It is apparent that some children in the United States have not benefited from the improved oral health care available. These children tend to be poor and members of racial and ethnic minority groups. Policy recommendations are made to increase both self-care and access to dental care. (SLD)

This booklet contains an address presented before the Council of Advisors of the National Center for Children in Poverty, explaining the need for programs to help reallocate resources and energies to aid not only the disadvantaged but the country as a whole. Many issues related to aiding impoverished children are also discussed. The address…

This study compared the potential for child abuse among three ethnic groups, when age, educational attainment, and marital status were controlled for in a sample of ethnically diverse, low-income mothers residing in a large metropolitan area. Participants (n=195) were between 15 and 45 years and were enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children…

This paper describes a multifaceted, cognitive-behavioral life-skills training program that is directed toward low-income urban Appalachian youth in Cincinnati (Ohio) who are at high risk for substance abuse and related negative behaviors. The program is intended to promote the development of effective prosocial coping skills and strategies and to…

Recognizing that education and health have become inextricably intertwined, some researchers recommend that educators address emotional and physical health, cognitive performance, and educational achievement in a comprehensive program. This approach, known as Comprehensive School Health (CSH), calls for a student-centered emphasis which focuses on…

The first paper describes The Los Angeles Free Clinic and its services, which are specifically designed to respond to the needs of low-income and homeless youth within the community. The paper describes a free-of-charge, free-of-judgment comprehensive response system that exists because of collaboration with other health facilities such as…

This paper describes a project designed to facilitate and evaluate child and family mental health in the community, inside and outside of Head Start programs. Also detailed is a study of the effects of "Community Impact" programs and 6-week, focused, group interventions for children and families in programs predicted to increase…

Recent census figures indicate that, compared to all races and ethnic groups, Hispanic students had the lowest rate of graduation from high school. This article explores possible predictors of dropout among Hispanic youth by comparing the Hispanic youth who dropped out of school between the 8th and 10th grade with those who continued. Data for the…

The Tuskegee study of untreated syphilis in black males caused distrust by blacks of the public health system that has implications for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) studies. AIDS prevention among blacks may require openness about the Tuskegee study to allay fears of repetition. (SLD)

The Decker Family Development Center in Barberton (Ohio) is a holistic "one-stop shop" that provides services to families who are at multiple risk. During its 5 years of operation, this center has developed a model that goes beyond cooperation into co-construction to empower stakeholders. This paper describes the center and its successes…

Initiated by the government of the Netherlands and UNESCO, the European Policy Conference on Early Childhood Education focused on early childhood policy issues with special reference to the social integration of children and families at risk. The conference was organized around three themes including quality, accessibility and going-to-scale. This…

By the year 2000, most new entrants to the work force will be women, minorities, or immigrants who have not mastered the skills necessary for the entry-level jobs of the future--the ability to conceptualize, analyze, and communicate well. However, research has demonstrated that these people, who are at risk of chronic unemployment, do not perform…

Racial bias and inadequate financial supports place the children of the urban poor at risk. Implications of urban conditions for research, policy, and practice are discussed, with emphasis on delivery of social welfare services. (SLD)

This paper presents a cultural and historical analysis of the continuously increasing number of children and childhoods at risk, using a population perspective framework. Two major claims are presented. First the conditions of children and childhoods in the West, compared to the patterns of child-care in India, Japan and many other non-Western…

The impact of the changing macroecological characteristics of cities on school performance is explored, and what can be done to reduce the achievement shortcomings among urban students from ethnic and language minority backgrounds is considered. The increase in residential segregation and thereby educational segregation in urban schools is as much…