneficial changes in the life of the child. Data on a sample of 189 children on home supervision in 2001-2002 were collected from a variety of sources, including social work case records; reporters, panel members, teachers, and social workers; families; a national data set on children in home supervision; and key informants in local authorities. Findings indicated that service provision by the social work department and others in the interagency network contributed to beneficial changes in the lives of children. Broadly positive views about the effectiveness of home supervision were expressed by social workers, panel members, teachers, key informants in local authorities, and families. Children initially referred on grounds of care and protection were considered to have the most successful outcomes, followed by those referred on offense grounds. Home supervision worked least well with respect to children referred on grounds of non-attendance at school without reasonable excuse. Service in some parts of the country was affected by staff shortages. Case files revealed that some of the key statutory requirements were not being implemented in the course of home supervision, particularly in respect to care plans, the timing of the first visit to the family, and holding internal social work case reviews. Panel members and social workers identified a need for closer monitoring of home supervision. (KB)

The purpose of this study is to understand how Portuguese social workers perceive education and work as a way to grow as professionals in the field. This qualitative study takes place within a very specific organizational context--the Portuguese social security--and investigates how eight social workers: (1) perceive their education (including in-service training); (2) value educational contexts for their professional development; and (3) define their professional identities. The main conclusions of this study point to a close relationship between education, professional trajectories, professional identities, and the willingness to be educated. The dynamic among these factors is activated by the representation that subjects have of their profession, by contexts and conditions of exercising it, and by educational opportunities to improve their practice and to (re)define their professional identity. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/GCP)

This document describes collaborative strategies used by one school guidance department that allow counselors to complete their designated work without extending their school day. One strategy involves pairing mentors with first-year counselors to help answer their questions. Another uses retired counselors as "substitutes" when regular counselors are out for an extended period. Computers are used to administer aptitude surveys and provide college and scholarship information. Working with teachers ensures that career information is provided for each curriculum. Collaboration is also encouraged with community groups such as Boy Scouts and AmeriCorps. Working with the Division of Family Services provided a means for hiring school social workers. Before- and after-school programs and cross-training have enhanced the guidance and counseling program. By knowing and partnering with community resources counselors are better able to meet their daily challenges. (JDM)

Indiana's youth workers are highly motivated, well-educated, experienced, and satisfied with their jobs. They cite these three top challenges of their jobs: funds, family support, and sufficient staff to share time-consuming duties. Researchers cite these key components to develop first-rate programs that meet youth needs: low staff-student ratio, strong involvement of families, effective partnerships within the community, and high-quality staff members. The Indiana Youth Institute has resources for the following: (1) to help youth workers raise funds and increase salaries by providing relevant training, grants for continuing education, and professional consultation in nonprofit management, fund raising, program evaluation, and technology; (2) to expand efforts to educate parents and community members about benefits of healthy youth development and importance of adult involvement in children's lives; and (3) to alleviate youth workers' workload by providing information, resources, and training to help them work more efficiently. Next steps to improvement are to create more training and technical assistance opportunities to enhance the effectiveness and boost the confidence of youth workers; provide training in software applications and Internet use, and technical assistance geared to each organization's unique technology challenges; improve benefit packages for youth workers; and find new ways to educate parents about the value of youth programming and how it can be enhanced by their willingness to collaborate and participate. (YLB)

The different perceptions of literacy that inform the work of various groups working with disadvantaged groups within society were explored in a case study in which individuals providing services to low-skilled, disadvantaged clients in an outer urban area of Brisbane, Australia, were interviewed regarding their perceptions of their clients' literacy needs. The study informants included representatives of community-based organizations, including program administrators, welfare officers, community health workers, counselors, voluntary workers, and members of the wider community. The findings of the Survey of Aspects of Literacy (SAL) were also reviewed to gain insight into the area's population demographics and area residents' levels of prose, document, and quantitative literacy. The study identified a series of networks in service provision to the local community that were conscious of the implication of lower literacy skills in a plethora of clients' problems. However, the networks were found to be working under difficult circumstances caused by poorly coordinated resourcing cycles and competition for limited funding. Locally led and managed literacy programs appeared to have the best client attendance and overall endorsement of the community. (The bibliography lists 41 references. The following items are appended: population demographics of the study area; findings of the SAL; and a generic list of informants to the project.) (MN)

This study examined the circumstances of children in Hennepin County, Minnesota, who were removed from their homes under urgent circumstances and placed for 7 days or less in emergency shelter care. It investigated whether shelter placement was the least intrusive response for the safety of the children in emergency situations and clarified the working relationship between child protection workers and local law enforcement officers. Data came from administrative information collected by St. Joseph's Home for Children during 1999 and from interviews with child protection workers and supervisors; St. Joseph's staff members, administrators, and intake workers; the Minneapolis Chief of Police; the supervisor of and workers in the community-based first response unit; and precinct-based child protection workers. Nearly 62 percent of children were brought in by police under an emergency placement authority. One-third came in under court order. The most common reasons for emergency placements were neglect and physical and sexual abuse, parent/caretaker incarceration, and parent abandonment. African American children were disproportionately represented in all age groups. About 15 percent of children were in repetitive placements. Prior to entering St. Joseph's, most children lived in single parent households. Most younger children, but only one-quarter of older children, were returned to families or relatives within 7 days. (SM)

Profiles of 104 welfare recipients in Georgia were examined to identify social indicators and cognitive variables that influenced work role participation. Three instruments were administered the Career Thought Inventory, the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form, and the demographic profile and participation scale of the Salience Inventory to determine how well race, education, dysfunctional career thoughts, and career decision-making self-efficacy predicted work role participation. It was found that, as a group, the welfare recipients in the sample defied stereotypes; they were older, better educated, and more heterogeneous than is typically reported. Among other findings were the following: (1) a majority of participants indicated at least some difficulty with dysfunctional career thoughts; (2) career decision-making self-efficacy was lower than that of a normative sample of college females; (3) black respondents spent more time in work activities than their white counterparts; (4) non-high school completers indicated more decision-making confusion and commitment anxiety, but less career decision-making self-efficacy than high school completers. It was concluded that career self-efficacy was the most important predictor of work role participation. It was suggested that service providers do the following: (1) incorporate coping mechanisms that recipients could employ to minimize obstacles to self-efficacy into employment intervention programs; and (2) employ awareness and sensitivity to the clash between the future-oriented nature of career/job training and day-to-day survival needs confronting welfare recipients.(There are three tables. The bibliography lists 51 references.)(AJ)

A qualitative interpretivist study analyzed interrelationships among professional practice, knowledge gained in continuing professional education (CPE) programs, and context of employment. Eighty semi-structured, tape-recorded interviews were conducted with social workers, lawyers, adult educators, and nurses who had attended continuing education programs 9-24 months previously. Findings indicated professionals construct a knowledge base by moving back and forth between continuing professional education programs and their professional practice. Each profession described the process used to construct knowledge differently. Social workers framed their construction of knowledge from CPE programs through their advocacy role. Lawyers saw CPE as providing a "road map" for their practice. Adult educators indicated that from attendance at CPE programs they often would get one idea that was the "spark for a creative process" of connecting the new information to ideas and experiences, or "connecting different bodies of knowledge." Nurses described how they linked client needs with new information from CPE so the entire knowledge base became integrated. This process of knowledge construction was affected by elements of the structural, human resources, political, and symbolic frames of the contexts in which professionals were employed. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/YLB)

Noting that America's need for youth services is at an all-time high, this study surveyed frontline youth workers and youth organization directors in Indiana to determine their needs and how those needs were being met. Focus groups with youth workers were also conducted. Key findings are as follows: (1) though 75 percent are college graduates, nearly 7 out of 10 full-time youth workers earn less than $30,000, and more than 20 percent report salaries under $20,000; (2) while 44 percent are their families' primary wage earners, close to 40 percent have no retirement plan; (3) youth workers spend only 25-50 percent of their time in direct service to youth; an increasing workload of administrative tasks--including fund raising, strategic planning, and volunteer recruitment--diverts their time; (4) less than half of frontline youth workers have access to the Internet; (5) youth workers say that many parents do not understand the value of positive youth development and often treat them more like babysitters than professionals; and (6) 45 percent say they may leave the youth work field within 5 years. Several recommendations were devised to address these issues. (EV)

Many counselors, social workers, and psychologists routinely use the DSM-IV-TR as a basis for most psychological diagnoses. This includes counselors' work with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Multicultural counseling theorists and practitioners are beginning to voice their concerns about finding a more appropriate alternative to the manual, a manual that is more inclusive of cultural differences while being compatible with counseling philosophy. Use of the DSM-IV-TR is a highly controversial issue in the counseling profession and yet the idea of an alternative may prove to be even more controversial. A review is included of some of the interdisciplinary social, cultural, and political issues surrounding its use as they pertain to any future alternatives. It describes some basic concerns that may be useful in understanding the nature of the controversy and in identifying any future alternative for multicultural counseling. It focuses on multicultural counseling as a human relations issue. (Contains 76 references.) (JDM)

This manual describes Right From the Start: Partners in Education (RF3), a federally funded project that was designed to train pre-professionals in the fields of special education, nursing, and social work to work in interdisciplinary teams that provide services to students with special needs. Participating schools, community sites, and institutions of education formed partnerships to carry out four objectives: (1) provide improved services to children with special needs and their families; (2) train special educators, nurses and social workers in teams by allowing them an early opportunity to be directly involved in service delivery; (3) provide professional development for practicing teachers and college faculty; and (4) improve community and interagency involvement to support children with special needs and their families. The project used an interdisciplinary approach to training. College faculty were involved in direct services to families and children and took a leadership role in the community to serve as catalysts for systems change at the local level. The project included 9 college faculty members, 48 paraprofessionals, and 41 practicing mentor professionals over the 3 years that it was funded. Approximately 700 children were served directly at 8 school sites, and 54 clients received services at community sites. The manual describes the project's activities, benefits, model components, lessons learned, evaluation methods, and outcomes and includes lists of resources, eight appendices, and a glossary. (SG)

The complexity of rural practice in rural and remote communities means that higher order skills are required by rural social workers. In 1991, the University of Ballarat in Victoria (Australia) began teaching a course to prepare students for work in rural social welfare. The course was developed partly to meet industry needs, as local agencies were unable to attract qualified staff. While generic skills, such as counseling and group work, are taught, they are taught with emphasis on particular issues likely to occur in rural settings. Contextual issues include the role of the practitioner as a professional and a community member, confidentiality and privacy, and working within and between complex social networks. Existing courses of social work and welfare address rural practice in a peripheral fashion, whereas rural practice is thoroughly integrated into all elements of this course: course philosophy, curriculum design, teaching strategies, and assessment. The course's philosophical approach emphasizes community development principles of engagement and empowerment within communities. A brief framework of the course and evaluations completed by staff and students are provided. (Contains 15 references.) (TD)

High turnover of rural practitioners is common among a range of human service professions in Australia. A longitudinal study surveyed 123 newly appointed rural social workers who had relocated to their new rural positions, using the same questionnaire every 3 months during an 18-month period. The study aimed to investigate rural recruitment and retention difficulties, examine culture shock and its impact on retention, and determine the applicability of a proposed model of adjustment. Variables included satisfaction with rural lifestyle, with current rural community, and with job; perceived well-being; perceived level of coping; productivity level; sense of belonging to community; state anxiety level; stressfulness of life events; and perceived level of depression. Respondents' mean expected duration of employment was 24 months, but the mean actual length of stay was 16.1 months. Premature departure and poor retention were related to employer-controlled factors. Consistent with the proposed model of adjustment, most variables displayed a U curve indicating an initial period of decreased well-being followed by increases in satisfaction. Recommendations are concerned with recruitment strategies, retention incentives, preservice preparation for generalist and community embedded practice, inservice training related to orientation of rural appointees, and improved personnel management practices. These findings are relevant to other human-services professionals such as teachers. (Contains 21 references.) (SV)

A certification program was designed to provide specialized knowledge and skills courses for future public child welfare workers in Kentucky. The program involves 6 hours of course work, delivered via distance education, and an intense practicum in local offices. Incentives for program participation included special consideration for hiring by the state department of protective services. An evaluation of the program was conducted via semi-structured interviews with graduates. Findings indicate that the goal of recruiting more professional workers was met. The goal of retaining workers had mixed success; most graduates indicated they would stay with the department long enough to get their master's degree, a few said they would work for the department until retirement, and a couple claimed that if the system did not change to enable them to serve families better, they would leave. Graduates started their jobs ready to work, but some felt that ongoing supervision and mentoring were still needed. The program provided well-trained people committed to families and children, but high caseloads and heavy paperwork interfered with adequate provision of family protection. All graduates acknowledged that no one group of people could protect families from abuse without community involvement. Graduates found the distance learning technology intimidating at first, but on-site instructors helped them deal with it. All agreed that the practicum was key to program success. More training in court behavior was recommended. (TD)

Routes into education and employment for young Pakistani and Bangladeshi women in Oldham, England, were examined. The data sources were as follows: group discussions with Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people at different stages in the educational system and at an early stage of labor market participation; interviews with public and voluntary sector practitioners in employment-related support services; interviews with women from the young women's parental generation; and national and local statistics on application and entry to higher education. The young women demonstrated high aspirations--particularly in relation to their parents' educational and occupational levels--and their rates of participation in post-16 education were considerably higher than for white young people. The young women's parents were strongly supportive of their children's continued education. Although the Pakistani and Bangladeshi girls were still restricted in their access to higher education, their numbers in full-time undergraduate courses had increased markedly. Even those young women who had higher qualifications wanted to make their young children their priority. For some women, this meant changing from full-time to part-time work. Given their employment ambitions, however, it seemed likely that the young women would eventually follow employment patterns very different from those of their mothers. (The bibliography lists 20 references. Five tables/figures are appended.) (MN)

A study examined the career progression of individuals in the following occupations: registered nurse; physical therapist; medical laboratory technologist; paramedic; ranked corrections officer; dental hygienist; electronic technician; pipefitter/plumber; social worker; and auto body shop manager. Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews in the Austin, Texas, metropolitan area with 5-10 individuals in each occupation. Participants were identified and recruited through professional or employer associations, training or educational providers, and personal referrals. One half of the respondents entered their occupation directly at the apex position. Little more than one-third began their careers at the identified entry occupation. Success appeared to be associated with continuous education and training, persistence in the occupational field, and hard work. Persistence was associated with truly enjoying the work, income opportunities, and employment benefits. Higher degree expectations appeared to be becoming the norm for most of the occupations studied. Employers commonly provided continuous training opportunities on the job to keep their work force viable and/or maintain licensure. Seniority played virtually no role in promotions. Career advancement was associated with ability, experience, and education. The study confirmed the importance of continuous training and higher education in today's labor market. (The interview guide and contact strategies for the Career Pathways Project are appended.) (MN)

The mission of social work is to help people meet their basic needs and enhance their well-being. Through a strong empowerment orientation, the profession can aid people vulnerable to oppression as a result of racism, discrimination, and poverty. Social work can be a powerful force in advancing the practice of Indigenous education. Social workers and educators working together can use empowerment-oriented strategies to enable Indigenous people to influence educational decisions and practices that affect their lives. These strategies include building strong collaborative relationships with parents, teachers, students, and school administrators to increase their personal and political power; moving away from models that blame the student, family, or culture for Indigenous students' low academic achievement, high dropout rates, and nonconforming behavior; and overcoming oppressive structural aspects of school and community life that create disappointing outcomes for Indigenous children. Social workers and educators must acknowledge their professions' role in the painful legacy of boarding schools and mass removal of Indigenous children from their homes. Honest and meaningful dialogues with Indigenous peoples on this subject will promote respect for and validation of their narratives, survival, and experiences. Social workers can advance Indigenous education by assuming various roles: human services broker, teacher, counselor, staff developer, and social change agent. Social workers can use their understanding of social policy to analyze social problems and programs relevant to First Nations communities, and students of social work with field practicum experience in Indigenous communities can bring important cultural knowledge and understanding to schools. Contains 80 references and endnotes. (TD)

This manual offers information regarding provision of related services to Vermont students with disabilities that is consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and with Vermont law and regulations. It also describes promising or exemplary practices in education, special education, and related services. Section 1, "Legislative Context for and Approaches to Providing Related Services," discusses state and federal definitions of related services, related services and Vermont's special education process, modes of service delivery, and collaborative teamwork. Section 2, "Vermont's Guidelines for Related Services," addresses access to knowledge and information, roles of related service providers in determining eligibility for special education, determination of related services, and evaluation of related services. Section 3, "Funding for Related Services," discusses local education agency responsibility and potential sources of funding for related services. Section 4, "Frequently Asked Questions about Related Services," addresses key concerns surrounding related services. Section 5, "Information about Related Service Disciplines," provides a basic description of twelve related services in order to acquaint providers with various disciplines that may be required to support a students' special education program. The manual includes a voluntary registry of related service providers. (Contains 126 references.) (CR)

Using data from two cohorts of public school educators, this paper examines the interdistrict migration within Connecticut of public school classroom teachers, support staff (librarian/media specialists, counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and reading specialists), and administrators. The purpose is to identify characteristics of educators who change districts and migration-related factors affecting the quality of district-level school staffs. For fall 1992 and 1997, the paper examines the magnitude of migrating teachers, compares characteristics and salaries of both migrants and nonmigrants, and compares patterns of movement between advantaged and disadvantaged districts in the state. In both years, Connecticut districts filled about 20 percent of their professional vacancies with "migrants" from another Connecticut district. Migrants were younger and less experienced and had lower average salaries that nonmigrating colleagues, but received larger salary and percentage increases. Educators making vertical moves into support and administrative positions accounted for only 8 percent of migrant pools. In 1997, disadvantaged districts lost more migrating educators than did advantaged districts. (Contains 30 references.) (MLH)

The Early Childhood Prevention Project (ECP) is an innovative effort to integrate psychosocial and educational approaches for promoting children's healthy development in elementary school. ECP takes a holistic approach to the prevention of academic and psychosocial problems and the promotion of students' educational and interpersonal development. A collaborative systems model is employed. The primary objectives of the project are described under headings of service, training, and staff development. Four central activities are diagramed as the "Pyramid of Prevention Services": (1) whole-classroom interventions; (2) small academic and social skills groups; (3) pair counseling to foster friendship-making skills; and (4) individual tutoring and mentoring. Service activities are carried out by master's level interns, and an innovative intern-training model is an integral part of the project. ECP aims to create a new breed of social service professional, one who integrates educational, social, and developmental objectives into innovative multi-disciplinary, multi-modal programs. ECP program evaluation focuses upon the participant's qualitative experience of the process of the project and investigates the personal meaning of participating in the project for each of the involved groups. Changes in the intern program in response to evaluation findings are reported. (EMK)

This paper presents the results of instrument development and adaptation efforts associated with conceptualizing and investigating self and organizational efficacies in terms of motivation toward achievement of organizational goals in schools, child welfare agencies, and higher education institutions. Results of initial conceptual development of a series of empirical analyses used to explore validity and reliability characteristics of a new efficacy resilience measure are presented. Subsequent results of instrument adaptation and further empirical analyses to confirm initial findings are presented for two studies in different organizational contexts: a sample of child welfare professionals in Louisiana and a sample of higher educational faculty from 56 research universities across the United States. Review of factor analyses results indicated that the social worker sample results were more like those of an earlier study of teachers than the results for higher education faculty. It was concluded that the original teacher instrument can be used with other populations and that self, organizational, and collective efficacy motivations can be identified and measured in multiple organizational contexts. Appendixes contain the Teacher Self and Organizational Efficacy Assessment (TSOEA) and item location indices for subscales of the TSOEA. (Contains 22 references.) (JLS)

The Best Practices Project of the Family Resource Coalition of American (FRCA) began in 1991 with the aim of meeting the need for better definition and articulation of what constitutes best practice in family support programs. This monograph, the third in a series of four, reports on some of the ideas about cultural democracy which have generated debate, challenge, and change within the FRCA. Cultural democracy is an operational framework in which family support professionals actively seek to include the experiences, ideas, and practices of ethnic and language minority family members, practitioners, academics, and lay workers in family support policy implementation, program development, and service delivery. Rather than being a dispassionate study of the phenomenon of cultural diversity within the family support movement, this monograph is written from the perspective of the Latino and African-American Caucuses of the FRCA and reflects their concerns. It discusses issues that have significant impact on the unequal power and decision-making influence held by non-Euro-Americans in the national family support movement, including the assumption that minority advocates who promote culturally specific practices and models of family support are incompetent, and the general exclusion of the expertise and experience of minority professionals from such important policy-shaping arenas as significant professional journals, textbooks, publications, funding sources, and research institutions. Because cultural democracy is about power negotiation and equity in a multicultural society, there is also a brief discussion relating ethnic conflict between minority groups to family support issues and policy. Particular attention is paid to conflicts between African and Latino American communities. Drawing on reflections, interviews, and observations, six principles of cultural democracy in family support work are offered, and the process by which these principles were critiqued by Caucus members at the 1996 FRCA biennial conference is described. (Contains 17 references.) (EV)

This collection of nine papers is intended for policy makers and educators and marks the beginning of new emphasis on and debate about the indigenization of social and community work education in South Africa. "'New Careers for the Poor': A Review of the Career of an Innovative Idea" (Joseph Katan) reviews and examines the history of the idea of employing indigenous workers in human service organizations and the factors that affected its course of development. It traces the beginning of the idea of idigenization from the 1960s to present day concerns. "The Need for the Indigenisation of the Education of Social Workers in South Africa" (Thobeka T. Kuse) proposes that social work training incorporate the values of the people if it is to be effective in terms of service delivery."The Family Services Associate Curriculum: Social Work Education for Indigenous Workers" (Wilburn Hayden, Jr.) describes the curriculum. "Southern African Regional Approaches to Indigenising Social Work Education and Practice: The Case of Botswana" (Kwaku Osei-Hwedie) focuses on the seeming inability of programs to indigenize and the factors leading to this situation. "Indigenisation of Social Work Education: A Personal View at a University" (Jean D. Triegaardt) explores and analyzes those issues that have an impact on the process of indigenization from a university point of view. "Indigenisation of Social and Community Work Education: A Personal Technikon View" (Desiree de Kock) looks at the important role technikons (technical schools) have to play. "South African Perspectives of Indigenisation: A Personal Technikon View" (J. N. Steyn) concentrates on a technikon approach to the offering of courses. "The South African Curriculum and Qualification Requirements for Social Workers" (Jouberto Lombard) focuses on an overview of the origin and development of curricula and qualification requirements, explains the present curriculum and qualification requirements, and discusses a personal vision for them. "The UK (United Kingdom) Approach to Social Work Education and Qualification: The Diploma in Social Work" (Tony Hall) is partly a description of the new approach to social work and social care training and partly a case study in institutional change. Individual chapters contain references. (YLB)

Research was conducted in Scotland to evaluate the effectiveness of youth work with vulnerable young people, primarily between the ages of 13 and 16. Four complementary methods were adopted: (1) a survey of secondary school students; (2) a series of focus group interviews with young people with experience of youth work; (3) interviews with vulnerable young people; and (4) interviews with key service providers. The research focused on 6 geographic areas of Scotland, 3 characterized by urban poverty and 3 characterized by rural poverty. Findings were that teenagers tended to move away from organized youth activities between the ages of 14 and 16, and that organized youth work appealed the most to those under 14. Participation in sports and other organized activities tended to decline with age as young people enjoyed more casual leisure activities and commercial activities. Young people reported spending a significant portion of their time "hanging around." While nearly 6 in 10 had been a member of some sort of youth group, this percentage declined with age, especially for females. Young people were relatively positive toward youth work, but were not likely to seek guidance or counseling from youth workers. Overall, the most vulnerable young people were the least likely to participate in youth groups, but those who did received benefits and generally spent less time hanging around. The principles of effective youth work identified by the Scottish Inspectorate (education agency) were generally being met, but there were causes for concern in the underutilization of youth services by older teens and the reluctance of these adolescents to seek counseling and guidance. Policy implications are discussed. (SLD)

This comparative study of social care programs at four European colleges in Nijmegen (Netherlands), Malmo (Sweden), Sligo (Ireland), and Lillehammer (Norway) looks at whether graduates from one country would be qualified to work in social care in the other countries. The report is based on analysis of data from official documents, questionnaires completed by students, interviews with administrators and teachers, and visits to the colleges. It contains a general description of each of the four colleges, a comparison of their curriculum timetables, and analyses of their curricula. Also included are sections analyzing student background data and goals; educational goals as expressed by staff; comparisons of curricula and student goals versus staff goals; comparisons of differences in practicum training; and an analysis of the compatibility of the different programs. The study showed that although the programs were fairly compatible, there were some differences; ranging from length of program (168 weeks at Nijmegen to 99 weeks at Sligo), to more stress on action and client need at Nijmegen, to a greater emphasis on theory at Malmo. Two student questionnaires and a list of interviewees are appended. (Contains 42 references.) (CH)

This paper describes the Work Keys system, a program developed by American College Testing (ACT) to help improve the job skills of the workforce. This project is being conducted with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to examine the extent to which Work Keys assessment information can be used to address the human resources needs for three classifications of social workers (classified by time in job and caseload size or type). Job profiling, the job analysis component of the Work Keys system, was used to study all 3 jobs and establish content-related validity and skill standards, using 1,614 social workers. The assessment component of the system was used to examine the extent to which a sample of incumbents (189 social workers) met the skill levels set by subject matter experts. In the final stage of this project, performance data provided a basis to calculate statistical indices to address the criterion-related validity of the Work Keys system relative to the social worker jobs. Recommendations are given regarding how the Work Keys system can be used to address the human resources needs of the three social worker classifications studied. An appendix describes the job skills. (Contains six tables and nine references.) (SLD)

The preliminary findings of the evaluation of the training program, Creative Problem Solving, are presented. The training was provided through the Blumberg Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Special Education at Indiana State University. Twenty-one state and county child service coordinators participated in the training on a voluntary basis. Participants completed a pretest measure, the "Facilitator Self-Evaluation," prior to the training and two and four months after the training. Statistical significance was obtained on six dependent variables on the evaluation instrument. However, major concerns (such as high pretest self-evaluations) regarding the validity of the instrument in this situation are raised. (Author/DB)

A method of estimating Rasch-model difficulty calibrations from judges' ratings of item difficulty is described. The ability of judges to estimate item difficulty was assessed by correlating estimated and empirical calibrations on each of four examinations offered by the American Association of State Social Work Boards. Thirteen members of the association's examination committee served as expert judges, and seven of these judges rated all four examinations. The correlations were highly significant for all four examinations, so judges seem to be able to distinguish among items of varying difficulty. This method can be used to adjust passing scores that yield unacceptably high or low pass rates. (Contains 3 tables and 26 references.) (Author/SLD)