Stability and sequence of center-based and family childcare: Links with low-income children's school readiness

The school readiness of a large sample (n = 2682) of ethnically and linguistically diverse, low-income children was examined as a function of whether children remained in family childcare (FCC) or center-based care (CBC) throughout their three and four-year-old preschool years, or whether they switched to the other type of childcare or to a public school pre-K program at age four. Children's pre-academic development (cognition, fine motor, and language) was assessed with the Learning Accomplishment Profile — Diagnostic (LAP-D), and teachers and parents rated children's social skills and behavior concerns with the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) at three time points over two years. All children, regardless of childcare sequence, demonstrated some gains in school readiness. However, children receiving stable CBC over the two years made moderate gains in pre-academic skills and teacher-reported social skills. Children in stable FCC exhibited some gains in fine motor, language, and teacher reported-social skills but lost ground relative to national norms in cognitive skills. Children who switched between CBC and FCC did not show as much pre-academic growth (with those who switched to FCC gaining the least); however, children who switched from CBC to FCC did demonstrate strong teacher-reported social skills. Children who switched to public school pre-K programs at age four showed the strongest school readiness and were the only group to score above national averages in language and cognition.     

Sweet and Sour Charity: Experiences of Receiving Emergency Relief in Australia

Abstract

Emergency relief is assistance provided by community agencies to people in financial crisis, usually recipients of income support payments. The present study reports on an exploratory, qualitative study of the experiences of people who seek emergency relief. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 emergency relief recipients from seven different agencies. Although the interviewees reported some positive experiences, distinct limitations in the extent of assistance were also perceived. Accountability for appropriate processes and quality assurance in service delivery are important requirements of agencies. Increased government funding to assist agencies to provide more holistic services would lead to more effective outcomes.     

Japan’s “New Homeless”

Since the mid-1990s, homelessness has become a major issue of public discussion in Japan, and is often viewed as a new social problem facing Japanese society. The issue of homelessness contrasts images of the absence of poverty and homelessness in postwar Japan, often explained based on the unique features of Japanese-style employment and welfare, containing poverty and unemployment. This paper contrasts these views with a perspective on the continuity ofpoverty, and homelessness in postwar Japan. Specifically, I discuss the characteristics of homelessness in Tokyo, how they relate to the structure of the economy and employment practices, and how the problems oftoday’shomeless are accommodated in the welfare system. I argue that the homeless cast light on patterns of loss of employment, housing, and means of subsistence, characteristic to Japan’s economy and welfare system, and contribute to a new understanding of the dynamics of poverty in contemporary Japan.     

A Multivariate Analysis of the Working Poor in Texas: Implications for Policy

ABSTRACT

Social policy makers and researchers in the United States are greatly concerned with the plight of millions of immigrants to the United States. The effects of immigrants on the distribution of services and goods for impoverished segments of the population, especially along southern border-state areas, are currently undergoing scrutiny of policy makers. President George W. Bush has recently recommended sending the National Guard to the southern border to curb illegal migration. There is a strong national sentiment against illegal migration. Many believe that illegal migrants are exploited and, therefore, contribute disproportionately to the growing class of working poor in America. However, their have been limited attempts to link scientifically derived demographic and economic evidence of the causal factors associated with the growth of the working poor, and to develop research methodology and technical means to provide needed and valuable decision-support information for perspective policy makers and service providers. Using census data we attempt to empirically and geospatially look at the factors that contribute to the growth of working poor within the border state of Texas and its counties during 1990–2000.     

The Relationship of Prisoners,Poverty Measures,and Social Welfare Allocations in Ohio

Abstract

Prisoners are counted in the county in which they are incarcerated, according to U. S. Census Bureau guidelines. This policy is increasingly the subject of academic interest because census data are used for redistricting and for the allocation of federal and state funds based on population and poverty criteria. Using canonical correlation analyses, this study found that fewer prisoners, no prisons in a county, higher ruralness, fewer percentages of persons below poverty, and higher percentages of households receiving social security insurance are associated with lower allocations for case management, lower allocations for health and human services, and lower allocations for criminal justice. Taking into account the cross loadings, having a prison, higher ruralness, and fewer percentages of people below the poverty line remain significant. The author discusses the policy implications of these findings.     

社会救助的贫困治理绩效及其“陷阱”规避——以三江源生态移民为例

通过对三江源生态移民定居点的实地调查,发现不少移民家庭因迁移致贫、返贫.政府所实施的社会救助能够保障贫困移民基本生活所需,却不能够促进其充分就业,所以容易引发“贫困陷阱”.为了优化三江源生态移民社会救助的贫因治理绩效,基于国际社会规避“贫困陷阱”一般经验,提出了在制度设计上针对有劳动能力的贫困人口构建就业激励导向的救助策略.     

南疆三地州扶贫开发的主要经验

调研报告以“国家八七扶贫攻坚计划”为背景。在调查研究的基础上,从九个方面总结了南疆三地州扶贫开 发工作取得的主要经验,以期开拓新时期扶贫开发工作的新局面。     

浅析高校经济困难学生的精神“解困”

本文通过分析当前高校经济困难学生的现状 ,提出了影响这个群体健康成长的深层原因———精神“贫困” ,并通过对其影响的剖析 ,呼吁广大教育工作者和社会各界在对经济困难学生进行物质资助的同时 ,高度关注并帮助他们解除精神方面的“贫困” ,最后提出了一些可资参考的思路和建议措施     

条块结对:脱贫攻坚同乡村振兴有效衔接的经验阐释

巩固拓展脱贫攻坚成果,实现脱贫攻坚同乡村振兴的有效衔接,需要总结脱贫攻坚中的实践创新案例。作为中国政治制度中的实践创新典范,条块结对能够整合资源、调整科层流程,从而实现治理目标。采用无结构观察法和深度访谈法,对中部S省Q县的考察发现:在脱贫攻坚过程中,部门与村庄结对形成任务型行动共同体,以项目进村为工作核心,通过定目标、结对子、谈项目、抓落实来完成相应的脱贫任务。在部门进村过程中,条块结对利用资源整合与科层压缩两种机制,通过对项目的合成、借用与转化来回应脱贫任务下的压力考核。在全面推进乡村振兴的过程中,需要继续发挥结对的治理优势,但面对整合与压缩后的基层治理场域,则需要关注因资源与权力过密可能存在的项目持续与治理内卷风险。     

教育扶贫的基层实践创新———海南省及琼中县教育精准扶贫调查

教育扶贫是脱贫攻坚的重要方式,在扶贫工作中具有先导性和基础性作用。 教育扶贫从理念、政策到实施,需要通过实践创新进行实践转化,而实践转化的程度体现政策设计的合理性和适用性。海南省是较早开展教育扶贫的地区之一,先后实施了教育扶贫移民、职教扶贫等反响较大的项目。 开展精准扶贫以来,海南省以“全上学、全资助、上好学、促成长冶作为教育扶贫的目标,制定教育精准扶贫政策体系。 文章基于实地调研,概括海南省教育精准扶贫思路及省级层面政策设计,并用琼中县教育精准扶贫工作经验来证明,基层的实践创新可以将省级教育扶贫理念和政策设计变为现实。 海南省、县两级政府加大投入、利用教育系统人力资源优势,在教育保障、教育资助、贫困和留守儿童关爱等方面取得了良好效果。