As many as 1 in 3 children spend some childhood years living with a stepparent, and stepparents often play an important role in stepchildren's lives, emotionally as well as economically. However, stepparent-stepchild ...

Millions of American workers who qualify for family or medical leave don't take it because they cannot afford to go without pay. Family and work patterns have shifted dramatically in recent decades, yet workplace policies have not kept pace...

To prepare children for success in school, policies must provide support for all the contexts that influence child development starting from birth, and must seek to optimize children's functioning across all domains of development. This paper...

This policy brief examines the problems related to over-consumption, excess, and obesity in Missouri. The topic is analyzed, and policy recommendations are explained....

This study indicates several teacher characteristics and other aspects of early childhood programs are directly related to overall program quality. A total of 14 “assets” were identified as being critical factors contributing ...

During 1997 and 1998, a large study called Project REACH (Rural EArly CHildhood Professional Development Initiative), was conducted in a series of interventions over a 16 month period in rural Missouri. The training and follow up was intensive...

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 represents a fundamental change in our country's approach to supporting families in economic need. Since the enactment of PRWORA, researchers have been studying...

Payday lending is commonly considered to be predatory lending. Practices typically involve high interest rates, excessive fees, deceptive and aggressive marketing, and a general lack of concern for a borrower's ability to repay. Missouri has a high...

Increased health literacy would decrease costs of health care.

By 2020, the segment of the population 65 and older will have increased by 42% to reach over one million persons and those 85 and older will number roughly 129,000. These trends indicate an increase in the demands for ...

Graphic presentation addressing material hardships among American families. Data presented in charts, graphs, and maps....

The total size of Missouri's early childhood workforce is unknown. We do know that approximately 16,000 early childhood professionals work in the over 4,000 licensed programs. The workforce also includes about 5,150 persons who are paid to care...

Findings from the Midwest Child Care Research Consortium indicate early childhood education settings are of low quality in three areas that are key to early learning: Learning Activities, Language and Reasoning and Social Interactions...

A total of 24 focus groups/interviews, including 128 center and home-based directors, teachers, and parents, were conducted as part of the Midwest Child Care Research Consortium (IA, KS, MO, NE). Included are the 21 themes that emerged from...

institutions, military settings and psychiatric facilities. The national trend is to move away from the use of corporal punishment in schools. Currently, Missouri is one of 22 states in the United States that still allow the use of corporal punishment...

Children without health insurance are more likely to go without necessary medical care and attention, putting their development and health at risk. MC+ for Kids has positively impacted many of Missouri's children....

to age 5 received PAT services; 46% of Missouri families with children birth to age 3 received services. PAT is a program for all families with young children, but districts are able to provide more home visits to families with high needs. The Columbia...

22% of Missouri's young children live under the poverty level. Research shows that a child's development is affected negatively by circumstances of poverty. Children raised in poverty are more likely to have poorer physical health and growth, poorer...

Recommendations for practices that strengthen early childhood programs are proposed based on findings from two studies. The Family Day Care Rating Scale is widely used to assess program quality. A total of 223 home-based programs in Missouri were...

Although there are many types of prepared childbirth classes that teach the skills of birth utilizing many different techniques and philosophies, the goals of these classes are essentially the same--to have a happy, healthy, ...