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Nebraska, South Dakota researchers explore solutions to domestic violence among rural Native Americans

Nebraska and South Dakota researchers are collaborating to address unique challenges faced by rural Native American survivors of domestic violence.

Decades of research reveals that domestic violence in the United States is endemic and leads to harmful outcomes for survivors and their families.

But far less is known about what rural Native American survivors of domestic violence need to ensure recovery and healing from their experiences. Full Article

Exploring ways to help those who help others in the wake of natural disasters

Nebraska Extension and community volunteers combine flood relief efforts in spring 2019, after floods ravaged much of the state. (Photo by Jason Wessendorf, Verdigre Eagle) Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

In March 2019, 81 of Nebraska’s 93 counties were declared states of emergency due to significant flooding and blizzards. Nebraska Extension provided vital assistance to communities during the state’s disaster response and recovery, and continues to offer a lifeline for many struggling to cope. Full Article

CYFS releases 2019-20 Annual Report

View the 2019-20 CYFS Annual Report: Interactive or PDF

In a year unlike any other, CYFS and its diverse partners in research, practice and policy have continued work to impact lives through research that advances learning and development.

The CYFS annual report for the 2020 fiscal year, which ran from July 2019 to June 2020, is now available — highlighting efforts to address social, behavioral and educational challenges facing society, both amid and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Article

Maker space project helps build future engineering foundation

Students strategize the best way forward on their project during the Maker Friday engineering courses at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, in fall 2018.

It’s Friday morning in the Maker Space Lab at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, and the room is abuzz — literally and figuratively.

One group of students is hard at work on the 3D printer. Other students collaborate on a computer aided design (CAD) project. Another group concentrates on woodworking with power tools. Full Article

‘The Story of SEEDs’ shared in Oct. 19 webinar

About 200 practitioners, advocates, students and policymakers attended an Oct. 19 webinar, “The Story of SEEDs,” which outlined the history, success and challenges of the Support, Education, Empowerment and Directions (SEEDs) program.

The virtual event discussed the trauma-informed, gender-responsive, sober living home program for women with histories of substance abuse and domestic and/or sexual violence. Discussion topics included costs associated with running SEEDs, program implementation barriers, lessons learned and next steps for continued sustainability. Full Article

Research explores ways to bolster early childhood numeracy skills

Keting Chen, human sciences doctoral student in the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, is exploring how home and childcare environments affect preschool-aged children’s numeracy skills — the ability to understand and work with numbers. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

For some young children, learning the basics of 1-2-3 can be easy as A-B-C.

But because early numeracy skills often receive less attention than early literacy skills, children who lag in number comprehension may fall behind academically in kindergarten and beyond. Full Article

Study aims to address time crunch among early childhood educators

Early childhood teachers’ non-contact time — time away from students in the classroom — enables them to address other work demands, such as building instruction plans, assessing children’s development and communicating with families. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

Much attention is paid to the work early childhood teachers do in the classroom. But their tasks away from their students are just as essential to children’s learning and development.

Unlike their K-12 counterparts, early childhood teachers lack dedicated time to address work demands beyond the direct care of children. Without formalized supports, out-of-classroom time may be scarified or interrupted as unexpected issues arise throughout the day. Full Article

SEEDs program promotes healing among women with past addiction, victimization

Current and former SEEDs participants develop job skills and enhance their work history while working at Cup O’Karma. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

The definition of “home” means different things to different people.

A comfy sofa. A warm bed. A cat lounging in the sun on the windowsill. Kids playing in the other room. An animated discussion of the day’s events during family mealtime.

For many, home is a sanctuary from busy schedules and hectic lives. But for women participating in the Support, Education, Empowerment and Directions (SEEDs) program, home can be a life-saver. Full Article