This KIDS COUNT special report focuses on the state of Arkansas' families, using state and national data to discuss demographic and economic changes facing families and the ways those changes affect children. The report discusses the increase in the number of children nationally and statewide growing up in homes without fathers, and notes that the…

Discusses sex role stereotyping in camping and in society. Suggests ways camp administrators and counselors can use activity programs, group living, housekeeping, and management functions to encourage development of androgynous traits and lifestyles free from culturally imposed definitions of masculinity and femininity. (LFL)

The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, is mandated by the U.N. General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet children's basic needs, and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. This report details the accomplishments and activities of UNICEF for the year 2002. Following statements from…

Noting that one of every eight Ohio children live in Appalachian counties and that preparing these children to become productive, contributing members of Appalachia's culture and economy hinges on making sure that all children are healthy, ready for school, and attend safe and effective public schools, this report is the first to examine health…

"Understanding the Early Years" (UEY) is a national research initiative. It provides communities with information to enable them to make informed decisions about the best policies and most appropriate programs for families with young children. It seeks to provide information about the influence of community factors on children's early…

This article offers the opinion that school mental health services should be built around the question: "What useful roles can schools play as part of a concerted social effort targeted to the enhancement of children's wellness?" The article suggests that there are many important roles: practical, repair-oriented roles, and new roles…

This study sought to construct a set of family strengths using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - Child Supplement (NLSY-CS), and, if the family strengths' construct was possible, to discern whether the presence of these family strengths predict better outcomes for children. The original NLSY sampled approximately 12,000…

This study explored the facilitating function of religion in the lives of adolescents, postulating that religiously involved students would endorse prosocial--rather than egoistical--values, and that their prosocial values would foster a sense of belongingness to their church, family, and school. Participating were 369 boys and 372 girls attending…

These four issues of the "Alaska's Children" provide information on the activities of the Alaska Head Start State Collaboration Project and other Head Start activities. Legal and policy changes affecting the education of young children in Alaska are also discussed. The Spring 1997 issue includes articles on brain development and the…

Although the experiences from birth to age three influence how the rest of childhood unfolds, this critical time is usually neglected in the policies, programs, and budgets of countries around the world. This report details the daily lives of parents and other caregivers who are striving to protect the rights and meet the needs of young children.…

This book offers a holistic examination of well-being across the life course by experts in psychology, sociology, child development, and medicine, and describes foundational strengths for well-being from infancy through adulthood. The chapters are: (1) "A Brief History of the Study of Well-Being in Children and Adults" (Kristin A. Moore…

This Kids Count report provides information on state and countywide trends in the well-being of New Jersey's children between 1990 and 1998. The statistical portrait is based on 19 social indicators: (1) children receiving AFDC/TANF; (2) children receiving food stamps; (3) children receiving Medicaid; (4) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program…

This Kids Count Report details statewide trends in the well-being of Maine's children, with particular focus on child health care access. The statistical portrait is based on a variety of indicators in five areas: (1) child health care access; (2) physical and mental health; (3) community and family environment; (4) social and economic…

This Kids Count report examines national and statewide trends in the well-being of the nation's children. The statistical portrait is based on 10 indicators of well-being: (1) low birthweight infants; (2) infant mortality; (3) child death; (4) teen deaths by accident, homicide, and suicide; (5) teen birth rate; (6) number of teens who are high…

This book, the last volume in a three-part series, draws on a large-scale worldwide poverty study to present the views, experiences, and aspirations of poor people in 14 selected countries. In each country, interviews and discussion groups were held in 8-15 rural and urban communities that reflected the most prevalent poverty groups and the…