Early care and education in the United States is in crisis. The period between birth and kindergarten is a crucial time for a child's development. Yet vast racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities that begin early in children's lives contribute to starkly different long-term outcomes for adults. Compared to other advanced economies, child…

"Gender, Masculinities and Lifelong Learning" reflects on current debates and discourses around gender and education, in which some academics, practitioners and policy-makers have referred to a crisis of masculinity. This book explores questions such as: Are men under-represented in education? Are women outstripping men in terms of…

All OECD governments want to give parents more choice in their work and family decisions. This book looks at the different ways in which governments support families. It seeks to provide answers to questions like: Is spending on family benefits going up, and how does it vary by the age of the child? Has the crisis affected public support for…

The "Handbook of Youth Prevention Science" describes current research and practice in mental health preventive interventions for youth. Traditional prevention research focused on preventing specific disorders, e.g. substance abuse, conduct disorders, or criminality. This produced "silos" of isolated knowledge about the…

This collection of essays focuses on the impact of health policy on black Americans by examining the relation between public policy and the distribution of health needs and effects. The book includes an introduction by David P. Willis and is divided into seven sections. Section I, "Who Are Black Americans?" includes the following…

The third volume of "The Future of Children" examines the causes and consequences of increasing rates of obesity and overweight among children. It also reviews specific policies and programs aimed at reducing obesity and overweight and the related health problems that result. Contents include: (1) Introducing the Issue (Christina Paxson, Elisabeth…

The numbers of children living in poverty in the United States increased dramatically during the 1980s and remains high. This collection of essays, with a focus on children rather than on parents' income or self-sufficiency, examines the following questions: Why are so many children growing up in poor families? What are the effects of poverty on…

This book addresses historical and contemporary issues regarding children who are considered to be at risk. The essays collected in the volume explore the language of risk as it is used by courts, schools, government agencies, and child advocates. Titles and authors of the essays are: "Child Saving in Modern America 1870s-1990s," by…

This book discusses issues involved in the current debate over the nature and effectiveness of anti-poverty programs, and examines the high economic and social costs of, and the risk factors involved in, cyclical poverty. The book offers suggestions to help solve the problems of cyclical poverty and chronic disadvantage by highlighting effective…

One of every five children under age 18 living in the United States is an immigrant or has immigrant parents. The majority of these children are of Hispanic or Asian origin and, as such, are contributing to the growing racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. child and youth population. Because of the long-term importance of children in immigrant…

This text presents 12 chapters on the development of coordinated systems of service delivery to infants and toddlers who have disabilities or are at risk for disabilities and their families, as mandated by Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). An introductory chapter by Lawrence J. Johnson presents a general overview of…

Noting the separation of child-related policy makers from practitioners who know best what is good and appropriate for children, this anthology is designed as a guide for child-related policy development. The book's chapters are as follows: (1) "Early Childhood Policy" (Dolores A. Stegelin), providing an historical context and…

This book contains 13 papers resulting from roundtable discussions at the 1993 Society for Research in Child Development Meeting. The overall intent of the papers is to plan the course for child health care, public policy, and developmental research into the next century. The book is divided into three parts, each covering one topic. Research…

Although our society has made substantial investments in research and programs based on the idea that communities affect families and children, significant questions have emerged about the validity of the link between communities, children, and families. This book, presented in four sections, focuses on how communities undergird or undermine human…

Noting that the human capital of a nation is a primary determinant of its strength, this book reviews what is known about the processes that affect child development and how public and private investments in children might be increased to promote their well-being and to enhance the economic productivity of the next generation in America. Based on…