Journal of Applied Research on Children: Children’s HealthWatch and others have found that, while food insecurity at both the household and child levels has a negative impact on child health outcomes, other hardships also come into play. These hardships, such as food insecurity, may be modified by participation in public assistance programs. All families, but particularly those who have limited incomes and young children, are constantly juggling the costs of paying for basic needs like food, shelter, household utilities, and medical care. A change in one affects the others; parents, despite the best of intentions, have to make difficult decisions whether to pay for a child’s prescription, buy nutrient-dense food, or allocate scarce financial resources to rent or utility bills. Supports—including housing subsidies, WIC, and energy assistance—can offset some costs and free resources for other needs, in turn allowing parents to do more to promote their children’s food security and health. Link to Journal Article
WIC Participation and Attenuation of Stress-Related Child Health Risks of Household Food Insecurity and Caregiver Depressive Symptoms
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine: Examines how family stressors (household food insecurity and/or caregiver depressive symptoms) relate to child health and whether participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) attenuates stress-related child health risks. WIC participants were favored over nonparticipants on three child health indicators: 1. Fair/poor health; 2. Well-child status and 3. Overweight. Link to Journal Article
Partnering for Child Abuse Prevention
Virginia Child Protection Newsletter: There is a body of literature that illustrates the importance of the larger community in child abuse and neglect prevention. This idea reflects the importance of community involvement both at the macro or, the entire community and the micro or, the neighborhood levels. Provides numerous examples of Virginia organizations partnering for prevention. 94 Link to pdf Newsletter
Final Evaluation Report Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Waiver Demonstration
Alcohol and other drug abuse are major problems for the children and families involved with public child welfare. Substance abuse compromises appropriate parenting practices and increases the risk of child maltreatment. It is estimated that one-half of children taken into foster care in Illinois are removed from families with serious drug problems. Because substance abuse delays reunification, children removed from such families tend to remain in care for significantly longer periods of time. Since 2000, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has been engaged in developing, implementing and modifying a coaching intervention to speed up parental recovery from substance abuse and in turn improve child and family outcomes. This report serves as the independent evaluation of efforts. Link to Report
Identity Theft Tip Sheet For Child Welfare Staff
Michigan Dept. of Human Services: As foster youth transition to adulthood, it is important for him/her to have a clean credit report for numerous reasons. If a youth applies for an apartment, student loans, or a car loan, she/he will need to have a good credit report. Unfortunately children in out-of-home care are at a higher risk of being a victim of identity theft. Link to pdf Tip Sheet
Developmental Neuroscience, Children’s Relationships with Primary Caregivers, and Child Protection Policy Reform
Hastings Law Journal: Part I of this Article address the state’s relationship with children and families, and the law’s recognition of the centrality of children’s primary caregivers typically their parents to children’s well-being.
Part II critiques certain aspects of our legal system’s predominant response to child maltreatment.
Part III reviews recent research on the effects of child maltreatment, with special attention to developmental neurobiological findings.
Part IV addresses some implications of these findings for child protection policy and sets forth recommendations that are consistent with the empirical research and responsive to the critiques set forth in Part II.
The heavy toll exacted by child maltreatment extends far beyond the individuals who are the direct victims of maltreatment. It is borne by the entire society, “reverberating across relationships, generations, and communities.” If policymakers make the right investments, the combined wisdom gleaned from the efforts of multiple scientific disciplines can pave the pathways to the development of effective preventive and intervention strategies that decrease the risks faced by children and promote children’s resilience in coping with those risks that remain. Link to pdf Law Journal Article