As many as three-quarters of the nearly 25,000 American youth in residential care have experienced significant trauma, including maltreatment, poverty and, for many, systemic racism and discrimination.
Research suggests that such trauma increases risk for mental and behavioral health problems. However, some youth in residential care with trauma still display steadfast resilience, functioning well even in the presence of significant risk.
For many Nebraska families, finding affordable child care can seem like piecing together an impossible puzzle.
Parents juggle waitlists, long commutes and tough choices between work and staying home — all while early childhood teachers themselves face low pay, long hours and stress.
Autism is the fastest-growing disability category in Nebraska. About 30% of autistic children do not develop vocal speech by age 4 and require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) — non-verbal methods such as gestures, facial expressions, picture cards and tablets to communicate.
Because bullying often begins and ends at school, teachers are the front line of defense against such behavior.
However, teachers in one country may respond differently than their international counterparts.
Jared Noetzel, doctoral candidate in the school psychology program, is leading a dissertation study on culturally responsive teacher training to prevent bullying in schools.
For families raising a child with autism spectrum disorder, everyday moments of connection can be difficult. The disorder affects about 1 in 36 children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and often hinders social communication skills essential for personal, professional and academic growth.
Decades of research show that Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP) improves children’s academic, social and behavioral outcomes, while building stronger, more effective relationships between parents and teachers.
Developed at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the family-school partnership intervention has been implemented in Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin and rural Appalachian communities, expanding its reach in recent years through distance technology.
As student populations grow and change throughout American schools, teachers face new challenges in meeting students’ needs and preparing them for long-term success.
For educators, both practicing and in training, experience is key.
Jillian Harpster, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, recently led a project to help preservice middle school teachers broaden their practical experiences, and to provide seventh and eighth graders with the opportunity to engage in the college experience.
Family dynamics among caregivers tend to be complicated. They can become even more complex when grandparents take on co-parenting roles.
Weiman Xu, graduate research assistant at the Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics (MAP Academy) and a doctoral student in the Global Family Health and Well-being program within the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, is exploring the association between intergenerational co-parenting and children’s social-emotional development.
