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Committee on Children Holds First Meeting of Current Legislative Session
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The committee reviewed testimony from the fall hearings and discussed topics for its annual report. Topics being considered within the report include a focus on kinship care, early childhood, nutrition and child passenger safety. The committee is schedule to meet again at the end of February to review a draft report before public release.
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| First Steps Bill Sails Through Subcommittee |
The First Steps to School Readiness bill unanimously passed the K-12 subcommittee last week. The H. 3591 bill would reauthorize First Steps in perpetuity and set up oversight through respective House and Senate subcommittees. This is the same oversight as other state agencies.
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Podcast Series Focuses on Fatherhood
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Child Welfare Information Gateway has developed a
three-part podcast series
on engaging fathers and working with fatherhood organizations. Both Part 1 an
d Part 2
have been released with Part 3 coming later this month.
The series follows conversations with fatherhood organization leaders about services and support they provide to child welfare agencies in order to improve their ability to engage fathers and paternal family members and support those family members in establishing permanency and safety for their children. Podcasts are available to download on the Children's Bureau website.
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Walking in the Shoes of Another
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Shannon Palm, the Children's Trust Lipscomb Safe Kids and policy intern, took part in a recent poverty simulation hosted by Children's Trust and Richland County First Steps.
The simulations are staged by SC Thrive, a statewide organization that works to provide efficient access to quality-of-life resources in order to stabilize the lives of families. The simulations seek to
detail the day-to-day struggles of living in poverty and learn how communities are affected in a larger way.
Palm, who played 14-year-old Francina Fuentes, wrote about how low-income families must make difficult daily decisions that can have negative impacts on their physical and mental health. She stated the simulation gave the 60 participants - through fictional scenarios and time constraints - a better perspective on the challenges of living in poverty.
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| Upcoming Trainings at Children's Trust |
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Early Childhood 101
Children's Trust is hosting an Early Childhood 101 training on Tuesday, Feb. 21
from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This training is open to Department of Social Services staff, foster parents, guardian ad litem and Richland County CASA. It requires no registration fee.
Learn more about the growth and development in early childhood with a focus on building a healthy brain, developing social-emotional skills, and understanding temperaments.
Adverse Childhood Experiences
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| ACE coordinator Aditi Srivastav |
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The training content will cover four key areas: the ACE Study, neurobiology and brain development, individual and population impact, and prevention and resiliency.
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Early Care and Education Information Released
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The National Women's Law Conference published a fact sheet on child care and early learning in January entitled, State Early Care and Education Updates 2016: Some Steps Forward But More Progress Needed.
Several
states increased funding for preschool programs, made policy changes to comply with the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, and outlined processes to improve early care and education opportunities for children and families.
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Early Childhood Common Agenda Addresses Issues That Affect Working Families, Children
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| Kelly Callahan Cruise, United Way Association of S.C. CEO, Sue Williams, Children's Trust CEO, Rep. Rita Allison, R-Spartanburg, and Jamie Moon, president of the Institute for Child Success, gathered at the State House to discuss the importance of the Early Childhood Common Agenda in helping families and children find success. |
The 2017 Early Childhood Common Agenda (ECCA) was unveiled at the State House last week by Children's Trust of South Carolina, the Institute for Child Success, and the United Way Association of South Carolina.
The ECCA offers specific policy recommendations for members of the General Assembly during the current legislative session on key issues involving working families and their children.
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Child Welfare Across the Nation
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New Jersey Seeks to Reduce Unsafe Sleep Deaths with Baby Boxes
New Jersey has recently begun distributing safe sleep "baby boxes" to new parents when they leave the hospital. This initiative, which is modeled after a successful campaign in Finland that dates back to the 1930s, is an
attempt to reduce preventable infant mortality due to unsafe sleeping.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies
sleep safely only when they are alone
, on their
backs, and in a crib without any pillows, bedding, or toys.
For parents who do not have a crib, the baby box provides a safe alternative where the baby
can sleep alone and on its
back.
Newly-born infants in the Garden State are provided with
t
he safe sleep box and newborn essentials.
This idea came out of a partnership between the N.J. Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board and the California Baby Box Co
.
It
is funded through a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant
.
Currently in South Carolina, 92 percent of
infant deaths (ages 0-12 months)
reviewed by the State
Child Fatality Advisory Committee are due to unsafe sleep practices. As the first state to enact this type of policy, New Jersey will see if its results
will determine whether this is an evidenced practice ready
to be tested
in other states.
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Policy Post is published by Children's Trust of South Carolina.
Children's Trust of South Carolina is the only statewide organization focused on the prevention of child abuse, neglect and injury. The organization trains and educates professionals who work directly with families and also funds, supports and monitors proven prevention programs. Children's Trust is the voice for South Carolina's children and advocates for strong, well-founded policies that positively impact child well-being. Children's Trust is home to Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina, KIDS COUNT South Carolina and Safe Kids South Carolina.
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