Pedagogy

Educators across the nation see how social, personal, and environmental factors affect the ability of children to learn.   Hearing the frustration brought by educators, the local governments have tried to link family support services with the schools.   With more than two million children a year abused or neglected, schools and teachers must do their part to get the social support services needed for the children and families.  The schools, therefore, in many cases are becoming launching points for institutional based services.

Nevertheless, in most situations today, it is still up to the teacher, andor counselor to refer the families to get the help they need in the community.  However, there are so many programs and agencies that many parents do not know where to turn for help.   Teachers and social workers can recommend the best services to the parents to enable them to care for their youngsters.   (Staudt, 1996).  This paper will review various website and indicate those that are of most help to the children in society.

The first site examined belongs to the Child and Adult Care Food Program.   This agency is responsible for making child care more affordable for low income families, and works to improve the overall quality of child care.   This agency provides meals to children in emergency shelters, as well as snacks to young people who are involved in after school care activities.  As many as 2.9 million children get meals through this agency each day.   The website also provides a list of community organizations that are involved with the federal nutrition programs, and those that traditionally have supported and provided social services to low income people.   Such agencies mentioned are, Eat SmartPlay Hard, and SNAP Outreach.   The site does offer other websites for teachers, or parents to explore to find assistance for children.   For instance, a link is available to Meals for Infants.   The site gives information on how best to feed an infant and what schedule each child should use for regular eating.   Although the website has much information, it is not extremely useful for the teacher.   It is more agency-minded, and state-driven in its approach to assisting individuals.   Teachers may refer families to the site just for informational purposes, but unless one has an infant, it is not applicable to the teachers needs.   A parent examining the website may find it interesting and information but it is not hands on to the needs of the child.   Money is provided through the agency for foods, but it is not something the individual can directly gain access to.   Children can benefit from other agencies more than the Child and Adult Care Food Program.  (United States Department of Agriculture, 2010).

The website for the Department of Health and Human Services-Families  Children page is much more helpful when it comes to assisting children.  Families can get direct health related information for young children, infants, and even teenagers.   It provides outreach information to programs related to infant and toddler health, both in English and Spanish.   Additionally, it provides contact information for infant health services, and dental health.   The site even has a Childrens Immunization Schedule listed for the parents of a young child so that they will know when their childs next shots are due.   The website also has financial assistance information on how to get child support, child care, Medicaid, and childrens health insurance.   It also explains how to recognize abuse and neglect in children and who to notify in such cases.   The site is more relevant to the needs of families and the care for young children.   This site is something a teacher or counselor could be aware of and offer as something to offer parents who are in need of help for their children.   This site offers direct methodology for parents to get assistance for young children, health guidelines, and information on newborn care and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.   This is an informative site that has great benefit.  (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).

The next reviewed website is the U.S.  Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.   This agency helps low-income families through financial assistance for child care.   It assists in the promotion of childrens learning by offering an improved quality of early care, along with after school programs and education.   This agency oversees the implementation of the program in the states.   It establishes policies for child care.   In this respect, although an important agency, it is a helpful tool in the arsenal to assist in the care of Americas children.   The site tells readers all about the role of the agency, but the services presented do not have personal contact with families or teachers.   The site may make informative reading but is of little value for the average family.  (United States Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, 2010).

The next website is that of the Womens and Childrens Program, or WIC.   WIC is one of the most valuable programs for new and expectant mothers.   The agency provides Federal grant money to the states.   The states supplement food, and provide nutritional information to breastfeeding mothers, and non-breastfeeding mothers.   It provides direct assistance to infants and children who are at risk nutritionally.   The website explains how to apply for WIC services, information on food available through the program, and where to get help if a mother is having trouble breastfeeding.   On the website, there is a toll-free number to put mothers in contact with their local agency that participates in the program.   WIC is one of the most successful programs in caring for the young child.   Mothers can apply and get formula, and other foods, for their infants.   This website is an important link to the local community allowing mothers to determine where the nearest WIC office is.   This is a valuable website and it assists mothers in the better care of their children.   The agency serves children up until age five.   (Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 2010).

The next website,  HYPERLINK httpwww.fns.usda.govcndcaredefault.htm httpwww.fns.usda.govcndcaredefault.htm, once again takes us to the Child and Adult Care Food Program which has already been evaluated and discussed.

The next website is that of the EvenStart Program.   The EvenStart Program offers grants to the states to engage in family literacy programs, adult literacy projects, parenting education, and childhood educational projects.   To qualify the family must be of low-income.   The program serves children from birth up through the age of seven.   Teen parents are listed as eligible to receive services, according to the site.   The money allocated for this agency also provides for staff training, and support services to the family to encourage attendance.  The EvenStart Program is set up to improve achievement by students, and also reaches out to parents to give them the assistance they might need.   The area of reading is emphasized in this effort.   The website provides important information that individuals need to be aware of.   However, it mostly discusses the block grant to the states, without much information on how parents, andor teachers could use the information to refer parents to the local service.   The site includes budgetary information not important to the mother who is just trying to make ends meet, or get a job to support her family.   It is not a hand on site for families to make use of in trying to get care for their children.   (The United States Department of Education, 2010).

The next website belongs to the United States Department of Heath and Human Services Administration for Children  Families Office of Community Services.   This agency administers the Social Services Block Grant which funds state social services.   These services are used towards self-sufficiency for families, and eliminating the abuse of children.   These funds are directed only to the states, and not individuals.   The states make all determinations on how best to use this money.   The website includes Congressional reports, statistics on program success, studies, and information on how states can apply for the funding.   This site is not valuable for families in need, or for teachers who might want to encourage a parent to get assistance to help the child in educational matters.   There is no link to provide information on local sources of aid for families with young children.   Therefore, the website is not of much use in securing the health of young children.  (The United States Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, 2010).

The next review of a website comes from the United States Department Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families National Infant and Toddler Care Initiative, or the Zero to Three Program.   This program belongs to the Child Care Bureau that works to improve the quality of child care.   This agency works with state governments to develop further learning and understanding of child care and education.   It collects information and releases information regarding the supply of child care, initiatives, and resources and provides information to a questioning public.   The website gives information on how the public money is used in the tribe areas, territories and states.   There is a resource section but it mostly provides information on publication and resources, and other documents.   It does include a few links that focus on child care, however, when accessed most include just fact sheets and further information.   Therefore, this is more of an informational site and not one that would help American families.   There are no links to programs that individuals can use here in the states to help care for the young.   Therefore, this is more of an administrative site and not valuable to a parent of a young child.   (United States Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, 2010).

The Finance Project is the next website to examine.   The Finance Project is a non-profit agency that does research, consulting, and training in the care of children both in the public and private sector.   The agency states that it helps Americas leaders to make sound investments to build partnerships the help children.   It does provide a link to the Fostering Community Resource Center.   However, the site covers mostly legislation and analysis.   The website is not useful to parents.   It is based on policies and the legislative agenda to assist children.   There is no hand on information provided to help parents with their children.  (The Finance Project, 2010).

The next site to examine belongs to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.   The NAEYC works to gain a well-financed educational system for early education, ages birth through eight.   The agency works at all levels of government setting policy statements, standards, and teacher education programs.   The agency appears to be an advocacy group, or lobbying group of individuals.   It asks others to join its Childrens Champions email list to get the latest information and actions arranged to assist the education of children.   It also provides an online store which offers books, brochures and lesson plans for teachers to use to teach more effectively.   This is a good site for teachers, however, it does not offer assistance in the way of money or services to families in need.   This is not a helpful website for a mother looking for assistance to help raise her child.   (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2010).

The next site listed is for the National Center for Children in Policy, which operates through the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.   This is a policy site which promotes economic security and good health for Americas low-income families.   It uses research to make policy with the goal of getting positive outcomes for children in the community.   Again, this is a policy site, and not a sight that would help children directly.   (National Center for Children in Policy, 2010).

The next website listed is the Forum on Child and Family Statistics.   This agency is a Federal working group that collects and analyzes data on families with children.   The agency provides annual reports on the care of children in the nation.   It provides access to reports, and statistics to assist policy-makers.   Again, this site is not directly useful to a mother trying to care for her child.   This is a policy forum that does not assist children in a direct fashion.  (Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2010).

The website of the Child Welfare League of America is full of useful information.   The agency itself is a coalition of different groups and state agencies that work to serve children who are vulnerable.   Although it is mostly an advocacy group, it does provide valuable information through the site.   For instance, it gives regional offices for individuals to call to get more information.   It provides links where families can get information on positive parenting, tips for parents, information for adolescent parents, and issues education.   A valuable link on low-cost health care for children and families is given.   It gives information on Medicaid, and the SCHIP programs.   It also provides contact information for all fifty states, with names, phone numbers and links to state websites.   Therefore, this site is mostly for advocacy, it does provide some good information that a parent could use to care for their young child.   It is easily recommended for the garner of information and direction.  (Child Welfare League of America, 2010).

In conclusion, there are many different website that provide good information for both parents and teachers.   However, many of the sites just offer information or are policy or advocacy groups that do not have direct contact with families with children.  

The best site by far, belongs to the WIC program which gives valuable information to help young children receive food and formula in vulnerable times.   The site gives specific information on eligibility, how to access, and contact information.   The site can be accessed, as well, by social workers and teachers, should they hope to refer a parent to the services.  The Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, also provides good information for the parents of young children.  By providing meals to children across America, the agency helps to alleviate nutritional deficiencies in children.   Also, the website of the Child Welfare League of America can also be recommended as offering valuable information that helps parents to raise children in todays society.   These three websites are the most useful when trying to get services to assist families with young children.