Investigates personal and altruistic fear within Texas family households using data from the 1996 Texas Poll in which 1,006 respondents were interviewed. Finds that 63% of respondents were concerned or very concerned about their personal safety, while 70% were concerned or very concerned about the safety of someone in their household. (CMK)

Discusses ideas for directors. Topics include the safety of child care; profit sharing in child care; and ways to get audited, fashion a philosophy, ask for money, draw out shy employees, and beat stress. (RJC)

Parents of 371 children up to 30 months in age in 24 day-care centers were telephoned to ascertain the number and severity of child injuries occurring both at home and in day care. Injury incident reports were also collected from six centers. Numbers of injuries reported to have occurred at home and in day care were almost equal. (MDM)

Notes the importance of outdoor play to the early childhood curriculum. Explores the purpose and nature of playgrounds, and presents a staff development model based on playground contents, safety, and functions. Also notes some playground problems teachers can avoid with close observation. (HTH)

Computer use can affect students' health. Recommends instruction on safe computer use, placement of computers to minimize children's exposure to magnetic field. Preventive measures are suggested to help children avoid eye strain and repetitive strain injuries. (SM)

The National Fire Protection Association offers a quiz on fire safety designed to help people learn about the major fire dangers and change the way they respond to them. Recommends that families sit down and take the quiz together, focusing on the correct answers provided. (SM)

Recent evidence has emerged that in Britain, like the United States, many children below minimum school-leaving age are working. Often, the work is illegal. Research in the United States suggests that many risk accidents and other hazards to health. Evidence from Britain is of a more fragmentary nature, but enough exists to suggest a need for…

Reviews literature to determine whether traditional child safety messages are effective or adequate. Notes the challenge of creating awareness of risk faced by children while avoiding incomplete or inaccurate messages. Examines the three basic premises underlying child safety messages--stranger danger, being a tattletale, and respecting…

Discusses how, in response to the growing problem of poor air quality in schools, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set new voluntary air-quality guidelines for schools. Addresses common air-related irritants; successful efforts at Guerrero Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona; preventive maintenance; and a sample of the EPA's…

Presents a brief quiz for parents to see if their child's school building is taking basic steps to ensure a safe learning environment (e.g., Is the building locked? Are strict guidelines in place when students participate in field trips? Is adult supervision always maintained on playgrounds?). Suggested action plans are included. A sidebar offers…

In this study, the authors investigated a social marketing intervention to increase the use of bicycle helmets on a university campus in the southeastern United States. Focus groups of students developed a bicycle helmet program slogan and logo (ie, "The Grateful Head"). The authors trained student bicyclists who already used helmets (n…

Objective: To explore the ways in which parents experience and negotiate child protection intervention. Method: A qualitative grounded theory approach was used. In-depth qualitative interviews explored the experiences of 18 parents who had received child protection services. Grounded theory methods were used to build a model representing the ways…

This commentary discusses the decisions of child protective service (CPS) investigators to substantiate mothers for failure-to-protect (FTP) in child sexual abuse cases. Four areas are identified in which the scientific literature remains inadequate to fully inform child maltreatment researchers, CPS practitioners and child welfare policymakers on…

Objectives: To evaluate an interactive multimedia (IMM) program that teaches young children safe pedestrian skills. Methods: The program uses IMM (animation and video) to teach children critical skills for crossing streets safely. A computer-delivered video assessment and a real-life street simulation were used to measure the effectiveness of the…

Background: Research suggests significant health differences between rural dwelling youth and their urban counterparts with relation to cardiovascular risk factors. This study was conducted to (1) determine relationships between physical activity and markers of metabolic syndrome, and (2) to explore factors relating to physical activity in a…