Save the Date! November 6-8, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The International Bullying Prevention Association is pleased to present our 5th Annual Conference: Best Practices in Bullying and Violence Prevention. The conference will be co-sponsored by the Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy and the Indiana Department of Education. The conference is designed for school guidance counselors, administrators, teachers, school health educators, school social workers, school psychologists, school safety specialists, Safe and Drug-Free Coordinators, school resource officers (SRO's), school attorneys, and law enforcement working with youth, student service directors,PTA/PTO members, children and family mental health counselors, school nurses, school board members, parents, extended day/after school staff, prevention specialists, etc. This conference also welcomes college students. Coming Soon: Session proposals, conference and hotel registration information will be posted at http://www.stopbullyingworld.org
and http://www.doe.in.us/isssa.

This Finance Project brief presents five financing strategies that can support education success programs and services for youth currently in or transitioning out of the foster care system. For each, the brief highlights relevant funding sources to consider, the range of partners to engage, considerations for implementation and examples of the strategy in practice.

This annual cohort study examines the impact of foster care services from Casey Family Programs on youth ages 19, 22 and 25. This study also compares these youth to other former foster youth and to their peers who have never experienced foster care.

The latest findings are consistent with other foster care studies: the Casey young adults reported high rates of homelessness, symptoms of mental health disorders, GED completion, dependence on public assistance and involvement with the criminal justice system. However, their educational and employment outcomes as well as health insurance coverage and rates of drug use were better than most studies.

The Spring 2008 issue of Evaluation Exchange from the Harvard Family Research Project looks at promising practices in family involvement. In particular, it highlights the importance of partnerships within communities for better child outcomes, and how family involvement fits into a broader approach to children's success in education and in life.

To make positive change for kids, you need to know where things stand, what’s working and what needs to be improved. The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book offers both data and context for 10 indicators of child well-being—and drills down to a state and local level. This year’s essay offers a “roadmap for reform” in juvenile justice. CFK summer intern Maria Allen attended the June 2008 launch event in DC and has this overview.

Children who have been abused or neglected often have a range of unique physical and mental health needs and developmental delays, far greater than other high-risk populations. In fact, studies suggest that nearly sixty percent of children in foster care experience a chronic medical condition, and one-quarter suffer from three or more chronic health conditions. This First Focus policy brief analyzes some of the key health care issues facing foster care children.

(2008) May is Foster Care Month, and for the 20th anniversary celebration of the campaign, Connect for Kids spoke with Candice Douglass, communications director with Casey Family Programs, to get the latest on foster care and child well-being, and emerging trends we should all know about. We also got the scoop the Kinship Caregiver Support Act currently in Congress and an innovative approach to permanency for teens in a Q&A with Celeste Bodner, executive director of FosterClub, the national network for young people in foster care. Find out what’s new, what’s working, and how you can make a difference no matter how much time you’ve got to give.

This is an updated version of the 2007 Children's Bureau packet; it offers (1) guidance for service providers in exploring protective factors with families, (2) tipsheets in both English and Spanish, (3) ideas for engaging the community in strengthening families and other tools to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Casey Family Services has released a report from the research roundtable held during the last National Convening on Youth Permanence in 2006. The report offers an overview from national experts of how to document and understand youth permanence strategies for children in foster care.

At least one-third of children in foster care have physical or mental disabilities and are at higher risk for poor educational, employment and well-being outcomes. This report from the National Council on Disability finds that federal investments are undercut by lack of coordination across programs and agencies. It offers recommendations for policymakers.