This is the second Corporate Plan which HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) has produced since moving to Agency status in 2001. It covers the period 2004-07 and has been developed in consultation with stakeholders and HMIE's own staff. It will form the basis for judging their performance over that period. HMIE's first three years as an Executive…

Describes a sixth grade class project to obtain information and produce a booklet of safety tips and safety posters to be distributed around the school, and to write and perform skits on child safety for children in the lower grades. Discusses use of group work for other academic subjects. (DHP)

Given that state laws requiring child passenger restraints are often weak or poorly enforced and that misuse of child restraint systems is common among many adults, offers advice for educating parents, children, and caregivers about transportation safety. Discusses the selection and proper use of car seats, and stresses the importance of…

Noting that risk assessment models are controversial and vary in definition, purposes, and risk criteria, reviews and contrasts 10 models used to guide decision making concerning the placement of maltreated children in out-of-home care. Found that models varied on pertinent criteria for assessing child risk, and identified six areas for further…

In this article, the author relates how a hands-on chemistry investigation provided her the inspiration to develop an effective safety lesson for her third grade chemistry class. She began the lesson by demonstrating the use of pH indicator paper to show that ordinary household (white) vinegar was an acid. With the students, she wondered aloud…

This article focuses on the three kinds of school safety: (1) physical; (2) emotional; and (3) intellectual, and details how to determine if a school is safe. Excellence in schools demands that schools be physically, emotionally, and intellectually safe for students, while "good enough" schools are simply physically safe. Here, the…

The safety of children as they learn and develop is of prime concern for parents, teachers and legislators alike. Legislation governing the provision of early childhood services provides guidelines and procedures for reducing the likelihood of children being exposed to injuries and unsafe environments. Such strategies, however, only take account…

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify factors that predict recidivism among families in which the father is the perpetrator of physical abuse and to compare these factors to the factors that investigators believe are related to higher risk. Method: A case-comparison design was used to understand risk among 137 predominantly Caucasian…

Emerging research suggests that exposure to environmental pollutants, prenatally and in early childhood, may contribute significantly to diseases and disabilities. For example, exposures to mercury or lead early in life can impact the nervous system and brain, potentially contributing to learning, behavioral, and developmental disabilities. The…

Objective: The objective of these analyses was to explore maternal antenatal decisions about baby walker use, factors associated with these decisions and the relationship between antenatal plans to use a walker and postnatal walker use. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Mothers-to-be (n = 1174) participating in a cluster randomised…

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about…

This paper provides the results of a 1993 survey of 2,684 New Hampshire high school students in regard to risk taking, personal violence, suicide, tobacco use, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) education, sexual activity, nutrition, and exercise. It found that in the preceding 30 days, 10.8 percent of students…

This paper discusses eight precepts that parents, educators, and society as a whole should follow to ensure that children in the United States enjoy a safe and secure environment. These proactive principles declare that: (1) every baby born in our country has the right to adequate health care; (2) guns, knives, and other potential weapons must not…

This learning approach emphasizes children's unique role in producing a safer playground environment. The emphasis is on awareness of safe play practices and an understanding of the safety hazards posed by poorly designed, poorly constructed, improperly maintained or misused equipment. The playground activities described are designed to help…

The book comes out of a University research project that has worked closely with one local programme over five years from its beginning. Sure Start is a national government initiative that targets families with children aged up to the age of four in areas of social and economic disadvantage, to promote development so children are ready to thrive…