Argues that newborns have two major childhood tasks: (1) become independent individuals; and (2) establish connections with others. Notes that parents generally focus on one task over the other and that choice is cultural. Describes both parenting styles and their implications for children and for staff of child care facilities charged with their…

Presents a framework for assessing kinship homes that differs from traditional family foster home evaluation due to the differences between kinship homes and those of other prospective foster parents. Argues that distinctive criteria for approving placement of children in kinship homes are needed in the areas of home evaluation before placement…

Presents six workshop sessions on parent conferences: (1) "Parents' Perspectives on Conferencing" (R. Duffy); (2) "Three Way Conferences" (G. Zeller); (3) "Conferencing with Parents of Infants" (K. Albrecht); (4) "Conferencing with Parents of School-Agers" (L. G. Miller); (5) "Cross Cultural Conferences" (J. Gonzalez-Mena); and (6) "Working with…

This study examined the effects of child day care, evening care, and night care on the development and adaptation of young children in Japan. Caregivers completed a survey on the home childrearing environment, their feelings of self-efficacy, and the presence of child care support. Results of the discriminant analysis indicated that factors in the…

A special section containing four articles examines the development of self-image in young children. Suggests that child-care professionals play a vital role in the early development of children's strong and positive self-image. Describes practices that can promote image-building and underscores how the development of strong self-image is also…

Examined role of home social relationships as predictors of social functioning in first years of school. Found that the quality of different family relationships provided relatively independent and complementary information about early social functioning in school, with more limited evidence for compensatory or protective processes at work.…

Some postsecondary programs in child and youth care for First Nations students in British Columbia are offered locally and employ elders as teachers because they understand their cultures and communities. The strengths found in the traditions of respect and intergenerational transmission of knowledge through elders are empowering to Native…

After-school program participation is associated with higher grades and test scores, especially for low-income students. Programs come in three types: school-age childcare, youth development, and educational after-school programs. Few programs meet students' needs, due to inadequate funding, poorly trained leadership, transient staff,…

Background: Recent government papers have expressed concern about the poor educational attainment of "looked after" children. Early reading development has been found to be significant in their subsequent academic achievement. The possibility that biosocial factors extraneous to their experiences in public care may underpin their low…

The aim of this paper is to advance understanding of the theoretical basis for the difficulties many children who are deaf or hard of hearing face when learning spoken English grammar. The association between learning syntactical grammar and pre-verbal social interactions is explored and related to the effects of prelingual hearing loss. We…

The psychometric properties of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) (Bricker & Squires, 1999) used in a French-Canadian preschool population were compared with psychometric data derived from U.S. normative studies. The ASQ was translated into French (Bonin, Robaey, Vandaele, Bastin, & Lacroix, 2000) and used in four early childhood…

Individuals with autism and their caregivers face unique challenges in later childhood and adolescence, yet this period is often neglected in the professional literature. This much-needed volume translates current research on the needs of this population into practical recommendations for clinicians and educators. Featuring vivid case examples and…

Parenting is the toughest job there is, and yet, there is very little training. Most parent their children by the methods their parents used. Parenting involves skills that must be learned. Even among good parents there is always room for improvement. This series of workshops is designed for persons who want to be better parents or guardians. Four…

Young children may experience stress and emotional problems in reaction to natural and other disasters. This brochure presents a number of strategies for teachers and caregivers to use to help children cope with this stress. These strategies include: (1) providing reassurance and physical comfort; (2) being aware of separation anxiety; (3)…

This collection of articles summarizes what mental health professionals have learned about evaluating and treating infants and young children who have been exposed to violence in their homes and communities. Emphasis is on recognizing symptoms and behaviors demonstrated by very young children who have been exposed to violence, supporting…