Sharing Web Resources- Finding New Information

This week's blog information is gained from the Children's Defense Fund at http://www.childrensdefense.org/


Outside links from the site that I discovered:

I was not able to find outside links from the site but I feel like I have seen them before so I will keep looking and report back when I find them.  But there isn't anything directly on the website taking you to outside links.  I know that some of the articles come from other news sources besides CDF staff.

One particular site area that interested me:

This was taken directly from the "About Us" page of the website and I found the information sad but interesting.

March 2013

• 2 mothers die in childbirth.
• 4 children are killed by abuse or neglect.
• 5 children or teens commit suicide.
• 7 children or teens are killed by firearms.
• 24 children or teens die from accidents.
• 67 babies die before their first birthdays.
• 208 children are arrested for violent crimes.
• 467 children are arrested for drug crimes.
• 838 public school students are corporally punished.*
• 892 babies are born at low birthweight.
• 914 babies are born to teen mothers.
• 1,208 babies are born without health insurance.
• 1,825 children are confirmed as abused or neglected.
• 2,712 babies are born into poverty.
• 2,857 high school students drop out.*
• 4,475 babies are born to unmarried mothers.
• 4,500 children are arrested.
• 16,244 public school students are suspended.*

**Based on 180 school days a year. The numbers for suspensions and corporal punishment are underreports because they are based on a survey of 85% of all students, and because they do not take into account repeat suspensions or corporal punishments in the same students.
Learn more stats about the state of children in America on our Moments in America for Children page.

New information gained through the site newsletter:

The monthly newsletter is brief but chock full of information.  Since CDF is celebrating their 40th anniversary, they have chosen to highlight the work of one of their young advocate leaders.  The newsletter also highlighted the following events coming up:

-An inservice/training on how to start up the CDF Freedom Schools program which is a summer school and after school programs.
-The 3rd Black Male Symposium that CDF is co-sponsoring in Washington, D.C.
-The 2013 Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry

These institutes provide information on how people can become more involved with CDF and in their communities.

There is also a brief note about watching the National Budget, especially when education and family services issues are affected.  CDF encourages people to talk to their legislators about issues currently on the table that affect children and their families.

Information from the site that adds to understanding equity and excellence in early childhood:
There are variety of articles related to equity and excellence in early childhood on the site when checking out the Policy Priorities tab.  The following are the articles I came across:

-New Data on Early Childhood Education and Care
-50 States.  Every Child.  Every School.
-Increasing Access to Full-Day Kindergarten
-A Strong Start
-Angie Salazar- From Head Start to Harvard

All of the articles are very interesting and well worth reading and this is only a sampling of articles the website has access to.

New insights about issues and trends gained from the site:

The CDF and its website encompass a variety of topics that affect children and families of poverty and violence.  The CDF is a strong advocate for children and families and uses its voice to inform others and rally to legislators to advocate for positive change in order to create better living and learning environments for children and their families.