Assessing the well-being of children and families. (Special Publications).

The following special publications provide data related to the well-being of children and families in the United States and throughout the world. Each report goes beyond statistical summaries to provide recommendations for improving conditions and supporting the development of each child's full potential. These reports provide valuable information to researchers, program developers, child advocates, and policymakers.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN 2001. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). ISBN 92-806-3633-2, 2001, 116 pp. This report documents recent developments that affect children's lives and wellbeing throughout the world. In addition to statistical data, narrative discussions and vignettes detail the everyday lives of parents and caregivers who strive to protect and serve children. These narratives illuminate the effects of poverty, war, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic on children, and provide direction when advocating for policies and programs that support the concept of early child development (ECD).

ECD refers to a comprehensive approach to the development of policies and programs for children from birth to 8, as well as their parents and caregivers. ECD aims to protect the child's right to develop his or her full cognitive, emotional, social, and physical potential. Successful programs: 1) incorporate the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 2) build on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, 3) use the existing strengths of the communities, 4) have a broad framework, 5) are developed with and for families, 6) are developed with and for communities, 7) provide equal access for all children, 8) are flexible and reflect diversity, 9) meet the highest quality standards, and 10) are cost-effective and sustainable.

For copies, contact the Editorial and Publications Section, Division of Communication, UNICEF NY, 3 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017 USA; 212-326-7513; Fax: [phone]; [e-mail]; On-line: www.unicef.org.

THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN 2001 YEARBOOK. Children's Defense Fund. ISBN 1-881985-31-8, ISSN 1084-3191, 2001, 144 pp. This annual report by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) describes changes in the condition of America's children and families in six crucial arenas: family income, child health, child care, education, children and families in crisis, and juvenile justice and youth development. In addition, the report outlines an agenda to ensure that every child has a healthy, fair, safe, and moral start in life and a successful passage to adulthood. Recommendations for programs and policies are provided in each of the six arenas; together, they frame CDF's comprehensive vision of what a great and sensible nation should provide all its children.

The foreword, written by Marian Wright Edelman, Executive Director and President of CDF, is an inspiring call to action using the theme, "It's Time!" Edelman gives the following advice to advocates:

* Act truthfully, faithfully, and justly and leave the results to God

* Do the things you think you cannot do

* Don't ever give in to despair or fatigue

* Be clear about what you believe and stick with it

* Set priorities and don't weigh yourself down with your own or other people's clutter

* Don't wait for or expect all your doubts to ever subside or disappear; they never will

* Don't be a sunshine, prime-time only advocate

* Don't be glum or self-righteous

* Make integrity our foundation

* Stand up and be courageous. (pp. xix-xxi)

For copies, contact Children's Defense Fund, 25 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 or the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1509 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1426; 800-424-2460 or 202-232-8777; [e-mail]; On-line: www.naeyc.org.

KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK 2000: State Profiles of Child Well-Being. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. ISSN 1060-9814, 2000, 192 pp. The broad array of data presented in this yearbook is intended to illuminate the status of America's children and to assess trends in their well-being. Data are gathered from federal government statistical agencies and present a rich, complex picture of American children through state-by-state profiles.

At the national level, the following six indicators showed improved conditions between 1990 and 1997: 1) infant mortality rate; 2) child death rate; 3) rate of teen deaths by accident, homicide, and suicide; 4) teen birth rate; 5) percent of teens not attending school and not working; and 6) percent of children living with parents who do not have full-time, year-round employment. During the same time period, however, children's well-being showed a decline according to three indicators: 1) percent of low birthweight babies, 2) percent of children in poverty, and 3) percent of families with children headed by a single parent. One indicator, percent of teens who are high school dropouts, showed no change in recent years.

For copies, con tact The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, 410-547-6600; Fax: [phone]; On-line: www.aecf.org.

THE RIGHT START, STATE TRENDS: Conditions of Babies and Their Families Across the Nation (1990-1998). Tara Croan, Juliet Hatcher, Justin Jager, Melissa Long, William O'Hare, and Richard Wertheimer. The Annie E. Casey Foundation. 2000, 135 pp. This compilation of nine years (1990-1998) of data reveals how children born in each U.S. state fared on eight selected measures related to a "right start." These measures reflect important dimensions of a newborn's life that are linked to developmental outcomes, and therefore foreshadow future prospects for children. The eight indicators used for comparison are: 1) teen births, 2) repeat teen births, 3) births to unmarried women, 4) low maternal education, 5) late or no prenatal care, 6) smoking during pregnancy, 7) low-birthweight births, and 8) preterm births. Data is presented in both narrative and numerical form, and each state's profile is compared to the U.S. average.

Copies are available from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. Attn: KIDS COUNT Special Report. Call 410-223-2890. This report is also available on the Internet at www.child trends.org and www.kidscount.org.

INDICATORS OF SCHOOL CRIME AND SAFETY, 2000. Phillip Kaufman, Xianglei Chen, Susan P. Choy, Sally A. Ruddy, Amanda K. Miller, Jill K. Fleury, Kathryn A. Chandler, Michael Rand, Patsy Klaus, & Michael G. Planty; U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, NCES 2001-017; U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, NCJ 184176. 2000, 175 pp. This report provides information that will assist in developing policy and/or programs to prevent and cope with violence and crime in schools. According to the report, overall levels of crime in schools are decreasing and students believe that they are safer. However, many students are affected by violence and theft at school, and so a national focus on school crime and safety continues to be paramount.

This report is the third in a series of annual reports on school crime and safety. The report's five sections focus on: 1) violent deaths at school, 2) nonfatal student victimizations, 3) violence and crime at school, 4) nonfatal teacher victimization at school, and 5) school environment. Each section contains a set of indicators that describe a distinct aspect of school crime and safety. Statistics are drawn from a variety of independent data sources, including the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This publication can be downloaded from http://nces.ed.gov or www.ojp. usdoj.gov/bjs/. Single hard copies can be ordered through ED Pubs at 1-877-4ED-PUBS (NCES 2001-017) (TTY/ TDD 1-877-576-7734), or from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse at 1-800-732-3277 (NCJ-184176). Contact at NCES: Kathryn Chandler 202-502-7326, [e-mail] or at BJS: Michael Planty 202-514-3214, Michael. Planty @usdoj.gov.

SAFE FROM THE START: Taking Action on Children Exposed to Violence. John J. Wilson, Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Document prepared by Wendy B. Jacobson, 2000, 54 pp. This report summarizes the proceedings of the National Summit on Children Exposed to Violence convened in November 2000 by the U.S. Department of Justice and Health and Human Services. Participants at the summit strove to develop a framework, a National Action Plan, for understanding and addressing children's exposure to violence. The plan recommends that efforts to address children's exposure to violence: reflect a commitment to common goals; be grounded in a full understanding of the issues and challenges involved; be based in fact; fully integrate prevention, intervention, and accountability measures; and work across disciplines.

Participants from the National Summit defined a series of eight operating principles to address children's exposure to violence: 1) work together, 2) begin early, 3) think developmentally, 4) make mothers safe to keep children safe, 5) enforce the law, 6) make adequate resources available, 7) work from a sound knowledge base, and 8) create a culture of nonviolence. Each principle is discussed and recommendations for implementation are given. In addition, resources for further study are provided, along with vignettes of promising programs and practices.

For copies of this report, contact Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse/NCJRS, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000; 800-638-8736; Fax: [phone]; [e-mail].