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Research aims to strengthen Head Start, Early Head Start educators’ well-being

With the pandemic-fueled anxiety of the past year and a half, workplace stress has become more common among much of the workforce.

Even under less-tumultuous conditions, job stress is a big contributor employee turnover. In early childhood settings, turnover can negatively impact educator relationships with children and families, and compromise children’s learning and development. Full Article

NAECR Knowledge event explores the necessity of secure data storage in early childhood research

With the widespread use and increase in popularity of the Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage service, the application is becoming a must among researchers in all disciplines.

Secure data storage — particularly the OneDrive app — was the focus of the Sept. 30 Fall NAECR Knowledge event. Early childhood researchers attended the virtual discussion to discuss the most efficient, effective ways to use OneDrive. Full Article

NAECR selects 2021-22 Policy Fellows

The Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research has selected five faculty members to serve as Policy Fellows for the 2021-22 academic year.

The NAECR Policy Fellows Program is designed to educate early childhood researchers on policy processes, impacts and relationships to research; to provide policymakers with insight into the latest early childhood research at the University of Nebraska; and to generate collaboration among researchers and policymakers to develop effective research agendas that enrich early childhood experiences. Full Article

Research digesting why children, vegetables don’t always mix

Early childhood obesity is a major U.S. public health problem, afflicting children from low-income and minority families in rural areas disproportionately with an increased risk for long-term health disparities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Full Article

Research: Family adversity lowers children’s social-emotional skills

Strong social-emotional skills have been found to impact children’s development and later success.

Research also shows children exposed to adverse experiences — maternal depression, poverty, parental substance use, physical abuse and neglect — are at risk for having lower social-emotional functioning compared to their peers. Full Article

Findings highlight program’s success in reducing, preventing sexual violence among Native American girls

Katie Edwards, a leading researcher on interpersonal violence at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, co-authored two recently published papers on the impacts of a sexual violence prevention program aimed at empowering Native American adolescent girls. Full Article

Mindfulness training available to Brazilian educators through CHIME

While great efforts are made to improve children’s well-being in childcare environments, far less attention is paid to caregivers’ well-being. Evidence shows compassion- and mindfulness-based programs and strategies enhance both caregiver and child well-being, which may reduce burnout, stress and depression — and lead to children receiving more sensitive and responsive care. Full Article