Children, Youth, and Families

Pathways Project: Early Head Start Research

The Pathways Project study is a randomized clinical trial supported by the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is a partnership project between MSU and the Community Action Agency of Jackson County, Michigan. This research is evaluating the effectiveness of Early Head Start programming. The target objective of Early Head Start programs is to enhance the quality of mother-child relationships and interactions and to provide integrated maternal support services to improve the health and development of low-income women and their infants.

University Outreach and Engagement helped assemble a group of researchers from Nursing, Psychology, Family and Child Ecology, and Food Science and Human Nutrition to team with the Jackson Community Action Agency to evaluate the impact of Early Head Start in Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale counties. One of 17 sites chosen to participate in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation (EHSRE) project, the "Pathways" partnership has played a major role over the past six years in the evaluation design, including the longitudinal follow-up that is tracking EHS children as they make the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Members of the Evaluation Team are actively involved in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation (EHSRE) Study consortium, and are included in the national research consortium's Fathers Work Group, Risk and Resilience Work Group, Parenting Processes Work Group, and the Methodology Work Group.

For more information contact: Jessica Barnes

PreK-12 Assessment in Genesee County

Flint Community Schools, Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD), Michigan State University, and United Way of Genesee County have partnered together to gather information about the short- and long-term effectiveness of the prevention and intervention services provided to children by schools in the county. In order to reach this goal, two types of information must be collected. First, the use of services by PreK-12th grade children and families will be tracked over time. Second, information about the children's welfare will be tracked over time. Child welfare data will be collected yearly and will include information about child health and development, family environment, and school environment. With these two data sources, the contribution of individual services in promoting child health and well-being can be assessed. This information will be used to guide future programming and serve as a resource in the application of future programming grants.

For more information contact: Jessica Barnes

Strangers in a Strange Land: Building Bridges for Success

University Outreach and Engagement invested in a longitudinal study of how refugees known as the "Lost Boys" (and girls) of Sudan are adapting to life in the U.S. and how the community might build capacity to support successful adjustment. Focus groups with the youth and with foster parents, and interviews with caseworkers, have taught us much about the successes and challenges these youth have faced in adapting to American culture and the strategies they have used to adjust to their new circumstances. Their coping strategies have included deep spirituality, maintaining connections with fellow refugees, a focus on achievement in school, and a desire to return to Sudan and "give back." Currently the team is writing a policy paper on the successes and challenges of the refugee foster care program in supporting the minor youth. The paper has been submitted for publication in Child Welfare.

For more information contact: Laura Bates

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