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By Maria Di Mento, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, March 1, 2022 The technology billionaires Steve and Connie Ballmer pledged more than $425 million to the University of Oregon to create an institute where the university’s researchers and experts in children’s behavioral and mental health will work with Oregon’s public school systems, families, nonprofits, and state agencies to tamp down the surge in mental-health issues children and youths in the state are facing after two years of the...

How Brief Moments of Mindful Connection With Nature Help Build Resilience for Early Childhood Professionals and Children March 9, 2022 1:00-2:00 PM EST/10:00-11:00 AM PST Positive therapeutic effects of mindfulness in nature for adults is understood. Deeper investigation into the healing effects of mindfulness in nature for young children is promising. Are you an early childhood professional with a packed schedule and/or limited access to nature? This event will introduce the practice of...

Families that experience poverty-related stressors such as income insecurity or loss , material hardship , and housing hardship or instability —in other words, families with a financial inability to provide for their children—are also more likely to come into contact with the child welfare system. The intersection of poverty and economic insecurity with neglect poses a challenge to child welfare agencies when they respond to reports of maltreatment. Of all maltreatment types, neglect is...

December 31, 2021 – Rohan Bullkin and the Shadows , a provocative new picture book by Jamaican poet and Chevening Scholar Juleus Ghunta, has been released today by CaribbeanReads, a St. Kitts-based publishing company. The book follows the title character, Rohan Bullkin on his journey from reluctant to enthusiastic reader. Rohan’s reluctance to read is fuelled by Shadows – manifestations of his adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. He improves his literacy with the guidance...

By Jackie Mader, The Hechinger Report, November 3, 2021 A t Aliya Johnson Roberts’ two child care centers in Philadelphia, many employees aren’t done working when they clock out at the end of a long day nurturing and teaching young kids. Instead of heading home, they leave for second jobs, often as home health aides. The grueling schedule is necessary: Without the extra work, they can’t make enough money to cover their basic needs, Johnson Roberts said. She wants to pay her teachers more,...

Please join us for a new series entitled: Trauma-Informed Criminal Justice. This monthly virtual Zoom series will feature conversations facilitated by Porter Jennings-McGarity, PACEs Connection’s criminal justice consultant, with special guests to discuss the need for trauma-informed criminal justice system reform. Using a PACEs-science lens, this series will examine the relationship between trauma and the criminal justice system, what needs changing, and strategies being used in this area...

Growing up, the kinds of toys you play with can make all the difference. When I was a child, I always felt like the way I looked was wrong because there were no dolls, cartoon characters, or actresses that looked like me. Thankfully, things are changing. Bigger companies like Mattel are now producing dolls in different shapes, genders, and skin tones. But gaps in the market still exist, especially for kids with special needs, physical disabilities, and skin disorders. That's where Amy...

“Signal for Help” is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call. It can help a person silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way. There’s ample evidence that disaster situations can lead to a surge in gender-based violence. Public health directives on home isolation might increase danger and risk for people in abusive relationships. The Signal for Help is a tool that may help some people, some of the time. Some people do not have the...

Shelley Paul and Jill Gough had heard that doodling while taking notes could help improve memory and concept retention, but as instructional coaches they were reluctant to bring the idea to teachers without trying it out themselves first. To give it a fair shot, Paul tried sketching all her notes from a two-day conference. By the end, her drawings had improved and she was convinced the approach could work for kids, too. “It causes you to listen at a different level,” said Jill Gough,...

Access to food is a human right, [1] yet in the United States, an estimated 13 million children may experience food insecurity in 2021, [2] which means they lack consistent access to adequate and nutritious food for a healthy, active life. [3] The nation’s history of systemic racism, including discriminatory employment and housing practices, has kept Black families from acquiring equal wealth and access to resources (e.g., grocery stores) compared to their White counterparts. [4] As a...

Children, especially those living in big cities, are experiencing less and less time in nature which can lead to a decrease in cognitive development, according to a study published by Nature Sustainability. To test how access to green spaces affected children, researchers analyzed 3,568 students, ranging from ages 9 to 15, at 31 schools in London. The study was conducted over four years, with participants being analyzed for their cognitive development and mental health. The more children...

BOISE, Idaho — There is a new high school in Boise for pregnant and parenting teenagers. Cardinal Academy Public Charter School is located on the Salvation Army's recently completed Booth Campus on Emerald Avenue. Cardinal Academy is a free public charter school that offers these students in 9th-12th grade, ages 14-21, the opportunity to get their education and get the support they need to parent while they receive their diploma. "Cardinal is such an amazing resource because they have...