Children & Youth

(This page includes sites addressing the myriad of topics in the blue box below. Click on the topic and it will automatically take you to that section of the page, otherwise scroll down. Other related pages include: Child Protection / Welfare, Child Sexual Abuse / Assault / Violence, Child Support / Custody, Girls and Teen Dating Violence.)

ABDUCTED AND MISSING CHILDREN

The Hague Domestic Violence Project – a group of researchers and volunteers working dedicatedly on the issue of international child abduction and domestic violence issues. We have created this online resource for all individuals who may be part of cases involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. This project is affiliated with the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington.

International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children – promotes the safety and well-being of children through activism, policy development and multinational coordination. Their programs and initiatives are uniting the world and providing international solutions to the problems of child abduction and exploitation, Alexandria, VA.

Mothers and Children Seeking Safety in the U.S.: A Study of International Child Abduction Cases Involving Domestic Violence (scroll down) – since the implementation of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, thousands of abused women have faced complex litigation after seeking safety in the United States. Many have been court ordered to return to their children to the country from which they fled and often to their abusive partner's custody. The presenters discussed the findings of an NIJ-funded study focusing on the experiences of women who as victims of domestic violence in another country, come to the U.S. in an effort to protect themselves and their children, and then face international child abduction procedures under the Hague Convention (National Institute of Justice seminar, recorded October 12, 2010).

NamUS (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System), U.S. Department of Justice – a clearinghouse for missing persons and unidentified decedent records. NamUs is a free online system that can be searched by medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement officials and the general public to solve these cases. NamUS also provides free DNA testing and other forensic services, such as anthropology and odontology assistance.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®, Alexandria, VA.

BULLYING

Bullying Prevention Resources, Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services.

Committee for Children – a nonprofit organization, is a leader in social and emotional learning and violence prevention. Our award-winning programs and prevention curricula focus on the topics of youth violence, bullying, child abuse, and personal safety. Each year our programs reach millions of children and educators throughout the world, Seattle, WA.

Connect for Respect ~ Bullying, National PTA® – parents and caring adults can play pivotal roles in creating a healthy school and community climate that is free of bullying. By working together, educators, parents, concerned citizens, business leaders, advocates, and community members can support the implementation of bullying prevention programs, reinforce bullying prevention messages, and advocate for bullying policies to be implemented. This collaboration is critical as bullying happens everywhere that young people gather, including online, via text, and in social networks. PTA® leaders and parents can play an important role in convening community conversations to build awareness of this as an important issue and to take action to stop bullying in your communities, Alexandria, VA.

International Bullying Prevention Association – the mission is to support and enhance quality research based bullying prevention principles and practices in order to achieve a safe school climate, healthy work environment, good citizenship and civic responsibility, Falmouth, MA.

Stop Bullying, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Education, – provides information from various government agencies on how kids, teens, young adults, parents, educators and others in the community can prevent or stop bullying. If you or someone you know is being bullied, get help, Washington, DC.

Violence and Bullying – believes you have the power to make a difference. It is our aim to inspire, support and celebrate a generation of doers: people who see the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. At DoSomething.org we provide the tools and resources for you to convert your ideas and energy into positive action. Be part of a generation of doers, New York, NY.

You and me can stop bullies! – sexual abuse of children and sibling bullying are hidden crimes. Nobody seems to know. Everyone, especially parents, think sibling bullying is just brothers rough housing, but then such bullying, which begins at home, transfers to schools. It spreads like a disease.

CHILD AND YOUTH ADVOCACY

ChildTrends – a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center that studies children at all stages of development. Our mission is to improve outcomes for children by providing research, data, and analysis to the people and institutions whose decisions and actions affect children, including program providers, the policy community, researchers and educators, and the media, Washington, DC.

Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families, Washington, DC.

Children’s Defense Fund – the mission is to Leave No Child Behind® and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities, Washington, DC.

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children – support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy for abused and neglected children so that they can thrive in safe, permanent homes, Seattle, WA.

Fighting 4 Youth – the mission is to be the compass that gives direction, empowers, trains, and positively impacts youth and those who serve them. This is accomplished through seminars / workshops for adults, parenting workshops, interactive youth presentations, and sex / relationship workshops for youth. The messages are reinforced through a number of resources we offer consisting of best selling books, powerful pledge cards, and cutting edge posters, San Antonio, TX.

Project NoSpank – a resource for parents, students, educators, education policymakers, healthcare providers, children's advocates, and all others who are concerned with the safety and well being of children, Alamo, CA.

Promising Practices Network on Children, Communities and Families – Healthy and Safe Children Research in Brief – dedicated to providing quality evidence-based information about what works to improve the lives of children, youth, and families, Santa Monica, CA.

Saving Our Daughters – creates the tools to get teen girls discussing key issues and fired up to take the power away from esteem slayers like bullying, (cyber, gossip, face-to-face, ...), date abuse, hate crimes, school violence, and violence against women.

Search Institute – an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. To accomplish this mission, the Institute generates and communicates new knowledge, and brings together community, state and national leaders, Minneapolis, MN.

CHILD ABUSE

American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children – seeks to improve the quality of practice provided by professionals who work in child abuse and neglect through: providing professional education that promotes effective, culturally sensitive, and interdisciplinary approaches to identification, intervention, treatment, and prevention of child abuse and neglect; and promoting research and practice guidelines to inform all forms of professional practice in child maltreatment, Elmhurst, IL.

Child Abuse and Neglect Research, Children's Bureau of the Administration for Children & Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.

Hostile Aggressive Parenting – this site is dedicated to the children who are suffering under the hands of HAP parents. We strive to educate the public about this growing problem in hopes of getting help to the HAP parent, and to the suffering kids. HAP parents may not realize they have HAP. It's up to friends, family & the community to educate them and encourage them to seek help.

National Children’s Advocacy Center – a non-profit agency providing prevention, intervention, and treatment services to physically and sexually abused children and their families within a child-focused team approach. Since opening in 1985 as the nation’s first Children’s Advocacy Center, the NCAC has become a leader in the field of prevention and intervention of child maltreatment, Huntsville AL.

National Children’s Alliance – (formerly the National Network of Children's Advocacy Centers) is a nationwide not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to promote and support communities in providing a coordinated investigation and comprehensive response to victims of severe child abuse, Washington, DC.

National Council on Child Abuse & Family Violence – bringing community organizations, advocates and civil authorities together to prevent domestic violence (spouse / partner abuse), child abuse & elder abuse, Washington, DC.

Virtual Photo Tours of Child Advocacy Centers in New York State, New York State Child Advocacy Resource and Consultation Center – take a virtual photo tour of a Child Advocacy Center in New York State. Each represents a unique model in its specific community, Brooklyn, NY.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Break the Cycle – a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end domestic violence by working proactively with youth, Washington, DC.

Child Witness to Violence Project, Boston Medical Center – a counseling, advocacy and outreach project that focuses on the growing number of young children who are hidden victims of domestic and community violence and other trauma-related events. The goals of the project include: to identify young children who witness acts of significant violence; to help young children heal from the trauma of witnessing violence by providing developmentally appropriate counseling for them and for their families; and to provide consultation and training to the network of caregivers in the lives of young children in order that they may more effectively identify and respond to children who are exposed to violence, Boston, MA.

Deana’s Educational Theater – preventing bullying, dating / domestic violence and sexual assault by developing and producing high impact programs to promote healthy relationships. Our professional actors are specially trained to lead dynamic discussions following each performance. Deana's Educational Theater now has the Yellow Dress available on DVD, Stoneham, MA.

Honor our Voices – a unique online learning module providing you with the opportunity to see domestic violence through the eyes and voices of children. The purpose of this learning module is to create a multi-pronged response to increase the awareness and sensitivity of shelter advocates and other social service providers to the needs of children and suggest promising ways of enhancing services for children exposed to domestic violence.

National Center for Children Exposed to Violence – works to increase the capacity of individuals and communities to reduce the incidence and impact of violence on children and families; to train and support the professionals who provide intervention and treatment to children and families affected by violence; and, to increase professional and public awareness of the effects of violence on children, families, communities and society, New Haven, CT.

National Council on Child Abuse & Family Violence – bringing community organizations, advocates and civil authorities together to prevent domestic violence (spouse / partner abuse), child abuse & elder abuse, Washington, DC.

Safe Start Center – a national resource center designed to support the Safe Start Initiative. The Center works with national partners and a multidisciplinary group of experts to provide training and technical assistance to the 15 Promising Approaches Pilot States. The Safe Start Initiative broadens the knowledge of and promotes community investment in evidence-based strategies for reducing the impact of children's exposure to violence, North Bethesda, MD.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study – an ongoing collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente. It is perhaps the largest scientific research study of its kind, analyzing the relationship between multiple categories of childhood trauma (ACEs), and health and behavioral outcomes later in life.

Child & Adult Care Food Program, Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – CACFP plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care for children and elderly adults by making care more affordable for many low-income families. Through CACFP, 2.9 million children and 86,000 adults receive nutritious meals and snacks each day as part of their day care, Washington, DC.

Children as Citizens: Engaging Adolescents in Research on Exposure to Violence (scroll down) – since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, great strides have been made in the areas of child protection and advocacy. However, the concept of children, and specifically adolescents, as functional and engaged citizens as emerged. Through the guidance and recognition of adults, children can participate in deliberative democracy as legitimate and competent citizens. This citizenship, like that of adults, can be used to enrich and improve local communities by creating a sense of ownership and fairness. The presentation included research on child participation, child citizenship and their relationship to exposure to violence. The theories and practices guiding this research originated in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods and have continued to evolve in different settings around the world (National Institute of Justice seminar originally recorded on January 25, 2011).

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network – is an organization creating safe schools for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.  GLSEN strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity / expression.  Thousands of volunteers participate in a national network comprised of local chapters.  These chapters work with local school boards, principals, educations and school librarians to create positive change in hometown schools, New York, NY.

Give RESPECT! – the Campaign is the Future Without Violence's latest initiative to advance a national movement to promote healthy relationships through positive role modeling and respect education. By individuals everywhere to be part of the solution, the RESPECT! Campaign provides everyday tools and resources to help teach young people about respect in relationships. Through this campaign, the Fund seeks to amplify a national conversation about the critical role that parents, teachers, coaches, and other living breathing role models to young people have to play in helping all of our sons and daughters shape a world that is free of relationship violence, San Francisco, CA.

Ignitus Worldwide – expands upon the mission established by Youth Crime Watch of America in 1979, empowering young people with knowledge, confidence and courage to take control of their own destiny, and shape their own world. Harnessing everything we've learned over three decades, Ingnitus Worldwide unites the global youth community through service learning, character education, substance abuse prevention, peer mentoring (in partnership with Big Brothers & Big Sisters), and the green schools movement. But this is only the beginning. The plan is to constantly evolve and adapt to the needs of each generation, Miami, FL.

Mind On The Media – inspiring independent thinking and fostering critical analysis of media messages, Northfield, MN.

National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children – comprised of individuals and organizations concerned about children endangered by caregivers who manufacture drugs, deal drugs or use them and by doing so physically or psychologically endanger children, San Diego, CA.

National Resource Center for Youth Development, The University of Oklahoma – a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau and a member of the TTA Network. NRCYD's overall goal is to build the capacity of States and Tribes to provide high quality services to their youth in out of home placements, former foster youth and other youth in at-risk situations, Tulsa, OK.

Peer Solutions – our mission is to cultivate positive social change by uniting schools, families and communities through STAND & SERVE, an asset-based, primary prevention initiative fostering respect, empathy and ownership of solutions, Phoenix, AZ.

Safe Start Center – the goal is to broaden the knowledge of and promote community investment in evidence-based strategies for reducing the impact of children's exposure to violence, North Bethesda, MD.

Texas Network of Youth Services – an organization of 60 nonprofit youth service agencies and private individuals who share the common goal of creating better options and improving available services for youth and families in crisis, Austin, TX.

Verizon Thinkfinity – partnering with the most trusted names in education to bring you teaching and learning materials, as well as a community excited about education, just like you are. Verizon Thinkfinity offers comprehensive teaching and learning resources created by our content partners – the most respected organizations in each academic subject and literacy. The easy-to-navigate K-12 resources are grade specific and are aligned with state standards. The site also provides an online community, at-home activities for students and parents and professional development training.

William Gladden Foundation – the mission is to educate kids, parents and professionals about issues that adversely affect families and the outcomes of young people. WGF advances it mission through publishing and research. Since 1982, WGF has published more than 300 youth and family related materials sold to 20,000 schools, agencies and organizations and distributed to 5,000,000 readers. On October 12, 2004, WGF launched williamgladdenfoundation.org, that provides free access to to its library of youth and family information, Tallahassee, FL.

Youth Activism Project – aims to prove that MINORS can play a MAJOR ROLE. Our national clearinghouse also provides help and information to parents, mentors, teachers, principals, policy-makers and other adult allies who want to collaborate with youth to achieve positive community change.

Youth Radio – promotes young people's intellectual, creative and professional growth through training and access to media and produces the highest quality original media for local and national outlets, Oakland, CA.

STATISTICS

ChildStats.gov – the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics Forum is a collection of 22 Federal government agencies involved in research and activities related to children and families. The mission is to foster coordination and collaboration and to enhance and improve consistency in the collection and reporting of Federal data on children and families. The Forum also aims to improve the reporting and dissemination of information on the status of children and families, Washington, DC.

KIDS COUNT, The Annie E. Casey Foundation – a national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. The Data Center now includes community-level data in addition to city, state, and national data. Find more than 100 indicators of child well-being, including economic status, health, safety, and risk factors. Create your own maps, graphs, and charts, Baltimore, MD.

DataFinder, Center for Law and Social Policy – currently includes state and national data on: child care assistance spending and participation; Head Start and Early Head Start participation; Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) expenditures; young child demographics; and poverty. The tool also provides community-level statistics on education, demographics and youth violence, Washington, DC.

Youth Violence, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – provides national and state-specific statistics on youth homicide and non-fatal assault-related injury rates. These data can help public health officials, researchers, practitioners and the public to describe and monitor youth violence trends and to develop and evaluate prevention programs and strategies. Together we can create communities in which youth are safe from violence, Atlanta, GA.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Man Up – a global campaign to activate youth to stop violence against women and girls. News Release.

Urban Networks to Increase Thriving Youth through Violence Prevention (UNITY), Prevention Institute – is designed to strengthen and support cities in preventing violence before it occurs and to help sustain these efforts. Young people are severely impacted by violence and those who live in urban areas are disproportionately affected. It is time to consider a new approach. To maximize existing resources and promote sustainability, we are proposing a paradigm shift – from programs to strategy, Oakland, CA.

Violence Is Preventable – a multi-award winning abuse and violence prevention programme for children, young people and vulnerable adults throughout the UK and abroad. It works on three levels: 1) early disclosures –meaning abuse is stopped sooner; 2) staying safe – avoiding violence or abusive situations; and 3) prevention – changing the mindsets of potential abusers of the future, Dundee, Scotland, UK.

Youth ALIVE! – a non-profit public health agency founded in 1991 dedicated to preventing youth violence and generating youth leadership in California communities experiencing high rates of violence, Oakland and Los Angeles, CA.

YOUTH VIOLENCE

Academic Centers for Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – connect academic and community resources to study and create lasting ways to prevent youth violence.

Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence – based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,  the Center brings together academic institutions, city and state agencies and organizations, community groups, schools, youth groups, and faith organizations to collaborate on both positive youth development and the prevention of violence, Baltimore, MD.

National Youth Violence Prevention Campaign – the goal of this campaign is to raise awareness and to educate students, teachers, school administrators, counselors, school resource officers, school staff, parents, and the public on effective ways to prevent or reduce youth violence.

Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) – a national initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent youth violence before it starts among young people ages 10 to 24. STRYVE's vision is safe and healthy youth who can achieve their full potential as connected and contributing members of thriving, violence-free families, schools, and communities. STRYVE's goals are to: increase awareness that youth violence can and should be prevented; promote the use of youth violence prevention approaches that are based upon the best available evidence; and provide guidance to communities on how to prevent youth violence.

Top