JCCF NEWS SUMMARYJanuary 2012
|
|
|
State of the Union Address
On Jan. 24, President Obama issued his State of the Union address.
Center Director Julie Drizin assesses Obama's speech to Congress and the nation in her most recent installment of Minding the Kids, a monthly column. The President mentioned work 43 times, jobs 41 times and the economy 12 times. How many times did Obama refer to families? Find out here. |
--------------------------------------------------------------
Is This You?
Are you one of the hundreds of journalists who has attended a JCCF fellowship or training session? Then it is very likely you are immortalized on film. We have uploaded photos of past events on our Facebook page. Like us, check out our photo album and tag yourself and your colleagues! |
--------------------------------------------------------------
A Note from the Center
What Do You Need in This New Year?
JCCF is here for you. We are resolved to spotlight the best stories, feature the latest research and share best practices. What do you need most from us? More resources on particular issues affecting children, youth and families? Is there something specific we could do to support your work? Next month, we'll send you a survey and we ask that you simply give us a sliver of your day to help us serve you better. In the coming year, you can expect a more visible and engaged Journalism Center on Children & Families with a more vibrant Casey Medals Program and a regular must-read newsletter. We are here for you ... are you here for us? The most important thing you can do for JCCF is to stay connected. Read what we post and publish. Share your news with us. Spread our content by forwarding it to colleagues. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter. Give us feedback. And, make a donation, if you can, to support the nation's only nonprofit center committed to deepening coverage of American families. |
--------------------------------------------------------------
Series Spotlight: Learning with Less
Oregon Public Broadcasting's education series focuses on how Oregon schools are coping with drastic budget cuts. In his latest installment, OPB's Rob Manning checks in with two sisters experiencing some of the less obvious consequences of budget cuts. Read more here. |
--------------------------------------------------------------  CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HEADLINES
The Daily Beast, Linda Perlstein | Jan. 30, 2012Is homeschooling becoming more fashionable in cities? An estimated 300,000 children are homeschooled in America's cities, many of them children of secular, highly educated professionals who always figured they'd send their kids to school-until they came to think, Hey, maybe we could do better.
The Center for Public Integrity, Beverly Ford | Jan. 30, 2012More than three million students are suspended or expelled annually from school nationwide, including a disproportionate number of minorities. Many suspensions are for non-violent, non-criminal behavior.
USA Today/Associated Press | Jan. 28, 2012President Barack Obama's new plan to force colleges and universities to contain tuition or face losing federal dollars is raising alarm among education leaders, particularly among budget-strapped presidents of public universities. Foster Care, Uncertain Futures Loom for Immigrant Children America's Wire, Marjorie Valbrun | Jan. 26, 2012 Advocates for children of undocumented immigrants whose parents are detained or deported say judges and social workers seem to think kids are better off with white, middle-class American foster families than being placed with relatives who may be in the U.S. illegally. After-School Programs' Newest Activity: SupperEducation Week, Nirvi Shah | Jan. 25, 2012Hundreds of after-school programs across the country are getting reimbursed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to serve supper to eligible children. In 2011, tens of thousands more suppers were served at a time when child poverty is on the rise, although getting programs started can be an undertaking that many child-care centers and after-school sites aren't equipped to handle. Return of the 'Welfare Queen' CNN, John Blake | Jan. 23, 2012 Critics have accused the Republican candidates of using the "Welfare Queen" to distract from meaningful conversations about poverty and inequality. Few people have examined the story behind the infamous character who first appeared in political rhetoric when President Ronald Reagan was running for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. Major Youth Groups Make Headway Against Sex Abuse Houston Chronicle/Associated Press, David Crary | Jan. 21, 2012 Experts in child abuse prevention say most of the national organizations serving young people, such as the Boy Scouts of America and the YMCA, have drafted and enforced tough anti-abuse policies. In particular, the Scouts--once buffeted by many abuse-related lawsuits--are now a leader in combatting sexual abuse. Visit JCCF on the Web for more of the latest headlines on children & families |
--------------------------------------------------------------
RESEARCH, REPORTS AND DATA
Developmental Psychology
Texting, tweeting and watching TV at the same time may be harmful to young girls, says a group of Stanford University Researchers. "Tween," 8- to 12-year-old girls who spend several hours multitasking with digital devices may experience difficulty with social and emotional development.
Toxic stress is excessive, prolonged stress that can disrupt the architecture of the developing brain. The report links early adversity to later impairments in learning, behavior, physical health and mental well-being.
Youth who are detached from school and work number in the millions. The data suggest re-engaging these "opportunity youth" could save taxpayers millions and lead to a more vibrant workforce.
Visit JCCF on the Web for more of the
|
--------------------------------------------------------------
EVENTS
Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, 9-10:30 am EST Center for American Progress Washington, DC Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee, joins the Center for American progress he reflect on what he's learned from the series of HELP Committee hearings on the decline of the middle class. Can Boomer Women Afford to Retire?
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, 12-1:30 pm EST
Urban Institute
Washington, DC
The 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 face daunting retirement challenges. The outlook for women is even more uncertain. How will boomer women's retirement incomes compare to those of previous generations, and how many will see their living standards fall when they retire?
The Toxic Stress of Early Childhood Adversity
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012, 3-4 pm EST
Harvard School of Public Health
Boston
For the youngest children, prolonged or severe exposure to abuse, neglect and economic hardship can provoke lifelong consequences. The live webcast will examine how health and education policies can be both harnessed and revamped to counteract early childhood adversity.
-------------------------------------------------------------- |
The Journalism Center on Children & Families, a program of the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, is a national nonprofit organization committed to supporting media coverage of children, youth and families, particularly the disadvantaged. The JCCF News Summary helps journalists and others keep in touch with the latest news, policy analysis and research reports on critical social issues that impact families and communities. We encourage redistribution of this material with credit given to the Journalism Center on Children & Families. To unsubscribe, please reply to this e-mail with your subscription request. Reach JCCF by telephone at 301.405.8808. Journalists are encouraged to submit their stories for consideration for publication in the JCCF News Summary and on our website. Please send story links to: info@journalismcenter.org. Stories should be archived and free of access charges for at least seven days. JCCF thanks The Annie E. Casey Foundation for its generous support of our work.
www.journalismcenter.org
Journalism Center on Children & Families
1100, Knight Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, Md. 20742
|
|
|
|
|
JCCF's picks for the top 10 stories of 2011
|
Beyond the Headlines
An updated resource on child sexual abuse
|
CONNECT WITH JCCF
For the latest news, research and events on children & families 
|
|
