Literacy success lays the foundation for children's later educational, health, and well-being outcomes. Thus, early identification of literacy need is vital. Using data from New Zealand's national preschool health screening program for fiscal years 2010/2011-2014/2015, demographic and health variables from 255,090 children aged 4 years were…

We examined effects on child development of a group-based parenting support program ("Educación Inicial" - EI) when combined with Mexico's conditional cash transfer (CCT) program ("Prospera," originally 'Oportunidades" and "Progresa"). This cluster-randomized trial included 204 communities (n = 1,113 children in…

Physical health is a key component of early childhood development and school readiness. By keeping children healthy and decreasing the chances of disease outbreaks, immunizations help early childhood programs create a safe environment for children. While overall vaccination rates are high nationally for most vaccines routinely recommended for…

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised huge concerns for the mental health of an entire generation of children. But the pandemic may represent only the tip of a mental health iceberg -- an iceberg we have ignored for far too long. For the first time, "The State of the World's Children" examines the mental health of children and adolescents.…

Nearly 7 years into the recovery from the Great Recession, two glaring problems remain in the U.S. economy. One is a significant slowdown in the growth of productivity (the amount of output and income generated in an average hour of work). The other is the destructive rise in income inequality in recent decades due largely to big corporations and…

Five years ago, the editor of "Exceptional Parent" Magazine requested the author to provide an account of a day in the life of the National Children's Study, an ambitious study by the federal government that aims to find out how the environment affects child health and development. Planning and implementation of the National Children's Study has…

This United Nations Economic and Social Council study concerns priorities for planning and action during the "Second Development Decade" in relation specifically to children and adolescents in the less developed countries. It has been undertaken in the hope that it may assist individual countries, agencies of the United Nations, and, in…

In January 2004, the National Collaboration for Youth approved a list of core competencies needed by entry-level youth development workers for effective youth development practice. This chapter provides an overview of these competencies, explaining why and how the list was created, outcomes, and recommendations for next steps. (Contains 13 notes.)

As a follow-up to a recommendation for lowering the age for membership in 4-H to six years, a study of the characteristics of the six- to eight-year old age group was undertaken. The nine developmental tasks identified by Havighurst as being the main tasks facing this group were used as an outline for a discussion of tasks and characteristics…

Analyzes interviews with primary school practitioners about the implementation of the English/Welsh National Curriculum. Finds long-term trends are influenced by a conflict between shortage of time and demands of good practices. Discusses changes from child-focused to standard curriculum, from local to standard assessment, and similar issues. (CFR)

Discusses the substance of project TIES (Teaching Interpersonal Skills to Strengthen Systems), a short-term project designed to enhance the mission of Head Start. Primary goals of TIES were to enhance the affective environment of Head Start children, families and staff, and increase the availability of high quality mental health services. (RWB)

The Soviet and the American approaches to child rearing are contrasted, with emphasis on development of our national goals and priorities. (NH)

The House Committee on Education and Labor reports on the bill (H.R. 856) to improve education in the United States by promoting excellence in research, development, and the dissemination of information. The committee reports favorably on the bill, with an amendment, and recommends that the House pass the bill as amended. Consideration of H.R. 856…

Contents of these hearings are as follows: complete text of H.R. 5291, the bill to establish a universal food service and nutrition education program for children, cited as The Child Nutrition Act of 1971; statements of the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, of the director and a number of other officials of the American School Food…

Introduces a project undertaken to examine the medical/health, social services, and legal needs of African American children who have experienced or will experience the death of one or both parents as a result of HIV/AIDS. Presents the preliminary findings, and claims that services have expanded but much remains to be accomplished to achieve…