<p> Family involvement has been shown to benefit student academic achievement and overall school performance. However, families from economically-disadvantaged and culturally-diverse communities may experience challenges that may impact their participation in their child&rsquo;s education. The purpose of this project was to design a school-based program to improve family involvement, identify potential funding sources, and to write a grant to establish a family involvement program in a charter high school. This program&rsquo;s components included family outreach, family education classes, teacher development training, community partnerships, and a Family Resource Center. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of this project. Implications for social work practice are discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this thesis project was to write a grant and explore funding sources that would facilitate the development and implementation of an educational support program for foster youth. An extensive review of the literature was conducted to investigate the needs and educational barriers of youth in the foster care system and discern how best to address these needs. A program was designed which utilized interagency communication, advocacy, and a support class to reduce disciplinary involvement and truancy as well as increase academic success among participating foster youth. The Stuart Foundation was selected as a funder because of the foundation's specified dedication to child welfare and educational issues, which synergized with the goals of the proposed project. A grant was written to support the generating of a three-year pilot program for foster youth at two selected junior high schools in San Luis Obispo County in California. Submission and funding of this grant were not requirements for successful completion of this project. </p>

<p> At-risk youth tend to be children and adolescents who are more likely to discontinue their educational career and fall prey to illiteracy, drugs, crimes, and jails. Casa Pacifica Non-Public School provides direct services to at-risk youth mainly on a therapeutic level. More specifically, Casa Pacifica Non-Public School aims to help students achieve the goals of their Individualized Education Plan, meet academic standards, and exhibit acceptable behaviors. Service learning literature offers evidence that students who participate in such programs have the potential to improve academic achievement and reduce negative behaviors. The purpose of this project was to write a grant to obtain funding to create service learning opportunities for the students of Casa Pacifica Non-Public School. Actual submission and/or funding of this grant were not a requirement for successful completion of this project.</p>

<p> Bullying is a serious problem that affects youth from all backgrounds and can negatively affect their development. The purpose of this project was to develop a program, identify potential funding resources, and write a grant to fund a bullying prevention program at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Pasadena Unified School District. The proposed program will take a school-wide approach and implement Second Step, an evidence-based program to prevent bullying. Students will participate in classroom activities to build empathy, communication, bullying prevention, emotion management, and prevent substance abuse. Some enhancements such as assemblies, parent trainings, and incentives will be added to the program to promote collaboration between the school and the home and actively engage all of the systems related to bullying. Implications for social work practice are discussed. The actual submission and/or funding of the grant were not required for the successful completion of this project.</p>

<p> This research was undertaken to deepen our knowledge about the impact of graduate social work education on the way child welfare caseworkers form and maintain relationships with their clients. A qualitative approach was chosen because it best illustrates the process by which education can impact on child welfare work.</p><p> Working Alliance Theory (Horvath and Luborsky, 1983) was used to provide a theoretical framework to understand the various components of the worker client relationship. In addition Transformational Learning Theory (Mezirow, 1991) and Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984) were used to provide a conceptual frame to understand the ways in which adults learn. </p><p> Fourteen child welfare workers from New York State were interviewed regarding their experiences with clients before and after their graduate education as well as what aspects of their education they found to be most salient. The results indicated that participants recognized the importance of the relationship with the client as opposed to simply seeing their job as simply a technical or procedural endeavor. Enhanced self-reflection and increased self-awareness was gained through class and field experiences. It enabled workers to differentiate their feelings from that of the client and act accordingly. In addition, workers were able to transfer learning from graduate classes and placements that were largely unrelated to child welfare. </p><p> The results of this study indicate that workers with an MSW recognize the importance of the worker client relationship as well as learned new skills that help manage this most difficult of relationships more effectively. Child welfare organizations should consider ways to recruit and retain these highly trained and valuable employees.</p>

Thesis (PhD.)--University of South Australia, Adelaide, 2002.

Thesis--University of Utah. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [349]-358).

Abstract of Thesis--Catholic University of America. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

<p> The Bowen Family Systems concept Fusion with Others was found to be the most significant predictor of children&rsquo;s demonstration of anxiety based on parent&rsquo;s reports, accounting for approximately 22% of the variation in anxiety ratings. Both parent Emotional Cutoff and parent Fusion with Others were found to be the most significant predictors of student anxiety in children at school based on their teacher&rsquo;s reports, accounting for nearly 30% of the variability in teacher&rsquo;s anxiety ratings. Children&rsquo;s math performance at school was also found to be significantly associated with parent Emotional Cutoff. This investigation examined relationships between parent&rsquo;s levels of Differentiation of Self, Emotional Cutoff, Emotional Reactivity, &ldquo;I&rdquo; Position, and Fusion with Others, as defined by Bowen Theory, and children&rsquo;s functioning in reading, math, and in social/emotional competencies demonstrated at school. Twenty-five parents and twenty-five teachers from a Midwestern school district participated in the study. Significant differences between home and school emerged in this investigation in children&rsquo;s tendencies to avoid contact with others and in their appearances to parents and teachers of sadness or depression, indicating the possible existence of a Child Focus Process as postulated in Bowen Family Systems Theory. Significant similarities were found between home and school in children&rsquo;s tendencies to demonstrate anxious behavior. </p><p>