Pennsylvania Strengthening Families Increases Awareness to Combat Child Abuse and Neglect
Pennsylvania Strengthening Families is a positive approach for keeping children safe and healthy by building the skills and supports of parents and caregivers. It seeks to prevent four common types of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.
The cost of child abuse is high: the negative physical, social, and emotional effects can add huge costs to Pennsylvania’s education, health care, criminal justice, and welfare programs because survivors are more likely to experience drug abuse, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, depression, and suicide. Based on many years of research, the positive approach of Pennsylvania Strengthening Families highlights five protective factors for helping the well-being and overall health of families and children.
- Be strong and flexible
How do you bounce back when something knocks you down?
Why is it important to have a positive attitude?
How do you take care of yourself? What gets in your way?
- Parents need friends
The last time you made a new friend, how did you connect?
How do your friends support you as a parent?
What do you want to teach your children about friendship?
- Being a great parent is part natural and part learned
What are you doing the same and what are you doing differently from your parents? Why?
How do you know what your child needs as she/he grows and develops?
What comes naturally to you as a parent? Why?
- We all need help sometimes
What gets in the way of asking for or getting the help you need for you and your family?
How do you decide when to ask for help? How bad does it have to be?
When you have lots to deal with and need help sorting things out, who can you really turn to?
- Help your children communicate and give them the love and respect they need
How do your children know you love them?
How do you deal with your child when he/she makes mistakes?
How do you teach your child to deal with his/her feelings?
Connect and share with Pennsylvania Strengthening Families at their new online social networking sites. Find them on Facebook and on Twitter. For more information about Pennsylvania Strengthening Families, please contact Carrie Collins at ccollins@pa.gov.
New Standards for Student Interpersonal Skills Now Available
Student Interpersonal Skills standards for Pre-Kindergarten to grade 12 is now available on the Standards Aligned Systems (SAS) website. Various materials and resources linked to these standards, including several early childhood education resources, can be found under the “Safe and Supportive Schools” tab. For more information, please contact Deborah Wise at dewise@pa.gov.
Implementing Observation Protocols: Lessons for K-12 Education From the Field of Early Childhood
A recent report. Implementing Observation Protocols: Lessons for K-12 Education From the Field of Early Childhood, from Center for American Progress examines issues for implementing standardized observation protocols for teacher evaluations. When addressing the demand for improvements for schools, particularly when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness for teachers, K-12 educations should learn from the lessons and experience accrued by their counterparts in the early childhood sector.
This report draws from decades of experience using observations in early childhood education, which has implications for administrative decisions, evaluation practices, and policymaking in K-12. Early childhood education has long embraced the value of observing classrooms and teacher-child interactions. In early childhood education the features of the settings in which children are served are the hallmarks of quality.
To view the report, please visit the Center for American Progress website.
June edition of Better Kids Care now available: In the June edition, find information for Great I.D.E.A.S. for Children from Military-Connected Families; Socialization for Today and Tomorrow – Addressing Bullying Early; School-age Care New Staff Orientation On Demand and School-age Care NSO Webinar; and more.
New ECELS Online Child Abuse and Neglect Self-Learning Module Now Available: Learning how to protect children from abuse and neglect is an important role that early learning practitioners provide. In this new media - rich module watch interviews with child abuse and pediatric experts and early care and education staff. The module addresses prevention efforts, recognizing and responding to signs and symptoms, and reporting requirements for mandated reporters. Also, the module explains the 6 protective factors identified by Strengthening Families and other national organizations that early care and education programs can promote to support families. To view the module on the ECELS website, go to Child Care Provider Training, select Self-Learning Modules, and select SLM Online - Child Abuse and Neglect.Successful completion of this module meets the STARS Level 2 Performance Standard for Mandated Reporter Training.
NAEYC and Alliance of Early Childhood Teacher Educators Publication on Professional Development: NAEYC and the Alliance of Early Childhood Teacher Educators have released the Early Childhood Education Professional Development: Adult Education Glossary. Together with the Early Childhood Education Professional Development: Training and Technical Assistance Glossary (jointly developed last year by NAEYC and NACCRRA), these two glossaries provide shared language for use across all forms of early childhood professional development: training, technical assistance and adult education. They include definitions of common terms used in the development, implementation and evaluation of professional development programs; in policy decisions and regulations; and in research and literature reviews, to support integrated professional development systems. The glossaries are intended to serve as a guide for states to adapt and adjust as needed to meet their specific needs in clarifying professional development roles and policies; assisting with determining and supporting the knowledge and capabilities of those providing professional development; and in data efforts to count and track all types of professional development. The definitions also are designed to provide common understandings, or starting points, for research and national or cross-state discussions.
Ages & Stages Questionnaire: The first five years are critical in a child's life. And this is the most important time to get your child support for a developmental delay or special need. Easter Seals Disability Services offers a free online questionnaire to help parents learn more about a child's developmental progress. The questionnaire is designed for children from birth through age five.
Social and Emotional Tips for Families and Providers Caring for Infants: The Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (CECMHC) has published two new resources: Social and Emotional Tips for Families of Infants and Social and Emotional Tips for Providers Caring for Infants, which provide one-page posters with tips that families and providers can refer to during specific daily routines to help nurture the social and emotional health of infants. Each poster offers a rationale for using the tips which are based on research. They are meant to help families and providers practice using behavior and language that supports healthy, positive connections with children, learn more about social and emotional health, and understand the importance of social and emotional health to school readiness.
New Organization to Support Diaper Banks around the Nation: The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) is a newly formed nonprofit organization working to ensure that every child has an adequate supply of diapers to remain clean, dry, and healthy. It's a great resource for locating your nearest diaper bank and for tools to support diaper bank start-up and growth. NBDN also helps raises awareness of the fact that many families cannot afford sufficient diapers, which cannot be bought with SNAP or WIC funds.
Project LAUNCH Competitive State Grants: Project LAUNCH is a competitive grant opportunity from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to promote the wellness of young children ages birth to 8 by addressing the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects of their development. Grants seek to improve coordination across child-serving systems, build infrastructure and increase access to high quality prevention and wellness promotion programs for children and their families. Deadline July 3
Promise Neighborhoods Competitive Local Grants: Promise Neighborhoods provides funding to support eligible entities to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in distressed communities. Deadline July 27
State Farm Good Neighbor Student Achievement Grants: Funding for programs enhancing student achievement through service-learning in K-12 public schools. Each grant engages participating teachers and students in a service and learning program that promotes academic achievement, 21st Century student outcomes, and stronger communities. Deadline July 31
For funding opportunities listed in this and past editions of Build, please see Funding Opportunities featured in Build.
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Into Action
National Down Syndrome Society wants you to submit your photo for the 2012 Times Square Video Contest! Deadline July 13
In the Community
Shining Stars in Westmoreland County
Children learning through reading and community partnerships
Employment Opportunities
Community Services for Children, Inc.: Assistant Teacher Early Head Start, Allentown
Community Services for Children, Inc.: Keystone STARS Managers, Allentown
Community Services for Children, Inc.: Family Engagement Partner, Allentown
ASPIRA of PA: Business Writer with experience in the field of Pre-K 12 Education, Philadelphia
York YWCA: Pre-K Teacher, York
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children: KIDS COUNT Director, Harrisburg
One Family's Story
We have seen many changes in Mason this year. He has become more independent and his attention span has grown. We had some behavior problems with Mason this year and when I sat down and talked to his teacher about it we came up with a solution that would work for both of us.
Mason's mom, Lindsey R., Blair County talking about PA Pre-K Counts
Did You Know?
Keystone STARS
At the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, approximately one in three preschoolers in Keystone STAR 3 and 4 centers and group child care programs showed age-appropriate skills. By the end of the school year, more than two in three preschoolers showed age-appropriate language, math and social skills after attending Keystone STARS 3 and 4 programs in 2011-12.
PA Promise for Children on Facebook
Become a fan of PA Promise for Children on Facebook and get up-to-date information on how to help Pennsylvania children reach their promise!
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