This report measures how children from different racial backgrounds are faring in the United States and focuses particularly on children in immigrant families. The data presented are drawn from 2013-2015, and indicate significant racial and ethnic inequities among children, with Asian and Pacific Islander and white children generally doing better in almost every area of child well-being than their African-American, Latino, and American Indian peers. The data also indicate the number of children living in low poverty neighborhoods has decreased across all groups. Following an introduction,…
Senior year of high school can be a pivotal time in a young person’s life. For some, it is the last step on the path to college and work. For others, finding stable employment or attending university after high school is far from guaranteed.Urban Alliance, headquartered in Washington, DC, helps students at risk of becoming disconnected from work or school transition to higher education or employment after high school. Through its High School Internship Program, it offers participating high school seniors training, an internship, and mentoring to help them succeed. The Urban Institute recently…
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Work-Based Learning in Action is a series of case studies highlighting effective models of work-based learning. JFF has identified seven principles that support low-skilled youth and adults seeking to enter and advance in careers. Together, these principles encourage the design of work-based learning models that increase access to work-based learning, provide participants with key training and work experience, and help employers meet their needs for a skilled workforce. Each of the case studies highlights a program that is an innovative example of one or more of the principles at work. The…
Lack of child care can be a major barrier for low-income parents seeking education and training to improve their job prospects. Aware of this challenge, many local programs are working to meet these families’ needs. We interviewed 17 local programs in 14 states to better understand how a range of actors—including child care organizations, colleges and universities, and workforce development agencies—support these families. These programs’ efforts may spark ideas and offer lessons for other organizations. (Author abstract)
Research in the last three decades has established a clear link between parental involvement and children's educational attainment. While most of what we know is based on mother-child interactions, increased attention has been paid to the specific influences fathers and other male caregivers have on their children's development. This paper briefly summarises the findings from the field of father involvement that also address the issue of children's literacy practices. Since the literature on father involvement and children's literacy outcomes is limited with significant knowledge gaps, the…
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This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference held at the Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, Virginia, October 5-7, 2009, that brought together 35 leaders and practitioners from the youth development and relationship education fields to discuss the needs of disadvantaged youth and the capacity of the field to deliver relationship education to this population. Key themes from the conference are discussed and include: relationship education is essential and youth leaders and practitioners broadly agreed that the need for relationship education in youth work is apparent;…
As described in earlier articles, children whose parents have higher income and education levels are more likely to grow up in stable two-parent households than their economically disadvantaged counterparts. These widening gaps in fathers' involvement in parenting and in the quality and stability of parents' relationships may reinforce disparities in outcomes for the next generation. This paper reviews evidence about the effectiveness of two strategies to strengthen fathers' involvement and family relationships-- fatherhood programs aimed at disadvantaged noncustodial fathers and relationship…
Young adults are typically eager to learn about relationships and how to succeed in them. Some are considering engagement/marriage whereas others are looking for guidance on how to make smart choices when it comes to dating partners. With a rate of 3.5 divorces per 1,000 people, many young adults have experienced the break up of their parents and are fearful of that same fate. College students are desperate to have only one, happy marriage, and they don't know whether this is possible anymore.The college years bring the need to negotiate new life roles and relationships. These years in…
Other, Book
How To Raise Emotionally Healthy Children is a wake-up call to America that we are abandoning our children emotionally. Failure to support our children's emotional health at home and in schools is jeopardizing their future and that of our nation. The book has a compelling and provocative message about parent-child relations. It provides powerful and practical concepts and tools that enable parents, teachers, and childcare providers to interact with children and with each other in emotionally healthy ways. In the process, children learn to interact with each other in the same way. How to Raise…
This guide provides practical strategies to help you recruit teens into your MRE services. Consider the following four tips:* Know and be able to explain why teen marriage/relationship education matters* Choose a setting and/or partnership* Market your message* Consider all your recruitment options(Author abstract)
