The paper reviews demographic and health status data for Hispanic communities and relates them to the role of culture in health care, recommending that health promotion programs focus on specific community data, understand the impact of culture and language, develop powerful outreach, and team up with community-based organizations. (SM)

Discusses the implementation of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, including progress made since 1989, and aims of early childhood education under the convention's mission and ideals. Proposes that the convention should be enacted in domestic law and become a reality in day-to-day teaching, thus ensuring that the philosophy of the…

Reports findings from an assessment by the U.S. Congress' Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), which examined national adolescent health services. Results indicated changes in approaches to promoting and improving adolescent health are essential. Congressional actions taken since the release of OTA's report are summarized. (SM)

In the United States today Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is recognized by professionals as a distinct disorder, a neurobiological disability marked by inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. About 2-10% of school-age children suffer from ADD, making it an issue of rising concern to families and school leaders. It is necessary that…

In Western Europe, internal and international migrations have generated vulnerable populations, notably an increasing number of children and young people of "foreign" parentage. Their problems are not specific to one ethnic group but derive from sociocultural processes and from situations of social relegation. Case studies based on a…

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the child and youth care field in Canada. It covers a spectrum of key concerns within the field of child and youth care, and presents an analysis that spans a variety of program areas. The 12 chapters in the book are: (1) "The Scope of Child and Youth Care in Canada" (Roy Ferguson and…

State boards of education are routinely placed in the challenging position of reacting to emerging problems or responding to policy proposals generated by other actors in the policy arena. This policy briefing paper was written to help members of the North Carolina Board of Education identify educational policy issues they are likely to confront…

This report focuses on the 7.5 million children in the United States with diagnosable mental illnesses, examining developmental, behavioral and emotional disorders in this group. Progress being made toward understanding, preventing, and treating these disorders is documented, future directions for research are put forth, and critical resource…

As a result of their mobile lifestyle, migrant children experience a high degree of unpredictability in all aspects of their lives. This paper illustrates how the patterns of migrant families' moves put their children at even greater risk for educational problems than is true for other mobile student groups, such as dependents of U.S. military…

Despite persistent media headlines about extreme cases of child abuse and neglect, the public remains largely uninformed about the developmental status of children affected by this tragic problem. The research brief draws on available data and recent research to summarize what is known about these outcomes in several critical areasphysical and…

This report by the Council of Economic Advisers analyzes key trends in teen behavior, and investigates the role of parents' involvement in their teenagers' lives. The report uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a study of a nationally representative sample of seventh through twelfth graders, to examine the…

This report documents civil violations and discriminatory actions against Roma in Romania, contending that, due to the Romanian government's inadequate efforts to bring perpetrators of anti-Romani crimes to justice and to eradicate discrimination against Roma, a climate of impunity surrounding anti-Romani actions has taken deep root. Chapter 1…

State responses to child maltreatment are reviewed: magnitude and extent of the problem, how states have addressed the problem through reporting laws and special courtroom procedures. Limits of state approaches to child maltreatment and the potential for an increased federal role in establishing child maltreatment policy are considered.…

Summarizes 25 reports addressing the interconnectedness of children's health and education and incorporating a comprehensive health approach, detailing 5 themes: education and health are interrelated; social morbidities threaten public health; a comprehensive, integrated approach is needed; health promotion and education should center around…

Reviews the experimental literature concerning the effectiveness of prenatal and newborn home visiting programs in improving the lives of children and families, focusing on studies employing randomized trials. Results suggest that home visiting programs have had mixed success, improving some outcomes but not others. (MDM)