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"I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any of them." - Mahatma Gandhi

PRESCHOOL AND ABUSE PRESENTATION LINKED

A researcher has found that when preschool programs involve parents, there is less child abuse later on in these families.  This finding was reported in the March 2003 Work & Family Newsbrief (www.workfamily.com):

"University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have found that when programs bring parents into the picture, they impact long-term family outcomes.  Since 1985, UW professor Arthur Reynolds has been studying children and families that had attended the Chicago School District's Child-Parent Centers.  The centers strive to provide for the 'total child' and focus on direct parent involvement.  All of the teachers have bachelor's degrees and certification in early childhood education.  Reynolds reports that children attending those centers had a 52% lower rate of maltreatment by age 17.  Those who participated in the program longer (it can last up to third grade) had an even lower rate of abuse.  The report says that the benefits didn't fade over time, but had enduring effects.  This is the first study to show that a school-based intervention program can reduce child maltreatment.  While such programs usually cost more than most state-run preschool programs, the payoff, says Reynolds, is substantially greater."

For more details contact Reynolds at [email protected].

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