Dec 2007
Who Are America's Poor Children? The Official Story
Nearly 13 million American children (18 percent of all U.S. kids) live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level, which is $20,000 a year for a family of four. That’s up by 1.3 million children since 2000. This new fact sheet from the National Center for Children in Poverty looks at the latest data — which reiterates that poverty rates are highest among very young children, and that black, Latino, and American Indian children are more likely than white children to be poor — and also examines flaws in the way “official” poverty is measured in America.
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Jan 2008
What Maternal Factors Help Form a
What Maternal Factors Help Form a "Strong Start" in Life? A variety of elements of a mother's circumstances before and during pregnancy are associated with a child having a strong start in life. Child Trends' latest research brief examines factors associated with positive outcomes for children.
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Jan 2008
U.S. Ranks Low on UNICEF Child Well-Being Study
(from Connect for Kids)
UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre released a comparison of child well-being among 21 wealthy nations. The report assessed six measurements of well-being: material well-being, health and safety, educational well-being, family and peer relationships, behaviors and risks, and young people's own perceptions of their well-being. The United States was near the bottom across the board, and ranked worst in health and safety, largely due to infant mortality, accidental death/injury, and obesity. For an overview, you can read Caitlin's February 20, 2007 OneWorld US article, Among Rich Countries, US Child Well-Being Poor But Optimism Prevails.
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Apr 2008
Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Shape Brain Architecture
From the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child comes this summary of the latest research that shows the importance of sensitive periods on brain development and the implications for policy.
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Jan 2009
The Cost of Doing Nothing
This report from First Focus reports that an estimated 3 million more children will be pushed into poverty as a result of the recession, costing our economy $35 billion per year over their lifetimes, or a total cost of $1.7 trillion.
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Dec 2007
The Child Well-Being Index
(from Connect for Kids) ”The newest Foundation for Child Development study says that after years of improvements in health, safety, and well-being, we're at a "standstill." The good news: continued improvements in teen pregnancy, violent crime, and youth drug and alcohol use are pushing safety ratings upward. But children's health is declining dramatically. The tiny improvements and declines in other areas lead to an overall standstill. (Online you'll find video, audio and materials from the April 17 release.)”
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May 2008
Supporting Kinship Families: What State Policymakers Can Do
(A webcast from the National Governors Association Center and Casey Family Programs) “More than 2.5 million children are living with grandparents or other relatives without their parents in the home… A number of studies have shown that children in kinship care within the foster care system have fewer placement disruptions, are more likely to live with their siblings, and are more likely to have positive perceptions of their placements.” The webcast provides examples of how some states support kinship families.
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Apr 2008
Study Finds Progress on Array of Issues from Birth to 10
The Washington Post reports some good news from the Foundation for Child Development, which analyzed 25 key indicators of child well-being in the United States and found almost a 10% increase from 1994 to 2006. Read the article at:
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Dec 2008
Reducing Poverty Through Preschool Interventions
This proposal for “an intensive two-year, education-focused intervention for economically disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds” could ”reduce the future poverty rates of participants by between 5 percent and 15 percent.”
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Feb 2008
Reducing Maternal Depression and Its Impact on Young Children
“Maternal depression is a significant risk factor affecting the well-being and school readiness of young children. Low-income mothers of young children experience particularly high levels of depression, often in combination with other risk factors.” This policy brief [from the National Center for Children in Poverty] provides an overview of why it is so important to address maternal depression as a central part of the effort to ensure that all young children enter school ready to succeed.” Read the brief at:
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Jan 2009
Parents in Prison and Their Minor Children
This new report from the Department of Justice indicates that a majority of prisoners are parents of children under 18: 52% of state prisoners and 63% of federal prisoners have minor children. These children represent about 2.3% of all children under the age of 18 in the U.S.
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Aug 2008
One in Four Children Under Age 5 is Hispanic
An interview on National Public Radio discusses this trend, its implications, and assimilation patterns.
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Aug 2008
Montana Poverty Study 2008
This study includes county level data for poverty in Montana, looking at the extent of poverty, the assessment of needs, and the measurement of services and benefits for low-income populations. It was done by the Montana Department of Health and Human Services and Montana State University.
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Aug 2008
Kids Count Databook 2008
The 19th annual Kids Count Databook 2008 was released in June
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Apr 2008
Geography Matters: Child Well-Being in the States
The Every Child Matters Education Fund provides state rankings to show that where a child is born affects his health and well-being. Four factors contribute to gaps among the states: political culture, taxes, weak federal policy, and declining federal investments. One bright note: Montana shares the top ranking with Vermont for the least number of infant deaths per 1000 births.
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Aug 2008
Family Economic Security Profiles
The National Center for Children in Poverty provides state level data “on low-income children and families and highlights state policy choices to promote work attachment and advancement, income adequacy, and asset development.”
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Feb 2009
Early Childhood Interventions Proven Results
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Dec 2008
Changes in Childhood Culture
Nancy Carlsson-Paige, author of Taking Back Childhood, discusses how much early childhood culture has recently changed. The effects on children of today’s societal trends, such as “screen time, commercialism, sped-up daily life, violence and sexualization, and academic pressures,” are explored in this article from Child Care Exchange.
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Feb 2009
Brain Research and Early Childhood Development
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Jan 2009
Basic Facts about Low-Income Children--Preschoolers
This fact sheet from the National Center for Children in Poverty provides basic statistics for young children ages 0-6 living in poverty.
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Jan 2009
Basic Facts about Low-Income Children--Infants and Toddlers
Did you know that 43% of infants and toddlers in the United States live in low-income families? This fact sheet from the National Center for Children in Poverty provide basic statistics for young children ages 0-3 living in poverty.
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Mar 2009
Baby DVDs, Videos May Hinder, Not Help, Infants' Language Development
Despite marketing claims, parents who want to give their infants a boost in learning language probably should limit the amount of time they expose their children to DVDs and videos such as "Baby Einstein" and "Brainy Baby."
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