Here is a quick look at some headlines from this week impacting the lives of kids 0-5 and their families. The purpose of these stories is simply to inform, and they do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support or efforts towards these issues.
Follow First 5 Kern on social media (@First5Kern) for more kids news, as well as information about our funded programs and initiatives.
Now for the headlines........
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HOME VISITING PROGRAMS REDUCE CHILD ABUSE AND CREATE HEALTHIER MOMS
Programs in which nurses conduct home visits for newborns and their families, is linked to substantial reductions
in child maltreatment investigations in children’s earliest years,
according to new research from Duke University
. Program participants had 44 percent lower rates of child maltreatment investigations during children’s first 24 months of life, compared with parents who did not receive the program. The rate of maternal mental health problems was also lower among those visited by a nurse -- 18.2 percent, versus 26 percent among those who did not participate.
A local home visitation program, the Nurse-Family Partnership, operated by the Kern County Department of Public Health, is one of the longest-funded programs by First 5 Kern.
RELATED:
In 2018, Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health helped 112 women who had experienced homelessness at some point during
their pregnancy. As a result, county supervisor Hilda Solis
introduced a motion recently
to have the departments of public health, mental health and children and family services, along with First 5 LA, to find ways to expand services to women who are sheltered or unsheltered and are experiencing homelessness.
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BCSD UNVEILS NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE
Parents of young children in northeast Bakersfield may soon have some new considerations
when it comes to their child's elementary school. A new Bakersfield City School District
elementary school proposed
for the southwest corner of Masterson Street and Paladino Drive is scheduled to open fall 2023, according to district documents.
Construction of new school facilities on the westernmost 24 acres of a 50.06-acre site owned by the district would begin in 2021.
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ARE THERE ADVANTAGES IN BEING A DUAL-LANGUAGE LEARNER?
Not all dual-language learners are at risk academically, but as a group, these students are often labeled as such
, despite differences in their English skills. A new study
found as dual-language learners gained English proficiency
, they had significant growth in cognitive and academic development, eventually outperforming students who only spoke English.
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THESE LITTLE BLUE PILLS
COULD DECREASE EMERGENCY
C-SECTIONS
Research out of Australia has found that a popular pill could also be used to cut down on emergency c-sections and reduce labor times by half:
Viagra. Research by the Mater Research Institute in Queensland
showed a 50 per cent reduction
in emergency births in women who take Sildenafil, also known as Viagra, in the early stages of labor. Blood flow to the fetus can drop by 60 per cent during childbirth which can result in dangerous and traumatic caesareans or forceps delivery. Meanwhile, this particular drug increases blood flow to the pelvis for men and women and could enhance the blood flow to the uterus and placenta during childbirth.
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KIDS DON'T TRUST WHAT THEY READ ON THE INTERNET
Yet another study has come out questioning the value of using tech devices for learning by young children.
This one found that most children considered computers and smartphones as useful for games, movies and taking pictures. But, when children were asked which object they would use to learn about dogs, they usually chose books over tech. When asked the same question, the adults in the study chose the technology. Additionally, kids are more likely to trust a stranger for information than they would the internet. And in general,
children seem to be skeptical of computers
and smartphones as reliable sources of information.
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WHEN PREGNANT ADDICTS ARE TREATED LIKE CRIMINALS, THEIR BABIES SUFFER
Laws that punish women who abuse drugs during a pregnancy are often billed as a way to protect unborn babies from addiction
. But new research finds they have the opposite effect: After states enact laws treating pregnant drug users as unfit mothers or criminals, the
number of newborns who contend with drug withdrawal
jumps significantly.
The new findings suggest that laws that criminalize a mother’s drug use during pregnancy or threaten to remove newborns from their mothers’ care discourage women from seeking addiction treatment and put their babies at greater risk of health problems from the moment they are born.
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ADDITIONAL STORIES FROM THIS WEEK...
The White House is inviting lawmakers to its first summit on paid family leave and childcare affordability
next month in an effort to increase momentum for
Ivanka Trump’s signature issues
. Ivanka Trump, senior adviser to President Donald Trump and his daughter, has traveled around the country talking about both issues, was expected to discuss what she has heard from her conversations at the gathering.
An interesting story out of Germany shows how some schools are addressing topics such as old age, dementia and even death
with young students. From encouraging seniors to volunteer at kindergartens, to incorporating books during story time to cover these topics, they
find they are helping kids understand
the difficulties of life and deal with the emotions that come along with them.
In a new study from the University of South Australia, researchers have explored the growing uncertainty faced by children aged 0-8 years
in disaster zones, finding that
early childhood teachers hold a vital role
in supporting children dealing with trauma.
"Teachers hold a unique place for a young child. Outside their family, they're one of the most trusted and familiar faces who, in their role as a teacher, provide a welcoming and secure environment for the child to learn and develop," said Lead Researcher, Prof. Marjory Ebbeck.
Psychologist Adam Grant and his spouse, Allison Sweet Grant, are trying to make the case that teaching kindness
to your children is also
a great way to raise a successful child
.
The Grants say that "quite a bit of evidence suggests that children who help others end up achieving more than those who don't", and that includes in the workplace.
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First 5 Kern was established in 1998 when California voters passed Proposition 10, which levied a 50-cent tax on tobacco products. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax are used to fund local programs in the areas of health and wellness, early childcare and education, and parent education and support services that promote early childhood development for children ages zero to five.
For more information on First 5 Kern and the agencies we support, please visit
www.First5Kern.org
and follow us on social media.
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Special thanks to
Vecteezy
for assistance on graphics
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