Child Welfare

blog

Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on preventing school violence, dealing with drug cartels, the benefits of a neurodivergent national security workforce, and more.

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Preventing Violence in Schools: How to Encourage Students to Report Threats

One of the most consistent findings in research on school shootings is that someone knew an attack was possible but didn't report it. There are ways schools can better encourage students to come forward when they see or hear something concerning: tip lines, training, and a lot more trust.

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Climate, Technology, Trust: Ways to Help Students Report Threats to Their School

When students or others don't know how to report a threat or aren't willing to do so, important opportunities to protect students may be missed. Schools receive little guidance about how to implement an effective reporting program or how to build a robust reporting culture. A recent research effort helps to fill this gap, highlighting seven key implications for school safety planning.

Pauline Moore, Brian A. Jackson

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How to Prevent, Prepare for, and Respond to Mass Attacks

A new step-by-step guide can help communities prevent shootings and other mass attacks before they happen, and save lives when they do. It's written for a variety of public- and private-sector audiences--everyone from emergency responders and school officials to security personnel and community leaders.

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A Toolkit for Avoiding Mass Shootings

RAND has developed an online educational toolkit to provide practical strategies and guidance on deterring, mitigating, and responding to mass attacks. Research highlights three top ways to mitigate and/or respond to mass attacks right now: through proactive prevention, relentless follow-up, and diligent preparation and training.

Richard H. Donohue, John S. Hollywood @JohnS_Hollywood

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Engaging Different Types of Practitioners in the Complex Social Policy Area of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Understanding how stakeholders make sense of and prioritise available evidence can help improve the policies and practices that affect people's lives. A modified Delphi approach could engage with stakeholders with different, overlapping expertise and help open a way to this understanding.

Tom Ling, Michaela Bruckmayer

blog

Mueller Report, ISIS Leader, Brexit: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how the Mueller report might affect Russia, the emergence of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, uncertainty over Brexit, and more.

q&a

A Champion for Children and Practitioners: Q&A with Dionne Barnes-Proby

Dionne Barnes-Proby started her career as a child welfare social worker and is now a social policy researcher at RAND. She brings the voices of clients and practitioners to the conversation, so that policies will reflect an understanding of the needs of the populations they're intended to improve.

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Tackling EU Child Poverty Through a Child Guarantee

Nearly 26.4 percent of children across the EU are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, poverty or social exclusion. The proposed Child Guarantee initiative might help address this issue. But it could also be worthwhile to encourage member states to look at funding mechanisms that are already in place.

Joanna Hofman @JoannaBHofman, Katherine Stewart

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The Royal Wedding's Bouquet to Public Health

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked the public to donate to charities instead of sending wedding gifts. The causes they are passionate about include helping children with HIV, homelessness, hygiene programs for women in the slums of Mumbai, and bringing sport to disadvantaged youth.

Sarah MacCarthy

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How the Child-Welfare System Could Protect More Kids and Save Billions of Dollars

It costs billions of dollars each year to investigate child abuse reports, counsel and support families, and provide foster homes for kids at risk. A greater focus on preventing abuse and neglect, and on placing children with relatives rather than strangers, could improve thousands of young lives.

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How Can the U.S. Do a Better Job of Keeping Kids Safe at School?

Many proposals to improve school safety promote the use of technology, such as metal detectors and video cameras. How effective are these devices? The evidence is mixed.

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Jessica Saunders, et al.

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Here's How a National Database Could Help Colleges Fight Sexual Assault

At a moment of heightened awareness around sexual violence, America's colleges and universities have an opportunity to lead by example, through a commitment to full transparency about campus sexual assaults and openness to learning from each other's failures and successes.

Coreen Farris, Kristie L. Gore

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The Ghost of Bullying

The idea that bullying is experienced by only a few children and adolescents is false. Most cases are verbal, not physical, and victims tend to remain silent. Research has shown that bullying can have negative long-term effects on a person's life.

Italo A. Gutierrez

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Rethinking Student Discipline and Zero Tolerance

Restorative practices are an alternative to zero-tolerance school discipline policies. Rather than mandating prescribed punishments for specific misbehaviors, this more tailored approach aims to empower students.

Joie D. Acosta, Matthew Chinman, et al.