National CPS News Archive

'What if we homeschooled?'

by Rose Godfrey

Walking through a couple of big box stores this past week, I couldn't help but notice the displays of back-to-school gear. Lists for what to buy for each school were conveniently displayed next to the racks of products.

You don't have to go there, either. There is an alternative. Imagine the possibilities of homeschooling. This year, ask yourself this question: "What if we homeschooled?" What if you walked past the lists this year? You could look around for what was interesting and find what appealed to your child. Your children could purchase what they needed for their own use and not worry about recommendations and sharing with the class.

appeal-democrat.com

August 1, 2012

Homeschooled Students Well-Prepared For College, Study Finds

by Kelsey Sheehy

Between deciphering college financial aid awards and settling into a shoe-box sized dorm room with a perfect stranger or two, making the move from high school to college can be a shock to the system for even the most put-together teenager.

The transition, many may assume, would be even more jarring for students coming from a home-schooled environment. "Transitioning from home school to college can be a daunting experience, especially with the lack of socialization that is associated with home schooling," says Los Angeles-based therapist Karen Hylen, who counsels people she says have not made the transition successfully.

huffingtonpost.com

July 31, 2012

Foster care a growing worry

by Daniel Tran

Victoria - WAVERLEY'S sole foster care service is being forced to turn away vulnerable teens because there aren't enough homes for them to go to.

Waverley Emergency Adolescent Care is being crippled by an "enormous" increase in the number of teens who desperately need a place to stay. The service's chief executive Maureen Buck says the organisation is struggling to keep up with demand.

monashweekly.com.au

July 30, 2012

Foster care population drops for 6th straight year

by David Crary and Kelli Kennedy

The number of U.S. children in foster care has dropped for the 6th straight year, falling to about 400,000 compared to more than 520,000 a decade ago, according to federal figures demonstrating the staying power of reforms even amid economic turbulence.

The drop results primarily from a shift in the policies and practices of state and county child welfare agencies. Many have shortened stays in foster care, expedited adoptions and expanded preventive support for troubled families so more children avoid being removed from home in the first place. The new figures released by the Department of Health and Human Services show there were 400,540 children in foster care as of Sept. 30. That's down from 406,412 a year earlier and from about 523,000 in 2002.

CNS News

July 30, 2012

Child welfare agencies to be monitored

by Eilish O'Regan

Ireland - Child welfare and protection services in the Health Service Executive (HSE) are to be regularly inspected by the country's safety watchdog to see if they are meeting new mandatory standards.

The inspections are aimed at discovering weaknesses in the care and protection of children in the 17 childcare areas. A set of standards, which HSE services must comply with at local, regional and national level, were drawn up after consultation by the Health Information and Quality Authority which will conduct the inspections.

independent.ie

July 26, 2012

Another Russian child beaten by US foster parents

by Elena Krylova

Yet another child from Russia suffered from the hands of foster American parents. According to the local government, a week ago, a boy of eight escaped in the night from the house where he lived and knocked on the neighbors door.

As reported on Wednesday in the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Washington, the boy's name is Daniel Kruchina, born in the Russian city of Tula in 2003. He was adopted by Matthew and Amy Sweeney in 2006 who gave him their second name and the name of Daniel Alexander. The family lives in the town of Bristow in Virginia, according to local authorities.

english.ruvr.ru

July 26, 2012

Surveillance requests to cellphone carriers surge

by Josh Lederman

WASHINGTO - Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. made more than 1.3 million requests for consumers' cellphone records in 2011, an alarming surge over previous years that reflected the increasingly gray area between privacy and technology.

Cellphone carriers, responding to inquiries from a member of Congress, reported responding to as many as thousands of police requests daily for customers' locations, text messages and call details, frequently without warrants. Special legal teams operating round-the-clock have been set up to field requests, and some carriers hoping to recoup their costs have created detailed menus of what records can be provided-and for what price.

mercurynews.com

July 17, 2012

Identifying All Forms of Abuse Is Important in Children Receiving Foster Care

Canadian foster care services are similar to American social services in that they aim to provide safe and nurturing environments for children in need.

Children who are referred to social services such as foster care are usually the victims of maltreatment of some kind. The types of abuses that these children experience vary but include neglect, sexual abuse, endangerment, physical violence, and emotional abuse.

goodtherapy.org

July 13, 2012

Victim sues former foster care worker

by Martin Van Den Hemel

Kevin Fanning pled guilty to sexual assault and sexual exploitation of teen in 2010

The young man who was sexually assaulted by a former foster care worker has filed a civil lawsuit that names his attacker, the foster home's supervisor, and the director of child welfare for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The 19-year-old victim, identified in court documents only by the initials J.D., filed a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court in May. At the core of the lawsuit are allegations that the ministry and the foster care home's supervisor knew of the attacker's troubled history, and still allowed him to supervise J.D.

richmondreview.com

July 11, 2012

Give babies to foster parents who want to adopt them

by Gerri Peev

Babies will be placed with foster families who want to adopt them under plans to reduce the disruption to children in care.

It currently takes over two years for a child to be adopted, with babies passed between foster parents and carers before they finally find a permanent home. Child experts have warned that severe upheavals early in life are emotionally and mentally damaging for youngsters. Now David Cameron has said he is determined to speed up the adoption process.

dailymail.co.uk

July 6, 2012

Five-year-old girl tortured by foster parents

In a shocking incident that resembles the tragedy of battered baby Falak, a five-year-old girl was inflicted with severe burns, beaten up and starved allegedly by her foster parents in West Godavari district.

The girl has been admitted to a hospital with multiple burns caused by hot spoon being put on her body, multiple rib fractures and head injuries. The girl is the third daughter of Konagala Apparao and his wife Devi of Tadepalligudem in the district. Following the death of her husband and driven by poverty. The two elder girls were admitted to an orphanage in nearby Rajahmundry. The foster mother allegedly brutally tortured the girl, police said.

deccanchronicle.com

July 6, 2012

Shocking Health Effects of Commonly Used Pesticide: Brain Problems, Sexual Deformities and Paralysis

by Martha Rosenberg

Dow's pesticide Dursban was banned for home use, but continues to be sprayed on our food despite horrific health threats.

Endocrine disruptors, synthetic chemicals that mimic and interfere with natural hormones, lurk everywhere from canned foods and microwave popcorn bags to cosmetics and carpet-cleaning solutions. The chemicals, which include pesticides, fire retardants and plastics, are in thermal store receipts, antibacterial detergents and toothpaste (like Colgate's Total with triclosan) and the plastic BPA which Washington state banned in baby bottles. Endocrine disruptors are linked to breast cancer, infertility, low sperm counts, genital deformities, early puberty and diabetes in humans and alarming mutations in wildlife. They are also suspected in the epidemic of behavior and learning problems in children which has coincided, many say, with wide endocrine disruptor use.

alternet.org

July 5, 2012