Prevent Child Abuse New York's Blog

Pre-school: It's More than Naps and Snack Time

The First Five Years Fund has released an animated ad, Early Learning Matters, emphasizing the well documented link between high-quality early education for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens and better health, education and economic outcomes.

If you're in New York City, you can see the ad running every hour on the CBS jumbotron, on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, through July 8th.

On a related note, the folks at Planet Money recently discussed the research behind the case for pre-school with University of Chicago economist James Heckman.

How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function

A new joint Working Paper from Harvard’s National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs explains how a child’s early childhood years are the foundation for developing vital brain functions, what can disrupt this development, and how supporting this important stage in child development benefits them in the future.

Completing most tasks requires the successful collaboration of a number of executive function skills. Scientists break these down into three dimensions:

• Working Memory: the capacity to hold and manipulate information in our heads over short periods of time.
• Inhibitory Control: the skill we use to master and filter our thoughts and impulses. This allows us to think before we act, resist distractions and temptations.
• Cognitive or Mental Flexibility: the capacity to switch gears and adjust to changed demands, priorities, or perspectives. This allows us to apply different rules in different settings.

The study that consisted of extensive Neuroscience and Developmental Research came to the following conclusions:

• The building blocks of children’s capacities to retain and use new information, focus attention, control impulses, and make plans are acquired during early childhood, but the full range of executive function skills continues to develop into the adolescent years.
• Executive functioning is distinct and separate (although still crucial to) school readiness and academic success.
• Children’s executive function skills provide the link between early school achievement and social, emotional, and moral development.
• Large individual differences in executive functioning at kindergarten entry can have important implications for children’s adjustment and success in and out of school as well as in their relationships with others.
• A young child’s environment and relationships plays an important role in the development of executive capacities.
• Adverse environments resulting from neglect, abuse, and/or exposure to violence can impair the development of executive function skills as a result of the disruptive effects of toxic stress on the developing architecture of the brain.
• There is increasing evidence revealing a close relationship between the roles played by community, school, and family contexts, as well as socioeconomic status, in the development of executive function skills.
• Children who experience adversity at an early age are more likely to exhibit deficits in executive functioning, suggesting that these capacities are vulnerable to disruption early in the developmental process.

The study suggested several strategies to help foster the development of these important skills in young children. For instance, a “Preschool Intervention” approach introducing an increase in the practice of the following three strategies:

1. Programs aimed at fostering emerging executive function skills e.x. the ability to retain and use information, focus and resist distractions
2. Programs that train and support teachers in effective classroom management strategies e.x. rewarding positive student behavior, redirecting negative behavior
3. Programs that train teachers to model and coach children as their social-emotional skills are developing. Focusing specifically on children’s pro-social behavior, social problem-solving skills, ability to understand and express emotions constructively, and ability to control impulsive behavior and organize themselves to accomplish goals.

America’s Disappearing Middle Class

A recent report by the Foundation for Child Development (FCD) examined the state of America’s declining middle-class and how these figures were affecting our children and families.

The report titled: ‘Declining Fortunes of Children in Middle-Class Families: Economic Inequality and Child Well-Being in the 21st Century’ had the following key findings:

• Children in middle-class families were losing ground long before the start of the Great Recession in 2007.The gap in real family income separating a middle-class family (one with an annual income between $22,758 and $110,000) from a high-income one expanded from $59,800 in 1985 to $93,100 by 2008. Between 2000 and 2008, middle-class families experienced a drop in real family income of more than $4,000, compared to a dip of just $139 for the top 20% of earners.
• The income gap between families is widening.
• Children in middle-class families are increasingly relying on public programs for services that many of their parents cannot afford.
• There has been an increase in the number of one-parent middle-class families. This figure increased from 14% to 23% between 1985 to 2007. This is worrying because children from single-parent homes tend to be less successful in school than children from two-parent families.
• The gap in secure parental employment separating children in middle-class and high-income families widened by one-third between 2000 and 2008.

These discouraging figures can however be curbed. FCD has cited the example of the successful anti-poverty initiative that Britain implemented over the past decade with great success. Their approach consisted of the following three strands:

• A set of measures to promote work and “make work pay.” Examples of how to implement this include increasing the minimum wage.
• Increased financial support for families. Examples include targeting scarce resources to families with the youngest children.
• A series of investments in children. Examples include implementing paid parental leave, education investments in both early childhood and K-12.

Jane Waldfogel of Columbia University and the London School of Economics authored a report on Britain’s strategies to tackle child poverty finding that child poverty figures were reduced by over half – numbers even reduced during the recession.

With massive cuts to vital education and health programs being proposed by policymakers, the US is not currently on the path to emulating such success. If we want to effectively reduce the disparities in the classes and ensure children in the middle-class do not suffer, we must take a lesson from Britain and invest in similar anti-poverty strategies.

Free SIDS Training for Parents and Child Care Providers

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected, sudden death of a child under age 1 in which an autopsy does not show an explainable cause of death. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Healthy Child Care America just released a new online training module on ‘Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in Child Care!’

Based on AAP's Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speakers Kit, this is a FREE course that is designed to educate everyone who cares for babies, including child care providers, health care professionals, parents, grandparents, and relatives.

In one hour, participants will learn how to create a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep related deaths. With an easy to use format, this course is available 24/7 from your home or office computer. Childcare providers will receive a certificate of completion for 1.0 contact hour.

For instructions on how to access this FREE course, visit

www.healthychildcare.org/pdf/SIDSmoduleflyer.pdf. 

For more information and materials on how to reduce the risk of SIDS, visit

www.healthychildcare.org/sids.html.

Pregnant? Text BABY for Health Tips on Your Phone

Research shows that about 90 percent of Americans have a mobile phone. With texting becoming more and more popular it was only a matter of time before something like text4baby came along. Text4baby is a mobile health service for expecting mothers. It is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.

Women can sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish) and receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. Text4baby messages also connect women to local clinics and support services for prenatal and infant care.

If you are looking to find out all of the information that you can about how to have a healthy pregnancy and making sure you give your child the best start at life, then text4baby is something you should consider.

More information about text4baby here.

 

November is National Adoption Month

Currently, there are 130,000 children and youth waiting to be adopted. National Adoption Month urges Americans to "Answer the Call" to adopt children and youth from foster care. National Adoption Month intends to raise awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care.

The Ad Council's latest public service "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent" urges potential parents that perfection is not the goal. Children just need loving, caring environments with stability. This award-winning campaign is a partnership of the Children’s Bureau, the Ad Council, and AdoptUsKids. This year’s ads target the African-American community and finding homes for African-American children in care. The ads feature humorous everyday scenarios illustrating that parents need not be perfect to offer the stability and commitment that a “forever family” provides to a waiting child.

Visit the 2009 National Adoption Month Website for more information: http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/

Additionally, The Children's Bureau Express has a Spotlight on National Adoption Month webpage The CBE has information about how agencies celebrate National Adoption Month, and find out more about the latest adoption resources and research.  They also offer more information and service on:

PSA Campaign Recruits Families for African-American Children
Adoption Month Calendar Features Innovative Activities
National Survey of Adoptive Parents Releases First Data
Post adoption Support Guide
Positive Outcomes for Late-Placed Adoptees
Court Collaboration Expedites Adoptions
Parent-to-Parent Support for Adoptive Families

To view more information please visit their Spotlight on National Adoption Month: http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm?event=website.viewSection&issueID=111&subsectionID=8

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention published a new report that discusses findings from a survey examining children's exposure to violence. The survey is the first to attempt to comprehensively measure exposure to violence for nationally representative sample of 4,549 children younger then 18 across major categories. Some of these categories were:

1. Conventional crime, including robbery, theft, destruction of property, attack with an object or weapon
2. Child maltreatment, other than spanking on the bottom
3. Sexual victimization
4. Witnessing and indirect victimization
5. Exposure to family violence
6. School violence and threat
7. Internet violence and victimization, including Internet threats or harassment and unwanted online sexual solicitation

Results suggest that most children in the U.S. are exposed to violence in their daily lives, with more than 60 percent of the children surveyed having been exposed to violence within the past year. Nearly half of the children surveyed had been assaulted in the previous year, and nearly 1 in 10 witnessed one family member assaulting another.

Safe Start Center is dedicated to teaching about the harmful effects of the exposure of violence on children. Safe Start's website is packed with information and resources for parents and the community to help our children stay safe. To read the full report of to learn more about the Safe Start Initiative, visit www.safestartcenter.org.

Illinois Toy Screening Finds Toys Fail to Comply Lead & Phthalate Limits

The Illinois Public Interest Research Group recently released a limited screening of 87 popular toys, which showed some toys still violate the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) standards for lead and contain illegal phthalates. Two out of seven toys tested for phthalates contained phthalates which were banned by the federal government earlier this year. Dress up costumes, construction toys, musical instruments, jewelry, outdoor toys, stuffed animals, and arts & crafts are some types of toy that are on the high risk list.

Other chemicals found in some of these products are lead, chlorine, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and bromine.

To view all the results from this latest posting please visit: http://www.healthystuff.org/departments/toys/

For further information on all toys reviewed please visit: http://www.healthystuff.org/departments/toys/product.least.php?rank=high

Dealing with a Traumatic Event

In the wake of the tragic events at Fort Hood a last week, it’s important to remember that when traumatic incidents occur, the Center for Disease Control's Injury Center can assist by providing information that can help people cope and recover.

Sometimes after experiencing a traumatic event, including personal or environmental disasters, or being threatened with an assault, people have a strong and lingering reaction to stress. When the symptoms of stress last too long, it can cause people to feel overwhelmed and have an effect on their ability to cope.

Common reactions to a stressful event can include:
Disbelief and shock
Fear and anxiety about the future
Difficulty making decisions
Apathy and emotional numbing
Loss of appetite
Nightmares and reoccurring thoughts about the event
Anger
Increased use of alcohol and drugs
Sadness and depression
Feeling powerless
Crying
Sleep difficulties
Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems
Difficulty concentrating


For more information, tips on how to hand a traumatic experience, or to read this full article please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HandlingStress/ or http://www2c.cdc.gov/podcasts/player.asp?f=5256

Positive Parenting Can have Lasting Impact for Generations

A new study that looks at data on three generations of Oregon families shows that “positive parenting” not only has positive impacts on adolescents, but on the way they parent their own children. ” Positive Parenting can include factors such as warmth, monitoring children’s activities, involvement, and consistency of discipline.

Researchers from the Oregon Social Learning Center conducted surveys on 206 boys who were considered “at-risk” for juvenile delinquency. The boys and their parents were interviewed and observed, researchers information about how the boys were parented. Starting in 1984, the boys met with researchers every year from age 9 to 33. As the boys grew up and started their own families, their partners and children began participating in the study. In this way, the researchers learned how the men’s childhood experiences influenced their own parenting.

There is often an assumption that people learn parenting methods from their own parents. In fact, most research shows that a direct link between what a person experiences as a child and what she or he does as a parent is fairly weak. The researchers found that children who had parents who monitored their behavior, were consistent with rules and were warm and affectionate were more likely to have close relationships with their peers, be more engaged in school, and have better self-esteem.

For more information relating to positive parenting techniques, please visit our website http://preventchildabuseny.org/parents.shtml