"The authors conducted a prevention program called Fast Track, consisting of multicomponent, home-school prevention activities carried out with at-risk children from first to 10th grades over a 10-year period, to prevent serious antisocial behavior and youth violence and achieve positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes. They describe the research that informed the design of the program as part of their Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, how the study was implemented, and outcomes up to 20 years later. They discuss the context for youth violence prevention in the US; the developmental and intervention research that informed the design of the program; the study design and the children and families who participated in it; interventions and impacts in elementary, middle, and high school years; early adult outcomes of the program; implications for developmental theory and research on the prevention of violence; and how communities can address the problem of future violence by focusing on high-risk young children."--Provided by publisher.

From leading authorities, this volume presents a unique evidence-based group intervention for the 10?15% of children who are challenged by peer difficulties in elementary school. The book features 145 engaging full-color reproducible handouts, posters, and other tools. In addition to teaching core social skills (participation, communication, cooperation, good sportsmanship, conflict resolution), Friendship Group promotes emotional understanding and empathy, self-control, and effective coping with social stressors. Two complete sets of sessions are provided (grades K?2 and 3?5), including step-by-step implementation guidelines. The large-size format facilitates photocopying; purchasers also get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

The comprehensive coverage in this hugely important and timely handbook makes it invaluable to clinical child, school, and counseling psychologists; clinical social workers; and child psychiatrists. As a textbook for advanced clinical and counseling psychology programs, and a solid reference for the researcher in child/adolescent mental health, its emphasis on flexibility and attention to emerging issues will help readers meet ongoing challenges, as well as advance the field. Its relevance cannot be overstated, as growing numbers of young people have mental health problems requiring intervention, and current policy initiatives identify evidence-based therapies as the most effective and relevant forms of treatment.

This book sets out the current state of knowledge about what works in reducing impairments to children’s health and development. Little and Maughan’s book applies a high standard of proof and reproduces only the work of the leading intervention scientists from around the world. After discussing the real world challenges to more effective children’s services, the book goes on to cover policy and practice proven to change the lives of all children, and extends also to effective programmes targeted at children with specific disorders. Examples include changes in household income, early years support, moving families to less disadvantaged communities, improving parenting and using schools to better mental health. The benefits of evidence-based programmes are specified, as are the costs to society of not intervening. The evidence is used to make recommendations about getting effective policy and practice into routine use, and includes illustrations of successful applications of these ideas.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.