This Kids Count special report examines brain development during infancy and early childhood in order to provide a basis for an informed discussion about the need for preventive programs to foster healthy child development. The report summarizes information on early brain development and how experience shapes neural connections. It focuses on the…

This paper examines the urban mentoring program movement for one-on-one relationships between adults and youth that continue over time and are focused on the youth's development. The paper attempts to sort out some of the issues surrounding mentoring and to provide the prevention field with a perspective on the strategy. An opening section…

This paper, a session proposal for a rural and small schools conference, reports on a project undertaken by 166 parents and staff of South Carolina's Target 2000 Parent Education Program to assess the effectiveness of the program's design and implementation process. The main research question studied concerned what were found to be the most…

Despite 30 years of anti-poverty programs in the United States, poverty in the United States has intensified. One such program, Head Start, demonstrated that it is possible to enhance the educational outcomes of poor children. Updated and improved, Head Start has the potential to become a more successful weapon against poverty. Inadequate funding,…

The evaluations of substance abuse prevention programs have been criticized for being incomplete, for lacking a comprehensive approach, and for lacking a process evaluation component. Context factors have been found to have distinctive patterns among alcohol and other drug abusers. Among the variables of interest, family cohesion, family…

This report was written in an effort to establish a new strategy for reducing the odds of failure for thousands of Arizona's vulnerable children and their families. It echoes the sentiments of a growing number of policymakers, concerned citizens, and parents who hold that the cost of child and family problems is so dramatic, and the amount of…

This essay, taken from the 2004 KIDS COUNT Data Book, focuses on the issues surrounding America's most at-risk young adults. For most American youth, the transition to adulthood inspires a mix of excitement and high anxiety. There is excitement about taking steps to realize emerging dreams, aspirations, and possibilities. Yet there is anxiety…

Changing family structures place extra burdens on children, parents and employers. The image of 21st century families is vastly different from that of previous centuries, or even the family image of 50 years ago. While women are still the primary caregivers, either as single mothers or part of a two-parent family, they are entering the workforce…

A growing number of cultural, educational, and social service programs around the United States report success in reducing teenage school drop-out rates, unemployment, substance abuse, and pregnancy. Facilitators of these programs claim that long-lasting impact requires not only informing young persons about the real dangers of such behavior, but…

This paper discusses how the 50 states and 7 jurisdictions that participate in the Part H program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for infants and toddlers define "developmental delay." A table summarizes all the states' and jurisdictions' definitions and their approaches to serving children at risk of having…

The effects of alcohol and other drug abuse are recognized as a serious problem in U.S. communities. Policy efforts and increased law enforcement have only a minimal impact if prevention strategies are not consistent with the community's level of readiness, are not culturally relevant, and are not community-specific. A model has been developed for…

This policy brief begins with a broad overview of what the science of early childhood development tells us about the first three years of life. It then outlines the actions that need to be taken during the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to increase the likelihood that policy decisions are guided by state…

This paper presents the story of an effort in Thailand to reach out to children in high-risk situations by providing them with a library on old train carriages. The Library Train Project was initiated in 1999 by the Railway Police Division within the Royal Police Office. It is aimed at offering education services to homeless children as a way of…

Topics include the use of light sensitive pens and codes to teach reading to slow readers, blind and learning-disabled children, and children with mental retardation; new booklets and audiovisual programs designed to help professionals, families, and communities cope with problems of today's youth; and a book that examines self-care for children…

Reviews a systems theory approach to the development of community-based suicide prevention programs. Describes the Lifelines model of youth suicide prevention, and discusses the feasibility of implementing this model in rural and isolated areas. Contains 19 references and an outline of procedures for crisis intervention and aftercare. (SV)