Multilingualism is an international fact of life and increasing in the United States. Multilingual families are exceedingly diverse, and policies relevant to them should take this into account. The quantity and quality of a child's exposure to responsive conversation spoken by fluent adults predicts both monolingual and multilingual language and…

The role of play in human development has long been the subject of controversy. Despite being championed by many of the foremost scholars of the twentieth century, play has been dogged by underrepresentation and marginalization in literature across the scientific disciplines. "The Oxford Handbook of the Development of Play" marks the first attempt…

For the nearly 2 million children in the United States whose parents are in prison, caretaking necessary for optimal development is disrupted. These vulnerable youth--a population that has shot up 80 percent in the last 20 years--are more likely to experience learning difficulties, poor health, and substance abuse, and eventually be incarcerated…

Research shows that nearly half of all children born in the US today will be eligible for child support before they reach the age of 18. Many low-income, noncustodial fathers--who often struggle to make these payments--will seek services from workforce development organizations. Yet, understanding the child support enforcement system can be…

Outcomes from sex education are shaped not only by the knowledge and attitudes of youth but also by groups influential in young people's lives. American youth bear one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the industrialized world. Four constituencies with important roles in communicating about STIs are youth, parents,…

In 2002, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched Children's Futures (CF), a 10-year community change initiative designed to improve the health and well-being of children from birth to age three throughout Trenton, New Jersey. CF's strategies included efforts to increase residents' access to prenatal and other health services, provide parenting…

Noncustodial fathers have an essential role to play--both financially and emotionally--in the lives of their children. However, of the 11 million noncustodial fathers in the US, two thirds do not pay any formal child support. Many of these fathers are poor themselves and face multiple barriers, including low education levels, limited work…

Discusses intervention programs for pregnant teens. Examines the pregnancy's effects on the adolescent, her child, and her mother. Suggests that programs should consider: (1) the interaction of children's and mothers' lives; (2) the coordination of services for both mothers and children; (3) the three generations involved; and (4) the lack of need…

The belief that adoption of, adherence to, and use of family support principles is associated with better parent, family, and child outcomes has for the most part gone untested but not unchallenged. This monograph investigates the relationship between practitioner adherence to family support principles and parent, family, and child behavior and…

Parent involvement is widely acknowledged as a central component in both overall school success and the academic success of individual children. Recognizing this, the federal No Child Left Behind Act mandates that states, districts and schools make extraordinary efforts to enhance effective parent involvement. Now, more than six years after the…

Describes the IMCIPE Project (Incarcerated Mothers and Children: Impact of Prison Environments) which investigates the experiences of incarcerated mothers whose children live with them in Mother and Baby Units and incarcerated mothers who are separated from their children; the impact of the prison environment on mother-child relationships; and…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "A Tipping Point in Education": Report Finds Educational Attainment of Younger Generations Has Not Increased; (2) Building a…

This report from the Alaska Pregnancy and Parenthood Task Force to the Alaska State Legislature presents the group's mission statement, their goals and objectives, and resulting recommendations on pregnancy prevention and prenatal and parenting services. The bulk of the report proposes and discusses the following recommendations: (1) fund a peer…

This document presents testimony and prepared statements from the Congressional hearing on families and unemployment. The hearing begins with statements given by Judson Stone, Elkgrove, Illinois Mental Health Center; David Mills, Department of Health and Social Services of Madison, Wisconsin; Judge Charles B. Schodson, Children's Court of…

California's Proposition 10, the "Children and Families Act," has targeted three general areas for improvement in support of families and young children: improved family functioning, improved child development, and improved child health. Proposition 10 views parents as critical to the development of young children. Noting that parent…