ABSTRACT
The group program is a people-changing instrument of the first order. Evidence is abundant, and we are even beginning to understand why it is and, in a limited way, how the forces impinging on the child in group care may be orchestrated to his advantage. In this chapter Bronfenbrenner explores the theoretical causes and practical implications of these powerful environments, beginning with a succinct review of the state of pertinent knowledge, then discussing the elements necessary for successful and positive impact, and ending with some ideas on how these may be achieved. While Bronfenbrenner does not address himself to total institutions per se, his requirements for the "making of the new men" explicate the elements necessary for successful group care. These include:
392 All of the successful settings described in the preceding chapters have these attributes although, to be sure, the point of emphasis varies, as it must, with the condition of the child and the capabilities of the environment. Clearly the operating social structures within which these conditions can be developed may vary widely. Among them, along with the capable family in an endowed milieu, is the competent group care program.
