Discusses the inherent inequalities of the child-care and education system in the United States, in which the middle and upper classes have access to well-funded private and community institutions, while the lower class has to make do with substandard and compensatory programs, such as Head Start, which are often poorly funded. (MDM)

Discusses the reasons why children are involved in court proceedings and the effects of the experience on their well-being, especially for children who are victims or witnesses to criminal activity, violence, and abuse. Drop-in child day care is discussed as a possible program model to support families and counteract the risks to children. (MDM)

Implemented a social-emotional intervention for at-risk 4-year-olds in seven day-care classes. Teachers were trained to perform activities associated with relationship building. Compared to children who did not experience the intervention, children who had it were observed showing decreases in negative emotion, greater involvement, and more…

Children who grow up in violent communities are at risk for pathological development because growing up in a constant state of apprehension makes it difficult to establish trust, autonomy, and social competence. Child care professionals need to help at-risk children develop meaningful relationships with adults and peers. (MDM)

Summarizes a Federal Ministry of Youth report on the conditions under which children grow up in Germany. Notes manifold problems that children face under today's living conditions. Presents recommendations and suggestions for providing a network of measures, relationships, and institutions to support children's development and education in family,…

Reviews government and private sector programs which have aided in the care and education of preschool children. Given the projected increase in families headed by single working mothers, more funding and better planning should be directed toward such programs. (DM)

This report presents a picture of the welfare of children in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Developed by Project Respond, a group addressing the needs of at-risk children in the community, it is an attempt to measure the treatment of children by families, private institutions, government, and other facets of society. The introduction describes…

Available data on homeless families and children are reviewed, focusing on definitions of homelessness and the most common methods used to estimate the size of the homeless population. Trends in the duration of homelessness and the numbers of families at risk of losing housing are discussed. (SLD)

This report discusses the impact of federal budget cuts, program restructuring, and rescissions in programs crucial to child survival. It summarizes the changes voted in by House committees, including changes in school meal programs; combining the Child and Adult Care Food Program with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program; removing…

This book consists of a compilation of brief descriptions of legislation on issues critical to children and families enacted during 1995 by the states and the District of Columbia. The laws pertaining to various issues are listed by state. The issues are: (1) abuse and neglect (including screening, court procedures and considerations, offenses and…

This document consists of a combination of two separately published fact sheets, one on crisis nursery care for children at risk of abuse or neglect and one on respite care for families of children with disabilities or chronic illness. The fact sheet on crisis nursery care presents background information on the federal role in developing crisis…

This report on the state of children in the United States begins with a call to action that points out the destructive effects of poverty, violence, and drug use on America's children while outlining 10 needed steps that should be followed to help alleviate these problems. The greater part of the report focuses on: (1) health; (2) child care; (3)…

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 report examines the crime prevention potential of child care and after-school programs for at-risk children and youth. Part 1 of the report, "Assessing the Crime Prevention Impact of Child Care and After-School Programs," presents research information on the effectiveness of early childhood/parenting skills training and after-school…

The lives of poor single mothers and their children are explored, first grounding the present situation historically and pointing out their "other" status when examined against normal motherhood and family images. The first two chapters discuss the historical images of childhood and the family as they have developed in Western civilization. Part 2…