Head Start Program

The appropriate form and magnitude of social family policy in the United States is the focus of this collection of essays. Considering both the political debate over access and funding, and the intellectual divisions over the role of welfare in the state, the essays offer an examination of three major subject areas: the normative context of public policy, the link between theory and action, and the impact of specific policies. Topics covered include latchkey children, abortion, treatment of the nation's elderly, joint custody arrangements, and the link between state political culture and family policy.

This collection brings together studies and essays that represent the best work being done in early childhood research. It includes materials spanning the full range of early childhood settings and provides cutting edge views by leading educators of new methods and perspectives.

The first book to focus on abortion decision making, this self-help counseling resource takes a decidedly positive stance. Challenging the view that abortion is the lesser of two evils, Patricia Lunneborg maintains that it is moral, life-enhancing, supportive to families, and beneficial to the lives of millions of women. Opposing public opinion that abortion is acceptable only in special cases, she contends that the best reason to have an abortion is simply the desire not to bear an unwanted child. Bashing the concept of the so-called Postabortion Stress Syndrome, she reports positive aftereffects such as feelings of relief, a new sense of control over one's life, and increased maturity. Lunneborg, a retired professor of psychology and women's studies, bases her views on over 100 interviews with women who have had abortions and with abortion providers, as well as research findings and her own experiences. What's more, in these pages she allows women who have had abortions to share what they learned about themselves, how their dreams for education and career were positively affected, how the children they chose to have are benefiting from their decision. Perhaps most important, many of the women tell of tremendous personal growth resulting from making a considered choice to have an abortion--for some, their first major decision. Clearly stating her perspective at the outset, Lunneborg describes those who have abortions--women of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and walks of life--and who provides the procedure. She offers strategies for making the decision, discusses teenage situations, explains how to use the experience as an opportunity for reassessment and growth, and stresses the valueof talking about abortion--both for women who have had the procedure and for other people who are often unaware of the positive effects. A complete presentation, her book also sheds light on counseling before and after an ab

This fascinating and potentially controversial book is a wide-ranging exploration of the essential issues relevant to IQ. Locurto examines data on the effectiveness of preschools; the impacts of adoption, heredity, and the role of environment; he evaluates the possibility of enhancing IQ in the early years; and he describes and analyzes the major cases relevant to IQ research. The balanced nature of the work, neither identifying with those who follow the extremes of hereditarianism or of environmentalism, ensures that Locurto's volume will be a most valuable resource.

An essential resource for students of social policy and social welfare as well as for social welfare practitioners and other human services professionals, this text examines the policymaking activity of the different branches of the American government and of the public-at-large as well as the interactions between the branches of government and the general public in the formation and implementation of social policy. In addition to examining the role of the legislative and executive branches of government, Theodore J. Stein covers the often-overlooked role of the judiciary in policymaking. He addresses the ways social welfare practitioners should interpret (1) conflicting judicial rulings in cases where courts of equal jurisdiction rule differently on the same matter and (2) judicial rulings that signal significant changes in the law. The book looks at politics, practice, and implementation and provides a historical background of social policy and social work practice plus a wealth of descriptive and analytic information concerning policymaking processes, specific social policies, and the effect of social policy on social programs.