Listen31 MAY 0134
BrainBeat Launches Innovative "Brain Training" for Kids
Fight Summer Learning Loss and Sharpen Focus
Skills in Preparation
for the New School Year
Summer vacation for many children means that much of what they learn during the school year goes right out the window. In fact, students can lose more than two months of knowledge due to lack of daily engagement in educational activities.[i] This summer, kids can overcome "learning loss" and get an edge with BrainBeat Conquer, a new computer-based cognitive trainer with advanced gaming technology that is scientifically proven to improve kids' focus through fun, interactive exercises.
BrainBeat challenges kids ages six through 12 to self-train their brain by clapping in time with a fixed beat while they conquer different animated worlds. As kids' rhythm improves and training becomes more difficult, they're motivated by instant feedback (through scoring, sounds and light cues), badges of encouragement and a dynamic tutor who guides them along the way. Over time, by sequentially involving the body and mind, BrainBeat synchronizes the "decision-making" parts of the brain and engages the area that handles visuals and sounds, helping kids concentrate longer and absorb information easier.
"By sharpening focus, BrainBeat enhances kids' learning, boosts their engagement and quiets busy minds." said Robert Ryan, Co-Founder of BrainBeat. "After fourteen 20-minute sessions, they learn how to block out distractions and zero-in on important moments like tests or homework."
BrainBeat's underlying technology is supported by a decade of scientific research in child development and learning, with studies demonstrating significant improvements in children's performance and behavioral skills. One study, conducted at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, Calif., revealed that the technology powering BrainBeat increased elementary and middle school students' reading and math skills by as much as 20 percent, and improved their ability to pay attention, listen, communicate ideas and manage frustration by an average of 30 percent.
"Children enjoyed the fast-paced graphics and success they felt completing the program's exciting levels," said Sherrie Hardy, an education therapist and creator of Hardy Brain Camp, who tested BrainBeat with groups of students at several Boys and Girls Clubs. "BrainBeat is the first product of its kind to offer brain timing exercises involving synchronized body movement and coordination activities that use multiple senses, as well as immediate and extremely precise feedback about their accuracy, which improves kids' timing skills. This takes their engagement to the next level; and the gaming aspects challenge them the way they like to learn."
The benefits of better focus can be immeasurable for kids who are struggling or performing below grade-level, and for parents who want them to feel confident in their abilities at home and in school. "It changed my son's life," said Diane Solomon, Valencia, Calif., mother of a BrainBeat conqueror. "After using BrainBeat, my son David will now sit down and read an entire book, which is something he would have never done because reading was so challenging before. The weight has certainly been lifted off our shoulders."
The technology behind BrainBeat has already helped thousands of people improve their focus over the last 10 years through Interactive Metronome (IM), a neurotherapy program. Because the technology impacts the cognitive and motor abilities in the brain that are broadly important to performance (attention and coordination), IM has been successfully used by more than 20,000 healthcare professionals to treat individuals with various neurological conditions (ADHD, Autism, stroke). It has also benefited more than a dozen elite high schools, the U.S. Navy, and many professional and college athletic teams as a performance enhancement tool. Employing the same evidence-based approach of "sequentially-timed learning," BrainBeat was further refined by a team of gaming engineers and leading medical advisors to strike the right balance between science, motivation and fun for consumers.
BrainBeat is available online for $245. To purchase the product, hear from parents whose kids have experienced positive results from training, or learn more about the science behind the technology, visit www.BrainBeat.com
Press release: PR Newswire
29 May 23013
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1273202
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29 MAY 2013
Canada and Right To Play,
Work Together to Improve
the Lives of Children and Youth
The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation, and the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, recognized today the importance of sport and play in improving the education, health and life skills of disadvantaged young people, and highlighted Canada's commitment to securing the future of children and youth around the globe.
"Organizations like Right To Play have harnessed the power of sport to drive social change and shape our world for good," said Minister Fantino. "Sport and play are powerful means to educate and help ensure secure environments for children and youth, and help equip them with the skills they need to be active participants in society."
"Vulnerable children and youth in developing countries deserve a life free of violence and fear," said Minister MacKay. "Canada supports Right To Play's innovative use of sport and play, in helping to move disadvantaged young people toward an environment of empowerment and peace, through which they can help contribute to building prosperous, free, and democratic societies."
Canada and Right To Play have a longstanding partnership, and are currently working together to improve the lives of children and youth in disadvantaged communities in Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Mali and Rwanda. Through the Play to Learn program, more than 180,000 children and youth participate in regular weekly sport and play activities. They are also learning important life skills such as leadership, self-confidence, discipline, tolerance, teamwork, and disease prevention. This program has also trained more than 3,000 coaches and teachers to facilitate sport and play programs in local schools and community-based organizations, and has implemented more than 120 youth-led initiatives to address important community issues such as child labour and corporal punishment.
"Right To Play has achieved significant development outcomes as a direct result of the Government of Canada's investment in our work," said Johann Olav Koss, Founder, President and CEO of Right To Play. "We'd like to thank the Canadian government for its leadership in the field of sport for development and its confidence in Right To Play's ability to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children and youth."
Economic Action Plan 2013 reaffirms Canada's commitment to international development investments such as improving the health and education of children and youth in developing countries. The new department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development will maintain the mandate of poverty alleviation and help achieve greater efficiency, accountability, and focus to continue to improve the lives of people in need around the world.
Press release: Market Wired
27 May 23013
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27 MAY 2013
CANADA
Milk Carton 2.0: Digital
Innovations Transform the Search
for Missing Children in Canada
The World's Most Valuable Social Network has assisted in the safe return of six missing children since its launch. Today, the tool is expanding to include Pinterest and Foursquare in the search for missing children.
Up to 50,000 children are reported missing in Canada every year. In 2012, The Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC) introduced The World's Most Valuable Social Network – the first online search party that allows Canadians to "donate" their Facebook or Twitter newsfeed as a vehicle for raising awareness when a child goes missing.
Today, leading up to International Missing Children's Day (May 25th), MCSC is expanding The Most Valuable Project with the launch of two new digital tools: Most Valuable Check-In and Most Valuable Pinboard.
"In less than one year, these digital innovations have assisted in the safe return of six missing children in Canada," said Amanda Pick, Executive Director, MCSC. "With our two new tools, we're continuing to grow a people-powered online search party that will ultimately help put an end to child abduction in Canada."
Most Valuable Check-In
The first few hours after a child goes missing are crucial to their successful recovery. Most Valuable Check-In is a new mobile tool that sends Foursquare alerts to users within a 1km radius of a postal code where an abduction has taken place. A user "donates" their Foursquare by visiting the Valuable Network website, and they will receive a one-time alert that a child has gone missing if they are within the radius.
Most Valuable Pinboard
A missing child's headshot only tells part of the story. Equally important are the other visual triggers like clothing worn or the make of an abductor's vehicle. The Most Valuable Pinboard uses Pinterest, a visually-driven social network, to allow MCSC and law enforcement to create pinboards linked directly to missing child cases to share more visual cues with the public.
"Most Valuable Pinboard and Most Valuable Check-In take the social media tools Canadians are using everyday, and turns them into an opportunity for social good," said Pick. "We call it Milk Carton 2.0, and it's our way of using technology to improve the search for missing children and empower Canadians to get involved in our efforts."
For more information on any of the Milk Carton 2.0 programs, please visit www.valuableproject.ca or www.mcsc.ca/get-involved.
About the Missing Children Society of Canada
Since 1986, MCSC (www.mcsc.ca) has been reuniting missing children with their searching families through professional investigations, public awareness and family support programs. MCSC is the only non-profit organization in North America that employs an in-house team of former law enforcement to work closely with municipal and federal police agencies nationally and internationally while conducting frontline, hands-on investigative and search activities.
Press release: Market Watch
24 May 2013
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24 MAY 2013
Technology for online curfews
helps families establish good,
informed online habits
BoundaryBox™ gives parents the ability to control all the networked devices in their homes while also educating the whole family about internet safety, reasonable family limits on internet access and other related topics of importance. This technology solves family conflicts over online limits with education and control, NOT monitoring and filtering.
BoundaryBox supports the development of the skills necessary for kids to successfully and safely navigate the online worlds of today and gives parents the ability to control screen time for each online device by controlling the network itself – before each device goes online. Computers, laptops, game consoles, mobile handheld devices and tablets using the home network are all controlled by easy to use administration settings.
LogicHotspot, a WIFI Service Provider with proven time control router technology and SOLOS, a leading British Columbia educator of children and parents on internet safety, have combined their specialties to give parents control of their home network and give children and parents up-to-date educational tools to control their online lives. BoundaryBox gives parents the ability to control the access to each device connected to the home network by controlling the network itself – before each device goes online. In addition to allowing the network's administrator to set time limits for each user, BoundaryBox provides age and audience appropriate educational tips to teach kids how to be safer online.
"Rather than monitoring and filtering, which are not effective in defending our children, BoundaryBox provides time limits and informative links tips to educate them to be safer online," says Merlyn Horton, a former youth worker who founded SOLOS to promote the safe and responsible use of all forms of digital communications and social media through education that is research-based and pro-technology.
"While you will ultimately never be able to control what they access on line, we think that a tool to allow parents to control how and when their family access the Internet in their home is one significant tool that CAN make a difference," added Hans Looman, developer of Logic HotSpot's WIFI control system.
With a planned Go Live date in September of 2013, BoundaryBox is using Indiegogo, an online fundraising site, to raise capital to develop, produce and launch their innovative product.
Press release WireService.ca
23 May 2013
http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=10423
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22 MAY 2013
UK
Why people should focus on fostering rather than adoption
Many people who are able to offer a child a loving, secure home, consider either adopting a child or becoming foster carers. While both of these provide an invaluable way to change the life of a child in need, there are reasons why it is better to focus more on fostering rather than adopting.
The need for loving foster carers to come on board in the UK is more urgent than ever, with a rising number of children entering into the care system and looking for foster homes on a short or long term basis. For these children, finding a suitable foster home as quickly as possible is of paramount importance, as otherwise, they could end up having to move a long way from their friends, school and family.
Key reasons to consider fostering over adoption
There are a number of key reasons why you should consider fostering a child rather than opting for adoption. Some of these reasons include:
Being able to help more children: As a foster carer who provides a loving environment for a child or children on a temporary basis, you have the ability to help far more children than if you adopt a child. This means that you can help to transform the lives of multiple children during your time as a foster carer, devoting your skills, time and love to them for as long as they need your help.
Providing more help to a child: When you foster a child, you can help him or her to avoid being moved around the care system by providing a stable and loving home for as long as they need it. You can also help children to avoid the misery of being moved to another area altogether due to lack of foster care facilities in their own area.
Being able to help vulnerable children: Many children who are in the care system are desperately in need of a stable and loving environment, as they are often in vulnerable positions and have suffered difficulties in their own lives. As a foster carer, you can provide this loving and secure home, helping these children to see the world from a more positive perspective and in many cases helping to change their lives for the better.
Helping a child to avoid residential care: Being unable to find a foster home or continued breakdowns in foster care placements could result in a child ending up in residential care, even though fostering is the best option for them. As a foster carer, you can help kids to avoid ending up in residential care and instead provide them with the security and loving home that they so desperately need.
As a foster carer, you will also enjoy immense satisfaction from helping not just one but in some cases many children who will benefit hugely from the stability that you can bring to their lives. To find out more about fostering a child, you can get in touch with the team at Fostering Solutions.
Press release
21st May 2013
http://www.easier.com/114985-why-people-should-focus-on-fostering-rather-than-adoption.html
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20 MAY 2013
Sheriff’s Youth Foundation of
Los Angeles County Hires
New Program Director
The Sheriff’s Youth Foundation announced the hiring of Dr. Kathleen Van Antwerp as its new Program Director, bringing a new element to the nonprofit organization’s mission to help at-risk children throughout Los Angeles County.
Specializing in child and adolescent development, Van Antwerp has spent more than 20 years teaching and working with at-risk students, in addition to being published internationally and interviewed on media outlets such as CNN. As Program Director for the Foundation, she will oversee development of youth programs and training for deputies and staff.
“Having Dr. Van Antwerp as part of the Foundation family is a sign of very good things to come,” said Sheriff Leroy Baca, chairman of the foundation board. “With an expert’s training and a mother’s heart, she has a gift for helping children be successful, and I know she will be an asset to the excellent team of staff and volunteers we have.”
Van Antwerp designs behavioral intervention plans for children and families in crisis, for a variety of settings including education, juvenile justice, family preservation and mental health. She is the educational consultant to the Hero Appreciation Network, which works with politicians and law enforcement to provide educational scholarships for at-risk kids in the name of fallen law enforcement heroes.
She is the co-founder of ONE CIRCLE Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to leading communities in a proactive human rights movement for abused and neglected children. The organization recently opened a learning center in Norwalk, in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Department PRIDE (Pico Rivera Individual Development & Ethics) program.
“It wasn’t long after meeting Dr. Van Antwerp and having her provide some deputy training that we realized she’d be a perfect fit for the foundation,” Executive Director Sgt. A.J. Rotella said. “She brings a level of experience and education that we’ve needed and never had before.”
Rotella said that adding a Program Director position will allow the foundation to better craft outreach strategies and measure the outcomes of its various programs.
“Most importantly, I believe our growing programs will have even more success as a result of her energy and dedication,” Rotella said.
The Sheriff’s Youth Foundation programs reach a diverse age range – from elementary through high school – and Van Antwerp will oversee development of programs to best reach every age.
“The Sheriff’s Youth Foundation programs provide what at-risk children need most: a constructive environment where adults surround them, protect them and guide them,” Van Antwerp said. “I have seen firsthand the dedication these deputies have to these children and it is an honor to stand united with them. The most important indicator of a high-quality program for children is a well-educated and experienced staff.”
As the Program Director, Van Antwerp said she will be focused on providing ongoing professional development opportunities and working closely with the Foundation team to create child/adolescent-centered programs grounded in a holistic view of human development and empowering at-risk children to succeed.
With a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding University, Dr. Van Antwerp has written and presented trainings on recognizing and reporting child abuse to childcare organizations, educators and child care professionals throughout California. She presents a symposium on Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention at college campuses each spring, and she also teaches graduate-level courses at National University in Ventura County.
Van Antwerp taught at California State University, Northridge, for 10 years and currently teaches in the Ventura County Community College District. She has also served as a consultant to the Los Angeles, Newhall and Ventura unified school districts and the National Association Against Child Cruelty.
About the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation
The Sheriff’s Youth Foundation works with at-risk children throughout Los Angeles County. Programs include nearly 20 Youth Activities League centers; 999 for Kids; Stop Hate and Respect Everyone (SHARE); Vital Intervention Directional Alternative (VIDA); Bicycle Education and Registration (BEAR); Sheriffs Teaching At-Risk Teens (START); and Success Through Awareness and Resistance (STAR). For more information, visit http://www.SheriffsYouthFoundation.org or call (323) 526-5120
Dr. Kathleen Van Antwerp
New release: PRWEB
17 May 2013
http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/5/prweb10742338.htm
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17 MAY 2013
The Adoption Council of Canada Celebrates Children & Youth in Care Day
On Ontario's first Children and Youth in Care Day, the Adoption Council of Canada is joining the voice of children and youth in care to urge the province to step up its efforts to explore all forms of permanency for youth before they age out of the foster care system.
A year ago, the Minister of Children and Youth Services accepted the My REAL Life Book report on behalf of the government of Ontario and made a commitment to work towards fundamental change.
My REAL Life Book contains recommendations from the Ontario Youth Leaving Care Hearings, one of which was to honour children and youth in care on this day every year. Today we raise awareness, reduce stigma, and recognize the young people who, through no fault of their own, have the province for a parent.
As we reflect on the Youth Leaving Care hearings, we remember the messages of youth in care, those who aged out of the system and those former Crown wards who have been adopted. What is clear from their testimony is that children and youth in care need more options. They need to know that finding a permanent family or making a permanent connection to at least one stable, loving and consistent adult is possible. They also need to know the province will devote the financial resources and the political capital to reducing the number of youth who age out of the system without permanent families.
"Everybody deserves a family -- even me," one of the teens on the Adoption Council of Canada's Youth Speak Out team wrote recently.
Adoption, kinship care, customary care and legal guardianship are all important permanency options. Identifying the right one for a child and making it happen should be the province's over-riding goal as soon as that child becomes a Crown ward.
"Ontario is making great strides forward in its commitment to reducing the number of children and youth in foster care," says Laura Eggertson, president of the Adoption Council of Canada. "Let's keep that momentum going by ensuring we all do our best to prioritize permanency for older children and youth in care, and by supporting the families who do take these children and teens into their homes."
Through its programs and services, the Adoption Council of Canada aims to bring about awareness and permanency for the 30,000 children and youth in care awaiting forever families. To learn about how YOU can get involved, please contact 1-888-54-ADOPT, email info@adoption.ca and visit www.adoption.ca
. The Facts:
There are more than 8,000 children and youth in the care of Ontario's Children's Aid Societies who are looking for their forever family. The majority of these children and youth are between the ages of 13 and 18, yet they represent a small percentage of those being adopted. Last year, children between 13 and 18 represented 61% of the 8,000 children needing permanent families, yet only 3.6% of these children were adopted through Ontario's public adoption system.
Children and youth who age out of the foster care system without forever families will be more likely than their peers to drop out of school, become homeless, end up in contact with the justice system, rely on social assistance or become teen parents. Without permanent families, children and youth in care are at risk of perpetuating the cycle of trauma and abuse they have experienced.
Only 50 percent of youth in care graduate from high school, most by GED. Only 2 percent of youth in care go on to post-secondary education, compared to 24 percent of the general population.
Youth in care are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized for mental health issues than the general public.
•Children who are adopted score higher on IQ tests than non-adopted siblings or peers, and perform better in academic and social settings.
Adopted children are also more likely to have increased involvement in positive, structured activities, such as sports, music and community organizations.
Press release: Marketwire
14 May 2013
http://www.sys-con.com/node/2658287
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15 MAY 2013
Recognizing the strength,
bravery and resilience of children
and youth in and from care
To mark the first Children and Youth in Care Day in Ontario on May 14, the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (OACAS), YouthCAN and Children's Aid Societies across the province are celebrating the strength and determination that children and youth in and from care demonstrate in the face of adversity, and recommitting to support them.
Children come into the care of Ontario's Children's Aid Societies when it is unsafe for them to remain at home due to neglect or abuse. Children who come into care face unique challenges. While many find forever homes with extended family, members of their community or through adoption, others grow up in foster or group homes where, in accordance with government regulation, they are required to leave before they turn 18. Without a family to turn to for support and faced with the hardship and costs of living on their own, many fall behind in school, often struggling with poverty or even homelessness. Youth in care have a high school graduation rate of just 44%(1) , compared to their peers who have an 81% graduation rate.
Mary Ballantyne, Executive Director of OACAS shared: "The safety and well-being of children and youth are at the heart of what we do. We are appreciative that the people of Ontario are standing up in recognition of the remarkable courage and strength of children and youth in and leaving care."
Strides have been made, but there is more work to do. Recent supports announced by the government include increased financial support for older youth pursuing post-secondary education, the provision of 100% of tuition for Crown wards by participating colleges and universities, funding for 50 new community transition workers and enhanced training for caregivers. OACAS continues to advocate for Children's Aid youth to have the chance to stay in their foster or group homes until they have completed their education or training and gained full-time employment, or until age 21. OACAS also asks the provincial government that supports for housing, health, dental and education be extended to the age of 25.
Adam Diamond, OACAS Policy Analyst and former youth in care, stated: "Declaring a day for children and youth in care is an important step to promote that these young people are valued. Through awareness, we continue to reduce the stigma of being a 'foster kid'. Youth will now have a day they can call their own, a day to be proud of and a day to feel united across Ontario."
Press release: Ontario Association of Children's Aid
Societies
14 May 2013
http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130514-908447.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
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13 MAY 2013
Brain changes persist in children who suffer from concussions
A recent medical journal published by medlineplus.com determined that brain changes persist in children who suffer from concussions albeit subsidence of injury signs. Alongside this finding, author Sandra Merriweather’s debut book emphasizes accurate assessment and appropriate treatment of young athletes to promote and support safety.
Sandra’s marriage to Michael Merriweather, former linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Jets and Packers, took her to an opportunity of unimaginable destinations the world over. Her wayfaring further invigorated her desire to contribute something of particular significance to the field of athletics and society in general. As a registered nurse, mentor, advocate and educator, this book is a tribute to the pillars of sports and celebrity athletes who unselfishly contribute to the well-being of children through a lifelong commitment of inspiring kids to maintain health and fitness and exemplifying the proper techniques of the games to avoid injuries.
When improperly treated, common play tumbles and blunt blows to rough, backbreaking injuries can result to long-term damage, disabilities or even death. In this relevant and timely discourse, the author corresponds to persons involved in the rearing, training and rehabilitation of young athletes, such as parents, coaches, and school nurses. She tackles subjects related to concussions and head injuries to enhance areas warranting improvement which could save potentials, talents and, ultimately, lives.
“The general public is widely unaware of the consequences of head trauma to young athletes and even playground incidents at school,” Dr. Vincent Sharder of Western Governors University shares. “It is tragic that so many injuries go undetected and untreated because the injured are too young to realize something is seriously wrong.”
A Football Wife’s Research Study for the Love of the Games is an up-to-date discussion and analysis of the possible negative effects from physical activities the youth take on. Education remains the most potent key to success and prevention.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com
Press release: PRWEB
13 May 2013
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1241388
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10 MAY 2013
Media Alert: Children’s
Mental Health Day, May 9 –
Statistics on Youth Who Struggle with Mental Illness
Thursday, May 9 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. More than 420,000 children in California live with serious mental health disorders:
• Experts estimate that 1 in 5 children struggles with a mental illness.
Almost 40 percent of high school students with mental health issues will drop out of high school.
The onset of major mental illness may occur as early as age 7 to 112 but may not be properly diagnosed until the youth is in their late 20s or 30s – if at all.
Suicide is California’s third leading cause of death in teens and young adults aged 15 – 24.
It is estimated that 50 percent of children in the child welfare system and nearly 70 percent of children in the juvenile justice system suffer from mental health disorders.
Factors that predict mental health problems can be identified in the early years, with children and youth from low-income households at increased risk for mental health problems.2
About EMQ FamiliesFirst
EMQ FamiliesFirst is one of the largest, most comprehensive family-centered treatment programs in the country. The agency takes a state-of-the-art approach to children and youth with complex behavioral health challenges: we combine research-based behavioral health services (including evidence-based therapies and psychiatric services) with a family-centered effort to identify and address the social and other needs of the family. When compared to state or national averages, our results for youth are on average 10 percentage points higher for metrics such as living at home, staying in school, and being out of trouble with the law. For more information, visit www.emqff.org.
Press release: Business Wire
9 May 2013
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8 MAY 2013
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities
Initiative, Delaware Gov. and NGA Chairman Jack Markell Launch National
Campaign to Improve Odds
for Young Adults Aging Out of Foster Care
Report: Negative Outcomes Linked to Young People
Aging Out
of Foster Care Cost the U.S. $7.8 Billion Per Year
Today on Capitol Hill, young people currently and formerly in foster care joined Delaware Governor and National Governors Association (NGA) Chairman Jack Markell, legislators, and child welfare experts from across the country to launch Success Beyond 18, a national campaign led by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative to create a better path for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood.
“The most important investments we can make as a society are those that help our children gain the building blocks they need to succeed in life. For children in foster care – especially older youth on the brink of adulthood – this holds especially true,” said Governor and NGA Chairman Markell. “Like Delaware, more states are increasing their focus on the needs of young people in foster care and those beyond age 18. Now is the time to ensure these kids are getting the same opportunities for success as their peers.”
Each year, approximately 26,000 kids age out of foster care – in many states, at 18-years-old – without a permanent family and the support needed to find a place to live, continue school, secure employment, or succeed as independent adults. As a result, they are more likely than their peers to become homeless, drop out, become parents at a young age, or spend time in jail.
At the launch, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative released a new report on the potential cost savings to communities and taxpayers for acting now to improve services and supports for older youth in foster care. According to the report, on average, for each young person who ages out of foster care, the social costs incurred as a result (through lost wages, public assistance, and jail time) equal $300,000 over that young person’s lifetime – or $7.8 billion in total costs to the U.S. every year.
“By making changes today to improve the lives of young people in foster care, we will all see the benefits, and sooner than we think – through a more productive workforce, fewer unplanned pregnancies, lower health care costs, and reduced crime,” said Gary Stangler, Executive Director of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative. “Success Beyond 18 aims to significantly improve outcomes for these young people by helping states extend foster care beyond age 18 in a developmentally appropriate way, and promoting changes in casework and oversight so that fewer children reach 18 without a family.”
Success Beyond 18 aims to help states achieve three key goals for young people in foster care: To extend age-appropriate foster care services beyond age 18, to give young people a more direct say in their own life planning, and to ensure that judges, child welfare agencies, and others responsible for the well-being of young people in foster care recognize them as emerging adults with unique and evolving needs.
"Just like young people everywhere, if those in foster care are involved in leading their life planning, if supports and services are extended based on their needs, and if judges, child welfare agencies, and others do their part in ensuring quality oversight, we will have the skills, tools, and resources to be successful on our own in whatever we do," said Mike Peno, a Jim Casey Initiative Young Fellow from Rhode Island who spoke at the launch.
At the launch, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative also released a white paper documenting the urgency and opportunity for reforms needed to improve outcomes for older youth in foster care and a video PSA calling on states to take action.
“All young people – and especially young people in foster care – deserve access to opportunities that will help them grow, thrive and prepare to be successful adults,” said Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. “Success Beyond 18 will help states understand and act on the opportunity they now have to improve outcomes for young people in foster care. These improvements can deliver significant, permanent changes to our child welfare system to benefit all young people in foster care.”
To view photos from the launch event and track progress of Success Beyond 18, visit www.jimcaseyyouth.org, “like” the Jim Casey Initiative’s Facebook page, or follow the Jim Casey Initiative on Twitter @jimcaseyyouth.
About the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
Founded in 2001, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is committed to improving the lives of young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood. For more information, visit www.jimcaseyyouth.org.
Press release: Business Wire
6 May 2013
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6 MAY 2013
Comparing children's
self-report instruments for health-related
quality of life
Children with chronic conditions often experience a long treatment which can be complex and negatively impacts the child's well-being. In planning treatment and interventions for children with chronic conditions, it is important to measure health-related quality of life (HrQoL).
HrQoL instruments are considered to be a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) and should be used in routine practice. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the content dimensions of HrQoL instruments for children's self-reports using the framework of ICF-CY.
Method: The sample consist of six instruments for health-related quality of life for children 5 to 18 years of age, which was used in the Swedish national quality registries for children and adolescents with chronic conditions. The following instruments were included: CHQ-CF, DCGM-37, EQ-5D-Y, KIDSCREEN-52, Kid-KINDL and PedsQL 4.0.
The framework of the ICF-CY was used as the basis for the comparison.
Results: There were 290 meaningful concepts identified and linked to 88 categories in the classification ICF-CY with 29 categories of the component body functions, 48 categories of the component activities and participation and 11 categories of the component environmental factors.
No concept were linked to the component body structures. The comparison revealed that the items in the HrQoL instruments corresponded primarily with the domains of activities and less with environmental factors.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the results confirm that ICF-CY provide a good framework for content comparisons that evaluate similarities and differences to ICF-CY categories. The results of this study revealed the need for greater consensus of content across different HrQoL instruments.
To obtain a detailed description of children's HrQoL, DCGM-37 and KIDSCREEN-52 may be appropriate instruments to use that can increase the understanding of young patients'needs.
Source: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2013
4 May 2013
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3 MAY 2013
New Report Puts Spotlight on
Unique Educational Needs
of California's Foster Youth
Research Identifies Opportunities at State,
County and District Levels
to Improve Educational Outcomes
Today the Stuart Foundation released a groundbreaking report that provides compelling data establishing that California children and youth in foster care need intensive and tailored services to support their educational goals. The data makes a strong case to require state and local agencies to count foster youth when allocating needed services, an issue currently under consideration by the legislature with the elimination of Foster Youth Services under Governor Brown's new education plan.
At Greater Risk, California Foster Youth and the Path from High School to College offers the first ever longitudinal data on foster youth education outcomes compared to other at-risk student populations tracking more than 11,000 high school students over five school years.
"The Governor and Legislature are currently considering fundamental reforms to educational funding, this data demonstrates that children and youth in foster care must be accounted for," said Teri Kook, Stuart Foundation's Director of Child Welfare. "There are 42,000 school-aged children in foster care whose chances for educational success are on the line."
At Greater Risk finds that even when compared with other economically disadvantaged students, "foster youth are less likely to complete high school, enroll in community college, or remain in community college for a second year." The report includes sobering statistics about the educational outcomes of the California foster youth studied:
45% of foster youth completed high school (compared with 53% of similarly disadvantaged youth not in foster care and 79% of the general population of students).
43% of foster youth enrolled in community college (compared with 46% of similarly disadvantaged youth not in foster care and 59% of the general population).
41% of the foster youth who enrolled in college remained enrolled in community college for a second year (compared with 48% of similarly disadvantaged youth not in foster care and 62% of the general population).
The Governor's proposed elimination of Foster Youth Services funding puts the infrastructure and accountability surrounding programs aimed at foster youth in jeopardy. The findings from At Greater Risk support concrete steps that the State, counties and local school districts can take to increase the chances that children and youth in foster care will achieve in school at the same level as their disadvantaged peers, much less the general population.
Include students in foster care as a subgroup in the district's Academic Performance Index (API) as part of the proposed local control funding formula. The State needs to create assurances that county offices of education and school districts are required to continue providing students in foster care with the appropriate educational services. Ensuring that educational outcomes for this vulnerable student population are regularly reviewed and acted on is essential.
Increase information sharing between California Department of Education (CDE) and California Department of Social Services (CDSS). School districts and county offices of education need to know critical child welfare information such as which students are in foster care. Child welfare agencies must be provided educational information to monitor their educational progress.
Ensure Foster Children Receive the Type of Educational Supports Normally Provided by a Parent. Students in foster care frequently lack the type of educational support typically provided by a parent. This includes identifying the students' educational interests and talents, monitoring educational progress, sharing educational information, advocating for appropriate educational placements, securing appropriate educational services and supporting youth in their transition to college and career.
Ensure Foster Children Receive Appropriate Educational Services. To succeed in school, foster children need school districts to provide specialized educational services, including assessing educational strengths and needs, developing academic goals, facilitating intensive academic case management, and providing tutoring, credit recovery classes, school social worker counseling, in-school therapeutic services and summer enrichment opportunities.
At Greater Risk is a product of UC Berkeley's Center for Social Services Research, the Institute for Evidence-Based Change and MPR Associates. The report's authors are available for interviews upon request.
Teri Kook, Stuart Foundation's Director of Child Welfare, presents to the Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, on May 1, 2013 in Los Angeles.
About Stuart Foundation The Stuart Foundation, an independent family foundation, is dedicated to the protection, education and development of children and youth. The foundation works toward ensuring that all children grow up in caring families, learn in vibrant and effective schools, and have opportunities to become productive members of their communities.
SOURCE Stuart Foundation
Press release: PR Newswire
1 May 2013
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/01/5386489/new-report-puts-spotlight-on-unique.html
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