Academic literature on the topic 'Voluntary family services'

Dramatic changes in human services funding in the 1980s prompted a redefinition of leadership in family service agencies. In this study of family service executives, attention is focused on changes in the roles executives play within their agencies, the skills they need, and the problems they face in the current environment. Their involvement in advocacy activity is discussed. The authors conclude that the future viability of the voluntary social service sector is tied to the type of leadership provided by agency executives.

Unintended pregnancy is one of the major issues affecting reproductive health in Nigeria. In Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria, we noticed that one in every five pregnancies is unplanned. Many women who have mistimed pregnancies resort to abortions, which are essentially performed in dangerous conditions. Therefore, we sought to understand from 210 young married couples how effective voluntary family planning services are to curb the problem of unplanned pregnancies in Abia State’s Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area. The framework provided by contraceptive decision theory was helpful in the thematic analysis of the data. Findings reveal voluntary family planning is effective at averting pregnancies, but there are limited contraceptive options available for individuals. Our findings indicated white-coria and osu-oji (forms of traditional contraceptives) as efficacious in preventing pregnancy. Recommendations on the effectiveness of family planning services were made.

During the 1980s much of the concern in social services has focused on the impact of external forces on agencies—namely the increase in the problems of the American family with a simultaneous decrease in commitment from the U.S. government for funding and services. A nationwide survey of Family Service America, Inc., member agencies was undertaken in an attempt to assess partially the impact of these environmental changes on voluntary social service agencies. The data indicate that the increased needs of the community took precedence over the decline in public sector support. Response to a conservative environment led to interorganizational changes, which allowed for program expansion in an attempt to meet the increased demand for human services.

AbstractThis paper aims to examine the impact of corporate governance (CG) rules using several variables—size of the board of directors, size of the audit committee, family ownership ratio, and their impact on the level of the voluntary disclosure of companies listed with Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). The study was conducted based on the annual reports of the first market that include 55 firms. Content analysis was applied to collect the required data from several sectors (financial, insurance, services, and industrial sectors) from 2016 to 2017.The results indicate a negative association among family ownership ratio, size of the audit committee, and voluntary disclosure level. However, the study shows that the size of the board of directors has a significant positive relationship with the level of voluntary disclosure. Furthermore, the results show that CG rules (size of the board of directors, size of the audit committee, and family ownership ratio) have a significant positive relationship with the voluntary disclosure level of the companies listed with ASE. In the borderline market environment, the study contributes to a theoretical understanding of the corporate governance of voluntary disclosure and the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and voluntary disclosure. The outcomes provide empirical support for the theoretical notion that effective corporate governance plays an important role in increasing the extent of voluntary disclosure.

As the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (2003) noted, Aboriginal children face more discrimination and increased risk factors than other Canadian children. Their lived experiences are shaped by the policies of assimilation and colonization that aimed to eliminate Aboriginal cultures through repression of fundamental freedoms, denial of ownership and the operation of residential schools (RCAP, 1996; Milloy, 1999). First Nations child and family service agencies have expressed concern about the lack of resources available to support families in redressing the significant impacts of colonization. The voluntary sector provides a myriad of important social supports to Canadians off reserve and this research project sought to determine how accessible voluntary sector resources were for First Nations children, youth and families resident on reserve in British Columbia. Results of a provincial survey of First Nations child and family service agencies and child, youth and family voluntary sector organizations indicate very limited access to voluntary sector services. Possible rationales for this social exclusion are examined and recommendations for improvement are discussed.

Introduction:The unmet need for family planning reflects the gap between womens reproductive intentions and their contraceptive behavior. Its a useful indicator for tracking progress towards the target of achieving universal access to reproductive health. Aim:This study aimsat measuringthe level of unmet need for family planning in Ombada locality to identify the determinants that affectutilization of FP methodsand to assessthe readiness of the public health facilities to the provision of FP services. Methods:The study was a descriptive cross-sectional health facility and community-based studyusinga multistage sampling technique.The study collected data from married women of reproductive age (15-49 years)and from the public health facilities providingfamily planning services in the study area using structured questionnaire and checklist respectively. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version20. Results:Currently users for family planning methods were (21.55%). The total unmet need for family planning was high and measured as (39.26%), while the total demand for family planning was (60.8%). Factors such as age, age at marriage, living children, knowledge about family planning methods and discussion with husband were found to be significantly related to the high total unmet need. Major reasons for the non-use of family planning methods were husband/family objection, fear of side effects and a lack of knowledge about family planning methods. Assessment of health facilities revealed poor infrastructure readiness. Conclusion: Women in the surveyed locality are still not empowered regarding their reproductive health choices, as they are still under the control of husbands and families concerning the use of contraceptive methods. In addition, the lack of counsellingcomponent, which was the weakest link in the provision of family planning services, lead to voluntary or un-voluntary avoid of using FP methods, or adopting unprofessional sources or methods as alternatives. Thus, policymakers and directorates managers have to carefully consider such findings when planning for FP interventions.

Abstract The rapid rise of the aging population and the “4-2-1” family structure in China calls for speeding up the construction of the elderly care service system. To facilitate this process, it is desirable to encourage voluntary participation in elder care agencies. This study aims to identify motivational factors that may affect the intention to volunteer in elder care agencies in China. Data were collected in a sample of 199 residents of Beijing, China. Our results revealed gender differences in the demographic and socioeconomic factors that affect the volunteer intention. For men, earning more than 12,000 Yuan (about $1900) significantly increased the intention to participate in voluntary services (p = .043). For women, those younger than 60 years of age were more willing to participate in voluntary services than their older counterparts (p = .014). Participants identified three key motivational factors for providing volunteer services in elder care agencies: (1) to show love and kindness to older adults; (2) to fulfill oneself and take social responsibilities; and (3) to gain more life experience. We also found that most participants prefer to provide spiritual comfort services (e.g., chatting, shopping) and life care services (e.g., cooking, house cleaning) than other types of services. Our study suggested that effective interventions should be designed and implemented to match volunteering resources to the needs of elder care agencies in China.

Childhood obesity is a recognized public health crisis. This paper reviews the lessons learned from a voluntary initiative to expand insurance coverage for childhood obesity prevention and treatment services in the United States. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted with key informants from 16 participating health plans and employers in 2010-11. Key informants reported difficulty ensuring that both providers and families were aware of the available services. Participating health plans and employers are beginning new tactics including removing enrollment requirements, piloting enhanced outreach to selected physician practices, and educating providers on effective care coordination and use of obesity-specific billing codes through professional organizations. The voluntary initiative successfully increased private health insurance coverage for obesity services, but the interviews described variability in implementation with both best practices and barriers identified. Increasing utilization of obesity-related health services in the long term will require both family- and provider-focused interventions in partnership with improved health insurance coverage.

A successful digital society is, in part, predicated on people having secure access to digitally-delivered services when they need it. It has long been recognised that parts of society are not able to access digital services without assistance, often as a result of economic precarity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of third and voluntary sector organisations in providing assisted digital access has come to the fore. As access to essential everyday services moved to digital-only and family and friendship networks of support became disrupted by the pandemic, for many, voluntary and third sector organisations were the source of digital assistance to claim welfare, pay bills, take part in education and purchase food. Our study explores the types of assisted digital access that voluntary and third sector organisations have provided thus far during the COVID-19 pandemic. We capture the dimensions of this assistance and evaluate the steps such organisations take to ensure that this access is safe for both the assister and assisted. From these findings we set out a security strategy with supporting design principles that combines digital security with human security in a security approach we term 'positive-first'.

Abstract Meitheal is a national practice model which aims to ensure that the needs and strengths of children and their families are effectively identified, understood and responded to in a timely manner. The aim of this article is to consider some of the notable learning from the historical background and context in the development of children and family services. The discussion draws together four interrelated themes: the interaction between the voluntary and statutory systems, the interface of family and child oriented services, balancing formal and informal responses to child welfare, and early intervention and prevention services. The complexity of this endeavour is emphasised through identifying the core considerations required at the levels of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. The article concludes with a commentary on how the future of child welfare in Ireland may be influenced through this attempt at a reorientation of children and family services towards early intervention, prevention, partnership and participation.

This research aimed to understand engagement with voluntary family services, which has implications for service policy and practice. In regions of high social disadvantage, such as the Inner Gippsland region in the state of Victoria (Australia), engagement with voluntary family services is vital to reduce harm for children. However, barriers to engagement need to be understood from the perspectives of parents and practitioners. While the literature is replete with studies and records on engagement of parents and practitioners with statutory child protective services, there are few studies on engagement for families serviced by voluntary family services, which accept a range of referral sources. To address this gap, this study conducted ten qualitative semi-structured interviews with parents referred to Inner Gippsland family services and seven interviews with practitioners. These were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Interview data were supported by quantitative data drawn from voluntary family service system records on service use across the region for 2016–17 and 2017–18. Mixed methods were employed. This study found that these regional and rural practitioners and parents conceived of engagement as open communication, trust, rapport and understanding. Practitioners also discussed engagement occurring at different levels and involving parents’ willingness to change. However, these aspects were not referred to by parents. Practitioners explained that parents may show full or meaningful engagement and set goals to work towards, or they may engage at a superficial level where they consult but do not value change. This indicates that the notion of ‘engagement’ held by parents is dissonant with that of service providers who focus on the documentation of goals and achievements. Factors influencing engagement included parent perceptions, practitioner disposition, power relations, system design and implementation. Parents expected practitioners to clearly explain services that are tailored to meet needs. Some parents were reluctant to engage fully and trust practitioners due to potential harm and the possibility of removal of their children from their care. Parents wanted support without judgement and for practitioners to provide friendly advice and not be authoritarian. Practitioners balanced assessments of child wellbeing with responding to family needs and emphasised empowering clients and relating to them humanely. Many parents did not feel family services were voluntary as they are connected to and mandated to report serious concerns to Child Protection.1 Most parents were reluctant to ask for help and were negatively disposed towards government Child Protection. Parents who self-referred to family services expressed the most willingness to use a service, while those referred by police did not tend to use a service past initial phone calls. Practitioner-documented service hours in the home, an objective indicator of engagement, were highest for families where an early learning or early childhood intervention agency had referred. These findings were consistent with the interview data showing parental reluctance to engage where there was fear of Child Protection intervention. The practices of prioritising cases of complexity or crisis clashed with policy ideals of prevention and early intervention. More complex issues for families in the region increased the likelihood of service availability and use, yet many families did not complete activities negotiated in service plans or engage to make a plan with practitioners. This study demonstrated that for supportive relationships that promote child and family wellbeing to occur in a regional and rural area, family services need to be trusted. Only then, according to parents, will engagement eventuate.
Doctor of Philosophy

Background: About 22.4 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2008 out of which women constitute approximately 57%. Namibia is one of the highly affected countries with a national HIV prevalence of 17.8% among women attending antenatal clinics. Antiretroviral medications have become available in Namibia since 2002 and presently all district hospitals and some health centres provide ARVs to those in need. Namibia is rated as one of the few countries in sub-Sahara Africa with a high coverage of ART, with 80% of those in need of ART receiving the treatment. An increasing trend has been observed whereby HIV+ women on ARV are becoming pregnant. Little is known about the attitude, knowledge and behavior of these women towards family planning and use of contraceptives and what barriers they may be facing in accessing these services.Aim: To determine the factors affecting the utilization of family planning services by HIV+ pregnant women receiving PMTCT services. Methodology: The study was a cross sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the critical elements of knowledge, attitude and perceptions of the study participants towards family planning services. The study also assessed the health system and other factors that impact on the use of contraceptives by HIV+ women. It was conducted in northern Namibia at Oshakati Health centre among randomly selected pregnant HIV+ women attending for PMTCT services.Results: Among the 113 respondents, who participated in the study, 97.3% knew at least one method of family planning but only 53.6% actually used any method of contraception prior to current pregnancy. Among the 46.4% who did not use any contraception, the reasons often cited for non-use were because they wanted a baby (52%), spouse objection (10%), being afraid of the effects (14%) and other reasons such as belief, culture and distance to travel to the health facility. 88% of the respondents indicated a willingness to use contraceptives after current pregnancy and expressed general satisfaction with services at the health centre while asking for more information on family planning services.Conclusion: HIV+ women have high awareness on some contraceptives but use of contraceptives is not as high as many of them have a desire to have children for self esteem and leave a legacy for the future. Knowledge of the risks of pregnancy on HIV+ woman may be limited and there is a need to improve educational intervention in this regard as well as integrate family planning services into all HIV/AIDS services.

The South African White Paper for Social Welfare (1997:58) acknowledges the importance to children of living in a secure and nurturing family. Nevertheless, many families are unable to fulfil their parenting roles as a result of the increasing pressures in society. One of these pressures concerns the employment of parents. There is an increasing tendency for people to relocate to bigger cities where there are more job opportunities. This then results in many children being left in the care of grandparents or other relatives while the biological parents pursue job opportunities in other cities. The aim of this study was to enhance an understanding of children’s experiences of these voluntary parental absences and the factors that contribute to their resilience during this process. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was employed and seven primary school children (10-12 years) from Port Elizabeth participated in semi-structured interviews including drawings. Trustworthiness was ensured and data analysis was conducted by using Tesch’s model (in Creswell, 1998). Four themes were derived from the study: Children’s perception of a family, where the participants defined family according to characteristics of (amongst others) care and love; Children’s experiences of living with a substitute family, where there was a process of detachment from biological parents, attachment to the substitute family and present experiences in the new family; Resilience in children, where the participants revealed their ways of coping; and, lastly, Suggestions from the participants on how other children in the same situation could cope.

碩士
臺北市立大學
人文藝術學院國民小學教師在職進修公民與社會教學碩士學位班
105
Volunteers play a very important role in community service. In many activities, they provide assistance in all aspects. According to statistics, females predominate in domestic voluntary service, especially housewives, who dedicate themselves to their family due to motherhood and withdraw from the labor market without any position and wages. Their efforts are frequently overlooked, while they still contribute significantly to the community and society through voluntary services to prove their competency and values. The study focuses on housewives participating in a volunteer team in an elementary school in New Taipei City.Qualitative research methods including observation and interviews are employed to collect data. With the assistance of volunteer supervisors, five senior volunteers with experiences more than five years and a supervisor are selected through the drawing of lots. By participating in activities and integrating interview data, housewives’ process of involvement in voluntary services is clearly unfolded. Based on the data collected from the six interviewees, the following conclusions are generalized. 1.Before participating in voluntary services, housewives tend to live in closed life, lacking stress outlets. 2.The timing of housewives’ participating in voluntary services is inseparably linked to their family life cycle. 3.The motive of being a volunteer, changing with time, is both egoistic and altruistic. 4.Participating in voluntary services is a progressive process of involvement. 5.The drive for continuous involvement of voluntary services comes from emotional feedback. 6.Difficulties and adjustments of housewives’ participation in volunteer service: Family First principles of time allocation, family’s supportive attitude, and the adaptation to the culture of the volunteer teams 7.Being lifelong volunteers becomes one of housewives’ options in career planning. Based on the study results, suggestions are made to housewives, schools, the public, the government and also for future researches.

Background: The South Africa’s reproductive health policy put more emphasis on dual methods in preventing unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission. Regardless of such policies, the uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services remains a personal choice. Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the accessibility, acceptance and utilisation of VCT services by women on hormonal contraceptives. Methods: About 134 women obtaining hormonal contraceptives were interviewed in a cross-sectional study. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was applied to analyse the study data. Results: Respondents displayed positive attitudes towards Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing. Unavailability and poor access to in-house VCT services was found to be a barrier for use of these services. Conclusion: There’s a need for provider initiated counselling and testing (PICT) strengthening and integration of VCT services into family planning.
Health Studies
M (Public Health)
362.104256

碩士
世新大學
資訊管理學研究所(含碩專班)
106
The Subject of This Search Is to Discuss the Armed Force Volunteer Soldier’s Job Satisfied and Cognition of Work-Family Conflict. This Study Will Adopt Questionnaire Survey, and Will Focus on The Soldier in The Army Ammunition Troop to Join the Survey: This Research Is Discussing a Predicament May Be Occurred When Armed Force Become Fully Volunteer Soldiers, And Hope to Understand the Reasons of Volunteers’ Resign by Observe the Aspect of Personality, Job Satisfaction, And the Cognition of Work-Family Conflict. As a Reference Material, This Study Will Help Our Armed Force Design New Policy of Military System and Complementary Measures. They Also Play an Important Role of Many Rescue Action When Natural Disasters Occurred (Such as Typhoon, Or Earth Quake…etc), How to Build a Friendly Environment and Keep the Qualified Personnel Will Be the First Priority Issue for The Armed Force. This Research Is Confer on The Affection of Job Satisfied and Work-Family Conflict as Factors to Retain in Troop Via a Survey of Volunteer Soldier. How to Build a Friendly Environment and Keep the Qualified Personnel Will Be the First Priority Issue for The Armed Force. This Research Is Confer on The Affection of Job Satisfied and Work-Family Conflict as Factors to Retain in Troop Via a Survey of Volunteer Soldier. This Study Reveals Job Satisfied and Work-Family Conflict Is Closely Related with The Willing of Retain in Troop or Resign from Troop.

AbstractRussia’s diaspora policies target a broad category of compatriots including both Russian nationals residing abroad and non-nationals with Soviet background, which are estimated at around 30 million people. Russian nationals abroad constitute about 1/5 of all compatriots residing abroad. Diaspora-related legislation and institutional framework are focused on compatriots living in former Soviet republics, so-called ‘Near Abroad’. Until 2006, diaspora policies addressed primarily cultural and language support of Russian-speaking compatriots abroad. In 2007, to compensate for the natural population decline, Russian authorities launched the State Program for Assisting Compatriots Residing Abroad in Their Voluntary Resettlement in the Russian Federation. Meanwhile, after 2010, the outflow of Russian nationals for permanent residence abroad increased. Between 2011 and 2017, the estimated 2.7 million people left the country to live somewhere beyond former Soviet republics. Russian citizens residing abroad have a right to pension benefits, one family-related benefit, and free access to public health services on the territory of Russia. Russian nationals permanently residing in the so-called ‘Far Abroad’ have been mostly beyond the outreach of the Russian authorities. Legislative initiatives targeting specifically this category of compatriots are rare, and often associated with control mechanisms rather than support measures.

This chapter discusses the development of the Coalition and Conservative Governments’ reform programme for child and family social work. Initially, the new Conservative children’s minister Tim Loughton sought to build on the work of the profession led Social Work Task Force (discussed in chapter 7), belatedly set-up under Labour after the Baby P case. This included the commissioning of the Munro Review of child protection. However, after two years Loughton was replaced as children’s minister and the Secretary of State Michael Gove initiated a new, more centrally driven, reform programme. Key policy developments included the reform of social work training, regulation and a new national ‘learning infrastructure’. Controversial plans to promote the increased outsourcing of child protection services to the private and voluntary sector were also pursued in the face of strong opposition from social work representatives.

This chapter looks at the nature of the gift of blood. The gift of blood has certain unique attributes which distinguish it from other forms of gift. The gift of blood takes place in impersonal situations, sometimes with physically hurtful consequences to the donor. Moreover, the recipient is in almost all cases not personally known to the donor; there can, therefore, be no personal expressions of gratitude or of other sentiments. If the principle of anonymity were generally abandoned, the consequences could be disastrous for givers and receivers as well as for all blood transfusion services. The chapter then presents a classification of the different types of blood donors: the paid donor; the professional donor; the pain-induced voluntary donor; the responsibility fee donor; the family credit donor; the captive voluntary donor; the fringe benefit voluntary donor; and the voluntary community donor.

In India, palliative care is a specialized care provided at the tertiary health centers. The models of palliative care that provide either a continuum of care and/or end-of-life care services in the country include (a) hospice centers, (b) mobile home care palliative teams, (c) family-based care, and (d) neighborhood network palliative care programs. The role of the social worker is mainly to coordinate between health and social care agencies, advocate for the client/family with medical professionals and voluntary agencies, and provide psychosocial counseling and bereavement support to the family. In keeping with the cultural ethos of the country, working with the family, understanding collusion, and integrating spirituality are vital aspects in providing effective palliative care services.

This chapter assesses conciliation, which is a voluntary process whereby a neutral third party facilitates negotiations between the parties to a dispute and assists them to reach a settlement. In England and Wales, conciliation tends to be court-driven and it is most often used in family and employment cases. In employment cases, the parties must attempt mandatory Early Conciliation with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) before a claim is issued in the Employment Tribunal, and conciliation can also be undertaken by ACAS after a claim has been lodged if Early Conciliation did not result in a settlement. In-court conciliation also takes place in family cases in disputes relating to children and money on the breakdown of the relationship between the parties. In addition, a number of independent conciliation schemes exist to help consumers solve disputes in relation to goods or services.

For many years, dementia care in Croatia was provided traditionally by the family, without no organized support, and many people with dementia were undiagnosed. Treatment for people with dementia presenting with serious behavioural and psychiatric symptoms was provided on psycho-geriatric wards in psychiatric hospitals. Alzheimer Croatia, founded in 1999, provides information, support, and education to caregivers, as well as to health professionals including psychiatrists, and neurologists, and also raises public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease. The continuing voluntary work of Alzheimer Croatia has helped to encourage the development of other types of services for people with dementia in Croatia.

People seek counselling for many reasons. Sometimes those who have had no previous need for mental health services are literally stopped in their tracks by life events—illness, family breakdown, intolerable stresses. People with long-term difficulties may turn to counselling when they feel the statutory services are not able to meet their needs, or as an adjunct to health care provision. With greater social mobility and the separation of family members, counselling increasingly provides the care and support previously offered within local communities. The provision and acceptability of counselling is on the increase. Counselling is possibly the most commonly delivered form of psychological therapy and the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists have over 30 000 members, with equivalent numbers in other countries. Professional training programmes in counselling have mushroomed in response to demand. Counsellors are found in many statutory and voluntary settings—mental health, primary care and medical settings, workplaces, drug and alcohol services, voluntary and charitable organizations, trauma services, and educational settings—as well as in private practice. But what exactly is counselling? What do counsellors do? Is counselling the same as psychotherapy? And, is it an effective form of treatment? Although counselling is a major growth area within mental health, it can be difficult for consumers and purchasers of counselling services to know what kind of counselling and counsellor to use, with lack of clarity about what works for whom. There are many different models of counselling, types of counsellor and many different training courses. It is difficult to make clear distinctions between counselling and psychotherapy. Much of the work of counsellors has not historically been amenable to standard methods of evaluation, and research is relatively new. Currently there is no statutory regulation for the term ‘counsellor’, which means that people are able to practise as counsellors without registration or accreditation. By definition, people who seek counselling are likely to be vulnerable, and the issue of public protection is paramount. The aim of this chapter is to clarify these issues and examine the place of counselling in psychiatry. The chapter begins by looking at the definition of counselling, and how counselling is both similar to, and distinct from, psychotherapy. The chapter goes on to look at the key features of counselling, and different models of counselling. Although counselling can and is used for many psychological difficulties, the chapter selects specific problems where there is evidence that it is an effective intervention: mild to moderate depression, adjustment difficulties, bereavement, trauma, and relationship problems. I then consider counselling in different settings, again selecting a few which illustrate the work of counsellors—primary care, mental health settings, student counselling, and the workplace—looking at the way counselling can be adapted according to the needs of the service. The chapter concludes by looking at issues of training, quality, and standards, commenting on the need for the control of an ever-developing profession without loss of the growing availability of effective counselling services to those in need.

This chapter addresses the establishment of a new parent–child relationship through adoption. It explores the recurring tension between individual autonomy and state regulation in the placement of children for adoption, and how it is reflected in the major developments in adoption in the past half-century. During the twentieth century, adoption was a specialized child welfare service performed by social workers in private and public child welfare agencies. Whether a birth mother relinquished her infant for adoption voluntarily or whether adoption was the final outcome of a child dependency proceeding, the articulated goal, sometimes achieved and sometimes mere rhetoric, was to advance the best interests of the child. These two tracks—voluntary relinquishment and involuntary termination of parental rights—resulting in adoption have given rise to dual systems in the past forty years. Even though the ultimate outcome of adoption for children from either system may be the same in terms of a court establishing the adoptive status, there is a major difference in goals. The goal of the voluntary system may well be to provide a childless couple with an infant so as to continue the adoptive family name. The aim of dependency proceedings resulting in the termination of parental rights is to protect children, and the disposition of adoption is a vehicle for providing a child with a permanent attachment to a family.

No governmental agency or authority seriously polices reproductive negligence. The best practices set forth by industry organizations are completely voluntary and routinely ignored, and there isn’t even any reliable or comprehensive system to track the wrongful thwarting of family planning. The breakneck pace of reproductive advances isn’t the only reason that test tubes and tube ties have eluded meaningful oversight: Four factors explain this regulatory vacuum. First, many are wary of ceding the state control on any matter involving procreation—red tape would raise prices on valuable services, making it harder for poor people to pay for them. Second is the political economy of reproductive technology in the United States: The free-market origins of infertility treatment let it develop unimpeded by government oversight, in the private sphere of for-profit clinics that function less as medical practices than trade businesses. A third factor that cuts against regulation is its murky electoral implications, even in reliably red or blue districts—fear of fracturing their political bases leads prudent officials to avoid wading into the morass. Fourth and finally is the limited public outcry to address reproductive negligence. Besides, steep costs and selective treatment coverage leaves many patients unable even to fund a legal challenge if things go wrong. State legislatures place damage caps and other barriers in the way of bringing suit. And trials can be a spectacle for plaintiffs wary of exposing personal matters to the public glare of open court.

En el Sector Educación, durante la crisis sanitaria mundial del COVID 19, los servidores estamos experimentando cambios muy significativos, en la atención al ciudadano, especialmente, solucionar los problemas de falta de conectividad de los estudiantes de EBR, EBA y ETP. Al sistematizar la primera información de directores de Instituciones Educativas, se demostraron que el 46% de estudiantes se encontraban sin conectividad a los medios de comunicación y tecnológicos. Resultado preocupante, durante el aislamiento social, que ha motivado a promover diversas alternativas, de cierre de brechas de falta de conectividad, para que los estudiantes reciban las sesiones de aprendizaje, a través de la estrategia del Ministerio de Educación de APRENDO EN CASA. Pero, las actividades administrativas que cumplimos estaban instauradas con el “cumplimiento de funciones”. Un problema crucial que no permitía movilizar propuestas, por no estar acorde a las acciones establecidas de costumbre, hasta que estalló en cambio de responsables de algunas áreas, para sensibilizar adecuadamente a trabajadores para emprender nuevas intervenciones durante el trabajo remoto. Desde ahí, las autoridades educativas promueven el cambio e inician la toma de decisiones colegiadas y coordinaciones interinstitucionales con autoridades municipales, políticas, de salud y policiales de la provincia de Castrovirreyna, con la finalidad de cerrar brechas de falta de conectividad de los estudiantes. Esta iniciativa tuvo buena aceptación y se emprendió arribar acuerdos e iniciación de implementación de LAS GUÍAS DE APRENDIZAJE, que son manuales por área curricular para que el estudiante desarrolle con mayor facilidad el contenido de los textos de lectura de cada grado. Además, se instalaron con 8 estaciones de internet satelital y un radio emisora en la infraestructura de la UGEL Castrovirreyna. Entonces, el nacimiento de la gestión pública propiamente dicha, en la UGEL Castrovirreyna, nace como efecto de la crisis sanitaria del COVID 19, donde hay participación voluntaria de padres de familia, autoridades comunales y autoridades locales, las que están orientadas a enfatizar el rol de los ciudadanos en la formulación de las políticas públicas y la coproducción de servicios: enmarcado en la transparencia y lucha contra la corrupción.

Aim/Purpose: This paper provides the results of the preliminary analysis of the findings of an ongoing study that seeks to examine the social media use, cultural and political awareness, civic engagement, issue prioritization, and social activism of Gen Z students enrolled at four different institutional types located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The aim of this study is to look at the group as a whole as well as compare findings across populations. The institutional types under consideration include a mid-sized majority serving or otherwise referred to as a traditionally white institution (TWI) located in a small coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean, a small Historically Black University (HBCU) located in a rural area, a large community college located in a county that is a mixture of rural and suburban and which sits on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and graduating high school students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs in a large urban area. This exploration is purposed to examine the behaviors and expectations of Gen Z students within a representative American region during a time of tremendous turmoil and civil unrest in the United States. Background: Over 74 million strong, Gen Z makes up almost one-quarter of the U.S. population. They already outnumber any current living generation and are the first true digital natives. Born after 1996 and through 2012, they are known for their short attention spans and heightened ability to multi-task. Raised in the age of the smart phone, they have been tethered to digital devices from a young age with most having the preponderance of their childhood milestones commemorated online. Often called Zoomers, they are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation and are on track to be the most well-educated generation in history. Gen Zers in the United States have been found in the research to be progressive and pro-government and viewing increasing racial and ethnic diversity as positive change. Finally, they are less likely to hold xenophobic beliefs such as the notion of American exceptionalism and superiority that have been popular with by prior generations. The United States has been in a period of social and civil unrest in recent years with concerns over systematic racism, rampant inequalities, political polarization, xenophobia, police violence, sexual assault and harassment, and the growing epidemic of gun violence. Anxieties stirred by the COVID-19 pandemic further compounded these issues resulting in a powder keg explosion occurring throughout the summer of 2020 and leading well into 2021. As a result, the United States has deteriorated significantly in the Civil Unrest Index falling from 91st to 34th. The vitriol, polarization, protests, murders, and shootings have all occurred during Gen Z’s formative years, and the limited research available indicates that it has shaped their values and political views. Methodology: The Mid-Atlantic region is a portion of the United States that exists as the overlap between the northeastern and southeastern portions of the country. It includes the nation’s capital, as well as large urban centers, small cities, suburbs, and rural enclaves. It is one of the most socially, economically, racially, and culturally diverse parts of the United States and is often referred to as the “typically American region.” An electronic survey was administered to students from 2019 through 2021 attending a high school dual enrollment program, a minority serving institution, a majority serving institution, and a community college all located within the larger mid-Atlantic region. The survey included a combination of multiple response, Likert scaled, dichotomous, open ended, and ordinal questions. It was developed in the Survey Monkey system and reviewed by several content and methodological experts in order to examine bias, vagueness, or potential semantic problems. Finally, the survey was pilot tested prior to implementation in order to explore the efficacy of the research methodology. It was then modified accordingly prior to widespread distribution to potential participants. The surveys were administered to students enrolled in classes taught by the authors all of whom are educators. Participation was voluntary, optional, and anonymous. Over 800 individuals completed the survey with just over 700 usable results, after partial completes and the responses of individuals outside of the 18-24 age range were removed. Findings: Participants in this study overwhelmingly were users of social media. In descending order, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Tik Tok were the most popular social media services reported as being used. When volume of use was considered, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter were the most cited with most participants reporting using Instagram and Snapchat multiple times a day. When asked to select which social media service they would use if forced to choose just one, the number one choice was YouTube followed by Instagram and Snapchat. Additionally, more than half of participants responded that they have uploaded a video to a video sharing site such as YouTube or Tik Tok. When asked about their familiarity with different technologies, participants overwhelmingly responded that they are “very familiar” with smart phones, searching the Web, social media, and email. About half the respondents said that they were “very familiar” with common computer applications such as the Microsoft Office Suite or Google Suite with another third saying that they were “somewhat familiar.” When asked about Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Blackboard, Course Compass, Canvas, Edmodo, Moodle, Course Sites, Google Classroom, Mindtap, Schoology, Absorb, D2L, itslearning, Otus, PowerSchool, or WizIQ, only 43% said they were “very familiar” with 31% responding that they were “somewhat familiar.” Finally, about half the students were either “very” or “somewhat” familiar with operating systems such as Windows. A few preferences with respect to technology in the teaching and learning process were explored in the survey. Most students (85%) responded that they want course announcements and reminders sent to their phones, 76% expect their courses to incorporate the use of technology, 71% want their courses to have course websites, and 71% said that they would rather watch a video than read a book chapter. When asked to consider the future, over 81% or respondents reported that technology will play a major role in their future career. Most participants considered themselves “informed” or “well informed” about current events although few considered themselves “very informed” or “well informed” about politics. When asked how they get their news, the most common forum reported for getting news and information about current events and politics was social media with 81% of respondents reporting. Gen Z is known to be an engaged generation and the participants in this study were not an exception. As such, it came as no surprise to discover that, in the past year more than 78% of respondents had educated friends or family about an important social or political issue, about half (48%) had donated to a cause of importance to them, more than a quarter (26%) had participated in a march or rally, and a quarter (26%) had actively boycotted a product or company. Further, about 37% consider themselves to be a social activist with another 41% responding that aren’t sure if they would consider themselves an activist and only 22% saying that they would not consider themselves an activist. When asked what issues were important to them, the most frequently cited were Black Lives Matter (75%), human trafficking (68%), sexual assault/harassment/Me Too (66.49%), gun violence (65.82%), women’s rights (65.15%), climate change (55.4%), immigration reform/deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) (48.8%), and LGBTQ+ rights (47.39%). When the schools were compared, there were only minor differences in social media use with the high school students indicating slightly more use of Tik Tok than the other participants. All groups were virtually equal when it came to how informed they perceived themselves about current events and politics. Consensus among groups existed with respect to how they get their news, and the community college and high school students were slightly more likely to have participated in a march, protest, or rally in the last 12 months than the university students. The community college and high school students were also slightly more likely to consider themselves social activists than the participants from either of the universities. When the importance of the issues was considered, significant differences based on institutional type were noted. Black Lives Matter (BLM) was identified as important by the largest portion of students attending the HBCU followed by the community college students and high school students. Less than half of the students attending the TWI considered BLM an important issue. Human trafficking was cited as important by a higher percentage of students attending the HBCU and urban high school than at the suburban and rural community college or the TWI. Sexual assault was considered important by the majority of students at all the schools with the percentage a bit smaller from the majority serving institution. About two thirds of the students at the high school, community college, and HBCU considered gun violence important versus about half the students at the majority serving institution. Women’s rights were reported as being important by more of the high school and HBCU participants than the community college or TWI. Climate change was considered important by about half the students at all schools with a slightly smaller portion reporting out the HBCU. Immigration reform/DACA was reported as important by half the high school, community college, and HBCU participants with only a third of the students from the majority serving institution citing it as an important issue. With respect to LGBTQ rights approximately half of the high school and community college participants cited it as important, 44.53% of the HBCU students, and only about a quarter of the students attending the majority serving institution. Contribution and Conclusion: This paper provides a timely investigation into the mindset of generation Z students living in the United States during a period of heightened civic unrest. This insight is useful to educators who should be informed about the generation of students that is currently populating higher education. The findings of this study are consistent with public opinion polls by Pew Research Center. According to the findings, the Gen Z students participating in this study are heavy users of multiple social media, expect technology to be integrated into teaching and learning, anticipate a future career where technology will play an important role, informed about current and political events, use social media as their main source for getting news and information, and fairly engaged in social activism. When institutional type was compared the students from the university with the more affluent and less diverse population were less likely to find social justice issues important than the other groups. Recommendations for Practitioners: During disruptive and contentious times, it is negligent to think that the abounding issues plaguing society are not important to our students. Gauging the issues of importance and levels of civic engagement provides us crucial information towards understanding the attitudes of students. Further, knowing how our students gain information, their social media usage, as well as how informed they are about current events and political issues can be used to more effectively communicate and educate. Recommendations for Researchers: As social media continues to proliferate daily life and become a vital means of news and information gathering, additional studies such as the one presented here are needed. Additionally, in other countries facing similarly turbulent times, measuring student interest, awareness, and engagement is highly informative. Impact on Society: During a highly contentious period replete with a large volume of civil unrest and compounded by a global pandemic, understanding the behaviors and attitudes of students can help us as higher education faculty be more attuned when it comes to the design and delivery of curriculum. Future Research This presentation presents preliminary findings. Data is still being collected and much more extensive statistical analyses will be performed.

Preventing unintended pregnancy among HIV-positive women through family planning (FP) services is one of the four cornerstones of a comprehensive program for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT). Reducing unintended pregnancies among HIV-positive women would yield a reduction in infections among infants and a reduction in the number of children potentially orphaned when parents die of AIDS-related illnesses. It also reduces HIV-positive women's vulnerability to morbidity and mortality related to pregnancy and lactation. In addition, family planning for both HIV-positive and -negative women safeguards their health by enabling them to space births. This brief focuses on findings from Horizons studies on the extent to which voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and PMTCT programs address family planning. In Kenya and Zambia, the Horizons Program collaborated with NARESA and the MTCT Working Group, respectively, and UNICEF to document the acceptability, operational barriers, costs, and impact of pilot PMTCT services.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Vasectomy is a safe and highly effective family planning method for men and couples who do not want any more children, but in low resource settings, few men seek out or have access to this method. Increasing the voluntary use of vasectomy is a cost-effective strategy for countries to reduce unmet need for family planning, decrease unintended pregnancies, and meet national family planning goals. By engaging men directly in family planning, vasectomy also holds promise for promoting positive gender norms and healthy relationships. | This brief is part of a set of resources from FHI 360/Evidence Project providing policymakers, advocates, program managers, and service providers with evidence-based recommendations for improving vasectomy programming.

Governments across West Africa have expressed their commitment to increasing access to voluntary family planning (FP) through global and regional initiatives such as FP2020 and the Ouagadougou Partnership, and through targeted national strategies. Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal, among other countries, have been exploring new strategies to expand access to voluntary FP service delivery. Context-specific evidence was needed for two promising strategies—1) task sharing of FP services to private sector drug shops and pharmacies, and 2) introducing self-injection of subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC). The Evidence Project collaborated with stakeholders in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal to use implementation science (IS) to expand the evidence base on these promising approaches. In this brief, we describe key study results from the three countries and how results have been used to increase access to voluntary family planning and expand method choice.