KARA tracks current news about at risk children bringing transparency and attention to our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. This is only a sampling of what should be known – the great majority of child trauma & abuse never gets reported.
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Around the World, Activists Cal for an End to Violence Against Women.
United Nations Population Fund.
An international campaign aims to enable leaders, communities and individuals to help end violence against women. United Nations Population Fund has released a feature highlighting the stories of people who are demanding the end to gender based violence, empowerment, equality and justice. The feature also high lights how everyday people can help make a difference.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/around-world-activists-call-end-violence-against-women-0
Nigeria – “They Would Be Taking Us In As Wives”: Boko Haram Survivors Recount Horrors, Escape.
United Nations Population Fund.
At the very young age of 12 and a half years old, Goggoji and her mother were captured by Boko Haram. Now 15, Goggoji and her 9 month old daughter fianlly managed to escaped the militant group by wandering for three days in the forest. After her previously failed attempts, Goggoji was punished either by reciving 100 lashes or kept in the hot sun for hours. She is not receiving health care and psychological support at a UNFPA supported rehabilitation centre.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/boko-haram-survivors-recount-horrors-escape
Yemen – Families Increasingly Resort to Child Marriage as Yemen’s Conflict Grinds On.
United Nations Populations Fund.
At 13 years old, a young girl was forced to leave school and get married. This is just one of several cases among families Yemen who are forced to to marry off their daughters to poverty and economic desperation. Some parents believe that marrying off their daughters will protect them from violence. Many community members believe that the conflict has made child marriages worse and almost common as a coping mechanism.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/families-increasingly-resort-child-marriage-yemen’s-conflict-grinds
Nigeria – Return of Chibok Girls Highlights Needs of Women and Girls.
United Nations Population Fund.
While the kidnapping of over 7, 000 girls have taken a toll on their own person health, community infrastructure, healthy systems and schools have also experienced the effects of the militant group. Over a million people have fled their homes to escape the militant group Boko Haram. Girls kidnapped and girls in displacement settlements both are at risk as they are vulnerable to sexual violence. UNFPA has deployed counsellors for psychosocial support and provided dignity kits, containing feminine hygiene products, and reproductive health kits as health care services are bleak in displacement settlements.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/return-chibok-girls-highlights-needs-women-and-girls
India – Childline Prevented 94 Child Marriages in Ramnad.
The Hindu.
The District Childline Director states that the Childline has helped the District Child Protection Unit (CPU) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) stopped 94 child marriages compared to 73 the previous year. The CPU and CWC have also reported that they have received 1, 825 calls through the Childline compared to 562 the previous year. In addition to the Childline, the CPU and CWC has increased its educational assistance and counselling to children having problems in school and at home.
Syria -Half a Million Children Live Under Siege in Syria.
UNICEF.
Almost 500, 000 million Syrian children are cut off from sustained humanitarian aids and basic services. The constant and incessant air strikes leaves these children too scared to go to school or even play. The lack of safe spaces makes it even more difficult for children to live a “normal” childhood.
https://www.unicef.org/media/media_93417.html
Africa – HIV Treatment Soars, but Young African Women Suffer : UN.
Yahoo News.
Despite the increase number of HIV infected people taking anti-retroviral medicine, a UNAIDS reports states that young women face a higher risk, as more than 7, 500 teenagers and young women every week last year became infected with HIV. While this takes place across Canada, these numbers are concentrated in South Africa.
Syria – With High Child Marriage Rates Among Syrian Refugees, One Girl Takes a Stand.
United Nations Population Fund.
Many Syrian families have fled to Lebanon for safety, but young Syrian girls face a further danger in the form of child marriages. Families believe that their daughters are safer when married but the reality is that they have sexual assault and abuse. A 12 year old girl was engaged but she fought her parents and her engagement was eventually ended. Although now she is attending youth programs raising awareness as a youth leader, many people of her community consider her divorced .
http://www.unfpa.org/news/child-marriage-rates-soar-among-syrian-refugees-one-girl-takes-stand
U.K. – FA ‘Pulled All Funding’ From Child Protection Project.
BBC News.
An internal review was slated to investigate the Football Association after allegations of sexual abuse. The study was to also review the state of child protection across all clubs. After the resignation of the FA chief executive, funding was pulled and the project was closed down three years before it was due to complete its work. The study faced considerable backlash and resistance from members of the organization.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38145061
Canada – Q&A: Former B.C. Child Protection Worker Opens Up About ‘Understaffed’ Ministry.
CBC News.
A former child protection worker comments on how being understaffed impacted the quality of relationships she was able to build with families. She further comments on the difficulty in finding a balance between policing families and supporting families. The former child protection worker also answer questions concerning the state of child protection services for Indigenous families.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/former-child-protection-worker-q-a-1.3854327
India – Nobel Laureate: Lack of Budget Hurts India’s Efforts to Protect Children.
VOA News.
Despite having one of the world’s highest levels of children affected by malnourishment, harsh labour, and sexual offences, government spending is failing as these issues receive the lowest budgetary allocation. While legislation has been passed for the protection of child education and various welfare systems have been put in place to curtail abductions and infanticide, among other issues, the actual implementation is lacking and the issues have seen little to no services.
India – SC Issues Notice to Centre Over Black Magic Murder by Asaram, Son.
Zee News.
Some witnesses and victims in rape cases in India have either died or gone missing. The families of the victims petition for stricter witness protection programs.
India – Rehabilitation of Rescued Children Major Concern.
The Times of India.
In great news hundreds of children have been rescued under a police operation in India. What is of concern is the rehabilitation of the children after they are reunited with their families. Many times, especially in cases of girls, when the children return they are insulted and suffer humiliation.
India – Sexual Assault: School’s Role Under Administration Scanner.
The Times of India.
Despite receiving formal complaints, school teachers did not take any steps in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old girl. Keeping in mind the girl’s safety, the parents of the child wished to shift her to another school. Soon after the complaint, the school’s principal, in partnership with other members of an internal grievance association, have held a meeting to discuss the issue. Previously the school had refuted the allegations.
Can Gordon Brown Save a Generation of Syrian Children.
UN Dispatch.
Former British Prime Minister takes on the Syrian refugee crisis as the UN Special Envoy for Global Education. Brown announced a major influx of funding that is promises to countries that are taking in refugees, such as Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. The aim of the humanitarian funding is to increase refugee children’s access to quality education. Brown outlined four points as to how and why the international community can bring some hope to families in the thick of the conflict.
http://www.undispatch.com/can-gordon-brown-save-a-generation-of-syrian-children/
This 16-year-old Afghan Boy Fled to Europe but Experienced Horror On the Way.
Un Dispatch.
A short video on one boy’s journey from Iran to Europe. With the blessings of his parents, this 16-year0old boy hopes to find education and work.
http://www.undispatch.com/a-brave-afghan-tells-his-story-of-fleeing-to-europe-video/
Africa – SADC Model Law Key Step Towards Ending Child Marriages.
The Zimbabwean.
A new model aimed at ending child marriages, provides guidance at all levels of the decision making process. Parliamentarians, ministries of justice and policy makers will work together to implement practical legislations that are necessary to fight child marriage and to provide education, through media, to civil society on the issue of child marriage. Adopting this new model further gives courts greater authority when dealing issues related to child marriages.
http://thezimbabwean.co/2016/11/sadc-model-law-key-step-towards-ending-child-marriages/
Africa – Ending Child Brides: Advocate for More Women as Community Leaders.
The Zimbabwean.
Women in positions of authority play a key role in treating and preventing issues that girl children face, for example child marriages. A US registered international NGO aims at raising awareness of the issue and training women so that they can have the independent agency to engage in local community politics. Involving them will most likely have a positive impact on the way girl children are treated and how the issues they face are managed. These empowerment programs are part of a greater global effort to end child marriages.
http://thezimbabwean.co/2016/11/ending-child-brides-advocate-women-community-leaders/
The Power of 10: Ten Astonishing Facts About 10 Year Old Girls.
United Nations Population Fund.
The fact of gender discrimination puts the welfare of girls at greater risk as they face issues such as child marriages, violence, and having to drop out of school. As more countries realize the state of social development, 17 sustainable development goals have been adopted by the UN with the aim of having a real impact on the welfare of girls. This articles looks at 10 facts that illustrate how the welfare of girls are at stake.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/power-10-ten-astonishing-facts-about-10-year-old-girls
Australia – ‘I want death’: Nauru Files Chronicle Despair of Asylum Seeker Children.
The Guardian.
Child asylum seekers make multiple attempts at self-harm as they are under constant surveillance and subjected to assault and abuse while in Nauru’s detention centres. Save the Children case workers warn of troubling signs, such as young boys and girls sitting on the laps of guards, children writing disturbing messages in their notebooks, and some children showing signs of highly sexualized behaviour. Save the Children have made several attempts at warning the Australian immigration department of not sending children to the Nauru detention centre, but the government continues to do so.
If the 65 Million Refugees Were a Country, This is What it Would Look Like.
UN Dispatch.
A Save the Children report illustrates how much the international community is failing the 65 million refugees, half of which are children. As a country these refugees would would be the fastest growing population, the 4th lowest primary school attendance and have increasing rates of child marriages despite the practices decreasing globally. While the refugee crisis is looked at as a humanitarian issue and treated with humanitarian funds, the report argues that more investment for the future needs to be made rather than short term band-aid solutions. The refugee crisis of Syria is not the only one that the world faces, many countries, including South Sudan, Afghanistan. Nigeria and Myanmar, also produce refugee flows.
http://www.undispatch.com/65-million-refugees-country-look-like/
No Group Illustrates the Potential Impact of Long Term Refugee Status like Palestinians.
UN Dispatch.
School buildings face physical damage and educational services are interrupted as conflict continues in several countries. If schools are not set up, just as clinics and and hospitals are, generations of children will go without any type of education. As in the example of Palestinian refugees, they have held the status of global refugee for 77 years while the average is 16. The UNRWA operates development programs in areas impacted by conflict, but the conflicts increasingly threaten the ability for these programs to operate, resulting in serious negative long term implications for the local community.
Sierra Leone – Ebola-Hit Children in Sierra Leone Go Hungry Amid Food Shortages: Charity.
Reuters Africa.
Food shortages hit children and their families as they feel the effects of Ebola. Teenage orphans are forced to drop out of school so that they can look after their young siblings. On top of having to take on heavy responsibilities at such a young age, the food shortages and soaring food prices make it difficult for these children to find safe and nutritious food to eat.
Palestine – 2 Palestinian Clowns Offer Relief to Kids in Gaza Hospitals.
Al Arabiya English.
Some comic relief comes to children with chronic illnesses in hospitals in the Gaza Strip. The clowns share a special connection with the children as they try to break down the barrier between the children and doctors caused by fear that traumatizing air strikes brought.
Iraq – Over a Million Children Living Under ISIS in Iraq Have Missed Out on Education: Save the Children.
Relief Web.
As Iraqi forces fight to regain control over ISIS controlled cities, civilian families have been displaced and children have been forced to learn from an ISIS curriculum. Parents have warned of the extremist tendencies of the curriculum, aimed at brainwashing children to turn them into fighters. The children receive little to no beneficial formal education.
Myanmar – UN Calls on Myanmar to Allow Aid Into Muslim-Majority Area.
VOA News.
The Rohingya Muslim minority group in Myanmar has long face systemic persecution and, after the attacks along the Myanmar’s border with Bangladesh, children face the burnt of the consequences. The community’s access to food, other aid and essential services have been cut off and coverage from foreign journalists has been scarce because of the government barring them from the area. Residents and human rights monitors have also warned of extra judicial killings, rape and arbitrary arrests.
What Is It About Religion That Fosters Abuse?
Vice.
A report reveals over a thousand alleged incidents of abuse of children and adults, 25% of a sexual nature, dating back to the 1950s, involving Ministers and lay people. Sadly, many have come to believe that the sexual abuse of children in religion, particularly Catholic churches, is common and not rare. Sexual and other abuse of children; however, is not specific to Catholicism alone, other religious institutions, for example Islamic religious schools and Orthodox Jewish communities, have also been cited to face allegations of abuse to children
http://www.vice.com/read/child-abuse-and-the-church-666
How Malaysia Allows Child Abuse to Go Unpunished.
South China Morning Post.
While some cases of child sexual abuse result in convictions, there is no transparency between the government and public on the details of the convictions. Officials claim the possibility of misinterpretation as the reason why statistics and other details are not published publicly. Furthermore, child rights advocates hold weak policing and child protection laws answerable for low conviction rates and ineffective and inadequate investigations into cases.
Sri Lanka – Over 10,000 Abuse Cases Reported Last Year in Sri Lanka.
Colombo Page.
Sri Lanka’s National Child Protection Authority has reported that in 2015 over two thousand of its total complaints were related to cruelty to children, including sexual harassment, rape and neglect. The Colombo District was stated to be the district which received the highest number of complaints.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_16A/Jan26_1453794816CH.php
Ghana – World Bank Loan to Subsidize Ghana School Project.
VOA News.
Funds are being funnelled into Ghana to build community high schools and to create scholarships for poor students living in rural communities. Also, a portion of the funds will go to the distribution of sanitary pads; it has been found that the school attendance among girls improved when there was the provision of free sanitary pads, as the number of days they were absent decreased. As girls reach puberty, a significant number of them drop out of school. Overtime the rate of enrolment of girls in school has diminished greatly.
Lebanon – Laughter With a Cause: Clowns Helping Syrian Kids Smile Again.
The Star Online.
Clowns Without Borders, an international non-profit organization, brings a ray of joy to the otherwise sadden lives of Syrian refugee children. After making the children laugh and seeing the joy on their faces, skeptical doctors and of aid workers now welcome the presence of Clowns Without Borders. The group as also visited other countries struck by disasters, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Haiti.
Syria – 6 Children Killed After Syrian Forces ‘Shelled Nursery’ Near Damascus.
International Business Times.
A girl’s nursery was targeted by the Syrian government in an attack they state was meant to only target militants. The Syrian government and its Russian allies point to militants for the blame and responsibility over civilian casualties.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/6-children-killed-after-syrian-forces-shelled-nursery-near-damascus-1590137
India – Swipe to Report Child Abuse: App Launched in India to Rein In Crime.
Yahoo News.
A western state in India is taking advantage of the use of smartphones and phone applications by creating an application through which people can register complaints of sexual abuse and distress. The complaints would be directed straight to state’s Child Rights Commission who would the forward the complaints to the police or a child rights charity. The aim is to make reporting issues more relatable and accessible, after at least 12 girls were alleged to have been sexually abused at a boarding school for tribal children.
Afghanistan – US Air Strikes Kill 30 Afghan Civilians, Officials Say.
Yahoo News.
Tensions run high after the deaths of two American soldiers and the subsequent deaths of at least 30 Afghan civilians, including children as young as three months old who were maimed and killed. In years of trying to curtain the Taliban’s insurgency, US and NATO-backed Afghan forces have received clear impassioned criticism from the Afghan public yet, airstrikes continues killing hundreds if not thousands or civilians.
Iraq – Tribal Militia Torturing Detainees in Mosul Offensive: Amnesty.
Yahoo News.
Revenge attacks have been carried out against boys who have been suspected of having ties to IS. It is suspected that tribal militia members have tortured boys by beating them with metal rods and administering electric socks. The rationale of the militia members is to securing justice, truth and reparation for victims of IS crimes.
Congo – Sexual Slavery Ride in Democratic Republic of the Congo, says MSF.
The Guardian.
Men, women and children are kidnapped from villages and held as sex slaves or forced to work in mines, for months at a time. They are repeatedly tortured and/or raped on a daily basis, in front of parents, husbands or relatives.
Nigeria – 100 Days Later, Nigerian Girls Still Held.
VOA News.
The Boko Haram insurgency has brought war and death to many parts of Nigeria. One of the most outraged crime of the terrorist group is their kidnapping of more than 200 hundred girls from a schoolhouse two years ago. To this day, the Nigerian army has said they have freed 97 girls but fight still continues to free the remaining girls.
http://www.voanews.com/a/nigeria-rallies-100-day-captivity-chibok-girls/1963498.html
Bangladesh – Church Officials Decry Child Rape in Bangladesh.
UCA News.
Church officials accredit a rise in child rape to instability caused by moral degradation, an inadequate judicial system and a lack of strong child protection legislation. Church officials criticize the government for its lack of will and society for its indifference to the crisis of child rape.
http://www.ucanews.com/news/church-officials-decry-child-rape-in-bangladesh/77491
India – Ban Children From Dangerous Religious Rituals, Says India Commission
Channel News Asia.
A 13 year old girl dies due to cardiac arrest after she participated in a religious Jain 68 day fast of surviving only on water. Some activist call for the teenage girl’s parents to be charged with murder, as it is likely her parents had pressured her into participating in the fast. Child rights activist look to spiritual leaders to take initiative to ensure children are not harmed when participating in religious rituals.
Canada – 5 Myths and Facts About Ontario’s Updated Sex Education Curriculum.
Huffington Post.
Ontario’s Premier, Kathleen Wynne, introduced a new sexual education curriculum which has stirred great controversy among parents, with some arguing that the curriculum is too advanced and inappropriate for children. Misconceptions and misinformation has been circulated amongst parents about the curriculum, making animosity even greater amongst parents. Here are some common myths about the new curriculum.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/karyn-pickles/ontario-sex-education-curriculum-update_b_6746012.html
Canada – Some Progress, but Helping Kids Has Stalled, Says Former Saskatchewan Child Advocate.
The Star Phoenix.
A former Saskatchewan child advocate argues that the government is making decisions that are worsening the problems vulnerable children and families are facing. He points to the budget where programs for autism and and other vulnerable children see no progress in its development and funding. The Canadian child welfare system on the whole receives criticism for not addressing current and long term issues.
U.K. – Child Protection Services Judged ‘Unsatisfactory and Inconsistent.’
The Guardian.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has criticized the British government for their inconsistent and lack of delivery on initiatives and promises to improve child protection services. One main area of improvement is a financial investment to make caseloads for social workers more manageable, as there are inconsistencies in the number of cases that social workers handle. An appropriate amount is cited as being 10 to 14 case, while many others are cited to have as much as 35 cases.
Canada – New Democrats Try to Force Government Action on First Nations Child Welfare.
CBC News.
As suicide deaths among First Nations Children are raising alarms, the New Democrats Party (the NDP) is calling on Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to follow the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal’s (HRT) findings. The Canadian HRT finds that the government has failed to deliver adequate child welfare services to First Nations children, and makes compliance orders to the Liberals to act. When questioned and pressed for answers by the NDP Leader, Tom Mulcair, Trudeau gave no solid commitments for a plan of action.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/ndp-government-action-first-nations-child-welfare-1.3822109
U.K. New Law Will Let Councils Opt Out of Child Protection Rules.
The Independent.
The Children and Social Work Bill gives local councils the ability to opt-out of enforcing child care and support, for cheaper solutions. There is a possibility that opting out of legal duties and enforcing these cheaper solutions may be approved without parliamentary debate or vote. The new solutions may allow certain companies to profit from the care of vulnerable children and their families while charities and non-profits may suffer a significant loss.
Haiti – For Out-of-School Children in Haiti, Education Cannot Wait.
Huffington Post.
Initial confirmed figures put more than 100, 000 children in need of great assistance as 300 schools were severely affected by Hurricane Mathew. Haiti’s Education Minister; however, states that these numbers may likely be higher than what is actually confirmed and reported. At current levels, less than 2% of aid received goes towards education in emergency situations, and many argue for a greater amount to go towards rebuilding education as children now have no where to turn for education. An emergency aid platform, Education Can’t Wait, has been created to aid in the collection and circulation of aid dollars toward education.
Haiti – Traffickers Likely to Prey on Kids in Haiti After Hurricane Mathew: Report.
The Huffington Post.
Hurricane Mathew has intensified the risk children face in Haiti of being targeted by human traffickers, as the hurricane has separated thousands of children from their families and has forced children to be evacuated from orphanages. Traffickers have approached the vulnerable children and offered them enticing opportunities to make money for themselves and/or families. Subsequently, the children face gender based violence and forced labour.
Australia – No Excuse for Child Abuse Bungle: Brad Hazzard.
The Daily Telegraph.
An Australian Family and Community Service Minister came down on his own department for several major concerns over a centralized help line where child abuse cases are reported to the department. A police officer was put on hold for twelve hors and a government aid worker was also put on hold for ten hours the same day, after both persons were trying to report a suspected child abuse case, while there is meant to only be a three minute wait.
Haiti – Helping Haiti’s Children in Face of Islands’s Despair.
The Independent.
Children face diseases, a lack of education and abuse or neglect in the aftermath of Hurricane Mathew. UNICEF Ireland takes action to combat the emergency the thousands of children face.
300 Million Children Are Living With Toxic Air Pollution, UNICEF Says.
Time.
UNICEF director says that the poor level of outdoor air pollution can lead to permanent damage to the development of not only of children’s lungs but also their brains, threatening the future lives of millions of children.
http://time.com/4551183/air-pollution-children-exposed-toxic-levels-unicef/
India – One Lakh Kids Died of Factors Linked to Air Pollution in 2012, Says UNICEF Study.
The Indian Express.
India holds a top stop among the countries where levels of indoor and outdoor pollution are endangering the lives of millions of children. According to a UN report, South Asia has 620 million children living in areas with the highest indoor air pollution, in comparison with Africa, East Asia, and Pacific region. Both India and China ranks amongst the highest.
In Haiti, Children Are the Most Vulnerable.
USA Today.
Even before the recent earthquake, thousands of Haitian children lived in underfunded orphanages or group homes. After the earthquake, the number of children orphaned, poor, underfed and under-schooled has undoubtedly increased and thousands more have been confirmed dead. The psychological harm that has resulted from the devastation has even greater potential and real harm.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-01-24-haiti-children_N.htm
Haiti – Going to School in Haiti After the Earthquake.
The Guardian.
International aid money and agencies work together with government consent to provide health care, food, shelter and education to children and families displaced by the recent earthquake. The kindergarten classes offered by the camp is often the first exposure to education for many children. A major problem the camps face is clearing teaching tools and materials, i.e. tables, chairs, books, through customs. As a consequence, these makeshift classrooms at not operating to full capacity.
The rest of Haiti face the problem of schools closing down due to a lack of funding, particularly to pay schoolteachers.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2010/may/31/haiti-earthquakes-schools-trauma
Canada – Sask. First Nations Facing ‘State of Crisis’ After 4 Youth Suicides.
CBC News.
As the Indigenous community of northern Saskatchewan mourns the suicide deaths of three girls, ages 12 to 14, they receive news of another girl, age 10, who has also taken her own life. After the death of these girls within one month, the community has declared a state of crisis. While the chiefs of the community are taking steps to prevent further suicide deaths, they are requesting officials to make an immediate investment in community affairs and mental health support to inclusively and holistically address issues prominent in the Indigenous communities.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/call-to-improve-indigenous-health-care-1.3813212
Ending Forced Childbirth in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Thomson Reuters Foundation News.
Highlighting the case of an 11 year old girl who become pregnant after she was raped at the age of 10. Her case highlights the life altering mental and physical effects common among young girls in the Caribbean and Latin America, where pregnancies caused by sexual abuse is high.
http://news.trust.org/item/20160407143543-n7jvp
UNICEF: Air Pollution Kills 600, 000 Children Yearly.
CNN.
A UN climate change conference in Marrakech, Morocco has cited air pollution has as a cause which leads to more deaths than malaria and HIV/AIDS, combined. Air pollution exacerbated causes and/or exacerbates diseases among both born and unborn children, particularly in low and middle income countries. UNICEF outlines four steps they hope world leaders will take.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/30/health/air-pollution-children-unicef/
Cambodia – Virginity for Sale: Inside Cambodia’s Shocking Trade.
The Guardian.
Systemic poverty and gender inequality fuels the fire of sexual exploitation in Cambodia.
Those participating in the virgin trade, elite men, mothers, fathers, friends and neighbours, often believing what they are doing is not considered human trafficking or sex trafficking, perhaps, because there are elements of culture sprinkled throughout the narrative of the virgin trade. As a result, few organizations take up an active role in highlighting the issues and official statistics are hard to come by.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/06/virginity-for-sale-cambodia-sex-trade
Syria Conflict: UN Urges Inquiry Into Deadly Air Strike on School.
BBC News.
Yet another air strike in Syria has hit a school, killing more than 20 children. The various parties in the Syrian war, i.e. Russia, Syria and rebel forces, are assigning responsibility to others and no one party has specifically claimed responsibility themselves. The nature of this attack, and the frequency of such attacks, are now raising alarms among UN officials as the future of Syrian children is becoming bleak.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37794362
Canada – Suicide of Sixth Aboriginal Girl in Province This Month “Unspeakably Tragic,” Brad Wall Says.
The National Post.
The suicide deaths of young indigenous children in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan is sparking attention of local government officials and community members. Officials and community members call on the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, to develop and implement a long term strategy to deal with this crisis and reaffirm his commitment to working with Aboriginal communities.
Britain. – Calais Child Refugees: UK Government Needs Less Hysteria and More Support.
ODI.
As the infamous Calais refugee camp is dismantled, an attempt by the British government is made to reunite some of the child refugees with their families in Britain. However, media outlets are creating an atmosphere of outrage against the the government. Citizens are questioning the age of unaccompanied children and are questioning the need to really bring these children to Britain.
U.K. – Keep an Eye Out for Signs of Child Sexual Exploitation, Public Transport Passengers Told.
The Bolton News.
Authorities urge public transport users to contact police or transport staff if they see signs that may suggest a child is being sexually exploited. Authorities state that children who have been sexually exploited take public transportation to get to meetings with offenders. This is part of a greater effort to raise awareness within the community and curb exploitation on the streets. By having more people aware and on the look out for signs, the hope is to deter and disrupt offenders.
U.K. – Teach Children About Pornography Before Puberty, Says Labour.
The Guardian.
Age appropriate sexual education has been proposed in an attempt to get ahead of children accessing sexually explicit materials for themselves. The idea is to teach children the reality and context of pornography to keep them safe from abusive relationships and to clear up misconceptions as children are often turning to pornography as a teaching tool. In the age of technology, some say the statutory sexual education needs to be updated keeping in mind the digital age.
U.K. – ‘Violent and Degrading’ Asian Sex Gang Guilty of Raping and Sexually Exploiting Teen Girls in Rotherham.
Mirror.
8 men were convicted of rape, indecent assault and false imprisonment. After coming forward, the main applicant asked police to drop the case after her family was subject to threats and intimidation by the gang, which prompted the family to move from their home to Spain. Years after the applicant reaffirmed the allegations to the police leading to the conviction of the 8 men. A detective on the case urges other victims to come forward with the promise of listening and providing support.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/eight-men-guilty-sexually-exploiting-9063768
Cambodia – The Women who Sold Their Daughters into Sex Slavery.
CNN.
After receiving certificates confirming their virginity, young girls are handed off to men or brothels where they are repeatedly raped over a stretch of time, for example for a 6 month period. Many of the young girls are sold by their mothers, with the mothers explaining that they are doing so out of economic necessity. While the virgin trade is thought to be prominent in the big cities of Cambodia, in smaller outer city shantytowns, where poverty is ramped, families often sell their young virgin daughters to to earn money so that the family can pay off debts or to pay for basic necessities.
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/12/world/cambodia-child-sex-trade/
France’s Straggling ‘Jungle’ Migrants Await Fate.
Yahoo News.
France has dissolved the operation of the Calais refugee camp, i.e. tearing it down and relocating migrants to shelters across France. Yet, there are several people, including unaccompanied minors, left behind with no where to go. Aid groups estimates these numbers to actually be greater than what authorities claim them to be. Hundreds of unaccompanied minors await their futures in a camp reserved for minors.
Easy Currency: Poverty and Abuse in Cambodia’s ‘Virginity Trade.”
The Independent.
Out of economic necessity a mother sold her daughter to a former British government advisor for a week for $750. This man had repeatedly raped and abused this little girl and was later convicted. The young girl’s virginity was part of the package that was being bought and sold. While the virgin trade is popular in the main city among rich business men and prominent officials, the practice has spread to other parts of the country where both men and women play a role in facilitating the virgin trade.
Canada – ‘They’re Not Just Statistics. Our Little Girls Are Dying’: FSIN Vice-Chief.
CBC News.
6 girls, with the youngest being 10 years old, from the Indigenous community have committed suicide since early October. Community leaders call on Provincial Ministers to commit to long term solutions to address immediate needs and systemic inequities, including mental health, education and poverty, among the youth of Indigenous communities. Leaders point to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations for a plan of action.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/northern-sask-suicide-1.3830223
Liberia – Free School Meals a Recipe For Success for Young Learners in Liberia.
The Guardian.
Many factors, including food insecurity, epidemic type diseases and poverty, often interrupts a child education in Liberia. Students often cannot complete their education and write their exams because they cannot afford the fees. While trying to scrape up money to pay school fees, feeding the children ends up falling low on the priority list making learning difficult for many children. International organizations have stepped in to supplement the minimal school budgets and provide vitamin enriched nutritious meals.
Australia: Child Protection Systems Royal Commission: SA commits $432 million to changes
ABC Online – November 29, 2016
Premier Jay Weatherill told Parliament the Government had accepted 196 of the 260 recommendations from the final report handed down in August.
India: Bengal To Introduce Strict Adoption Rules To Prevent Child Trafficking
Indo-Asian News Service – November 30, 2016
In an attempt to stop child trafficking, the West Bengal government has decided to step up vigilance of the state’s orphanages and ensure police verification of the adopters before they are given a child’s custody, a minister said on Tuesday.
International: SOS Children’s Villages and partners outline priorities to protect young migrants
ReliefWeb – November 29, 2016
SOS Children’s Villages is joining 77 other organisation in urging the European Commission and EU member states to step up protections of migrant and refugee children.
United Kingdom: Police launch probe into claims of historic child abuse within Scottish football
Scottish Daily Record – November 30, 2016
Police Scotland have confirmed they have received reports in connection with historic child abuse within football.
Also: Could UK football scandal trigger similar child abuse revelations in Ireland?: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/could-uk-football-scandal-trigger-similar-child-abuse-revelations-in-ireland-766313.html
Also: UK asks sporting bodies to do more to protect children from abuse: http://www.firstpost.com/world/uk-asks-sporting-bodies-to-do-more-to-protect-children-from-abuse-reuters-3130918.html
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/police-launch-probe-claims-historic-9359892
Kenya: Families advised on using officially Registered agencies for children adoption
Kenya News Agency – November 29, 2016
Potential families wishing to adopt children in Kiambu County have been advised to do so through legal foster care agencies. Speaking during preparation meeting to mark Adoption Day at Karuri primary school in Banana on Monday, Deputy Children County Coordinator, Ms. Jane Kabiro said there are only 6 registered foster care Agencies in the country.
US: Applying Safety Science to Child Welfare (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – November 28, 2016
Since 2007, when MITRE launched its research focus on aviation safety, there have been only two fatal accidents involving U.S. commercial air carriers on domestic soil, a 67 percent reduction compared to the previous ten years. Could this same level of success be possible in the child welfare system?
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/opinion/applying-safety-science-child-welfare/23063
US: Report: Benefits of Early Care and Education for Children in the Child Welfare System
Chronicle of Social Change – November 25, 2016
The Administration for Children and Families, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released a new report titled “Benefits of Early Care and Education for Children in the Child Welfare System.” The report points to recent research showing that children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of child maltreatment and neglect and says there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that early care and education (ECE) may improve child safety and well-being among children involved in the child welfare system.
Information Gateway resource: Early Childhood Programs: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/prevention-programs/earlychildhood/ec-programs/
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: Commission Report: Jehovah’s Witnesses Do Not Adequately Protect Kids from Child Abuse
Patheos – November 28, 2016
For well over a year now in Australia, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been investigating child abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, even holding widely covered hearings in the summer of 2015. The culmination of that investigation – a lengthy report documenting their findings – was just released today? and the Witnesses do not come out looking good.
Canada: National Chief Bellegarde Presses Federal Government to Comply with Human Rights Tribunal Order: “Our Children Cannot Wait”
Morning Star – November 23, 2016
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde has filed a motion with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) to once again push Canada to take action to address the Tribunal’s January 2016 ruling that Canada is discriminating against First Nations children in its provision of First Nations child and family services.
France: & Democratic Republic of the Congo: France suspends international adoption from DRC citing irregularities
AfricaNews – November 25, 2016
“It is a difficult decision but one which, due to inadequate legal and ethical safeguards for adoption in that country, was deemed imperative,” a statement form the French Foreign Affairs Ministry read. France added that even though it took into account the legitimate expectations of families wishing to adopt, it also had a duty to “as a matter of priority, ensure the best interests of the children concerned and comply with its international obligations under the Hague Convention.”
France: Charity: A third of minors missing after Calais closure (Includes video)
Al Jazeera – November 24, 2016
Refugee Youth Service said on Wednesday that it could not locate a third of the 179 child migrants it had been tracking since authorities bulldozed the Jungle, home to up to 10,000 people fleeing war or poverty in the Middle East and Africa. The fate of children staying in the squalid camp where migrants converged in the hope of making it across to Britain has been a political problem for the UK government.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/charity-minors-missing-calais-closure-161124095000924.html
International: Why is it so expensive to adopt a child?
Washington Post – November 28, 2016
Across the world, there are thousands of children in need of homes. In America, there are thousands of families looking for children to adopt. Sounds like a match made in heaven, right? Until you look at the price tag.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/11/28/why-is-it-so-expensive-to-adopt-a-child/
Lebanon: World: Community workers’ guide to understanding gender-based violence and child protection basic concepts
Relief Web – November 07, 2016
In February 2015, The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) field office in Lebanon conducted a rapid needs assessment with Women Program Centers (WPCs) and Palestine refugee women in eight Palestinian refugee camps to identify capacity-building needs of community based organizations (CBOs) working with Palestine refugee communities in Lebanon.
United Kingdom: My child was nearly adopted – here’s why adoption targets are wrong (Opinion)
Community Care – November 28, 2016
Last week the Transparency Project, an organisation which seeks to promote the transparency of proceedings within the family courts, published findings from a Freedom of Information request into adoption targets. It found: “Significant numbers of councils in England are setting local numerical targets for how many children (or what percentage of their care population) should be adopted from care”.
US: Five states struggle with surging numbers of foster children
Associated Press – November 24, 2016
The number of U.S. children in foster care is climbing after a sustained decline, but just five states account for nearly two-thirds of the recent increase. Reasons range from creation of a new child-abuse hotline to widespread outrage over the deaths of children who’d been repeatedly abused. Addictions among parents are another major factor.
http://wjtv.com/2016/11/24/five-states-struggle-with-surging-numbers-of-foster-children/
US: Investigation: Child identity theft may go unnoticed for years, ruining credit history
KBAK – November 23, 2016
Imagine having a bad credit report before you’re old enough to read. While identity theft is well known to strike adults, few realize that children are vulnerable victims of having their identities stolen resulting in their credit history being compromised before they even hit their teens.
US: HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Helps End Youth Homelessness
Citiesspeak – November 22, 2016
Across the country, local, state and national initiatives are working to end youth homelessness, and many recognize the essential role of law enforcement and juvenile justice agencies in these efforts.
US: Olympic Gymnastics Doctor Arraigned for Sex Abuse
NBC News – November 22, 2016
Former Michigan State University and Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar was arraigned Tuesday for criminal sexual conduct with a child younger than 13. WILX’s Susan El Khoury reports.
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/olympic-gymnastics-doctor-arraigned-for-sex-abuse-815691843798
INTERNATIONAL
Turkey: Controversial Bill Withdrawn That Eased Penalties On Child Sexual Abuse
National Public Radio – November 22, 2016
Turkey has tabled a controversial measure by the ruling party that would have allowed some sexual abusers of children to escape prison time if they married their victims. The bill was sharply criticized by opposition parties and human rights groups.
Vietnam: Over 14500 children get adopted in 2011-2015
VietNamNet Bridge – November 25, 2016
Up to 14,539 Vietnamese children were adopted in 2011-2015, with 12,768 fostered domestically and the remainder lived with foreign foster families, said the Justice Ministry’s Department of Adoption.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/167560/over-14-500-children-get-adopted-in-2011-2015.html
US: Adopting Kids with Medical Needs: The Better Part of Sainthood
Healthzette – November 21, 2016
From babies born to drug-addicted moms to those abandoned because of their special needs, many young children don’t just need parents – they need someone who can go the extra mile for them and provide medical, emotional, and post-traumatic care.
http://www.lifezette.com/healthzette/adopting-kids-with-medical-needs-better-part-sainthood/
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: Mason Jet Lee: Child protection staff stood down over ‘errors of judgement’ after report into toddler’s death
ABC Online Australia – November 23, 2016
Twelve protection staff facing disciplinary action for “errors of judgement” leading up to the death of Caboolture toddler Mason Jet Lee should not be made scapegoats for what is a flawed system, a union has said.
Australia: NT child abuse reports skyrocketing, children’s commissioner report shows
ABC Online Australia – November 23, 2016
Almost 1,800 children have been abused or neglected in just one year in the Northern Territory, and Territory Families failed to protect almost a quarter of them from more abuse, a new report has revealed.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-23/nt-child-abuse-reports-skyrocketing-new-report-shows/8050668
Canada: Chief urges child-welfare ‘partnership’ between governments, First Nations
Globe and Mail – November 22, 2016
Any changes to the way indigenous children receive government care must be part of a co-operative effort between the federal and provincial governments and First Nations, says the author of a report released in B.C. this week that called for an overhaul of the current system.
BC commits to indigenous control of child welfare after release of report: http://aptn.ca/news/2016/11/22/b-c-commits-to-indigenous-control-of-child-welfare-after-release-of-report/
Canada: MNAs studying bill to modernize adoption laws
Montreal Gazette – November 22, 2016
Currently, there is much secrecy around adoptions in Quebec; no information can be exchanged between adoptees and their birth parents unless both parties consent.
http://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/quebec-mnas-studying-bill-to-modernize-adoption-laws
Japan: Osaka group launches ‘easy-matching’ baby adoption website
Japan Times – November 23, 2016
A nonprofit organization in Osaka recently launched what it touts as an easy-matching adoption website, triggering criticism from experts that adoptions should be made more carefully.
United Kingdom: Leading barrister: Child abuse inquiry has ‘crumbled'”(Includes video)
BBC – November 22, 2016
A number of lawyers have expressed concerns over the leadership and direction of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse which has been charged with investigating allegations of child sexual abuse in a wide range of institutions from the Anglican and Catholic churches to Westminster.
Abuse inquiry ‘is gagging the lawyers who resigned’: New secrecy row after accusation staff were stopped from talking to MPs about why they quit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3959232/Abuse-inquiry-gagging-lawyers-resigned-New-secrecy-row-accusation-staff-stopped-talking-MPs-quit.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38059845
US: Illegal immigrants pose as families, tell tales of woe to gain entry to U.S.
Washington Times – November 21, 2016
That is one of the tactics feeding the surge of illegal immigrants in recent months, which the Border Patrol’s intelligence unit says was part of a pre-election rush to try to get into the country. The U.S. set records for illegal immigrant children and families in fiscal year 2016 and is on pace to break those records one month into fiscal year 2017.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/21/illegal-immigrants-pose-as-families-tell-tales-of-/
US: Kids Can Thrive with Gay Parents
Psychology Today – November 21, 2016
None of the outcome measures showed any difference between families headed by gay versus straight parents. Children’s behavior problems were no different between these groups, whether behavior was rated by parents or teachers. Parental stress and family functioning were no different between these groups. In sum, there was no evidence whatsoever to suggest that children generally fared better or worse depending on the sexual orientation of their parents.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/adopting-reason/201611/kids-can-thrive-gay-parents
US: Putting Lipstick on the Predictive Analytics Pig (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – November 19, 2016
So the real question is: Would you take a kid away from his mother based solely on the fact that a predictive measure, however unreliable, said there is a 70 percent chance the child would be severely maltreated? Does anyone doubt the answer is yes?
Report: Big data is watching you: Predictive Analytics: The Dangerous New Fad in Child Welfare: http://nccpr.org/reports/bigdata.pdf
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/child-welfare-2/putting-lipstick-predictive-analytics-pig/22913
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: laws will make it easier for child abuse victims to sue for damages (Includes video)
Sydney Morning Herald – November 22, 2016
Child abuse victims will be able to sue for compensation more easily under new laws that will force institutions such as churches and schools to prove steps were taken to protect children under their care.
Belgium: Organization finds foster families for 121 underage refugees
Sina English – November 21, 2016
The organization? which coordinates over 4?000 foster families in Belgium? launched a campaign named “Give the world a home” in September 2015? with the goal of helping unaccompanied underage refugees find foster homes.
http://english.sina.com/news/2016-11-22/detail-ifxxwmws3434133.shtml
India: Children keep disappearing from state-run children’s homes
Deccan Chronicle – November 20, 2016
A recent status check carried out by the Social Justice Department in state-run children’s homes has found that 106 children, 100 boys and six girls, had disappeared from these homes in the last five years.
Malta: ‘Neglected children are owed more than shelter’
Times of Malta – November 19, 2016
Malta needs more foster carers and residential home placements for children, because the time they spend waiting for an available spot can hugely impact their mental development, according to a social work researcher.
Turkey: Turkey should reject child abuse law shielding men who marry from punishment: U.N.
Thomson Reuters Foundation – November 21, 2016
A bill that could allow men accused of sexually abusing girls in Turkey to avoid punishment if they marry their victim would create a climate of impunity for child abuse in the country, U.N. agencies warned on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-politics-law-sexcrimes-idUSKBN13G22K
United Kingdom: Compassion fatigue widespread among foster carers
Phys.org – November 22, 2016
‘No-one told us it was going to be like this’ is the first national study of compassion fatigue in foster carers in England and calls for greater support and understanding of the debilitating effects of caring for some of the most vulnerable children in society. The findings will be submitted to the Government’s Fostering Inquiry, led by the Education Committee, which is expected to examine all evidence in January 2017.
Report: Compassion fatigue in foster carers: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/current/compassion-fatigue-in-foster-carers/
http://phys.org/news/2016-11-compassion-fatigue-widespread-foster-carers.html
US: Parenting Children With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders: How Important Are Pre-Emptive Strategies?
Parent Herald – November 21, 2016
A new study conducted by a research team from the University of Rochester in New York found that educating families and caregivers with children who have fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are ihighly important, PsychCentral reported. The researchers said that parents who attribute their kids’ misbehavior to their FASD tend to use pre-emptive strategies more. These strategies are designed to prevent these children’s negative behaviors.
Also: Best Parenting Strategies for Kids with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: http://psychcentral.com/news/2016/11/20/best-parenting-strategies-for-kids-with-fetal-alcohol-syndrome/112788.html
US: Surge in Illegal Border Crossings Leads US to Open New Facility
ABC News – November 20, 2016
In response to the surge in immigrants crossing along the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) opened a new facility Saturday to help process unaccompanied minors and families. The total number of Border Patrol apprehensions were up by 23 percent in fiscal year 2016 from the year before and family apprehensions nearly doubled. Apprehensions are used as an indicator of total number of attempts to cross the border illegally.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/us-govt-opens-facility-surge-illegal-border-crossings/story?id=43671183
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: ‘Holistic fix’ for Aboriginal kids (Includes video)
West Australian – November 21, 2016
Chief Justice Wayne Martin said dysfunctional families were well known to government agencies and should be the focus of resources. Justice Martin said the issue was pronounced in the Aboriginal population, which made it more complex to deal with but should not deter the State Government from acting.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/33270469/holistic-fix-for-aboriginal-kids/#page1
Bangladesh: The less talked about abuse of children
Bangladesh Daily Star – November 19, 2016
Our culture has a deep-rooted tradition of punishing children harshly. Older generations especially took pride in disciplining their children through caning, flogging and other forms of physical punishment that would supposedly make disciplined, obedient human beings out of errant, rebellious children. Teachers practiced similar methods of corporal punishment in classrooms, the most common of which were slapping students’ palms with rulers and squeezing their fingers together with pens held between them.
http://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/the-less-talked-about-abuse-children-1316995
Finland: Govt apologies to children abused in care centres
Finland Times – November 21, 2016
Family and Social Services Minister Juha Rehula submitted an apology on Sunday to those who have been mistreated under child protective services over the decades. The minister submitted the apology on International Day of Children’s Rights observed by the United Nations.
US: A Question of Outcomes
Stanford Social Innovation Review – November 17, 2016
Across the United States, government officials, social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, and impact investors talk about the need to pursue not just program outputs but “positive outcomes”-results that make a genuine difference in beneficiaries’ lives. They talk about adopting models that are designed to focus attention on such outcomes: public-private partnerships, collective impact projects, pay-for-success (PFS) initiatives. And they talk about rigorously using data to track progress toward a given set of outcomes. But all of this talk presupposes that everyone agrees on the meaning of “positive outcome.”
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/a_question_of_outcomes
US: Homelessness In The U.S. Was Down Slightly Over The Past Year
National Public Radio – November 17, 2016
Overall, almost 550,000 individuals were homeless on a single night earlier this year, according to a new report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. That’s a 3 percent decline from 2015, and continues a downward trend in homelessness over the past few years. The numbers are based on a count conducted in January by communities across the country.
Report: The 2016 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress: https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2016-AHAR-Part-1.pdf Information Gateway resource: Housing & Child Welfare: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/service-array/housing/childwelfare/
US: Ray Perryman: Protecting children pays off in many ways
Denton Record-Chronicle – November 17, 2016
There is no social issue more important than protecting children from abuse and neglect. At present, millions of children in the United States are living in households where abuse occurs
US: Where Are All the Social Workers Going?
Governing – November 17, 2016
Turnover in public-sector jobs is a ubiquitous problem. But when it comes to social services, the problem is particularly painful. One well-known study found that with one caseworker, the chance for a child to achieve a permanent and stable living situation was 74 percent. If a child had two caseworkers in one year, the odds dropped to 17 percent. With three caseworkers, it was a mere 5 percent.
http://www.governing.com/columns/smart-mgmt/gov-social-workers-turnover.html
INTERNATIONAL
Norway: One in three dentists refrained from reporting suspected child neglect or abuse
Dental Tribune International – November 17, 2016
Owing to its good public health system, 98 per cent of Norwegian children between the ages of 3 and 18 regularly see a dentist. Public dental clinics are thus in the unique position to identify cases of possible neglect or abuse in this vulnerable population and notify the authorities. A nationwide survey among 1,200 public dental hygienists and dentists has now examined how often dental professionals actually reported concerns about child welfare to the Norwegian child protection agency, Barnevernet.
United Kingdom: John Swinney accused of letting down survivors of child abuse after refusing to extend remit of inquiry
The Herald – November 17, 2016
The Education Secretary was criticised after he said he would not expand the independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry to cover day schools and youth groups. The four year inquiry will focus on sexual, physical and emotional abuse in foster care, children’s homes, boarding schools and long-term hospital care.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14912529.Historic_abuse_inquiry_remit_will_not_be_expanded/
US: How to Reduce the Use of Chemical Restraints on Foster Children (Opinion)
Youth Today – November 17, 2016
We American taxpayers spend many, many millions of dollars on chemical restraints, also known as antipsychotic medications, that we administer to children in foster care. Why do we do this? How can we bring ourselves to do less of it?
http://youthtoday.org/2016/11/how-to-reduce-the-use-of-chemical-restraints-on-foster-children/
US: Child Welfare Systems Grapple with How to Translate Brain Science into Practice
The Chronicle of Social Change – November 16, 2016
The idea of brain science in child welfare is hardly new but a pair of recent efforts highlight a growing push in the child welfare field to move an influx of findings drawn from the worlds of neuroscience and child development into practice.
Information Gateway resource: Brain/Cognitive Development: Child Abuse & Neglect Impact of Child Abuse on Child Development: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/impact/development/brain/
US: Marijuana may help combat substance abuse, mental health disorders
Medical News Today – November 16, 2016
Contrary to research that suggests marijuana may act as a gateway drug, encouraging the use of other harmful substances, a new study indicates it may have the opposite effect.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314159.php
US: Most of the Top Companies in the U.S. Don’t Guarantee Paid Family Leave
New York Magazine – November 16, 2016
Many people would assume that working for the top companies in the U.S. would guarantee them paid family leave when the time comes. However, a new report uncovered that the majority of major American companies have “inadequate and discriminatory” policies that don’t guarantee time off, and also tend to neglect fathers, adoptive parents, and lower-wage workers.
Report: https://plus.nationbuilder.com/corporate
http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/11/pl-us-report-on-paid-family-leave-at-top-us-companies.html
INTERNATIONAL
Ireland: HSE to reveal today if it will publish foster care abuse reports
Irish Examiner – November 16, 2016
In response to last month’s publication of the state-commissioned Conor Dignam report into alleged foster abuse in Waterford between the mid-1980s and 2013, Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath set a deadline of today for the HSE to publish two previous reports into the scandal.
Japan: Community isolation seen as common factor in Japan’s fatal child abuse cases
The Japan Times – November 17, 2016
Most families that have lost children due to child abuse did not have contacts often with neighbors, a government survey showed Wednesday.
United Kingdom: Child abuse inquiry dubbed ‘a legal Titanic’ after another top lawyer resigns over leadership concerns
The Sun – November 17, 2016
Barrister Aileen McColgan quit over “serious concerns” about its leadership.
US: National Adoption Day Needs to be More Than a PR Stunt (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – November 16, 2016
Overall, I am a strong advocate for adoption. I support numerous organizations spreading the adoption holiday cheer and acknowledge the many hard-working individuals within child welfare. But forgive me if I continue to convey pessimism and transmit sarcasm surrounding the marketing of adoption by both private and public organizations.
US: Children’s Guild foster parent selected as Angels in Adoption honoree
Parkville-Overlea Patch – November 15, 2016
Doreen Moore, a parent in The Children’s Guild’s Treatment Foster Care program, has been selected as a Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) Angels in Adoption honoree.
http://patch.com/maryland/parkville/children-s-guild-foster-parent-selected-angels-adoption-honoree
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: WA Child Protection Department in ‘crisis’ due to funding cuts, staff shortages, union says
ABC Online – November 16, 2016
Western Australia’s child protection sector is facing a “mega-crisis” as funding cuts and staff shortages place workers under increased pressure, a peak union says.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-16/child-protection-department-in-crisis-claims-union/8031542
Canada: New calls for change follow two more deaths of Alberta children who received government care
CBC News – November 15, 2016
In the case of the four-year-old girl, called Marie in the report (which was not her real name), Graff called for changes in the oversight of the kinship care system, which places children in homes where there might be family connections or close relatives.
Russia: Russia-America Adoption Ban: With Trump As President, Russia Might Drop Its Adoption Ban On American Families (Includes video)
International Business Times – November 16, 2016
Under Donald Trump’s presidency, Moscow and the United States might restart talks to overturn the ban on American families adopting Russian children. Russia’s children’s ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova said at a presidential council meeting Tuesday that chances of returning to the negotiating table were significantly higher.
Australia: Now to the issue of alleged abuse and neglect in residential care homes for foster kids (Video)
MSN News – November 15, 2016
Problems in the sector were revealed on last night’s Four Corners program.Here’s part of that investigation.
Kenya: Residents advised to follow legal adoption process
Kenya News Agency – November 14, 2016
Members of the public intending to adopt children from vulnerable backgrounds must strictly follow the prescribed legal process, a children officer has said. Kiambu County Children Coordinator (CCC), Mwambi Mong’are told KNA that child adoption eased burden experienced by orphanages and other people charged with care of the affected children.
http://kenyanewsagency.go.ke/en/residents-advised-to-follow-legal-adoption-process/
Serbia and Kyrgyzstan: Child protection treaties come into force
Marilyn Stowe LLP – November 14, 2016
This month, the 1996 Child Protection Convention became binding in Serbia. Meanwhile, the rules of the 1993 Intercountry Adoption Convention were officially enacted in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan.
http://www.marilynstowe.co.uk/2016/11/14/two-nations-adopt-international-child-protection-treaties/
US: Adoption system needs more transparency: Sharon Broussard (Opinion)
Cleveland Plain Dealer – November 11, 2016
Sometimes birth mothers aren’t told all of their options before they give up their parental rights, she told a rapt but small audience of advocates, adoptive parents and adopted children. Some adoptions can be fraught because agencies don’t give people all the information they need to nurture the child.
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/11/us_adoption_system_needs_more.html
US: How ‘vicarious trauma’ is passed down from parent to child in military families
Health Medicine Network – November 11, 2016
When retired soldier Jacqueline Buckley sees her four-year-old grandson get angry, she can’t help but think of her own capacity to explode with rage. She also thinks of the fury that can be unleashed by his mother, her daughter.
Information Gateway Resource: Working With Military Families: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/diverse-populations/military/
Also: Meaningful, doable ways to support veterans, members of the military and their families: http://www.crescent-news.com/news/local_military_news/meaningful-doable-ways-to-support-veterans-members-of-the-military/article_587c061e-edc5-5d7f-bff4-f5ee77035a47.html
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: Caring on the brink: Australia’s struggling foster care system (Includes video)
SBS (Australia) – November 14, 2016
With increasing amounts of kids going into care in Australia there has never been more of a need for foster carers, but with a lack of funding and more alarming stories of abuse and neglect, how do we keep these children safe? There are 9000 kids in foster care in Queensland, alone. Growing up, Terry moved between 15 foster homes – which meant new schools, friends and families.
Australia: Four Corners exposes critical need for Government child protection services
Medianet – November 14, 2016
The ABC’s Four Corners ‘Broken Homes’ investigation has tragically reinforced what the Public Service Association (PSA) has been red flagging for years: the critical need for Government operated child protection services rather than for-profit care. “What does it say about a Government – and a society – when the care and protection of desperate vulnerable children is used to make a dollar?” said PSA Assistant General Secretary, Troy Wright.
http://www.medianet.com.au/releases/118196/
Canada: Ontario needs more oversight of children’s aid societies: Editorial
The Star (Ontario) – November 14, 2016
It’s hard to believe anyone involved in overseeing the care of vulnerable kids in foster care or group homes would dream of wasting even a penny of the $1.5 billion allotted to children’s aid societies in Ontario. But sadly, that appears to be the case at the Sudbury children’s aid society. An audit there revealed senior managers charged more than $171,000 of “unreasonable” or otherwise questionable expenses between April 2013 and March 2015.
Canada: After foster care, what next? Montreal organization looks to fill gap in system
CBC News – November 13, 2016
Keller’s Montreal-based non-profit group, C.A.R.E Jeunesse, estimates that about 1,200 youth age out foster care in Quebec each year. At 18 and no longer eligible for many social services, Keller says there is a lack of support for youth during this transition. “A lot of kids that turn 18 in the system don’t have their high school diploma,” she said.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/care-jeunesse-quebec-foster-care-1.3848435
India: Malappuram sees spurt in child sexual abuse cases
Times of India – November 13, 2016
The increasing number of incidents of sexual crimes against children and low rate of conviction are raising serious concern over the safety of children in the district.
International: Episode 1: Dark side of adoption
Fusion.net – November 13, 2016
The West’s desire to adopt internationally is driving traffickers’ demand for the world’s most vulnerable children. Nelufar Hedayat sees firsthand how genuine acts of kindness are corrupted by fraud, theft, and deceit-ultimately leading to child trafficking.
http://fusion.net/video/366386/traffickers-international-adoption-episode/
Ireland: New beginnings: 200 child refugees from Calais camp will come to Ireland
The Journal – November 10, 2016
Ireland will be accepting up to 200 unaccompanied child refugees who had been previously living in the French Calais refugee camp, it was agreed in the Dáil today. An all-party Government motion was passed in the Dáil today to accept refugees, with priority placed on caring for unaccompanied children affected by the refugee and migrant crisis in France.
http://www.thejournal.ie/calais-children-migrants-ireland-3075549-Nov2016/
Malasia: INSIGHT-How Malaysia allows child abuse to go unpunished
Reuters – November 13, 2016
According to classified data Malaysian police compiled and shared with Reuters, 12,987 cases of child sexual abuse were reported to police between January 2012 and July of this year. Charges were filed in 2,189 cases, resulting in just 140 convictions.
Nepal: Children leave home for streets due to neglect, says report
Himalayan Times – November 13, 2016
Hundreds of children abandon their homes feeling neglected and opt for the streets of the capital every year, said a report of the Central Child Welfare Centre, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. “Our centre records data of missing children between the ages of 12 and 15. We have learned that most missing children ran away from their homes feeling neglected,” he said.
http://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/children-leave-home-streets-due-neglect-says-report/
Philippines: Trafficking, child abuse raps vs US couple dropped
Philippine Daily Inquirer – November 12, 2016
The Dwinells couple, who founded the Street Kids Philippine Missions, were arrested by NBI agents in a raid on a two-story house in Barangay Bool here on Oct. 22 for supposedly operating an orphanage without proper documents
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/843540/trafficking-child-abuse-raps-vs-us-couple-dropped
Spain: Shrinking Ávila village offers residents ?300 to have or adopt a child
Think Spain – November 14, 2016
A tiny village in the Castilla y León province of Ávila is offering its residents a one-off ‘baby cheque’ of ?300 to have a child or adopt one. With just 250 inhabitants, Aldeaseca – whose name, interestingly, translates as ‘dry hamlet’ – is suffering serious population decline and fears it will be wiped out altogether in a generation.
United Kingdom: Refugee children arrive in Scotland following demolition of ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais
Glasgow Live – November 13, 2016
A group of migrant children has arrived safely in Scotland following the demolition of the Calais camp known as the Jungle. The Home Office confirmed a group of females aged between 15-17 who left a reception centre in France arrived safely at Edinburgh Airport yesterday.
http://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/refugee-children-arrive-scotland-following-12169054
US: Agency Information Collection: Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (Press release)
U.S. Children and Families Administration – November 11, 2016
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has assigned approval number 0970-0463 to the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) Final Rule (81 FR 35450, published June 2, 2016) information collection.
US: Alcohol damage to fetus measured by new blood test
Medical News Today – November 10, 2016
The effect of alcohol on the developing fetus is difficult to predict; however, earlier interventions can help minimize the damage. Researchers from America and Ukraine have joined forces to design a blood test that might help solve this problem.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313999.php
US: Parents don’t notice young children’s PTSD – but may need support themselves
Medical News Today – November 10, 2016
Young children may experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for years without it being recognised by their parents according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Information Gateway resource: Trauma-Informed Practice: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/responding/trauma/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/314007.php
INTERNATIONAL
Canada: Calgary study focuses on child abuse victims’ brain development
The Canadian Press – November 10, 2016
Ongoing mental-health challenges faced by victims of childhood abuse will be the focus of a long-term study by the University of Calgary and the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre. The university’s Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, along with the Kennedy centre, will conduct the study. In its initial two-year pilot stage, the study is to involve 240 children between six and 17.
http://globalnews.ca/news/3059848/calgary-study-focuses-on-child-abuse-victims-brain-development/
South Africa: Children’s rights highlighted at hearings
News24 – November 11, 2016
At the public hearings of the Children’s Second Amendment Bill, hosted by the Social Development NCOP delegation in Kokstad, children’s rights were highlighted. KZN National Council of Provinces (NCOP) members, led by chairperson Nahara Yatima, and a member from national Parliament, Lungelwa Zwane, attended. Yatima said the purpose of the proposed Bill is to ensure that children are protected, especially adopted children.
US: Child-Focused Recruitment: What is It and Why Does It Work? (Press Release)
CSR Wire – November 09, 2016
The number of children waiting to be adopted from U.S. foster care has consistently exceeded the number of finalized adoptions. Strategies for recruiting and matching adoptive families for these children have a history of anecdotal rather than evidence-based development. Cataloging children online or through the media is common practice and supported by Federal funding, but there is scant evidence to suggest it is an effective method for effectively recruiting appropriate families, particularly for those most at risk of aging out of care-older youth, sibling groups and children with mental and physical challenges.
http://www.csrwire.com/blog/posts/1773-child-focused-recruitment-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-work
INTERNATIONAL
Democratic Republic of Congo: How international adoption creates a market for child trafficking
Fusion – November 10, 2016
International adoption is often presented in the U.S. as a morally justified way of helping poor children around the world. But there’s a criminal side of this business that makes victims of everyone, from families in America who pay tens of thousands of dollars in adoption fees, to those in developing countries who are conned into giving up their children.
http://fusion.net/story/368628/international-adoption-child-trafficking/
Fiji: Child Abuse Statistics Raise Alarm
The Figi Times – November 10, 2016
A Child Welfare Decree report on child abuse over the past year revealed that most child abuse cases were reported on December 31 last year. Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa said stakeholders needed to be alert over such statistics.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=377834
India: Swipe to report child abuse: App launched in India to rein in crime
Thomson Reuters Foundation – November 10, 2016
The Maharashtra State Child Rights Protection Commission on Wednesday launched the Child Helpline for Information on Rights and Address Grievances (Chirag), a mobile application for Android phones that also provides information on children’s rights, including legislation.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-children-apps-idUSKBN13515K?il=0
International: RGG Special Report: Central America’s Northern Triangle: Home Sweet Home
Rio Grande Guardian – November 09, 2016
Tens of thousands of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Hondurans, many of them unaccompanied minors, have arrived in the United States in recent years, seeking asylum from their region’s skyrocketing violence. Their countries form a region called the Northern Triangle. Civil wars in the 1980s left the region with a legacy of violence and fragile institutions. Gangs and organized crime have taken over. It is an international crisis.
http://riograndeguardian.com/rgg-special-report-central-americas-northern-triangle-home-sweet-home/
United Kingdom: Five arrested over Rotherham child abuse
The Times – November 10, 2016
Five men have been arrested as part of the National Crime Agency’s investigation into historical child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/five-arrested-over-rotherham-child-abuse-v6tsq8trc
United Kingdom: A Thousand Days Of Missed Chances (Opinion)
The Huffington Post UK – November 09, 2016
Today, the House of Lords will debate the Children and Social Work Bill. Tucked into it is a tiny amendment that will have a titanic impact on thousands of the UK’s most vulnerable children – an amendment that ensures that every child, when going into care, is given a mental health assessment by a professional. Yet despite the NSPCC leading a chorus of calls from charities, health professionals, and peers to implement an assessment that would flag up whether a child needs some help, Government is still dawdling over what to do.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/peter-wanless/a-thousand-days-of-missed_b_12863452.html
US: Helping military families at-risk of child abuse
San Antonio Express – November 08, 2016
Fueling the need for such a program is new data that shows the incidence of child abuse and neglect among military families is rising. Historically, the rate of child maltreatment in military families has been about half that of the civilian population – around 7 confirmed cases versus 14 per 1,000 children. Since 2003, however, it has begun to outpace the nonmilitary statistics, a trend that coincides with the post-9/11 rise in overseas military operations, according to a study by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Information Gateway resource: Supporting Military Families: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/diverse-populations/military/mil-fam/
US: After Bill Cosby, States Shift on Statutes of Limitations in Sexual Assault Cases
New York Times – November 06, 2016
In Colorado, where lawmakers made a similar change this year, legislators had been lobbied hard on the bill by Beth Ferrier and Heidi Thomas. In California, it was Lili Bernard, Victoria Valentino, Linda Kirkpatrick and Janice Baker Kinney who helped organize a campaign, EndRapeSOL, and rallies as part of a movement that this fall eliminated that state’s statute of limitations for rape altogether.
US: Mother takes immigration and child custody fight to federal court
Washington Post – November 07, 2016
The rare and complicated case is set to be heard this week in federal court in Northern Virginia where Beltrán is challenging the role of federal officials in child custody matters.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/mother-takes-immigration-and-child-custody-fight-to-federal-court/2016/11/07/d39828f2-a2b1-11e6-8d63-3e0a660f1f04_story.html
US: SAMHSA provides up to $278 million in state, tribal and community programs to help people and communities recover from trauma
SAMHSA – November 07, 2016
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded up to a total of $278 million over the next five years for programs that help people and communities recover from, and build resiliency from trauma. “Trauma, whether from exposure to child abuse, community violence, or natural disaster can have a devastating effect on people,” said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Administrator Kana Enomoto. “We must help people in every segment of our community — especially youth and Tribes, many of whom have experienced significant historical, community, and individual traumas.”
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/201611070200
US: Barron: Spending federal welfare money
Casper Star-Tribune – November 05, 2016
According to a recent article in Governing magazine, the states on average last year used less than 10 percent of welfare funding for work-related services such as subsidized employment, job training job search assistance and transportation vouchers. A policy research group in Louisiana openly referred to the state’s welfare program as a “slush fund” used to plug holes in the state budget caused by large tax cuts.
http://trib.com/opinion/columns/barron-spending-federal-welfare-money/article_eaac603e-d62e-564c-9072-d74cc794eef6.html
INTERNATIONAL
Canada: Nova Scotia will soon to be one of few provinces with closed adoption records
CBC News – November 07, 2016
By the end of 2016, Nova Scotia – along with New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Que. – will be the only provinces that do not allow birth mothers and adult adopted children to obtain information about one another.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/closed-adoption-records-1.3840560
Europe: Female genital mutilation: Putting human rights at the core of Europe’s asylum system (Opinion)
EurActiv – November 07, 2016
Female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors, and women and girls at risk, are particularly vulnerable in the asylum system. They must receive support to help them navigate the process, writes Liuska Sanna.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/opinion/tues-female-genital-mutilation-putting-human-rights-at-the-core-of-europes-asylum-system/
India: Rehabilitation of rescued children major concern
Times of India – November 06, 2016
While the number of successful rescue cases in the last five years is 352, as many as 2,354 children have been rescued by the state police under Operation Muskan since January 2015 till date from across the state of which 1,952 were from Jharkhand.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Rehabilitation-of-rescued-children-major-concern/articleshow/55271817.cms
India: Call to hike budgetary allocation for child welfare
The Hindu – November 05, 2016
Weeks before the Telangana government embarks on its annual budgetary exercise, a non-governmental organisation Save the Children framed the outline for children and presented its evaluation of where the state stands in terms of human development index.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/call-to-hike-budgetary-allocation-for-child-welfare/article9307857.ece
Russia: Ordering inquiry into claims of FGM in Dagestan (Includes video)
Guardian – November 05, 2016
Russia has launched an investigation into claims that tens of thousands of girls in remote mountain areas, some as young as three months’ old, have been forced to undergo female genital mutilation.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/05/russia-orders-inquiry-into-claims-of-fgm-in-dagestan
United Kingdom: Child protection is changing, but safety must remain a priority
Guardian – November 08, 2016
Strong and effective multi-agency safeguarding arrangements do not just happen; they require an active commitment to collaboration and a common purpose, and must be supported by a system that sustains those partnerships and relationships.
https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/nov/08/child-protection-children-and-social-work-bill-uk
United Kingdom: CPS ‘afraid to tackle honour crimes for fear of causing unrest in Asian communities’ (Opinion)
The Telegraph – November 07, 2016
The Crown Prosecution Service is failing to prosecute honour crimes for fear of causing “unrest” in Asian communities, a Scotland Yard whistleblower has alleged. Det Sgt Pal Singh disclosed that “apathy” by prosecutors led to the collapse of what could have been the first conviction for forced marriage in England.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/07/cps-afraid-to-tackle-honour-crimes/
US: Mother takes immigration and child custody fight to federal court
Washington Post – November 07, 2016
The rare and complicated case is set to be heard this week in federal court in Northern Virginia where Beltrán is challenging the role of federal officials in child custody matters.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/mother-takes-immigration-and-child-custody-fight-to-federal-court/2016/11/07/d39828f2-a2b1-11e6-8d63-3e0a660f1f04_story.html
US: SAMHSA provides up to $278 million in state, tribal and community programs to help people and communities recover from trauma
SAMHSA – November 07, 2016
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded up to a total of $278 million over the next five years for programs that help people and communities recover from, and build resiliency from trauma. “Trauma, whether from exposure to child abuse, community violence, or natural disaster can have a devastating effect on people,” said SAMHSA Principal Deputy Administrator Kana Enomoto. “We must help people in every segment of our community — especially youth and Tribes, many of whom have experienced significant historical, community, and individual traumas.”
http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/201611070200
US: Barron: Spending federal welfare money
Casper Star-Tribune – November 05, 2016
According to a recent article in Governing magazine, the states on average last year used less than 10 percent of welfare funding for work-related services such as subsidized employment, job training job search assistance and transportation vouchers. A policy research group in Louisiana openly referred to the state’s welfare program as a “slush fund” used to plug holes in the state budget caused by large tax cuts.
http://trib.com/opinion/columns/barron-spending-federal-welfare-money/article_eaac603e-d62e-564c-9072-d74cc794eef6.html
INTERNATIONAL
Canada: Nova Scotia will soon to be one of few provinces with closed adoption records
CBC News – November 07, 2016
By the end of 2016, Nova Scotia – along with New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Que. – will be the only provinces that do not allow birth mothers and adult adopted children to obtain information about one another.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/closed-adoption-records-1.3840560
Europe: Female genital mutilation: Putting human rights at the core of Europe’s asylum system (Opinion)
EurActiv – November 07, 2016
Female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors, and women and girls at risk, are particularly vulnerable in the asylum system. They must receive support to help them navigate the process, writes Liuska Sanna.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/opinion/tues-female-genital-mutilation-putting-human-rights-at-the-core-of-europes-asylum-system/
India: Rehabilitation of rescued children major concern
Times of India – November 06, 2016
While the number of successful rescue cases in the last five years is 352, as many as 2,354 children have been rescued by the state police under Operation Muskan since January 2015 till date from across the state of which 1,952 were from Jharkhand.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Rehabilitation-of-rescued-children-major-concern/articleshow/55271817.cms
India: Call to hike budgetary allocation for child welfare
The Hindu – November 05, 2016
Weeks before the Telangana government embarks on its annual budgetary exercise, a non-governmental organisation Save the Children framed the outline for children and presented its evaluation of where the state stands in terms of human development index.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/call-to-hike-budgetary-allocation-for-child-welfare/article9307857.ece
Russia: Ordering inquiry into claims of FGM in Dagestan (Includes video)
Guardian – November 05, 2016
Russia has launched an investigation into claims that tens of thousands of girls in remote mountain areas, some as young as three months’ old, have been forced to undergo female genital mutilation.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/05/russia-orders-inquiry-into-claims-of-fgm-in-dagestan
United Kingdom: Child protection is changing, but safety must remain a priority
Guardian – November 08, 2016
Strong and effective multi-agency safeguarding arrangements do not just happen; they require an active commitment to collaboration and a common purpose, and must be supported by a system that sustains those partnerships and relationships.
https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/nov/08/child-protection-children-and-social-work-bill-uk
United Kingdom: CPS ‘afraid to tackle honour crimes for fear of causing unrest in Asian communities’ (Opinion)
The Telegraph – November 07, 2016
The Crown Prosecution Service is failing to prosecute honour crimes for fear of causing “unrest” in Asian communities, a Scotland Yard whistleblower has alleged. Det Sgt Pal Singh disclosed that “apathy” by prosecutors led to the collapse of what could have been the first conviction for forced marriage in England.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/07/cps-afraid-to-tackle-honour-crimes/
US: Children left behind: Evidence grows of poverty’s toll on young brains, academic achievement gap
Center for Investigative Reporting – November 07, 2016
Naja’s and Hannah’s brains are in critical phases of development, and they are being stimulated by a home environment that prioritizes education. But children who do not have this same experience early in life – especially those growing up in poverty – could experience delayed brain development that significantly harms their educational progress, according to recent research by psychology professor Seth Pollak and economist Barbara Wolfe at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
http://chippewa.com/dunnconnect/news/state-and-regional/children-left-behind-evidence-grows-of-poverty-s-toll-on/article_d846d251-8afd-5ca5-b7ef-1f64609e79d6.html
US: Why more grandparents are raising children
Daily World – November 04, 2016
The number of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren is going up, and increasingly it’s because their own kids are addicted to heroin or prescription drugs, or have died from an overdose. For some, it’s a challenge with little help available.
http://www.thedailyworld.com/life/why-more-grandparents-are-raising-children/
US: If You Don’t Eat Healthy During Pregnancy, Your Baby’s Heart Could Suffer
Medical Daily – November 06, 2015
A poor diet during pregnancy may have dire implications for the future heart health of your child, suggests new animal research published Sunday in The Journal of Physiology.
http://www.medicaldaily.com/malnourishment-during-pregnancy-could-weaken-age-babys-heart-baboon-study-403592
INTERNATIONAL
Canada: Winnipeg organization aims to help kids who are “aging out” of the system (Video)
APTN – November 02, 2016
A Winnipeg-based organization aims to combat homelessness with a new program for kids exiting the child welfare system. Exit Up is giving young Indigenous adults a step up when it comes to living on their own.
http://aptn.ca/news/2016/11/02/winnipeg-organization-aims-to-help-kids-who-are-aging-out-of-the-system/
Kenya: Twelve linked to FGM arrested as leaders call for permanent solution
Kenya News Agency – November 07, 2016
Police in Kuria West are investigating twelve people they arrested for being linked to aiding Female Genital Cut. Among those arrested were five female circumcisers in an ongoing operation against FGM perpetrators that began last week.
http://kenyanewsagency.go.ke/en/twelve-linked-to-fgm-arrested-as-leaders-call-for-permanent-solution/
Nigeria: UNICEF Train Stakeholders On Strategies Against Child Violence
Leadership (Nigeria) – November 07, 2016
The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has embarked on training some stakeholders to engage in efforts to end violence against children in Gombe State. Ms Ladi Alabi, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, on Monday told the participants that there was an urgent need for them to understand issues that affected children in the state.
http://leadership.ng/news/558067/unicef-train-stakeholders-on-strategies-against-child-violence
US: Adoption has lifelong benefits: National Adoption Month highlights 1.5 million adopted kids in U.S.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – November 02, 2016
There are roughly 1.5 million adopted children in the U.S., comprising 2.5 percent of all American children. But the reach of adoption goes further: Almost 60 percent of Americans in a landmark 1997 survey said they knew someone who had been adopted, had adopted a child or relinquished a child for adoption. Those children come from all manner of backgrounds and locations – in 2009, children adopted by Americans came from 106 countries around the globe.
http://www.newsminer.com/opinion/editorials/adoption-has-lifelong-benefits-national-adoption-month-highlights-million-adopted/article_585faaa8-a0b7-11e6-b30c-fff20a31b8e1.html
US: Breaking through the adoption stereotypes
Untah Basin Standard / Vernal Express – November 01, 2016
What comes to your mind when you hear the word adoption? It’s a word that stirs up emotions and can elicit feelings of joy and sorrow, just to name a few. It seems like in my family, we’ve been through them all. We are a family that has been touched by adoption. This is the first part of a five part series about National Adoption Awareness Month.
http://www.ubmedia.biz/news/article_498cb630-9d27-11e6-aaf9-9f4395cd3b0c.html
INTERNATIONAL
Netherlands: Stop adoption of children from abroad, advisory council says
Dutch News – November 02, 2016
The Netherlands should stop allowing people to adopt children from abroad because it is not in the best interests of the child, the Dutch youth protection council RSJ said on Wednesday.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2016/11/stop-adoption-of-children-from-abroad-advisory-council-says/
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: The Family Matters report
Australian Policy Online – November 09, 2016
On 9 November 2016, the Family Matters campaign released its inaugural report. This report revealed shocking results on the state of child protection in Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Report: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/family_matters_report_2016.pdf
http://apo.org.au/resource/family-matters-report
Australia: Queensland lifts time limits on child sexual abuse lawsuits
The Guardian – November 08, 2016
Child sexual abuse survivors will be able to launch fresh lawsuits against churches and schools that forced them into unfair settlements under new laws passed in Queensland, the first of their kind in Australia.
International: Parental Attachment Problems
Psychology Today – November 09, 2016
How you bond with caregivers during early childhood affects how you behave in relationships and friendships, how in touch you are with your emotions and how much you will allow yourself to love others on a conscious level.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mysteries-love/201611/parental-attachment-problems
US: Federal legislation aims to help students who are homeless or living in foster care
ABA Journal – November 01, 2016
In the past, legislative efforts to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education generally overlooked the unique needs of children who are homeless or living in foster care. But that situation is changing under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which contains a number of provisions that seek to provide greater stability in school for children who come from those backgrounds. The ABA is working to guarantee that regulations being implemented under the act effectively meet the needs of those students.
http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/homeless_foster_care_students#When:05:40:00Z
US: Feds Propose More International Adoption Restrictions
World News Service – October 31, 2016
New proposed regulations will make it harder for American families to adopt children outside of the U.S., according to a group of U.S. adoption agencies protesting the rules. The State Department released proposed amendments to its intercountry adoption regulations in September and is accepting comments until Nov. 7.
http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/feds-propose-more-international-adoption-restrictions.html
US: Financial Aid for College not Reaching Foster Youth
Diverse – October 31, 2016
Although special programs have been set up at the state and federal level to provide financial aid for students who’ve been in foster care, the program requirements can be so confusing and restrictive that many foster youth “continue to slip through the cracks,” a new report has found. Report: Strengthening Policies for Foster Youth Postsecondary Attainment http://www.ecs.org/ec-content/uploads/Strengthening_Policies_for_Foster_Youth_Postsecondary_Attainment-1.pdf
http://diverseeducation.com/article/88731/
US: The Role of Human Services Programs in Addressing Domestic Violence (Includes audio)
Administration for Children and Families – October 31, 2016
Mark Greenberg, Acting Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families: During the Obama Administration, we’ve made it a priority at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to strengthen attention to domestic violence across ACF programs. As we commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I wanted to highlight what we’ve done and talk about why we’re encouraging all human services providers to working to end domestic violence.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2016/10/the-role-of-human-services-programs-in-addressing-domestic-violence
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: Child Abuse Report Line calls abandoned after long waits across South Australia
ABC News Australia – October 31, 2016
A caller wanting to report something to South Australia’s Child Abuse Report Line had to wait almost seven hours for their call to be answered, statistics reveal.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-01/long-waits-to-reach-sa’s-child-abuse-report-line/7982512
Canada: Federal government should immediately comply with Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling: Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth
Canada News Wire – October 31, 2016
The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth urges the Federal Government of Canada to comply with the legal orders issued by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and provide immediate funding to child welfare services on reserves, as well as adopt Jordan’s Principle.
http://news.morningstar.com/all/canada-news-wire/20161031C6714/federal-government-should-immediately-comply-with-canadian-human-rights-tribunal-ruling-provincial-advocate-for-children-and-youth.aspx
Nigeria: Child marriage is child abuse – Anglican Bishop
Punch – October 30, 2016
The cleric, apparently speaking against the backdrop of an alleged forced marriage between a 14-year-old girl, Habiba Isa and one Jamiu Lawal, noted that the consequence of such marriage could be grave for the victim.
http://punchng.com/child-marriage-child-abuse-anglican-bishop/
US: Modernizing Foster Care (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – October 28, 2016
The shortage of foster families will continue to increase. Previous blogs have discussed ways to lessen the need for temporary homes by preventing unnecessary removals and by hastening the time to a permanent home through reunification or adoption. In addition, foster parents should be more adequately compensated.
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/blogger-co-op/modernizing-foster-care/21957
INTERNATIONAL
Australia: Victorian child protection services at ‘crisis point’; report (Opinion) (Correction)
National Indigenous Times – October 27, 2016
Victorian child protection services have failed Aboriginal children as the number being placed in out-of-home care escalates to crisis point, a report tabled in the Victorian Parliament has found.
http://nit.com.au/victorian-child-protection-services-crisis-point-report/
Europe: Child of ‘Britain’s Schindler’ appeals for help for refugees
Associated Press – October 29, 2016
The daughter of a stockbroker nicknamed ‘Britain’s Schindler’ for saving Jewish children from the Nazis is appealing for today’s child refugees to be treated with similar compassion.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/world/europe/291016/child-of-britains-schindler-appeals-for-help-for-refugees.html
Ireland: Govt urged to intervene in ‘child protection travesty’ at Calais ‘jungle’ migrant camp
Breaking News .ie – October 31, 2016
There are reports that 1,400, some as young as six years old, remain stranded at the camp after French authorities began demolishing it. The Dáil is set to debate a motion on Wednesday calling for 200 of the children to be relocated here
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/govt-urged-to-intervene-in-child-protection-travesty-at-calais-jungle-migrant-camp-761835.html
Italy: UNICEF calls on Italian parliament to pass bill providing support for record number of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children
UNICEF – October 27, 2016
UNICEF is calling on the Italian parliament to urgently pass an historic bill that would strengthen support and protection for the record number of unaccompanied and separated children – at least 20,000 – who have arrived in Italy this year. Near daily reports of migrant drownings on the Mediterranean show clearly that passage of the bill cannot come a moment too soon for children risking their lives to reach Italian shores.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_92976.html
United Kingdom: London borough opens doors to ‘Jungle’ migrant children
Agence France-Presse – October 28, 2016
Horrified by the desperate plight of traumatised children in the “Jungle” migrant camp in France, one London borough is seeking to provide a new life in Britain for unaccompanied youngsters.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/london-borough-opens-doors-jungle-migrant-children-142223006.html?ref=gs
US: Modernizing Foster Care (Opinion)
Chronicle of Social Change – October 28, 2016
The shortage of foster families will continue to increase. Previous blogs have discussed ways to lessen the need for temporary homes by preventing unnecessary removals and by hastening the time to a permanent home through reunification or adoption. In addition, foster parents should be more adequately compensated.
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/blogger-co-op/modernizing-foster-care/21957
