April 2010

Detroit sex-trafficking victim shares story to bring awareness

A young, 15-year-old girl experienced more hurt and vulnerability than most girls could imagine.

Theresa Flores is a survivor of the second-largest crime industry in the world, human sex trafficking. Years later, as a wife and mother, Flores decided to share her story no matter how much it hurts to relive it each time. When she was 15, Flores lived in Detroit with a loving, Catholic family when one of her classmates offered to give her a ride home. He then proceeded to date rape her while his cousins took pictures of the event. These pictures would be used to blackmail her from telling her family or friends what they did. "[My parents] didn't know," Flores said.

Flores worried for her family's safety if she told what had happened. For the next two years, the same boy and his cousins would call her three or four times a week, always on her own personal phone and always after midnight. They would tell her to come to their home where they would make her meet their sexual desires. Flores only got out of the situation because her father got relocated for work.

The psychological manipulation led to shame, and Flores didn't tell anyone what had happened for some time. Years later, she attended a conference where she learned about human sex trafficking. "I didn't even know what happened to me was called this," Flores said. "I also learned how prevalent this is right now because I thought I was the only one."

Flores didn't know of anyone who shared personal stories of being involved with sex trafficking, and she decided someone needed to do it. She now travels all over the United States sharing her story in hopes of making a difference. "I want people to understand this happens and to be able to see the signs of someone being trafficked," she said. "I also want to reach out to girls who it may be happening to in the audience."

Learning of their daughter's full story was difficult for Flores' parents. "It's hard for my parents because they feel guilty that they missed that," she said.

Sex trafficking doesn't always happen like it happened to Flores. There are several different ways the crime can take place, from trafficking runaways to kidnapping women.

A recent report by the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission estimates there are about 1,000 American-born children forced into the sex trade every year in Ohio alone. Toledo has been ranked fourth in the nation by the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as a top U.S. recruitment city for trafficking children. Tasha Perdue, a member of the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission Research and Analysis Sub-Committee, has researched the issue of sex trafficking in the Toledo area. "Toledo is a recruitment area where people are taken to different areas," Perdue said. "Children can be recruited by anyone."

The average age for recruitment ranges from 12 to 14 years old. "It's usually someone they trust and they usually develop a relationship with them," Perdue said. "It's a lot more damaging that way." Victims begin to believe lies from their traffickers, such as believing they themselves are three or four years older. Once they are rescued, it takes many rounds of interviewing to get the true story, Perdue said.

Members of the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission are looking to make a standard form for law enforcement advisors so they can keep a record of what trafficking looks like.

Even after victims are rescued, the problems do not end. There is often nowhere for them to go. "They are often sent to the juvenile detention center, which makes other victims fearful to come forward," Perdue said. "We don't have appropriate social responses in place and it's going to take a lot of changes to take responsibility for these youth." The United States only has four safe houses up and running for rescued victims of sex trafficking. The number of beds doesn't even come close to the number of victims who need them, with an estimated 20,000 people trafficked into the United States every year.

Flores is working on starting a safe house in the Columbus area, and Jeff Wilbarger, director of the Daughter Project, is looking to set one up near Bowling Green. Wilbarger had been teaching math for 23 years when he read the book "Not for Sale," which tells real-life stories of women involved in the slave trade. "I knew I couldn't do nothing about it," he said. "Once we're educated about it we have a choice to either be a trafficker, to be neutral or part of the solution, and that's what I want to do." Wilbarger expected to have to work in another country before he learned about the issue in Toledo.

The Daughter Project is hoping to find a plot of land to begin building the house. The house will provide 24-hour care for six girls in education, nutrition, counseling and more. "A big part of their recovery is the relationship part," Wilbarger said. "We want them to be able to build relationships."

The house will be run by volunteers, and the project is still looking for anyone interested in donating funds or volunteering on one of five committees. The project's information and volunteer or donating opportunities can be found at www.thedaughterproject.org

Members of the project hope to have the house completed by August. "For me, even though I haven't met the girls, I'm doing this as if they were my daughter," Wilbarger said. "These girls are suffering unimaginably, and if we can save one girl then what we have been doing the last three years is worth it."

Christie Kerner
29 April 2010

http://bgnews.com/infocus/detroit-sex-trafficking-victim-shares-story-to-bring-awareness/

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Canada's kids still dangerously inactive: report card

Even the youngest of Canada's children -- those under the age of five -- are dangerously inactive, finds a new report card from Active Healthy Kids Canada.

The 2010 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth reveals that less than half of Canadian kids under five are getting regular physical activity as part of their daily routines. The report notes that children between the ages of one and five should participate in at least two hours of physical activity each day, accumulated over many sessions through active play, active transportation and recreation. But, it says, many kids under five in Canada are in daycares where they are spending about 89 per cent of the day sedentary, instead of running around.

The group says Canadian kids of all ages continue to spend more time on the couch than on the playground, putting many on the path to inactivity and weight problems. Already, the report notes, 21.5 per cent of Canadian children aged two to five are either overweight or obese. "Studies show that children who are obese before six are likely to be obese later in childhood, and it's estimated that overweight two- to five-year-olds are four times as likely to become overweight as adults," Dr. Mark Tremblay, the chief scientific officer for Active Healthy Kids Canada noted in a news release.

The 2010 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth offers the following grades:

• Active Play: "F"

• Physical Education: "C-"

• Family Physical Activity: "D"

• Proximity & Accessibility to Physical Activity Facilities: "B"

• Usage of Facilities, Programs, Parks & Playgrounds: "D"

The report's authors note that Canada's kids got an "F" for Physical Activity Levels for the fourth year in a row, because only 12 per cent of Canadian children and youth are meeting Canada's physical activity guidelines of 90 minutes a day.

The authors say they've seen little progress in meeting the target of 17 per cent by 2015 that was set by provincial and territorial government ministers responsible for physical activity, recreation and sport. And while 20 per cent of boys aged 5 to 10 years old and 15 per cent of boys aged 11 to 14 years are meeting the activity guidelines, the same can be said of only five per cent of adolescent girls.

The proportion of children and youth achieving 60 minutes of physical activity a day is a little better: 31 per cent are meeting that target. But that still means the majority of kids are not even meeting that target.

Too much time in front of screens
In other areas of the report card, Canadian kids are given an "F" grade for Screen Time, since 90 per cent of children are still spending too much time in front of television, computer and video screens. The group notes that research shows that kids are now spending six hours a day in front of screens on weekdays and more than seven hours on weekend days. The report card notes that while research has found that kids living with household rules that limit screen use are exposed to nearly three hours less screen time per day than those who don't have rules, only 28 per cent of Canadian children report having rules about how long they're allowed to watch TV. As well, while children under age two should spend no time in front of screens at all, 90 per cent of children begin watching TV before their second birthday, the report says.

This year's Report Card also assigns an "F" for investment from the federal government, down from last year's "C" grade.

"While we are seeing some success stories and some national commitments to encouraging sport and activity, spending at the federal level in real dollars per capita is half the amount that it was in 1986," Active Healthy Kids Canada CEO Michelle Brownrigg said in a statement. We need to follow Michelle Obama's lead with the Let's Move campaign and put child and youth inactivity higher on the national agenda."

The report notes that federal government's Canadian Fitness Tax Credit appears to be yielding most of its benefit to middle and upper income families, even though it was aimed at lower income families. The report card also says schools are not doing enough to get kids moving. It gives Sport and Physical Activity Opportunities at School a "C."

Finally, Active Healthy Kids Canada says parents need to do more to get kids exercising too, and offers these tips:

1. Keep the TV out of their child's bedroom, institute screen time limits and create opportunities for active outdoor play for their children and as a family.

2. Set healthy household routines of regular family meals, adequate sleep and limited screen time to lower the risk of obesity.

3.  Walk kids to school more often or encourage other active transportation methods for getting to and from school, as it's one of the easiest ways to incorporate physical activity into one's day.

CTV Montreal
27 April 2010

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100427/kids_fitness2_100426/20100427/?hub=MontrealHome

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It's time to face the facts on bullying

Maybe it is because “bully” is a word often associated with children and the playground that the consequences of the behavior are often ignored until it is too late. Perhaps synonyms for the word — coerce, terrorize, tyrannize — more accurately describe the devastating effects for the victims of these actions. Sadly, bullying in our society has escalated to a serious mental health issue that is dramatically affecting the lives of young people and their families.

Recent headlines regarding the suicide deaths of several youths victimized by bullying are both tragic and concerning. As a parent, I cannot imagine the profound sense of loss, grief, anger and confusion that the families of these children must feel, nor can I imagine the deep emotional distress and hopelessness these adolescents suffered that led them to take their own lives as a solution.

Bullying today is not the occasional teasing that many of us remember from school, though that should not be taken lightly. It is now constant harassment in the form of physical assaults, verbal attacks, cyberattacks and exclusion from social interactions and activities that literally has some children and teens in a daily panic.

As an advocate who has spent years working on mental health issues, I fear that we are encountering a growing public health crisis that reflects a systemic breakdown that is proving increasingly detrimental to the emotional and physical safety of our young people. Developmentally, children and teens are at extremely fragile stages in terms of sense of identity and self-esteem. Their relationships with their peers are an integral part of how they see themselves and their sense of worth, which makes being bullied so dangerous.

In addition, children and teens look to the adults in their lives for validation, appreciation and protection. This makes the responses, or lack thereof, from grown-ups to the bully so important. These young victims need to know they have a reliable support network of parents, teachers and other adults who will take the necessary steps to keep them safe. Having an adult dismiss bullying as no big deal can be almost as dangerous as the abuse itself.

Bullying happens every single day under our watch. It occurs in our neighborhoods, in the schools our children attend and, on a frighteningly increasing level, in our very own homes through cyberbullying, harassment by means of e-mail, instant or text messaging, social media or other online or electronic means. As a society, we are more reliant on social media and constant communication than ever before. Bullies are able to reach their victims at all hours regardless of where they are physically, meaning a child who at least once felt sheltered at home, albeit briefly, now has no safe space.

One of the most alarming aspects of this type of torment is that it is all perfectly legal in our state and many parts of our country. Texas does not have a law specifically addressing harassment or online threats. While simply passing a law that makes cyberbullying illegal is not the sole answer to the problem, this deficiency needs to be addressed.

Years of reports have warned that our public mental health systems are ill-equipped to address the mental health needs of our communities in a comprehensive manner. As we prepare for another legislative session, we should look more closely at repairing a mental health system that serves too few and leaves those who clearly need help without care and in desperate need.

Unfortunately, it is too late for some youths and their families, but their suffering should not be in vain. Their experiences should weigh on the minds and hearts of all of us. On their behalf, we must work toward positive social and system changes to ensure that the welfare of other victims of bullying is protected and the behavioral health needs of all involved are appropriately addressed.

Bullying is not something that just goes away on its own, nor is it something children can work out themselves or naturally outgrow. Not dealing with this problem head-on will only result in more of our youths developing mental health issues, which in turn can lead to acting out, substance abuse and, in the worst cases, simply giving up on life.

Maureen Hackett
24 April 2010

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6974659.html

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Former foster youth helps others

Feven Seyoum still remembers a time as a child when her father beat her for receiving a B on a test, rather than an A. She also remembers despising being moved to foster care, and then becoming thankful for everything it has provided for her.

Her story, along with many others from people who grew up in foster care, has for the most part remained unheard by the community. But the 23-year-old Seyoum is one of the voices working diligently to change that and the misconceptions often associated with the system. “At first I hated everything about foster care. I didn’t like the shame and stigma that can come with being a foster youth,” Seyoum said. “There were times where I thought about running away, but I didn’t, and now I can say that it saved my life.”

Seyoum is the president of Butte County’s chapter of the California Youth Connection. The CYC is a nonprofit organization led mostly by current and former foster youth focusing on bettering the lives of their foster peers. The chapter is presenting “A Night of Digital Storytelling” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 29, at Beatnik’s Coffeehouse in Chico (admission is $8).

This event will feature short films written by foster kids about how they overcame obstacles. Proceeds from the event will help send local youth to CYC’s annual summer camp, a conference for the young people to share their stories and strategize new legislative bills to improve the foster-care system.

One of their chief concerns is for young adults who are left hanging when they leave the system. According to the CYC, California is home to an estimated 100,000 foster children. An estimated 65 percent turn 18 and leave the system without a place to live. “Statistics can make some impact, but if people could hear someone’s experiences, it is much more powerful,” said Seyoum, whose short film will be one of a few featured during the presentation. Seyoum admits putting her story into a short film was difficult. At the same time it was beneficial to the soul. “When I was putting the film together, I spent most of the weekend rotating tissues and crying,” she said. “But in the end it’s very therapeutic. You cry, but you also feel a heavy bag lifted off your shoulders.”

Seyoum is originally from Eritrea, a small African nation north of Ethiopia bordering the Red Sea. She lived there until the age of 15 with her mother and two brothers and then moved to the United States so the family could reunite with her father in Oakland. Within a few days of moving to the States her father began abusing her. “It was common in Africa for parents to hit their children. My mother would rough us up sometimes if we were out of line,” said Seyoum. “But my father would lose control, and it would take hours for him to come back down to reality.” Eventually Seyoum told an after-school teacher about the abuse, and was placed in foster care for the next four years.

At the age of 19, she moved into a transitional housing unit for a few months to help her become independent. In 2006, she moved to Chico to enroll at Chico State to pursue a career as a social worker. Soon she would become a driving force in the local CYC chapter. “I joined the CYC because I wanted to use my experience to help others and help these kids, kids like me, [who] are not just another case file,” Seyoum said. “It’s like being part of a family that can understand everything you’ve been through.” As president of the Butte County chapter, Seyoum helps kids identify ways to improve the foster-care system and to prepare for the conference, which is where all the California chapters forge their ideas to propose a legislative bill.

The CYC then organizes its annual “Day at the Capitol,” usually at the end of January. During the event, the kids flood the Capitol building in Sacramento to present the bill and share their stories with legislators. “For kids who never get the chance to feel important, that day is definitely a high point in their life,” Seyoum said. “Their legislators don’t see you as just another kid, but someone who has been through a lot.”

The CYC’s efforts have led to the successful passage of at least 17 bills by the California Legislature. Despite the success the CYC has seen in recent years, Seyoum still thinks more can be done to make sure these young people are not left by the wayside. “The community can learn more about foster care and see beyond the stereotypes,” Seyoum said. “There are many who assume we are just trash that the state has to pick up, but if you get to know us, we are just humans who were dealt a bad card with our families.”

Nick Dobis
22 April 2010

http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1409503

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A White House conference on children

Our nation and its legislators should be proud. Historic and momentous changes are occurring that bode well for our nation’s most vulnerable children.

With the passage of the 2008 Foster Connections Act and now healthcare reform legislation, children face significantly better odds of succeeding. Granted, healthcare reform has not been universally embraced for its content, but it has on its merit, and I see that as enormous progress. And now to truly tap their potential, we need to strive for a trifecta.

To harness the changes spurred by these pieces of legislation, we must find ways to pull together the diverse groups, the systems, and funding mechanisms that serve vulnerable children. A White House Conference on Children and Youth is the forum to help guide and leverage these transformations so that they are successful. I know from my days as the chairwoman the House Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families that these conferences gave rise to important, course altering dialogues.

Incredibly effective policy resulted from past White House Conferences on Children. The first one was held in 1909, leading to better foster care services and the creation of the Children’s Bureau. For years, these conferences helped steer the national discourse on children’s issues, playing a key role in significant legislation and efforts. Other notable results include the development of a Children’s Charter offering 19 proposals on the requirements for a child’s education, health, welfare, and protection; the creation of the Emergency, Maternity, and Infant Care program; and the establishment of a Subcommittee on Children and Youth.

Unfortunately, the last one was held in 1970 — more than 40 years ago. It’s time to again make children the focus of national debates and discussions.

As a multi-month process culminating in a national event that brings together stakeholders and child welfare experts in communities across the nation, the conference provides the platform to seek solutions for the most pressing issues confronting children. Such a conference would examine the latest research and numbers, setting policy and reform recommendations to protect children into the next decade.

For the conference to become a reality, the president and Congress will have to act on legislation (H.R. 618 and S. 938). As a senator, President Barack Obama co-sponsored the enabling legislation, and I have written him asking for his continued support. In addition, Child Welfare League of America’s membership is rallying behind this critically important event. These child welfare advocates will be reaching out each week to legislators during April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month by officially registering their support online, calling their member of Congress and both senators, sending postcards to President Obama, and urging state legislatures to pass resolutions in support of the conference.

Four decades have passed since the last such conference — 40 years without the White House bringing the focus of the nation to examine the state of our children. Much has changed in America over this time. We continue to see alarming levels of unaddressed need, but the passage of healthcare and foster care legislation has made us hopeful that a new course is possible. Reestablishing the conference gives us a third critical win that puts us on a path of reform and commitment to improving children’s lives.

We encourage this nation’s leadership to continue making history. In a nation blessed with so much, a few good decisions can have an amazing and lasting impact on those who are still struggling. A White House Conference for Children and Youth would be a crowning achievement that will pay dividends by ensuring that our focus remains on the nation’s future.

Patricia Schroeder
19 April 2010

http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/93117-a-white-house-conference-on-children

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Tennessee woman jeopardizes future adoptions from Russia

Donna Bergenstock is an associate professor of business at Muhlenberg College, whose research involves the economics and marketing of international adoption.

T wo weeks ago, people around the world were outraged upon learning that a Tennessee mother shipped her adoptive son back to Russia, his birth country. Evidently his emotional and psychological issues were too overwhelming for her to handle. Hearing that a 7-year old child was returned to Russia with a note - the way I return shoes that don't quite fit - brought back a flood of memories of my own adoption experience in 2004. Compounding my reaction was the revelation that the boy, Artyom, was born near Vladivostok, the birthplace of my son, Nicholas.

The vetting process for prospective adoptive parents is rigorous - social agency home studies, criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, fingerprinting by the Department of Homeland Security and the disclosure of everything you always thought was no one else's business. In addition, we also completed a 50-page official dossier, made numerous trips to a local notary, and drove to Harrisburg three times for notarization of our notary. Torry Ann Hansen, Artyom's adoptive mother, was certainly subjected to those same checks and clearances. She must have been deemed fit to adopt.

Engaging in an international adoption means taking the ultimate leap of faith. In many cases, crucial information - such as medical records, family background and information regarding why a child was placed for adoption - is unavailable or unreliable. Adoptive parents are alerted to this possibility. Going forward with an adoption - stepping into unknown territory - is a risk we were willing to take. Prospective parents should proceed with their eyes, minds, and hearts wide open. Hansen was no exception.

Orphaned children aren't handed over to adoptive parents like kittens from a pet shop. Nearly all regions of Russia require two trips for adoptions. On the first, prospective parents meet the child and spend several days interacting and bonding, all the while hypersensitive to potential medical, emotional or mental issues that may cause concern. Photos and video footage brought home is taken to a physician for analysis. After a wait from several weeks to several months, parents return for a prolonged stay. My husband and I spent nearly three weeks in Vladivostok on our second trip, traveling daily to Nicholas' baby house, then bonding with him in our hotel room, just the three of us. Surely Hansen had a similar experience.

She claims Russian officials ''lied to and misled her'' about Artyom's psychological condition. Perhaps. But I suspect she may have been deceiving herself as well. Adoptive parents are subjected to an arduous process and endure torturous waiting periods before receiving their child. When we finally meet, the desire and need to form a family take precedence over any issues the child has. We think love, attention and the U.S. health care system can cure anything. At the first sign of trouble with Artyom, Hansen could have sought assistance from medical or psychiatric specialists, children and youth counselors, and any number of federal, state, and local agencies specializing in the care and treatment of foster and adopted children. From all accounts, she did not.

My husband and I were fortunate. Nicholas was 7 months old and very healthy, while Artyom was 7 years old and had been institutionalized for most of his life. He was, without a doubt, neglected physically and emotionally for many years. Russian orphanages are notoriously understaffed and underfunded. In Nicholas' ''baby house,'' there were three shifts, eight nurses per shift, caring for 50 infants. Thankfully, babies are resilient.

According to UNICEF, there are 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia. Last year, 1,600 Russian children were adopted by U.S. parents. When we adopted Nicholas in 2004, the number approached 6,000. Russia is trying to place more children with Russian families, but the sheer number of orphans means many will languish in institutions without any hope of a better life. Given the callous return of Artyom, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is calling for a suspension of all U.S. adoptions. My heart breaks for the thousands of families in adoption limbo, and especially for the hundreds of thousands of children in desperate need of a caring, loving family.

I hope Lavrov's call is just a temporary, knee-jerk response. Unfortunately, this incident fueled the anger of the Russian people, many of whom believe U.S. parents abuse adopted Russian children. Of course this is untrue, but we know the adage about a few bad apples. I also hope Hansen has the courage to come forward and explain how and why she sent her son away after only six months together. The future of U.S.-Russia adoptions may depend on it.

18 April 2010

http://www.mcall.com/sports/college/all-namehere_mcaenr.7242631apr18,0,4633660.story

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UK CONFERENCE

Tackling Gangs and Serious Youth Violence

Capita’s Tackling Gangs and Serious Youth Violence conference, taking place in London on 11th June, provides delegates with dynamic engagement strategies for the prevention, early identification, enforcement and rehabilitation of gang members.

The recent release of the good practice guidance Safeguarding Children and Young People who may be affected by Gang Activity, has highlighted the importance of recognising the early warning signs of gang involvement and creating stronger multi-agency partnerships to take appropriate action. Take away fresh ideas and lessons learned including:

• Detecting early indications of gang involvement

• The relationship of girls and young women with gangs

• Supporting victims and witnesses of group-led violence

• Mediation, pro-active policing and exit strategies

• Education and providing alternatives to young people at risk or who have already offended

This event brings together social care, crime prevention, the police, prisons, probation, offender management, health, education and all those whose work brings them into contact with children and young people.

Learn innovative ideas to adapt to your area's needs to ensure young people fulfill their true potential.

Details Contact Richard Goddard at richard.goddard@capita.co.uk

Capita
15 April 2010

http://www.24dash.com/news/Central_Government/2010-04-15-Tackling-Gangs-and-Serious-Youth-Violence

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NEW JERSEY

Majority of N.J. foster kids have not completed life skills course for option to leave system

Two-thirds of New Jersey’s oldest foster children haven’t completed a "life skills" course that would help them to live independently and qualify for financial assistance, according to a report released yesterday.

The New Jersey Child Welfare Citizen Review Panel surveyed 175 foster children ages 15 to 21 from 16 counties, as well as 241 public and private child welfare and mental health professionals and volunteers who work closely with them.

Since 2006, the Division of Youth and Family Services has allowed foster children to voluntarily request to remain under the agency’s support until they turn 21. But the survey found 55 percent of those who allowed their DYFS workers to close their cases did not understand what they would be forfeiting. "An open DYFS case permits youth to access housing options and other services not otherwise available to them,’’ according to the report.

Neither the youth nor child welfare professionals surveyed felt the system adequately prepares the 800 foster children who leave state supervision every year for adulthood. The majority of youth, 68 percent, said they had never completed a life-skills program, which provides instruction in financial management, cooking, housekeeping and other living skills. Yet DYFS policy requires that all foster children 14 and older be referred for life skills training.

"The vast majority of the professionals — 86 percent — reported that they believed there is an insufficient number of life skills classes to meet the demand,’’ the report said.

Lauren Kidd, spokeswoman for DYFS’ parent agency, the Department of Children and Families, said the report would be used to make improvements for aging-out teens. "We plan to set standards that specify more clearly what a life skills course must include,’’ she said, taking into account "the differences in the youth we serve.’’

Not all of the findings revealed a bleak outlook for children "aging-out" of DYFS’ care. Nearly all the teens and young adults surveyed — 93 percent — said they had grandparents and family friends on whom they could rely for help. In addition, 86 percent reported they had health coverage, primarily through the state Medicaid program, the report said

By Susan K. Livio
12 April 2010

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/two-thirds_of_nj_foster_kids_h.html

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CANADA

Dr. Gordon Neufeld coming to Ottawa in May to speak and present on the bully syndrome

Recently, the CBC reported on a study led by Canadian researcher Dr. Wendy Craig of Queen's University, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, which compared recent estimates of the prevalence of bullying amongst adolescents across 40 countries. The CBC title for the report was telling: Bullying is a public health issue.

The study, published in the International Journal of Public Health in November 2009, ranked Canada in the middle of the forty countries, with 23.3 per cent of boys and 17 per cent of girls polled reporting they had been bullied in the past two months.

In May 2010, Canadian developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld will be coming to Ottawa by invitation of Darlene Denis-Friske (The Arnprior Child and Youth Counselling Centre, The Neufeld Institute), and Dr. Dhiraj Aggarwal (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa Department of Psychiatry), to present his thinking to educators and helping professionals on the dynamics of the bully syndrome (May 21).

Dr. Neufeld, a foremost authority on child development, a recognized and highly respected expert in the area of attachment and aggression, an international speaker and a bestselling author, was invited to keynote Canada's first national conference on bullying and is presently in the process of completing a book on the subject (to be published by Random House in 2010).

According to Dr. Neufeld, once we understand how bullies are made, our attempts to unmake them can be truly effective and long-lasting. Most prevailing approaches to the growing epidemic of bullying in our young assume that it is either learned behaviour or the result of a failure to acquire social skills. In contrast, Dr. Neufeld sheds light on this dark side of human nature by dissecting the bully syndrome to reveal it's deep instinctive roots embedded in the dynamics of attachment and vulnerability.

Since publication of his groundbreaking book Hold On To Your Kids* (2004), Dr. Neufeld's insight and theories continue to gain influence and momentum.

His international speaking demands and invitations to address various administrations and policy leaders, all speak to the coherent, universal and resonating themes of his work.

Dr. Neufeld has also been invited to speak specifically to parents, and those who support parents, on understanding attachment (Saturday, May 22), with his inspiring presentation: Relationship Matters: Harnessing the Power of Attachment.

EMC News
9 April 2010

For link please click HERE

*Hold on to your kids by Dr. Gordon Neufeld is in our bookstore

 

Please click on a flag

 

 

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Caring for teens isn't all work

Mags Warbrick knows teenagers. She should, she has worked with them in one way or another for 30 years.

Recently, Kinark Child and Family Services honoured the 60-ish foster parent for seven years of commitment to the Therapeutic Family Care (TFC) program. Kinark's Louise Bennett presented Warbrick with the first-ever TFC Mentoring award.

In addition to being a foster parent, Warbrick is a supportive mentor to other foster parents in the program. "She strives to make a difference with every child and youth she engages with," says Bennett. Kinark also presented her with a clock and a plaque for her years of service. The award was a closely guarded secret and Warbrick only decided to attend the event at the last minute.

"I was totally unprepared. It's nice to be recognized," she says.

Before coming to Kinark, Warbrick had been a foster parent working with young offenders in a similar role. "I had them for a short time, trying to keep them on the straight and narrow," she says. Her daughter worked at Kinark and told her about the TFC program. Warbrick saw a way to make a difference. "I have a longer time with the kids. It suited me better," she explains. She takes teens into her home for a minimum of one year, working with them to build life skills such as budgeting, cooking, applying for jobs and more. "It depends on the individual," she says.

The teens can range in age from 13 to 18 years old. The purpose of the program is to prepare them for independence and living on their own, or to return home to their family. A plan is drawn up at Kinark setting out goals and expectations. Then Warbrick works with the youth to help them learn to achieve their goals. Over more than six years, she has been a foster parent to three teens. "I enjoy teenagers, especially boys," she says.

When she begins working with a new client, Warbrick often faces resistance. By far, the biggest challenge for the teens is learning to trust. "You have to work slowly, but eventually you win them over," she says. For Warbrick, the most rewarding part is seeing the changes during their stay with her. "They develop self-confidence and an understanding of their problem areas," she says. Thirty years of working with youth has taught her a lot about teens. "Kids are smart. They know you really mean what you say," she says.

And it's not all work, she says. "Teenagers have a good sense of humour. They keep you young."

Alexsandra Thompson
6 April 2010

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2521645

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PENNSYLVANIA

Crisis nursery, Children's Resource Center work to prevent child abuse

Parents of young children can easily find themselves on edge.

A single mom goes to college as a way of turning her life around. On a day when her young children are sick and she has no one to turn to, she misses class and feels the pressure mount. As the children cry and battle one another, their mother is ready to lose her cool. But there’s a place to call for help, the Lehman Center in York, home of the midstate’s only crisis nursery. “Parents can drop their children off here for up to three nights and get a break,” said Janelle Swartz, crisis nursery director. “Sometimes that’s all they need to alleviate the stress before abuse would happen.”

The crisis nursery is available to parents in all midstate counties, said Lehman Center Director Martha Martin. “Ninety-four percent of the families that use us are at or below poverty level; 75 percent lack family support; and 88 percent are single parents, mostly moms,” she said. Although April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, those who work in the field say it’s a problem that demands year-round attention, especially in economically challenging times such as these.

Use of the crisis nursery, open since 1987, has increased significantly during the past two years, a fact that staff attribute to the poor economy. There’s always a waiting list for a stay in the eight-crib nursery, although if it’s an emergency, immediate space will be made. Last year, 650 children stayed in the nursery, Martin said.

“Families that normally wouldn’t be struggling are struggling in this economy,” Swartz said.

Still, experts say, child abuse covers all levels of income, age, race and professions. Stress is the No. 1 contributing factor to child abuse, said Angela Liddle, executive director of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. “Parents often parent the way they were parented. They’ll say, ‘Well my parents took a hold of me.’ If you add in some additional stress — like the economy — suddenly when a parent is angry or stressed, they lose their impulse control,” she said.

Lack of parenting skills is another big factor in child abuse, said Wendy Hoverter, administrator of Cumberland County Child and Youth Services. “Children don’t come with how-to books,” she said.

Many parents have expectations for their child’s behavior that are not age-appropriate, said Michele McWatters, assistant director of the crisis nursery at the Lehman Center. Sometimes, parents don’t realize what’s normal. "Yes, 2-year-olds will have tantrums and throw themselves on the floor. We give parents tips on what to do when that happens.”

In light of the latest Pennsylvania child abuse statistics — which report that 50 children died from abuse or neglect in 2008, the highest number since 2002 — Miller said more money should be spent on prevention services. “We are working hard to help parents see the strengths they do have and realize there are parent support groups and agencies who can help them,” she said. “We encourage families not to wait until they’re at the breaking point to seek help.”

At the Lehman Center, a branch of the Children’s Aid Society, parents can meet monthly with a case manager who will connect them to resources for housing, food and jobs as well as anger management classes.

Just as critical to prevention is education of the public, Hoverter said. “People need to recognize when someone they know is struggling and offer them support, and they need to be willing to report suspected abuse,” she said. “If you’re seeing a continual pattern and explanations of injuries aren’t making sense, you really need to decide whether or not you will be an advocate for that child.”

Liddle agreed, “It may be the call that saves a child’s life.” In Pennsylvania, anyone who works with children, such as child care providers, teachers and doctors, are mandated reporters of child abuse, Liddle said. Her agency trains nearly 8,000 mandatory reporters each year and participates in parent support and education programs statewide. The Children’s Resource Center in Harrisburg, run by PinnacleHealth, is the central location for all agencies involved in interviewing, medically examining and treating children suspected of being abused. In 2009, 883 children from 25 counties and four states were referred there, according to Coordinator Teresa Smith. The center has interagency agreements with Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties’ district attorney’s offices, children and youth agencies and mental health services. The center also works with 52 law enforcement jurisdictions and with children and youth agencies in Lebanon, Franklin, Fulton, Mifflin and Schuylkill counties. Representatives from victim support services are also involved.

“We’re a one-stop shop where all the agencies involved gather on the same day with the child and family. A child interview specialist talks with the child. The whole team meets with the parents separately to talk about what to expect,” said Shannon Cossaboom, child interview specialist. About 90 percent of the children seen at the Child Resource Center are suspected of having been sexually abused, she said. “We’ve seen an increase of kid on kid sexual abuse and a lot of sibling sexual abuse,” Cossaboom said. “There may be a divorce situation and Mom is out working and so older siblings are put in charge.”

Much education is focused on “stranger danger,” but in 90 percent to 95 percent of cases, the perpetrator is someone the child knows and trusts — people in caretaking roles, such as fathers, brothers or uncles, she said. “We need a stronger message in schools and day cares to kids that it’s OK to tell,” she said.

The good news is that, with intervention, children who have been abused can recover. PinnacleHealth and the Children’s Resource Center sponsors training for community mental health providers on trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, which is very effective with children who have experienced abuse, Smith said.

“Kids who come out best on the other side, research has shown, are kids who have parents who believe them, who are supported and who have gotten counseling,” Cossaboom said. “They’ll never forget it, but they are able to get the skills they need to move past the abuse and lead productive lives.”

Recognizing child abuse
The following signs might signal the presence of child abuse or neglect:

The child:

• Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance.

• Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention.

• Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes.

• Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen.

• Lacks adult supervision.

• Is overly compliant, passive or withdrawn.

• Comes to school or other activities early, stays late and does not want to go home.

The parent:

• Shows little concern for the child.

• Denies the existence of — or blames the child for — the child’s problems in school or at home.

• Asks teachers or other caregivers to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves.

• Sees the child as entirely bad, worthless or burdensome.

• Demands a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve.

• Looks primarily to the child for care, attention and satisfaction of emotional needs.

Sources: Prevent Child Abuse America, Children’s Bureau of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Editoril staff
4 April 2010

http://www.pennlive.com/bodyandmind/index.ssf/2010/04/york_crisis_nursery_provides_t.html

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