Tagged With "Center on the Developing Child"
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Meet Dan Torres: Leading a Washington Effort to Ensure Safety, Stability and Nurturing for All Children
Dan Torres was traveling the country, working with state and regional agencies that were trying to improve outcomes for families involved in their child welfare systems. As an associate at the Center for the Study of Social Policy, his area of expertise was family support. While agencies and community groups were exerting incredible effort and changing the game for some, he couldn’t escape one question: How do we work more on preventing families from becoming involved in child welfare...
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 1/2)
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Elena Costa – Elena Costa is the new Program Coordinator for the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative with the Safe and Active Communities Branch (SACB) at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Elena joined the EfC Initiative in April of 2019 and is excited to work with the membership of the Initiative to promote Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships, and Environments (SSNR&E) and assist with...
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Meet the Essentials for Childhood Initiative Team (Part 2/2)
Meet some of the Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative team members: Angela Ponivas is the Chief of the California Department of Social Services Office of Child Abuse Prevention (CDSS/OCAP). She has been in the OCAP almost five years, working at a systems level on behalf of children and families. Angela provides executive oversight of the development and execution of Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative activities at CDSS. Prior to working for the State, Angela was the Executive...
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Modeling prosocial behavior increases helping in 16-month-olds [sciencedaily.com]
Shortly after they turn 1, most babies begin to help others, whether by handing their mother an object out of her reach or giving a sibling a toy that has fallen. Researchers have long studied how this helping behavior develops, but why it develops has been examined less. A new study looked at the role of imitation to find that when 16-month-olds observe others' helping behavior, they're more likely to be helpful themselves. The findings come from researchers at the University of Münster and...
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Moving Americans Out of Poverty Will Take More Than Money [citylab.com]
As they worked on assembling a new report on American poverty, a consortium of researchers fanned out across the U.S. to talk to people living in pockets of concentrated need—from rural Maine and the Lummi Nation of the Pacific Northwest to major cities like Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Detroit. One of these site visits took the team to a neighborhood in San Jose, California, where Mexican immigrants struggle with tech-boom-fueled housing costs: Think $600 a month for a couch to sleep...
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Moving Upstream to Address Contributors to Toxic Stress in Pediatric Primary Care [chapinhall.org]
By Angeline Spain, Angela Sander, and Amanda Brown, Chapin Hall at The University of Chicago, October 2019 Healthcare in the U.S. is increasingly moving “upstream” to address the risk of social determinants of health. One common strategy is the early screening of needs and connection to services. Chapin Hall, in collaboration with national and local partners, is conducting an evaluation of innovations designed to promote screening for contributors to toxic stress during pediatric well-child...
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National Council Webinar: Organizational Approaches to Effective Trauma-Informed Services
I viewed this webinar a couple of weeks ago and found it quite useful. https://www.thenationalcouncil...ars/webinar-archive/ Scroll down to find Organizational Approaches to Effective Trauma-Informed Services Cheryl Sharp, Senior Advisor...
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NEW: 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being
Children Now is pleased to announce that we've just released our new 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being! The latest edition is an interactive tool that provides a comprehensive snapshot of how children are faring in each of the 58 counties, over time, and by race and ethnicity. The tool's indicators cut across four domains of education, early childhood, child welfare and health. This updated edition of the Scorecard features significant enhancements including heat...
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New California law expands low-income parents’ access to subsidized child care [edsource.org]
In an effort to remove obstacles for Californians trying to succeed in the labor market, a new law could make access to child care easier for low-income parents taking classes to learn English or complete high school. The law will expand the eligibility requirements for subsidized child care. It will make low-income parents who are are enrolled in English as a second language classes (ESL) or a program to earn a high school diploma or general education development certificate (GED) eligible...
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New Childhood Adversity and Data and Dashboards [kidsdata.org]
May 19, 2020 New and updated data describing childhood adversity and resilience are now available on kidsdata.org . The data cover more counties than previously offered and provide greater detail on childhood adversity. Also, in partnership with the Essentials for Childhood Initiative, you can now access data dashboards for every county in California. Adversity and Resilience Data See the latest parent reported data on childhood adversity and resilience in California. Based on the National...
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NEW Essentials for Childhood Kidsdata.org ACEs Topic
On behalf of California Essentials for Childhood, I am very excited to announce the release of a new Child Adversity and Resilience data topic on Kidsdata.org! This has been a collaborative effort between the CA Essentials for Childhood Initiative's Shared Data and Outcomes Work Group and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. I represent ACEs Connection Network on Essentials and am the co-chair of the Shared Data & Outcomes Work Group so I couldn't be more thrilled about...
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New estimates from the combined 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) now available on the DRC Interactive Data Query
The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) provides rich data on multiple, intersecting aspects of children’s lives—including physical and mental health, access to quality health care, and the child’s family, neighborhood, school, and social context. The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC), under a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), announced the release of the child and...
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1/3 of CA children who need mental health treatment fail to receive it
Thirty-seven percent of California children who need mental health treatment failed to receive it, according to the most recent data available on kidsdata.org. Madera, Merced, Monterey, and Tulare counties had the lowest rates of all counties with available data, with nearly half of children who need mental health treatment failing to receive it in the previous 12 months. Screening, early identification, and treatment are critical, as untreated mental illness can disrupt children’s...
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New PI briefs and videos connect community safety and early childhood development [PreventionInstitute.org]
Early childhood is a critical time that shapes opportunities and outcomes for a lifetime, yet little attention has been given to the deleterious impact community violence can have on young children. New PI resources explore the linkages between safety and child development, making the case for preventing violence and community trauma. When community environments are safe, they can provide thriving conditions for communities, families, and young children. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...
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New Report Explores Paid Family Leave: How Much Time is Enough?
A growing body of research is finding that, on the whole, job-protected paid family leaves of adequate duration and wage replacement lead to more income and gender equality, significant reductions in infant, maternal and even paternal mortality, improved physical and mental health for children and parents, greater family stability and economic security, business productivity, and economic growth.
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New Research Links Increased Minimum Wage to Reduced Child Maltreatment [ChronicleOfSocialChange.org]
Advocates claim that raising the minimum wage would lift many families out of poverty and reduce income equality, but a new study contends that a rise in wages would also reduce child maltreatment. According to a study from Indiana University and University of Connecticut researchers released in the January issue of Children and Youth Services Review, neglect reports involving young children declined by 10.8 percent in response to a $1 increase in the minimum wage. According to University of...
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New Resources for Military Families
Sesame Street for Military Families Sesame Street for Military Families has released new content! Visit the link to find interactive games, videos, and printable activities for military families to do with their preschool children. Topics include staying healthy together, creating fun and meaningful birthday traditions, encouraging children’s self-expression, making changes more comfortable, and so much more! NCTSN Child Traumatic Grief Series Supporting Military Children with Traumatic...
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New Sesame Street Tools Help Build Resiliency [rwjf.org]
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Sesame Workshop share a common vision of giving all children—especially the most vulnerable among us—a strong and healthy start in life. We know that childhood experiences lay the foundation for children to grow into productive and successful adults, and promoting healthy behaviors and supporting families from the very beginning can help kids thrive. But it’s equally important to address challenges that can undermine their healthy development. That’s...
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New Study Supports Positive Effects of $15 Hour Minimum Wage [irle.berkeley.edu]
The recent Congressional Hearing on Preventing Childhood Trauma included a robust dialogue about the correlation between poverty, trauma and ACEs (time stamp 2:49). Panelists were asked what policies could positively impact income as a means to prevent and mitigate the effects of trauma and ACEs. Raising the minimum wage was not discussed. The following press release, describing new research from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment , supports it as an effective strategy , one...
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Next "A Better Normal" community discussion series: April 2, 2020/ Secondary Traumatic Stress and Caregivers
Our next COVID-19 "Better Normal" community discussion is Thursday, April 2, with Vic Compher and Rodney Whittenberg, producers of CAREGIVERS (Portraits of Professional CAREgivers: Their Passion, Their Pain). These wonderful folks are bringing an entire team of people from the secondary traumatic stress committees from the Philadelphia ACE Task Force (PATF).
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Nurturing relationships in childhood boost adult mental health, relationships
We're proud to announce major research that suggests that positive childhood experiences — such as supportive family interactions, caring relationships with friends, and connections in the community — are associated with reductions in chances of adult depression and poor mental health, and increases in the chances of having healthy relationships in adulthood. This association was true even among those with a history of adverse childhood experiences.
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OCAP Buzz: Child Abuse Prevention Month Materials
The California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) just released their newsletter with information about the upcoming Child Abuse Prevention month in April 2017. Please check out the attached PDF for more information on materials to help #unite4kids to prevent child abuse and neglect for all California children and families.
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OCAP grants announced, applications due by 12-14-18
The Office of Child Abuse and Prevention ( OCAP ) recently announced a funding opportunity that may align with the work of California based ACEs champions. Please see the details below, the OCAP Grants link, and the attached document for further details. Copied from the website : The Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) administers federal grants, contracts, and state programs designed to promote best practices and innovative approaches to child abuse prevention, intervention, and...
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence often occurs alongside child abuse and neglect, therefore its prevention is also critical for child abuse prevention. Studies show: 30 to 60 percent of children from homes where domestic abuse is present are also victims of abuse themselves Parents who are stressed and burdened by being victimized are also at increased risk of neglectful or abusive parenting Witnessing domestic violence can cause serious harm to psychological, cognitive, social, behavioral and emotional...
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Only a fraction of California children eligible receive subsidized child care [EdSource.com]
As Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes to expand subsidized childcare in California, a new report indicates that the state still has a long way to go to reach a substantial share of its neediest children. Only 1 in 9 children eligible for subsidized childcare and preschool programs in California were enrolled in a program that provided full-day, year-round care in 2017, according to an analysis by the California Budget and Policy Center, a nonpartisan organization that analyzes how budget and tax...
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Opportunity Gap for Children of Color
Two examples of our Essentials for Childhood challenges: Black child poverty rate holds steady, even as other groups see declines http://www.pewresearch.org/fac...groups-see-declines/ In terms of absolute numbers, there are now more black children in...
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Our View: Minimum-wage hike eases child poverty [centralmaine.com]
BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD It takes a lifetime to fix the damage done by childhood poverty. Children are stressed by not having enough to eat or not knowing where they are going to sleep, leaving them unprepared to learn in school and to get a good start in life. Such adverse childhood experiences, common in poor households, are associated with later substance use disorders and other chronic diseases, as well as lower earnings and early death. A government policy that moved families out of...
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Over 14,000 CA foster youth facing end to critical services
May is National Foster Care Month. If foster youth are not reunified with their families or adopted by age 21, youth “age out” of the state’s foster care system and services often end abruptly. In 2015, more than 14,000 California foster youth—nearly a quarter of all those in care statewide—were between the ages of 16 and 20 years old.
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Paid Paternity Leave = Good Policy = Good Business [www.eenaduindia.com]
Kudos to Johnson and Johnson in India! The company has rolled out an e ight-week paternity leave for new and adoptive fathers during the first year. This move is taken to strengthen the bond between the child and the father. For the last six years in the company, 26 weeks of maternity leave for new mothers was already in force. ...“We think that leaves which encourage employees to be with their families can benefit organisations. They can be excellent motivational factors, i ncrease...
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Pandemic EBT [cdss.ca.gov]
From California Department of Social Services, May 2020 Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits. These food benefits are called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT benefits. P-EBT benefits help families in California buy food when schools are closed because of the coronavirus emergency. Families will get up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use on food and groceries. Families with children who get...
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PAPER TIGERS Educational Version Now Available on DVD or Digital Streaming!
From Tugg.com, March 17, 2016 Tugg Edu is proud to present the highly anticipated ACEs documentary PAPER TIGERS to the educational marketplace. Directed by James Redford ( THE BIG PICTURE: RETHINKING DYSLEXIA, RESILIENCE ), PAPER TIGERS follows a year in the life of an alternative high school that has radically changed its approach to disciplining its students, becoming a promising model for how to break the cycles of poverty, violence and disease that affect families. With over 450...
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Parents talking to kids may blunt negative impact of adversity on schoolwork [physiciansweekly.com]
By Lisa Rapaport, Physician's Weekly, July 8, 2019. Children who suffer adverse experiences tend to do worse in school than kids who don’t, but a U.S. study suggests parents may still help improve academic outcomes by simply talking to their kids. Adverse childhood experiences, commonly called ACEs, can include witnessing parents fight or go through a divorce, having a parent with a mental illness or substance abuse problem, or suffering from sexual, physical or emotional abuse. ACEs have...
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Podcast: Alison Cebulla Discusses Paid Parental Leave, Toxic Stress, and ACEs on Hometown Radio Show
Click here to listen here to the audio recording. This summer I joined Hometown Radio Show host Dave Congalton to discuss a series of public health issues. I'm Alison and I'm a Master of Public Health student at Boston University. I spent the summer interning for ACEs Connection. In this episode, which was broadcast live from San Luis Obispo, CA on July 30, 2019 at 5pm, and was #3 in the series of 4 episodes, we discussed the absence of federal level paid parental leave policy in the United...
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Prepped to Change: Towards Healing Organizations - Ken Epstein and Community Panel with Special Guests!
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, please consider attending a presentation co-sponsored by DHCS, CDPH and DSS to learn about the Trauma-informed Systems Initiative from San Francisco’s Department of Public Health. Dr. Kenneth Epstein, lead for the Initiative, will be speaking about how the department has been educating all 9,000 staff in San Francisco’s public health, hospitals and ambulatory care services about trauma-informed practices and care. There will be a community...
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Preschool Teachers Earn Less Than Tree Trimmers [TheAtlantic.com]
In the past several decades, advances in brain science have suggested that the learning that occurs in the first few years of a child’s life lays the groundwork for a productive adulthood. The expansion of preschool is one of the few topics where both Republicans and Democrats in Congress find common ground; while lawmakers don’t always agree on how programs should be funded or structured, the belief that good early-childhood education can help prevent later gaps in test scores and...
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Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Assistance Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities, CDC)
Contents include: Strengthen Economic Supports for Families Change social Norms to Support Parents and Positive Parenting Provide Quality Care and Education Early in Life Enhance Parenting Skills to Promote Healthy Child Development Intervene to Lessen Harms and Prevent Future Risks Sector Involvement Monitoring and Evalution Full document: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/can-prevention-technical-package.pdf
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Prevention Summit: San Diego County Spotlight
In January of 2019, the Prevention Cabinet of the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the California Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP), and Strategies 2.0 co-hosted the Prevention Summit. The purpose of the Prevention Summit was to develop or strengthen a public-private partnership for strengthening families, begin or strengthen a countywide prevention plan, and commit to an ongoing collaborative process with clear action steps. Participants from 22 counties from across...
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Progress Stalls on Child Poverty, According to New Data [datacenter.kidscount.org]
By Kids Count Data Center, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, September 27, 2019 In 2018, 13 million children in the United States — 18% of all kids — were living in poverty, and for the first time since 2014, the percentage did not decrease compared to the previous year. This is discouraging news; all children should have the economic security that provides them the opportunity to thrive. However, the share of children in poverty remains significantly lower than its recent peak of 23%, seen in...
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Promoting Self-Regulation Briefs (www.fpcunc.edu) & Brief Commentary on Briefs
I started this post to share ONE brief about self-regulation in the first five years that was shared with me today (thanks @Jane Stevens). It's great and some excerpts are below and it can be used (and reused) freely as long as it has this citation: It's dense, long, and accessible. It's got a few graphics and a lot of clear language. My favorite thing of all is that it's so light on edupuking all over parents which means it is much more likely that we will read along :) This is stuff that...
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PROTECTION OF CHILDREN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action produced a technical note on the protection of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this brief is to support child protection practitioners to better respond to the child protection risks during a COVID-19 pandemic. Part 1 presents the potential child protection risks COVID-19 can pose to children. Part 2 presents programmatic options in line with the 2019 Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action...
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Reading Difficulty in Young Children Linked to Later Trouble With the Law [JJIE.org]
Every young life starts out with promise, and the adults who love a child yearn for that child to have a bright future. But what if a simple barrier at an early age sets a child up for failure? Difficulty in reading is such a barrier. Poor reading skill is a predictor of, among other things, involvement in the juvenile justice system. “The literature shows a clear correlation between a grade-level reading problem and, later on, incarceration in the juvenile justice system,” said Ralph Smith,...
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Register Now! Webinar on Children in Detention for Health Professionals
National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse Children in Detention: Critical Clinical, Legal, Policy, and Human Rights Issues for Health Professionals Date: Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 Time (by time zone): 11:00 - 12:30 PM Pacific/ 12:00 - 1:30 PM Mountain/ 1:00 - 2:30 PM Central/ 2:00 - 3:30 PM Eastern Register for the webinar This webinar will feature closed captioning and will be recorded. Thousands of children seeking refuge from life-threatening danger in their home countries...
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Registration is OPEN for the Strategies2.0 November 8, 2018 Sierra Region Learning Community! Learn How the Trauma Informed Systems Approach Can Promote Resilient Families, Agencies and Communities
Second in the Building Resiliency Series: Build Resilient Communities by Fostering Trust and Finding Champions. Explore how innovative Child Abuse Prevention Month activities can promote resilience. Learn self-care strategies to stay motivated! Thursday, November 8, 2018, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Locations: Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council in Jackson, on-line and remote sites in Loyalton, Markleeville, and South Lake Tahoe Network in the Sierra Nevada Region to learn about innovative Child...
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Resilience, Development, and Covid-19 [positiveexperience.org/blog]
By Guest Author, positiveexperience.org/blog, April 13, 2020 Being in nurturing, supportive relationships are critical for children to develop into healthy, resilient adults. This concept forms the first of the 4 Building Blocks of HOPE . The first of these positive childhood experiences is having parents/caregivers who are responsive and interact warmly. Today’s blog is based on an interview with Dr. Heather Forkey and Dr. Moira Szilagyi , who will be discussing vulnerable children, the...
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Responding to Child Abuse During a Pandemic: 25 Tips for MDTs [cdn.zeroabuseproject.org]
By Victor I. Vieth, Robert J. Peters, Tyler Counsil, et al., Zero Abuse Project, April 2020 Many child protection professionals believe child abuse is likely to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic2 because most abusers are parents3 or siblings4 who now have more complete access to the child victim. In turn, the victim may no longer have schoolteachers, faith leaders or other mandated reporters they can access for help or who may detect a sign of abuse.5 Children may also have reduced...
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RFQ Announcement: Celebrating Families! California Expansion Project
The Prevention Partnership International (PPI), is seeking two organizations interested in receiving training and technical assistance to implement and evaluate the Celebrating Families! (CF!) program at their site. The CF! program is an evidence-based, trauma-informed, skill building program comprised of 16 sessions serving the whole family: children ages birth -17, their parents and caregivers. Recognizing the importance of skill building using a family-centered approach, this initiative...
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2017 Kids Count Data Book [aecf.org]
Wednesday June 14th the Annie E. Casey Foundation released the 2017 Kids Count Data Book - State Trends in Child Well-Being. This comprehensive report is " a premier source of data on children and families." You can download the report from this post, as well as on the Kids Count website , where you can also access an interactive data map in their Data Center . This is an invaluable amount of data available to the public, relevant to anyone working with children and families - with the...
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First 5 CA 2018 Child Health, Education, and Care Summit - Call for Presentations Now Open!
Share Your Knowledge, Ideas, and Experience! SUBMIT PROPOSAL HERE First 5 California is now accepting proposals for its 2018 Child Health, Education, and Care Summit on April 10-12, 2018, at the Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale. Participants are eager to attend unique sessions that are innovative, interactive, and engaging . We are seeking sessions that delve into the Summit focus areas and goals with specific learning objectives. We hope you will consider submitting a proposal. Summit...
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2019 Economics of Child Abuse in Mendocino County
Mendocino recently shared 2019 data related to the economic impacts of child abuse. The attached documents are in a printable format.
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4CA POLICYMAKER EDUCATION DAY JULY 11, 2017 - REGISTER BY JUNE 1 - Link Below.
Join 4CA in Sacramento on July 11 for Policymaker Education Day on Childhood Adversity! Our lawmakers need to hear from you about how childhood adversity affects your community and what they can do to help. Join with allies from across California to engage your elected officials on this important issue. (Bonus! lunchtime pep talk by Senator Holly Mitchell!) Who: 4CA Policymaker Education Day is designed for California residents who care about preventing and mitigating the effects of...