Although foster youth have college aspirations similar to their peers, fewer than one in ten ultimately complete a two-year or four-year college degree. What are the major factors that influence their chances of succeeding? Climbing a Broken Ladder advances our knowledge of what can be done to improve college outcomes for a student group that has largely remained invisible in higher education. Drawing on data from one of the most extensive studies of young people in foster care, Nathanael J. Okpych examines a wide range of factors that contribute to the chances that foster youth enroll in college, persist in college, and ultimately complete a degree. Okpych also investigates how early trauma affects later college outcomes, as well as the impact of a significant child welfare policy that extends the age limit of foster care. The book concludes with data-driven and concrete recommendations for policy and practice to get more foster youth into and through college.

Often described as 'social phobia's cousin' and misdiagnosed as autism, selective mutism is a debilitating fear of speaking in some situations experienced by some children. The disorder usually presents in children before the age of five, but it may not be recognized until the child starts school. When requested to speak, children with selective mutism often look down, blush, or otherwise express anxiety that disrupts their engagement with people and activities. Selective mutism is related to social anxiety and social phobia, and more than 90 percent of children with selective mutism also manifest symptoms of one of these problems. This book is the first available for parents of children with selective mutism. It offers a broad overview of the condition and reviews the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. The book details a plan you can use to coordinate professional treatment of your child's disorder. It also explains the steps you can take on your own to encourage your child to speak comfortably in school and in his or her peer group. All of the book's strategies employ a gradual, 'stepladder' approach. The techniques gently encourage children to speak more, while at the same time helping them feel safe and supported. Angela E. McHolm, Ph.D., is director of the Selective Mutism Service at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, ON. The Selective Mutism Service offers outpatient psychiatric consultation to families and professionals such as school personnel, speech and language pathologists, and mental health clinicians who support children with selective mutism. She is assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.

Another charmingly amusing story in the popular Phonics Readers series. Adder's all set to start her new job at Badger's Cleaning Company. But when she climbs a ladder for the first time, she quickly finds she has no head for heights. Can anything help her overcome her fears? Find out in this charming addition to the Phonics Readers series.

A child's mishandled anger manifests itself in many ways: from poor grades to parent-child conflict; from anti-authority attitudes to aggressive behavior; from sullenness to suicide. We see it every day--at home, at school, in society--and it seems to be getting worse. Is there anything that can be done about this "anger epidemic"? Dr. Ross Campbell responds with an emphatic YES, and offers practical advice to parents. In KIDS IN DANGER, you'll learn how to help your child: --Manage everyday conflicts-Express anger appropriately-Relate to others with maturity-Become a person of integrity"In a very direct and forthright way, Dr. Ross Campbell handles the genuinely tough problems parents and society itself face in an environment that is ever-increasing in its danger and problems. Beautifully done, much-needed, destined to be enormously helpful. I highly recommend it."- Zig Ziglar Dr. Ross Campbellis an adult, adolescent, and child psychiatrist, noted author, and lecturer on parent-child relationships. Founder and former director of Southeaster Counseling Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dr. Campbell also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Among his best-selling books are How to Really Love Your Child (over 1 million copies sold) and How to Really Love Your Teenager (over 300,000 copies sold). He and his wife, Pat, have four-grown children and one grandchild.

A step-by-step manual designed to help parents cope with children's fears; Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears discusses common fears, how to respond to childhood anxieties, and other ways to deal with frightened children. “With the culture getting scarier and parents getting busier, there is a growing need to help parents understand and cope with childhood fears. This thoughtful and practical work fulfills that need extraordinarily well.”—Stan and Jan Berenstain, authors of The Berenstain Bears children's book series This book is about how to respond to your child's fears. Most children experience fears of the dark, strangers, unidentified noises, and numerous other things for a short time and then they pass. By supporting your child and filling in the gaps in her knowledge, you can minimize most of the normal childhood fears many children experience. By preparing your child in advance for the new situations she must meet, you may be able to avoid new fears.—From the Introduction Praise for Monsters Under the Bed “The authors of Monsters Under the Bed have created a great resource for parents to help their children. The fun parti s that some of the basic wisdom in this book may also apply when the occasional wayward monster slips under an adult bed.”—Sheryl Leach, president of The Lyons Group, creator of Barney “Fears often annoy, disturb, and sometimes even prevent a child from enjoying childhood. At no time are fears a laughing matter. This book offers parents a variety of clever suggestions on how to help their child 'slay' the ubiquitous monsters that lurk under the bed, in the hall, and outside the window. Today's concerned but busy parents will appreciate the straightforward yet family-oriented language of this book.”—Ted Ayllon, Ph.D., professor of psychology and special education, Georgia State University; author, with Mori Freed, of Stopping Baby's Colic

PARENTING NEVER ENDS. From the founders of the #1 site for parents of teens and young adults comes an essential guide for building strong relationships with your teens and preparing them to successfully launch into adulthood The high school and college years: an extended roller coaster of academics, friends, first loves, first break-ups, driver’s ed, jobs, and everything in between. Kids are constantly changing and how we parent them must change, too. But how do we stay close as a family as our lives move apart? Enter the co-founders of Grown and Flown, Lisa Heffernan and Mary Dell Harrington. In the midst of guiding their own kids through this transition, they launched what has become the largest website and online community for parents of fifteen to twenty-five year olds. Now they’ve compiled new takeaways and fresh insights from all that they’ve learned into this handy, must-have guide. Grown and Flown is a one-stop resource for parenting teenagers, leading up to—and through—high school and those first years of independence. It covers everything from the monumental (how to let your kids go) to the mundane (how to shop for a dorm room). Organized by topic—such as academics, anxiety and mental health, college life—it features a combination of stories, advice from professionals, and practical sidebars. Consider this your parenting lifeline: an easy-to-use manual that offers support and perspective. Grown and Flown is required reading for anyone looking to raise an adult with whom you have an enduring, profound connection.