Chapter 12: Children History of Childhood • • • • • • • • • Children were portrayed as little adults Aries said “Childhood was simply an unimportant phase of which there was no need to keep any record.” In the 17th century we saw a switch in children being removed from society to spend time at home and school During colonial America children were considered economic assets Fathers (masters) had legal rights to custody and control First record of child abuse reported in 1655 New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children est. 19th century Dangerous classes is classified as children from urban slums 1853, Children’s Aid Society 2 The influence of Adoption in the U.S. • International adoptions peaked in 2004 • Hague Adoption Convention • Prior to 1964 Civil Right Act, transracial adoption were rare • In 1958-1967 the Indian Adoption Project functioned • In 1971, the adoption of African-American children peaked • Those adopted by white families did not experience adjustment problems and had healthy racial identities • President Clinton passed the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act 3 Adoption by Gays and Lesbians • In the 1950-1960s, only married Caucasians between the age of 21-35 years were considered suitable adoptive parents • Several myths were introduced when it came to gays and Lesbians adopting such as the children would be living in “immoral” environments • A child’s sex orientation is not determined by that of their parents 4 The object is to bring into action that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty in every country for want of means of development, and thus give activity to a mass of mind, which in proportion to our population shall be the double or treble of what it is in most countries. Thomas Jefferson 9/8/20XX PRESENTATION TITLE 6 The foundation of education for children • Religious schools designed to prepare young boys for clergy work • In medieval periods it was considered an apprenticeship • Boys learned crafts through lengthy periods of apprenticeship under masters, to increase the labor force • In 1642, the Massachusetts Bay Colony est. the first compulsory education law • The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution left education up to the states • America was the first to provide free and universal public education • The unionization of factory workers created the nation’s first organized force for free public education • Illinois said “to provide for a thorough and efficient system of free schools whereby all the children of this State may receive a good common school education.” 7 Issues affecting the education of Children In 1852, Children between the ages of 8 and 14 were required to attend school for 12 weeks each year Congress established the Department of Education in 1867 In 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson In 1918, all states had passed statutes requiring school attendance In 1975, Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act Head Start was est. 1965 as part of the War on Poverty programs In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education In 1929, Herbert Hoover’s National Advisory Committee of Education 8 Modern educational reforms SCHOOL FINANCING SCHOOL CHOICE • Schools are financed through local and state appropriations, not federal • State money comes from either general tax revenues or property taxes • the state or local school district provides parents with an option to enroll their children in the school of their choice • Initial funds required to operate schools are based on the value of homes and businesses within the district • State funds are distributed to bring the financial resources of the poorer districts up to the foundation level • Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 • No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, revised 2007 • Tuition voucher programs have been strongly opposed by teachers’ unions at local and federal levels. • Opponents of the programs argue that they damage public schools by diverting needed funds and by draining away the most academically motivated students 9 Children are victimized through poverty and violence • Children were often indentured servants who were assigned menial tasks and functioned virtually as slaves until they reached the age of release • Conference on the Care of Dependent Children • The Sheppard-Towner Bill introduced by Jeanette Rankin (the first woman to serve in Congress) • The U.S. has a higher rate of child poverty than any other nation in the (OECD) • ADC AFDC TANF • New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children est. because of Mary Ellen in 1875 • Rediscovery of child abuse in 1960s with battered child syndrome • CAPTA est. the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect • Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 • The 1980 Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act 10 Family Preservation Family Preservation and Support Services • This act provided Act (1993) increased funding for reunification services. • Each state received an amount of money based on the number of children receiving food stamps 9/8/20XX Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997) • Emphasized that the first priority in making decisions involving child welfare is the safety of children • The law contained several provisions designed to encourage adoption PRESENTATION TITLE Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act • Reauthorization of CAPTA in 2010 • Health care providers refer newborns affected by prenatal drug exposure and make “appropriate referrals” to child protective services. • No plan for reunification is required when a parent has committed sexual abuse • Criminal background checks of adults living in the household of prospective foster care or adoptive parents • states to report on their efforts to encourage family involvement in CPS decisions 11 Thank you Barusch, A. (2018). Empowerment series: Foundations of social policy: Social justice in human perspective (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
