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This article investigates the causal relationship between women's schooling and fertility by exploiting variation generated by the removal of school fees in Ethiopia. The increase in schooling caused by the reform is identified using both geographic variation in the intensity of its impact and temporal variation generated by the timing of the implementation. The model finds that the removal of school fees led to an increase in schooling for Ethiopian women and that each additional year of schooling led to a reduction in fertility. An investigation of the underlying mechanisms linking schooling and fertility finds that the decline in fertility is associated with an increase in labor market opportunity and a reduction in women's ideal number of children. [This paper is a product of the Knowledge and Strategy Team, Development Economics.]

In December 2011, the Sierra Health Foundation board of directors approved a framework for a new youth development initiative. The framework built upon the foundation's recently concluded REACH Youth Development Program and incorporated findings and recommendations from the highly regarded "Healthy Youth/Healthy Regions" and "Renewing Juvenile Justice" reports released by the foundation earlier in the year. The "Healthy Youth/Healthy Regions" and "Renewing Juvenile Justice" findings also supported an important lesson that emerged from the REACH Program: While inclusive youth development approaches are important, one of their shortcomings is the likelihood for young people most at risk for poor health, education and economic outcomes to be unengaged. In response to this information, the foundation pursued a course of inquiry that sought to combine on-the-ground experience and research to design a program for youth who have experienced documented neglect, abuse and/or trauma, have been formally involved in the child welfare system and who currently are engaged in the juvenile justice system. Often referred to as "crossover youth," the initiative seeks to affect developmental paths--repeat criminal behavior, education failure, lack of employment experience, untreated trauma, social and familial disconnection--that have been shown to have negative long-term effects for this extraordinarily vulnerable population. The initiative seeks to set a new path for juvenile justice in California by establishing a vanguard of select county systems and leaders to produce what noted researcher Jeffrey Butts and his colleagues describe as "Positive Youth Justice." In seeking to foster this major shift in juvenile justice practice and policy, the risk of falling short of expectations is balanced with the fortuitous opportunity to improve the health and life chances of one of California's most vulnerable youth populations--youth with child welfare histories who are currently engaged in the juvenile justice system. Accordingly, this briefing paper describes the policy context in which the Positive Youth Justice Initiative will operate and presents the rationale for the targeted population and selected design elements.

This paper describes important issues in the promotion of the development of children 0 to 6 years of age in Brazil, particularly in education, health, children's rights and public policy. Brazil exhibits tremendous disparities and some of the worst welfare indicators in Latin America. Much of the population faces poverty, limited educational opportunities, and inequitable access to services and basic protections. The youngest children are disproportionately affected. Indicators of malnutrition remain high. Despite the efforts of dedicated teachers and officials, the public education system is not providing an adequate foundation so that children from low-income families may one day rise out of poverty. Education has been a key area of public policy under several government administrations, but early childhood development has not been underscored. Nonetheless, there are reasons for optimism. This paper includes numerous examples of good practice in early childhood education in Brazil, including children's participation, progressive pedagogies that build on local cultures and well-designed, publicly funded early childhood education strategies. (Contains 4 figures and 26 footnotes.)

This study found that the abuse of girls in the coeducational schools where the research took place was widespread and took the form of aggressive sexual behavior, intimidation and physical assault by older boys, sexual advances by male teachers, and corporal punishment and verbal abuse by both female and male teachers (on boys as well as girls). Younger girls in particular were fearful of male sexual advances or intimidation. An unsettling and sometimes violent environment is neither conducive to girls' learning nor to their forming mature relations with boys (with implications for the spread of HIV/AIDS among adolescents). Girls in the single-sex school were not protected from sexual advances outside the school. Male sexual aggression in schools appears to be institutionalized and considered as normal. Girls respond on the whole with resignation and passivity. Schools are themselves complicit in the abuse in that they fail to discipline perpetrators (whether pupils or teachers), deny that abuse exists, and foster an authoritarian culture where the behavior of teachers cannot be questioned. School-based abuse is a reflection of abuse found elsewhere--in the home and community. "Sugar daddies" in particular seek to lure girls into sexual relations with gifts and money. This widespread abuse goes unchecked because of the low status accorded women by society, where men invade women's private space with impunity and girls are socialized to expect subordination to men in adult life. Lack of will to address the issue by government bodies helps to perpetuate and condone it. Eliminating abuse will require a significant change in school culture, and in the attitudes and behavior of teachers, school heads, officials, parents, and pupils, both boys and girls. Appended are: Numbers Interviewed; Tables (6); Extracts from the Interviews from Boys and Girls; Teachers' Definition of Abuse; Pupils' Workshops and Teachers' Workshops. (Author/RT)

Recent research has provided great insight into the impact of early experience on brain development. It is now believed that brain growth is highly dependent upon early experiences. Neurons allow communication and coordinated functioning among various brain areas. Brain development after birth consists of an ongoing process of wiring and rewiring the connections among neurons. The forming and breaking of neural connections depends directly on the child's experiences; only those connections and pathways frequently activated are retained. Children who have little opportunity to explore and experiment with their environment may fail to fully develop neural connections and pathways that facilitate later learning and thus may be at a permanent intellectual disadvantage. Further, exposure to trauma or chronic stress can make children more prone to emotional disturbances and less able to learn because they have overactive neural pathways that control the fear response, causing their brains to be organized primarily for survival. It is possible to influence disadvantaged children's development through early intervention programs as evidenced by the results of the Abecedarian Project. Communities can help families promote their children's brain development by: (1) educating them about the importance of early experience; (2) preventing abuse and neglect; (3) providing accessible quality mental health services; and (4) ensuring adequate early nutrition. Child care providers need training in devising appropriate environments, and parents need information on choosing quality child care. (Recommended readings are included. Contains 14 references.) (KDFB)

This study used data from the Rochester Youth Development Study to examine linkages between childhood maltreatment and later delinquency. Three central issues were addressed: (1) the magnitude of the relationship between early child maltreatment and later official and self-reported delinquency; (2) the possibility of spuriousness in this relationship; and (3) the impact of more extensive measurement of maltreatment on later delinquency. The final sample was comprised of 1,000 students attending seventh or eighth grade in 1988 and their primary caretakers, with males and students from high crime areas overrepresented. Data were collected through separate interviews with adolescents and caretakers. The child maltreatment measure was based on information from Child Protective Services records. Five indicators of maltreatment were used, prevalence and frequency of maltreatment, duration, number of types of maltreatment, and total severity score. Outcome measures included official measures of number of police contacts as a juvenile or arrests as an adult and self-report of delinquency from eighth through twelfth grades. Delinquency indices were general, serious, moderate, minor, and violent delinquency. Results revealed a significant relationship between child maltreatment occurring before age 12 and subsequent self-reported and official delinquency and the relationship, especially for more serious forms of delinquency, remained when controlling for other factors such as race/ethnicity, sex, underclass status, and family structure. The results also suggested that more extensive maltreatment is related to higher rates of delinquency. Appendices provide exemplars of levels of abuse severity and the delinquency scales. (Four tables delineate findings. Contains 65 references.) (AA)

This report summarizes key findings of a series of national public opinion polls to determine the public's attitudes and actions with respect to child abuse prevention. Findings are reported for four areas: public attitudes toward specific parental discipline practices; the frequency of specific parental discipline practices; the public's support for and involvement in child abuse prevention efforts; and the public's perception of the causes of maltreatment. Results suggest a dramatic change in public attitudes and behaviors over the past several years with 75% of Americans now believing that repeated yelling and swearing and the use of physical punishment can injure a child. Other findings showed 12% fewer parents (than 1988) spanking their children, and 25% acting in some way to prevent child abuse. However, other findings indicated over 50% of the states continue to allow corporal punishment in the schools and that few respondents saw a link between spanking and child abuse and 10% fewer (than in 1988) individuals feel that can help to prevent child abuse. (DB)

This report details results of an early 1991 national survey of federal liaisons for state child abuse and neglect programs. Nationwide, child abuse reports increased 31% between 1985 and 1990. An estimated 39 out of every 1,000 U.S. children were reported as victims of child maltreatment, an average 4% increase over the previous year which is a slower growth rate than reported in the first half of the previous decade. A table presents reports by state for each of the past 5 years. The state showing the greatest decline in reports (Virginia) reported this might be due to elimination of duplicate reports as a result of a new computer system. Notable increases in reports were usually attributed to both a real increase in the incidence of maltreatment (often attributed to increased substance abuse) and more accurate reporting. Substantiation rates were not standardized across states. Only 26 states could provide an estimate as to the percentage of substantiated cases which received services (a mean of 78%). Data on type of maltreatment is summarized for 22 states. Also reported are child maltreatment fatalities by state (a national total of 1,211 during 1990). Briefly discussed are effects of increased substance abuse, child welfare services, and policy implications. Footnotes are included. (DB)

In October 1985, the Board of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse (NCPCA) adopted a goal and extablished a plan to reduce child abuse 20 percent by 1990. With data collected through March 1990, this document reports progress made toward realizing objectives articulated in the NCPCA's 5-year plan. After an overview in Section I, Section II delineates levels of violence toward children in terms of child abuse reports and fatalities, the role of substance abuse as a risk factor in violence toward children, and areas in which improvement has been made. Section III addresses issues in documenting the well-being of children and society, giving particular attention to describing selected measures in the areas of indicators of child well-being and broader trends impacting upon children. Section IV presents a profile of prevention services compiled from hospital service data, school district service data, and community service data. Section V describes changes in public opinion regarding child abuse, focusing on impacts of physical punishment and yelling and swearing, the public's involvement in prevention, and public support for prevention services. Section VI formulates a preliminary assessment providing reasons for optimism, reasons for concern, and implications for future planning. A total of 18 tables supplements the text. (RH)

Continuing the practice of conducting an annual national survey to monitor trends in the number and characteristics of child abuse reports nationwide and in the funding and scope of child welfare services, this report summarizes results of the January, 1990 survey. Specific information of interest was: (1) the actual number of reports filed during 1987, 1988, and 1989; (2) the perecentage of these reports involving physical abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment; (3) state procedures or policies for screening reports and the impact of such screening on caseload size and characteristics; (4) the percentage of reported families presenting substance abuse problems; (5) the number of child abuse fatalities reported for 1987, 1988, and 1989; (6) the existing barriers to effective implementation of child protective services; and (7) funding levels for child welfare services in general. Representatives of all 50 states and the District of Columbia were contacted by telephone to obtain the above data. Of those interviewed, 49 respondents knew or were able to project their child abuse reporting statistics for 1989 and 41 states had 1989 statistics with respect to child abuse fatalities. All state representatives responded to general questions on their state's reporting procedures and child welfare practices. Specific findings are presented and prevention efforts are briefly discussed. (RH)

Nearly 4 in 10 children report experiencing maltreatment by adulthood. Early detection mitigates maltreatment's negative effects. Yet factors that drive early detection remain understudied. We examine one possible source of early detection: educators in school settings. Administrative data on reports of child maltreatment across the U.S. over a 14-year period allows us to use two different regression discontinuity methods, one based on school-entry laws and one on school calendars. Both methods show education professionals are reporting cases that would have been missed otherwise. These findings suggest that improved training and support of educators may improve society's ability to help children and families.

The article focuses on recent policy papers published in United Kingdom (UK) related to education and released between July 15 and 19, 2024. Topics include the support system for special educational needs in England, youth unemployment statistics in the UK and European Union (EU), and mandatory reporting duties for child abuse in England.

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that prevention, early identification, intervention and care of child maltreatment are critical to the physical/emotional well-being and academic success of students. Registered professional school nurses (hereinafter referred to as school nurses) practice within the "NASN Framework for 21st Century School Nurse Practice™" and serve a vital role in the recognition of early signs of child maltreatment, assessment, identification, intervention, reporting, referral, and follow-up of children in need. Serving as members of interdisciplinary teams, school nurses also collaborate with school personnel, community stakeholders, healthcare professionals, students, and families to promote the safety and protection of children. The presence of a school nurse in every school all day, every day allows the school nurse to build trusting and supportive relationships with children/youth who may be victims of child maltreatment. Research has shown that these relationships can optimize student health, safety, and learning (CDC, 2014; Maughan et al., 2017).

The article focuses on providing details of policy papers published in the past week, covering topics such as the 2024 pay award for teachers and leaders, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement overview, and duties to report child abuse in England. It categorizes the papers into sections, including those from the UK Government, parliamentary libraries, and other think tanks or non-governmental bodies, offering comprehensive insights into recent policy developments within the education sector.

New research suggests that exceptionally stressful experiences early in life may have long-term consequences for a child's learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health. Some types of "positive stress" in a child's life--overcoming the challenges and frustrations of learning a new, difficult task, for instance--can be beneficial. Severe, uncontrollable, chronic adversity--what this report defines as "toxic stress"--on the other hand, can produce detrimental effects on developing brain architecture as well as on the chemical and physiological systems that help an individual adapt to stressful events. This has implications for many policy issues, including family and medical leave, child care quality and availability, mental health services, and family support programs. This report explains how significant adversity early in life can alter--in a lasting way--a child's capacity to learn and to adapt to stressful situations, how sensitive and responsive caregiving can buffer the effects of such stress, and how policies could be shaped to minimize the disruptive impacts of toxic stress on young children.

There has been widespread acceptance of the principles of family preservation as congruent with the best interests of children in situations of abuse and neglect. This paper discusses the "best interest" ideas articulated by Joseph Goldstein, Anna Freud, and Albert Solnit in the books "Before the Best Interests of the Child" and "Beyond the Best Interests of the Child." The paper compares those ideas with the principles underlying child welfare decision-making. These principles are: reasonable efforts, permanency planning, and the least restrictive alternative. The paper addresses some of the problems in the implementation of these principles, particularly as manifested in the family preservation ideal. The backlash against family preservation is considered, and some considerations for the reform of the child welfare system are suggested. (JPB)

Child protection professionals (N=242) were surveyed regarding their picks for the best papers or book chapters in the field. A citation search was also conducted. Eight papers appeared in the top 15 of both the professional survey and the citation search, with "The Battered Child Syndrome" (Kempe, et al., 1962) appearing at the top of both lists. (Author/PB)

ISFAR (Intensive Services to Families at Risk Project), a program designed to prevent foster care among children at risk for placement because of documented or suspected abuse or neglect, is described, and its effectiveness evaluated. ISFAR's staffing patterns, guiding philosophy of helping parents become more adequate in their interaction with their children, and positive organizational climate are discussed. Program operations are viewed in terms of intake and screening procedures, case assessment, parent's commitment, use of consensus as a decisionmaking tool, problem identification, case planning, individualized client services (including parenting education, home visits involving close friends and extended family, and group activities), case monitoring and evaluation, and followup. Project evaluation findings focus on system impact, client perceptions of services, and measures of individual and family functioning. Comparison with the county protective services revealed that ISFAR cases had lower rates of recidivism and resulted in fewer days in foster care. ISFAR cases were found to be more expensive, at least in short-term consideration. Process analysis underline the importance of support in casework decisionmaking. Characteristics of clients and of the services leading to successful outcomes are analyzed. More than half of the document is composed of appendixes: the actual project evaluation report, ISFAR entry criteria, a copy of a family interview instrument, a description of treatment groups, guidelines for staffing and restaffing, and descriptions of dissemination activities. (CL)

This study suggests that court procedures in Illinois must improve to assure that more children are placed in permanent homes in a timely way. The University of Chicago's Chapin Hall Center for Children examined the timeliness of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois' Child Protection Division in completing the sequence of hearings and adjudications necessary to achieve permanence (either through permanent placement or family reunification) for children who are abused or neglected. The analysis also identified practices and procedures that appear to influence the Court's ability to achieve timely permanence for children. The analysis found that although the Court is not, overall, in compliance with statutory timeliness guidelines, substantial progress has been made in improving compliance over the last few years and the improvement seems to be continuing. The analysis further found that the Court was not effective in moving toward permanent homes for children in a timely fashion once they have been placed in custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Meeting statutory guidelines for timeliness was negatively associated with achieving a timely permanent placement. This negative association may be due to the small number of adoptions completed and the Court's tendency to delay cases where there is a perception that a return home is at all possible. (This document is relevant to the field of education in that permanent placement and family reunification are two strategies that can contribute to children's readiness to learn by increasing stability in their lives.) (JPB)

This document, part of the Wellesley College (Massachusetts) Center for Research on Women's working papers series, examines the issue of sexual harassment in education. The report explores a number of incidents in which female students have been the targets of unwanted sexual comments, advances, and assaults. Much of the school-based harassment is of a more public nature than other forms, because of the classroom setting. In some cases unwanted sexual advances reach the point of actual physical abuse. In recent years, the failure of school administrators to deal with student harassment and abuse complaints have led victims' families to pursue legal action. Such failures to act may appear surprising in the restrictive and closely censored environment of the school. The incidents of abuse suggest that schools may be breeding grounds for domestic violence and may teach girls to accept assault. The numbers of such reports should motivate school officials to become vigilant, to listen to and believe the girls, and to begin to see what is right in front of their eyes and ears. Twenty-nine endnotes are included. Contains 34 references. (SG)

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that prevention, early recognition, intervention and treatment of child maltreatment are critical to the physical well-being and academic success of students. Registered professional school nurses (hereinafter referred to as school nurses) serve a vital role in the recognition of early signs of child maltreatment, assessment, identification, intervention, reporting, referral and follow-up of children in need. School nurses are uniquely qualified to participate as members of interdisciplinary teams to collaborate with school personnel, community healthcare professionals, students and families. [This document replaces the Issue Brief "Child Maltreatment" (adopted January 2012).]