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.
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.
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.
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.
Efforts to help vulnerable communities is most effective when it actively engages community members, agencies and other stakeholders in solving complex social problems.
In many parts of Brazil, communities must find their own ways to address the needs of children and families with limited resources. Those needs have intensified since early 2020, as COVID-19 quickly spread throughout the country.
Nebraska researcher Katie Edwards has been honored by the American Society of Criminology for her community-engaged research with Native American communities.
Edwards, associate professor, CYFS and educational psychology, is this year’s winner of the ASC’s Division on Women and Crime Community Engaged Scholar Award, presented annually to a leader in teaching, outreach or scholarship initiatives defined by innovative community engagement in criminology or a closely associated discipline.
As anyone who has ever experienced insomnia knows, the lack of a good night’s sleep can make for a difficult morning.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, side effects of sleep deprivation include lack of concentration, attention deficits, longer reaction times, distractibility, lack of coordination, poor decision-making, increased errors and forgetfulness.
Name: Julie Erickson
Title: Administrative Coordinator
Hometown: Hastings, Nebraska
Where did you work prior to joining CYFS? What was your role there, and what did it entail?
“Prior to joining CYFS, I was employed by Lincoln Public Schools as an executive secretary at a middle school. My duties included administrative support, office management, time and attendance for all certified, office, mentors, paras and substitutes, all instructional purchases, budgets, coordinating class coverage and professional learning.”
