This unique volume explores why and how youth join and leave gangs, as a lens for exploring intervention and prevention through comparative, international research. The book explores three key questions: how do youth gangs form and how do they change over time? Why do youth join street gangs, and why do they leave? How can we use this knowledge to foster more effective interventions for gang problems? Drawing from research conducted in ten different countries (Belgium, Canada, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Venezuela)and a variety of disciplines, sixteen original chapters provide unique insights into: 1) patterns of gang participation and how it impacts individual behavior 2) individual transitions and their impact on gang transformations 3) fostering gang transition and transformation. This work will be of interest to researchers in Criminology and Criminal Justice, particularly with an interest in youth gangs, developmental and life-course criminology, criminal careers, and criminal networks, as well as related fields such as sociology, psychology, and comparative law, and public health.

How popular debates about the so-called digital generation mediate anxieties about labor and life in twenty-first-century America "The children are our future" goes the adage, a proclamation that simultaneously declares both anxiety as well as hope about youth as the next generation. In The Digital Is Kid Stuff, Josef Nguyen interrogates this ambivalence within discussions about today's "digital generation" and the future of creativity, an ambivalence that toggles between the techno-pessimism that warns against the harm to children of too much screen time and a techno-utopianism that foresees these "digital natives" leading the way to innovation, economic growth, increased democratization, and national prosperity. Nguyen engages cultural histories of childhood, youth, and creativity through chapters that are each anchored to a particular digital media object or practice. Nguyen narrates the developmental arc of a future creative laborer: from a young kid playing the island fictions of Minecraft, to an older child learning do-it-yourself skills while reading Make magazine, to a teenager posting selfies on Instagram, to a young adult creative laborer imagining technological innovations using design fiction. Focusing on the constructions and valorizations of creativity, entrepreneurialism, and technological savvy, Nguyen argues that contemporary culture operates to assuage profound anxieties about-and to defuse valid critiques of-both emerging digital technologies and the precarity of employment for "creative laborers" in twenty-first-century neoliberal America.

`In a refreshing departure from today's focus on academic testing, Comer's SDP is designed to foster the development of the whole child. In Comer's schools, children are taught not only academics but the skills and behaviors they need to be successful in school and in life' - Edward Zigler, Sterling Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Yale University Children and adolescents who enjoy healthy growth and development along six primary pathways are the students who learn well and achieve success in school and in life. But children from poorly functioning families and impoverished social networks too often find themselves without adequate preparation and support for the academic challenges that await them in kindergarten and the grades that follow. Believing that schools are uniquely situated to foster healthy development, renowned child psychiatrist Dr James P Comer and his colleagues at the Yale School Development Program (SDP) have dedicated 35 years to guiding students, schools, and educators toward academic success along the six developmental pathways of learning.

The need for adoption work to be based upon the best available evidence is plain; but it is particularly important in the light of the radical changes that adoption has undergone in recent times. It now covers a wide range of social arrangements for children, adopters and birth parents, and presents new and often perplexing challenges. Adoption Now brings together up-to-date and authoritative research on adoption. It provides an overview of studies commissioned by the Department of Health to identify the principal messages about adoption policy and practice to emerge from its programme of research over the last few years. Roy Parker, Professor Emeritus, University of Bristol, details the most important and reliable ‘messages’ obtained from the research. These conclusions are made readily available in an accessible form, with the main points highlighted throughout the text. The studies are extensive and comprehensive, ranging across: the processes which adoption entails; children joining new families; single-parent adoption; transracial adoption; children talking about their adoption; and the support provided and needed during and after placement. This unique volume includes:

• children’s views of their experiences of being adopted
• neglected issues such as the relations between children and other members of the family
• the different stages of the adoption process
• implications of the research for both policy and practice

Class does make a difference in the lives and futures of American children. Drawing on in-depth observations of black and white middle-class, working-class, and poor families, Unequal Childhoods explores this fact, offering a picture of childhood today. Here are the frenetic families managing their children's hectic schedules of "leisure" activities; and here are families with plenty of time but little economic security. Lareau shows how middle-class parents, whether black or white, engage in a process of "concerted cultivation" designed to draw out children's talents and skills, while working-class and poor families rely on "the accomplishment of natural growth," in which a child's development unfolds spontaneously--as long as basic comfort, food, and shelter are provided. Each of these approaches to childrearing brings its own benefits and its own drawbacks. In identifying and analyzing differences between the two, Lareau demonstrates the power, and limits, of social class in shaping the lives of America's children.
The first edition of "Unequal Childhoods" was an instant classic, portraying in riveting detail the unexpected ways in which social class influences parenting in white and African American families. A decade later, Annette Lareau has revisited the same families and interviewed the original subjects to examine the impact of social class in the transition to adulthood.

When sacred objects were rejected during the Reformation, they were not always burned and broken but were sometimes given to children as toys. Play is typically seen as free and open, while iconoclasm, even to those who deem it necessary, is violent and disenchanting. What does it say about wider attitudes toward religious violence and children at play that these two seemingly different activities were sometimes one and the same? Drawing on a range of sixteenth-century artifacts, artworks, and texts, as well as on ancient and modern theories of iconoclasm and of play, Iconoclasm As Child's Play argues that the desire to shape and interpret the playing of children is an important cultural force. Formerly holy objects may have been handed over with an intent to debase them, but play has a tendency to create new meanings and stories that take on a life of their own. Joe Moshenska shows that this form of iconoclasm is not only a fascinating phenomenon in its own right; it has the potential to alter our understandings of the threshold between the religious and the secular, the forms and functions of play, and the nature of historical transformation and continuity.

A vital interrogation of the internationally accepted policy and practice consensus that intervention to shape parenting in the early years is the way to prevent disadvantage. Given the divisive assumptions and essentialist ideas behind early years intervention, in whose interests does it really serve? This book critically assesses assertions that the 'wrong type of parenting' has biological and cultural effects, stunting babies' brain development and leading to a life of poverty and under-achievement. It shows how early intervention policies underpinned by interpretations of brain science perpetuate gendered, classed and raced inequalities. The exploration of future directions will be welcomed by those looking for a positive, collectivist vision of the future that addresses the real underlying issues in the creation of disadvantage.

Second edition of the book that showed how anger was directly linked to violence, health problems, and interpersonal difficulty. It is imperative that we teach children to control their anger. Using the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) model, Wilde shows how teachers and counselors can encourage students to acknowledge and change feelings that are causing problems in their lives. Helping students learn not to become angry will directly or indirectly benefit all those who are involved in the education of our children.

Chinese childhood is undergoing a major transformation. This book explores how government policies introduced in China over the last few decades and processes of social and economic change are reshaping the lives of children and the meanings of childhood in complex, contradictory ways. Drawing on a broad range of literature and original ethnographic research, Naftali explores the rise of new ideas of child-care, child-vulnerability and child-agency; the impact of the One-Child Policy; and the emergence of children as independent consumers in the new market economy. She shows that Chinese boys and increasingly girls, too are enjoying a new empowerment, a development that has met with ambiguity and resistance from both caregivers and the state. She also demonstrates how economic restructuring and the recent waves of rural/urban migration have produced starkly unequal conditions for children s education and development both in the countryside and in the cities. Children in China is essential reading for students and scholars seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to be a child in contemporary China, as well as for those concerned with the changing relationship between children, the state and the family in the global era.

Printed poison. Pernicious stuff. Since the nineteenth century, these are some of the many concerned comments critics have made about media for children. From dime novels to comic books to digital media, Cassidy illustrates the ways children have used "old media" when they were first introduced as "new media." Further, she interrogates the extent to which different conceptions of childhood have influenced adults' reactions to children's use of media. Exploring the history of American children and media, this text presents a portrait of the way in which children and adults adapt to a constantly changing media environment.

This, the first book in the Wiley Series in Culture and Professional Practice, is designed as a practical guide for professionals who work with children from differing cultural backgrounds. It relates cultural differences in development to the problems and practice of child care with a special contribution from cross-cultural psychology. The book includes the main issues which professionals are likely to encounter, for example:

• how individual differences in temperament and behaviour interact with cultural traditions
• how a sense of mixed identity develops and how this conflict affects many young people in different cultural settings
• how the anxieties and motivations of children are influenced by their cultural backgrounds

Unparalleled in its coverage of concepts and themes, this textbook uses insights from across sociology, psychology, criminology and other areas of expertise to show how children and young people negotiate crucial challenges and transitions in their lives. It considers a wide range of theories, issues and practice dimensions and clearly shows how they connect, with fresh insights on topics including mental health, bereavement and disability in children. Foregrounding cultural diversity as a crucial dimension of sensitive practice and placing an emphasis on thinking critically and practicing reflectively throughout, this book also: * includes helpful chapter introductions, summaries and annotated further readings; * features a range of case studies, linking theory to practice; * provides active learning exercises, enabling you to apply and consolidate learning. With a companion volume that addresses human growth and development in adults, this is an invaluable tool for students as well as a useful refresher resource for experienced practitioners.

Unlike many children's television shows, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood did more than simply entertain or occupy children's attention. The show educated them in the affective domain, encouraging such things as appreciation for difference, collaboration, self-expression, and self-worth. It also introduced them to the areas of culture, art, and music through guests, trips, art objects and processes, and demonstrations, making it accessible and meaningful in a way that a child could understand. While the educational content of children's television programming has improved greatly since the late 1960s, no other children's program has ever attempted such a mix of high art, low art, folk art, industrial production, learning in the affective and social domains, and more, all with a whimsical sense of humor, insight, and a level of interconnected detail unmatched by any other children's television program. This book illuminates and examines the world of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood through world design, narrative, genre, form, content, authorship, reception and more.

This fun, imaginative book offers children a way to develop their emotional literacy skills through creativity and drawing. The new edition has been reimagined as a child-friendly activity book that can be completed independently, with beautiful new illustrations and more than ten extra activities. For professionals, the book is designed to be flexible and photocopiable, so that it can be used in a range of educational and therapeutic settings. The accompanying instructions and guidance are now available online, with a clearly stated aim for each activity, a suggested outline of how to facilitate and three optional follow-on ideas. There are now also three Monitoring and Evaluation templates included in the online booklet, one for individual work, one for group work and one for whole-class work. The resource is divided into three themed sections: * Self Esteem: Activities exploring identity, personal empowerment, aspirations and values, and important relationships in a child's life * Emotions: In this section, children are invited to consider a range of complex feelings such as excitement, jealousy and disappointment * Empathy and Imagination: These activities guide children towards an awareness of other people's experiences, emotions and feelings Suitable for both parents and professionals, this book is an invaluable resource for anybody looking to improve the emotional awareness and wellbeing of young people.

In this collection of beautiful and raw essays, Amy S. F. Lutz writes openly about her experience-the positive and the negative-as a mother of a now twenty-one-year-old son with severe autism. Lutz's human emotion drives through each page and challenges commonly held ideas that define autism either as a disease or as neurodiversity. We Walk is inspired by her own questions: What is the place of intellectually and developmentally disabled people in society? What responsibilities do we, as citizens and human beings, have to one another? Who should decide for those who cannot decide for themselves? What is the meaning of religion to someone with no abstract language? Exploring these questions, We Walk directly-and humanly-examines social issues such as inclusion, religion, therapeutics, and friendship through the lens of severe autism. In a world where public perception of autism is largely shaped by the "quirky geniuses" featured on television shows like The Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor, We Walk demands that we center our debates about this disorder on those who are most affected by its impacts.

This is not a book that will tell the reader how to treat tuberculosis or diarrhea in the Third World. It is not a book the nurse will use to assign nursing diagnosis to her client's problems. It is a book for those who hunger for new ways of thinking about children and health care systems. It is a book for those who see or need to see the people of the world as interconnected. It is a book for people who want fuel for their own ideas about promoting psychological and physical health of children. --Journal of Pediatric Nursing "The contributors in the volume are distinguished, often leaders in their fields. They come from many countries, including the former Soviet Union, western and eastern Europe, Egypt, India, Ghana, Mexico, and from international organizations such as UNICEF and Worldwatch. They represent different disciplines, including education, the social sciences, public health, and the humanities. . . . The reader who is interested in certain places, as I was, will be rewarded." --Lewis Aptekar, review in World Psychology An international team of scholars, practitioners, educators, and policymakers from multiple and diverse nations analyzes the successes, failures, obstacles, and possibilities for promoting healthier development and well-being among children. They examine the myriad problems encountered by today's youth and offer compelling discussions on a variety of issues, both common and unique. They present numerous prevention and intervention proposals for promoting healthier environments for children worldwide. The topics covered include sources of stress in children's lives, the growing division between the world of the wealthy and the world of the poverty-stricken, multilevel systems approaches to prevention, educational systems intervention, prevention and reduction of aggression and conduct disorders, social policies for youth, and the rights of children. Improving Children's Lives is a vital resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, social workers, educators, and policymakers interested in making an impact on the lives of children everywhere.

What is childhood? In recent years, a cluster of critical and complex ideas have emerged around the nature of biological, social and psychological growth in the early years, reflecting the changing nature of adult - child relations, and political and cultural understandings of childhood in the twenty-first century. In this clear and concise book, Michael Wyness offers fresh insights into the current state of play within childhood studies. Drawing on work from a number of disciplines including sociology, geography and history, he discusses the contested terrain of theoretical and research advances with particular attention to the notion of children s agency and the concept of global childhoods. Key conceptual debates are illustrated through a range of contemporary issues that affect children and adults, including inequality, child abuse, ill-health, child labour, sexualization and identity formation. This book will appeal to students and academics within the fields of sociology, education, geography, history and childhood studies.

This book is open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO license. The Early Years analyzes the development of Latin American and Caribbean children and makes a compelling case for government intervention in what is instinctively a family affair. Spending on effective programs for young children is an investment that, if done well, will have very high returns, while failure to implement such programs will lower the returns on the hefty investments being made in primary, secondary, and higher education. Policies for young children belong at the core of a country's development agenda, alongside policies to develop infrastructure and strengthen institutions. However, if the services provided (or funded) by governments are to benefit children, they must be substantially better than what is currently being delivered in the region. This book offers suggestions for improving public policy in this critical area.

After years of research and reflection on the work of the interdisciplinary family justice system Mervyn Murch offers a fresh approach to supporting the thousands of children every year who experience a complex form of bereavement following parental separation and divorce. This stressful family change, combined with the loss of support due to austerity cuts, can damage their education, well-being, mental health and long-term life chances. Murch argues for early preventative intervention which responds to children's worries when they first present them, without waiting until things have gone badly wrong. His radical proposals for reform involve a much more coordinated and joined up approach by schools, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This book encourages practitioners and academics to look outside their professional silos and to see the world through the eyes of children in crisis to enable services to offer direct support in a manner and at a time when it is most needed.

The social sciences offer a variety of theories on how children develop, and various theories and disciplines apply their own vocabularies and conceptualise different aspects of the processes of socialization. This book looks at the theorizing of socialization in sociology, anthropology, psychology, in the life course approach, and as the interplay of genetics and environmental factors. It analyses the dominant perspectives and viewpoints within each discipline and field, and shows how the various theories and disciplines apply their own vocabularies and conceptualise different aspects of the processes of socialization. It argues that socialization does not represent a fixed trajectory into a static social order, and that different disciplines meet the challenges of complex developmental processes and changing environments in different ways. Socialization is a fundamental concept in sociology, but sociology has only to a limited degree sought to produce a coherent understanding of the processes of socialization, which has to encompass the interplay of societal, psychological and genetic factors. This book draws the threads together and, by doing so, offers a general framework for our understanding of the socialization process. At the centre of this process is the child as a subject, in an interplay with the patterns and significant others of the micro environment as well as with the macro-conditions of the modern knowledge based economies.

While the notion of young people as individuals worthy or capable of having rights is of relatively recent origin, over the past several decades there has been a substantial increase in both social and political commitment to children's rights as well as a tendency to grant young people some of the rights that were typically accorded only to adults. In addition, there has been a noticeable shift in orientation from a focus on children's protection and provision to an emphasis on children's participation and self-determination. With contributions from a wide range of international scholars, the Handbook of Children's Rights brings together research, theory, and practice from diverse perspectives on children's rights. This volume constitutes a comprehensive treatment of critical perspectives concerning children's rights in their various forms. Its contributions address some of the major scholarly tensions and policy debates comprising the current discourse on children's rights, including the best interests of the child, evolving capacities of the child, states' rights versus children's rights, rights of children versus parental or family rights, children as citizens, children's rights versus children's responsibilities, and balancing protection and participation. In addition to its multidisciplinary focus, the handbook includes perspectives from social science domains in which children's rights scholarship has evolved largely independently due to distinct and seemingly competing assumptions and disciplinary approaches (e.g., childhood studies, developmental psychology, sociology of childhood, anthropology, and political science). The handbook also brings together diverse methodological approaches to the study of children's rights, including both quantitative and qualitative perspectives, and policy analysis. This comprehensive, cosmopolitan, and timely volume serves as an important reference for both scholarly and policy-driven interest in the voices and perspectives of children and youth.

This volume provides practitioners with clear, helpful information about the process of understanding and engaging a wide array of boys and adolescent males in counseling. It supplies case examples and covers topics including race, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural factors of boys. A practical tool for school and mental health practitioners who need to understand and respond to the developmental and special issues of boys and adolescent males, Counseling Troubled Boys creates a bridge between young men and helping professionals. Key content includes adjustment issues, strategies for establishing rapport, interventions, case studies, and suggestions for future training and research.

A Therapist's Guide to Child Development gives therapists and counselors the basics they need to understand their clients in the context of development and to explain development to parents. The chapters take the reader through the various physical, social, and identity developments occurring at each age, explaining how each stage of development is closely linked to mental health and how that is revealed in therapy. This ideal guide for students, as well as early and experienced professionals, will also give readers the tools to communicate successfully with the child's guardians or teachers, including easy-to-read handouts that detail what kind of behaviors are not cause for concern and which behaviors mean it's time to seek help. As an aid to practitioners, this book matches developmental ages with appropriate, evidence-based mental health interventions.

Bringing together new, multidisciplinary research, this book explores how children and young people across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas experience and cope with situations of poverty and precarity. It looks at the impact of neoliberalism, austerity and global economic crisis, evidencing the multiple harms and inequalities caused. It also examines the different ways that children, young people and families 'get by' under these challenging circumstances, showing how they care for one another and envisage more hopeful socio-political futures.