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Fairfield County, South Carolina - Homelessness and Resources for the Homeless

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Fairfield County, South Carolina - Homelessness and Resources for the Homeless

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Claimants must conduct at least two job searches through SCWOS in order to remain eligible for benefits.

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CFEC, together with SC School Improvement Council is working to bring resources, guidance, and information to schools, families, and communities. Please find our COVID-19 Resource page here.
"Thank you for visiting the Carolina Family Engagement (CFEC). The office within the University of South Carolina College of Education is now physically open, although some staff members are currently working remotely for the time being. We are committed to be of service, but please be advised that replies to calls or emails may be somewhat delayed. Please contact us with any questions and we will respond as soon as possible. Stay safe and be well."
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Ensuring family voice in return-to-school plans

Ensuring family voice in return-to-school plans: the response to the COVID-19 pandemic places huge demands on schools, communities and families. As schools prepare for re-opening, partnerships between home and school create a foundation for educating students built on equitable collaboration. Find essential information here!

ATTENTION South Carolina Parents: Discover the Carolina Family Engagement Center's Parent Leadership Partners

South Carolina parents interested in taking on leadership roles in their children's education are encouraged to apply to the CFEC Parent Leadership Partners for the 2020-2021 school year! Applications are now open - $1,000.00 stipend for participants who complete all PLP requirements!

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CFEC, together with SC School Improvement Council is working to bring resources, guidance, and information to schools, families, and communities. Please find our COVID-19 Resource page here. "Thank you for visiting the Carolina Family Engagement (CFEC). The office within the University of South Carolina College of Education is now physically open, although some staff members are currently working remotely for the time being.

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Education Funding Dashboard | South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

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You Are Not Alone - First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

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WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? The country is paying attention to teen mental health — and rightfully so. The Christian community can be an integral part of this solution as a support network to the medical experts and those qualified in dealing specifically with life changing and life-threatening challenges. It’s essential that church leaders provide a […]

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Fairfield County Library | Winnsboro South Carolina

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The Fairfield County Library is equipped with the latest technology and our friendly staff is always ready to assist. Winnsboro SC

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For cancellation, changes to your membership, or concerns, please email us at: info@palmettoteachers.org * Any changes or cancellation notices must be given 30 days prior to your next scheduled dra…

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The faculty, staff, and administration of the Fairfield County School District has committed themselves to establishing a culture of competence, collaboration, trust, and respect. We seek to recruit and retain highly qualified educators. We develop staff expertise in the most effective and engaging instructional practices.

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For almost 100 years, United Way of the Midlands has been the most collaborative, efficient, and accountable way to invest in our community.

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Fairfield County First Steps - SC First Steps

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Fairfield County First Steps is a local nonprofit that works collaboratively to ensure that all children start school ready to reach their highest potential. We achieve this goal by engaging families, caregivers, and community partners in high-quality programs and services that improve early childhood development, from before birth through age five. We also serve as a connector and convener of all early childhood stakeholders in Fairfield County.

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Fairfield Forward: Building a Healthy Community | Fairfield SC

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Fairfield Forward is an alliance of community leaders dedicated to creating a culture of health in in Fairfield County, SC.

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Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium - ERLC

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Aligned Community Partnerships | Social-Emotional Learning | PBS LearningMedia

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By leveraging strategic and aligned community partnerships, schools can ensure students receive consistent SEL supports, increase access to a range of community services, and expand the professional learning opportunities for SEL. Developed in partnership with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), this video is part of a series that provides practical applications for educators pursuing high-quality, schoolwide SEL.

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Fostering Belonging for Students with Disabilities

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Research shows that when schools, parents, families, and communities work together, students:

This is true for students of all ages, all backgrounds, and across race and ethnicity. Furthermore, a variety of supports cutting across the spectrum of social, health, and academic needs may be necessary for school success. High quality schools have demonstrated track records connecting with community resources and families to improve student outcomes in all domains of development.

Although schools may interpret lack of involvement of immigrant or non-English speaking families as "not caring" about their children's education, this is most often NOT the case. Bilingual resources and staff, programs to help parents understand how to support their children's education, and parent liaisons who can connect the school and families to linguistically and culturally diverse community resources can be highly effective strategies for developing partnerships between schools, families, and the community.

Foundations for academic success begin in early childhood and are further developed during elementary school years. Conversely, patterns of failure and disengagement also begin early. For example, struggling readers are likely to continue to experience ongoing difficulties in secondary school if they are not supported early in their development. Continuity with family engagement strategies and partnerships with community programs from Pre-K/Elementary School to middle and high school can help support academic achievement throughout students' school tenure.

Adelman, H. & Taylor, L. (2007). Fostering School, Family, and Community Involvement. The Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence & Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Available at: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/publications/44%20guide%207%20fostering%20school%20family%20and%20community%20involvement.pdf

Epstein, J. L. et al. (2009). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action. Third edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Family Support. (n.d.). National Education Association. Available at https://www.nea.org/student-success/engaged-families-communities/family-support

Handbook on Family and Community Engagement. (2011). http://www.families-schools.org/downloads/FACEHandbook.pdf

National Family, School, and Community Engagement Working Group: Recommendations for Federal Policy . Cambridge, MA: Harvard Family Research Project; 2009. Available at https://archive.globalfrp.org/family-involvement/publications-resources/national-family-school-and-community-engagement-working-group-recommendations-for-federal-policy

National Network of Partnership Schools' (NNPS). (n.d.). Available at https://nnps.jhucsos.com/

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Family-school-community partnerships are a shared responsibility and reciprocal process whereby schools and other community agencies and organizations engage families in meaningful and culturally appropriate ways, and families take initiative to actively support their children's development and learning.

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Engaging Community Support to Empower Diverse Families of Students With Disabilities

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Schools can provide parents and caregivers with information about essential services that help their children achieve success.

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IRIS | Page 4: Family Engagement: Collaborating with Families of Students with Disabilities

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The involvement of parents can be a powerful influence on their children's educational success and as such is regarded as a best practice in early childhood instruction.

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A Parent Reflects on Building Relationships with Teachers

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The Power of Family-Teacher Partnerships

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Family Engagement with Schools: Strategies to Build Strong Partnerships

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Family, School & Community Partnerships: Supporting Student Success

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How Schools Can Engage Community Partners - XQ

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Local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies can play a valuable role in your school culture and student success. Here’s how to attract and engage community partners.

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Abstract

Pipe Dream or Possibility?

Research-Based Approaches

Stories from the Field

Welcoming All Families

Focusing on Achievement

Collaborating with the Community

Strengthening School Learning Communities

A well-organized program of family and community partnerships yields many benefits for schools and their students.

Abstract

Pipe Dream or Possibility?

Research-Based Approaches

Stories from the Field

Welcoming All Families

Focusing on Achievement

Collaborating with the Community

Strengthening School Learning Communities

What is the difference between a professional learning community and a school learning community? A professional learning community emphasizes the teamwork of principals, teachers, and staff to identify school goals, improve curriculum and instruction, reduce teachers' isolation, assess student progress, and increase the effectiveness of school programs. Professional teamwork is important and can greatly improve teaching, instruction, and professional relationships in a school, but it falls short of producing a true community of learners. In contrast, a school learning community includes educators, students, parents, and community partners who work together to improve the school and enhance students' learning opportunities.

One component of a school learning community is an organized program of school, family, and community partnerships with activities linked to school goals. Research and fieldwork show that such programs improve schools, strengthen families, invigorate community support, and increase student achievement and success (Epstein, 2001; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Sheldon, 2003).

Pipe Dream or Possibility?

Is it a pipe dream to think that every school can become a true learning community, or is it really possible? During the past eight years, more than 1,000 schools, districts, and state departments of education in the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University have worked with researchers to develop and implement programs of school, family, and community partnerships. Their efforts have produced not only many research publications but also research-based materials that elementary, middle, and high schools can use to customize and continually improve their programs of family and community involvement (Epstein et al., 2002).

Research-Based Approaches

A well-organized partnership program starts with an Action Team for Partnerships. Made up of teachers, administrators, parents, and community partners, the Action Team is linked to the school council or school improvement team. With a clear focus on promoting student success, the team writes annual plans for family and community involvement, implements and evaluates activities, and integrates the activities conducted by other groups and individual teachers into a comprehensive partnership program for the school.

Annual action plans use a research-based framework of six types of involvement-parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community-to focus partnerships on school improvement goals (see fig. 1, p. 15). By implementing activities for all six types of involvement, schools can help parents become involved at school and at home in various ways that meet student needs and family schedules. Input from participants helps schools address challenges and improve plans, activities, and outreach so that all families can be productive partners in their children's school success.

Figure 1. Six Types of Involvement

Figure 1. Six Types of Involvement

Source: Epstein et al., 2002.

Stories from the Field

To understand how research on partnerships is applied in practice and to learn from educators and families about challenges that must be addressed to involve all families, each year the National Network of Partnership Schools collects what are called promising partnership practices (Salinas & Jansorn, 2003). The following examples illustrate how schools in urban, suburban, and rural locations are working to create effective programs of family and community involvement to strengthen their learning communities.

Welcoming All Families

A school learning community welcomes all families. Many schools serve a diverse range of students, including new immigrants and refugees. The parents of such students, like all parents, want their children to succeed in school. These children, like all students, do better when their parents and teachers are partners. In a welcoming school, educators appreciate differences and involve all families in many ways throughout the school year.

Like many schools in the National Network of Partnership Schools, Madison Junior High in Naperville, Illinois, fosters a welcoming environment by implementing activities for all six types of family involvement. Last year, the school held evening discussions about adolescence to help parents share effective parenting strategies and network with one another on important topics; published newsletters; held "Thursday Things," a weekly activity for sending information home; created a database of volunteers; hosted honor roll breakfasts; conducted family literacy nights; built connections with business partners; and celebrated Dad's Day. All activities were linked to goals for students in the school improvement plan and help foster an active learning community.

Roosevelt Elementary School in St. Paul, Minnesota, organized the Second Cup of Coffee program-a monthly morning activity during which parents have the opportunity to meet with teachers, administrators, and other parents and discuss such school activities as testing, homework, and reading programs. Translators encouraged parents with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds to attend these and other school activities.

Early Childhood Center #17 in Buffalo, New York, conducted its Diversity Celebration program to help students, teachers, and families learn about and appreciate more than eight cultural groups represented in their learning community. Families and community volunteers contributed cultural items and worked with students on costumes, skits, poems, songs, and dances. The activities helped students develop language skills and other talents and involved diverse families in their children's learning.

Focusing on Achievement

A school learning community puts a laserlike focus on student learning and success. Schools in the National Network of Partnership Schools have implemented many family and community involvement activities to support and extend students' reading, writing, math, and goal-setting skills. The home, school, and community connections make school subjects more meaningful for students.

Reading. Many schools engage parents and community partners by offering workshop sessions on reading, by organizing reading volunteers, and by helping parents strengthen students' reading skills and encourage reading for pleasure at home (Baker & Moss, 2001; Sheldon & Epstein, in press-a). For example, Clara E. Westropp School in Cleveland, Ohio, conducted monthly family reading nights. The school librarian identified age-appropriate books for students from kindergarten through grade 4. Parents came to school with their children, selected books from the library, asked teachers questions about reading, and learned strategies to increase children's reading at home.

All students in grades 1-3 participated in the Book Check program at Ladysmith Elementary School in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Parents, teachers, retired teachers, and high school students performing community service volunteered to listen to children retell the stories they had read and to discuss plots, settings, and characters. The students took tests on the books they had read and then moved on to new reading. The program expanded from a pilot project to a whole-school activity, creating an active reading community.

Many schools in the National Network of Partnership Schools conduct reading-partner programs once a week, twice a month, or on other schedules with a variety of volunteers, including parents, senior citizens, and community groups. Others hold special reading events. For example, Dr. Lydia T. Wright School in Buffalo, New York, ran a reading marathon for 26 days to focus the entire community on reading. This event involved parents, grandparents, and others in the community-for example, police officers, firefighters, local authors of books for children, the mayor, judges, local celebrities, and older students-in reading activities.

The Lea Conmigo (Read with Me) program, conducted by Families in Schools in Los Angeles, California, provided books to more than 23,000 students and families in an effort to improve the early literacy skills of preschool and kindergarten children. Teachers introduced the program to parents, many of whom did not speak English. Parents received English and Spanish books to take home and learned ways to encourage their children's reading. Data show that students improved their reading skills and parents increased the time they read with their children.

Writing. Partnerships for writing take many forms, including workshops n the writing process, activities that engage parents in writing, presentations by local authors, and celebrations of student writing before family and community audiences. At Highlands Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois, a writing workshop series helped more than 120 parents learn about the school's writing process, state writing tests, and ways to support student writing at home. All sessions were videotaped for parents who could not attend. Arminta Street Elementary School in North Hollywood, California, turned a classroom into the Arminta Café That Celebrates Literacy, serving coffee, tea, and cookies to parents who listened to students read their writing aloud. Other schools have students share their stories, poems, journals, and artwork with their parents. At Discovery School #98 in Buffalo, New York, students discussed their portfolios with family members or neighbors who came to class. Visitors were given a list of questions to ask to keep the discussion moving.

Many schools take other innovative approaches. Teachers from Loreto Elementary School in Los Angeles attended a district workshop on Parents as Authors and then worked with their students' parents on Thursday mornings for three months. Many new immigrant parents created books and videos about their lives and experiences, wrote poems about their children, and then presented their work to their children. The activity expanded when 5th grade teachers met with their students' families to create family books as gifts for the 5th grade graduates. In this way, the school's learning community grew to include parent-authors who had had little or no prior schooling in the United States.

Math. Family involvement in math may encompass events for parents and students, community connections, information sessions for parents on math curriculum and assessments, and homework support (Sheldon & Epstein, in press-b). In Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, more than 600 people wanted to attend Woodridge Primary School's Math Night program, making it necessary for the school to conduct the program twice. For Math Night, the school invited families to learn about the new Ohio state math standards. The Action Team for Partnerships, in cooperation with parents, teachers, and community partners, provided dinner, conducted teacher-led math sessions on ways to help students with math at home, distributed take-home bags of math materials and information on state standards, handed out coupons from local businesses, and even held a math-related raffle.

Math also became a real-world activity at Kennedy Junior High in Lisle, Illinois. In an estimation project called Beat Pete, a math class followed Pete, a local moving man, to estimate the weight and cost of a moving job. The program provided students with bus transportation, printed materials to prepare for the estimation task, and prizes for best estimates.

Thurmont Middle School in Thurmont, Maryland, conducted a highly focused workshop series for parents and students to help students prepare for the state's Functional Math Test. At monthly meetings, parents and students worked together under teachers' guidance and received math homework materials. Students who failed a practice math test were invited with their parents to additional sessions. More than 80 percent of the 6th graders passed the required math test, exceeding the school's goal by more than 10 percent and surpassing the percentage of passing 7th graders, who had not taken the workshops. The teachers enjoyed working with one another as well as with parents and students to reach an important school goal as they strengthened their math learning community.

Because most parents cannot frequently come to the school building to see what their children are learning, new designs for homework hold promise for engaging all parents in weekly discussions with their children about schoolwork. For example, an interactive homework process from the National Network of Partnership Schools called Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) helps elementary and middle school teachers design and assign homework that enables all students to share what they are learning with a family member (Epstein, Salinas, & Van Voorhis, 2001; Van Voorhis & Epstein, 2002). Homework is part of a full program of school, family, and community partnerships and extends the learning community to include student learning outside school (Epstein, 2001; Van Voorhis, 2003).

Planning for college and work. In school learning communities, educators, parents, and community partners help students focus on their plans for college and careers and on the education requirements they must fulfill to meet their goals. For example, at Glenmary School in Peace River, Alberta, Canada, high school students, parents, and faculty were involved in Career Portfolio Night. Eleventh graders researched a career of interest, interviewed a professional in their selected field, and created a personal career path and portfolio about that career. By involving families in this class assignment, the students' career portfolio displays, presentations, and evaluations became a shared learning experience and created new contacts for students with many potential future employers. This age-appropriate activity reflects research findings that demonstrate the importance of parent-student discussions throughout high school about education and future plans.

The Mother-Daughter College Preparation Program was started in District B in Los Angeles to help 5th grade Latinas and their mothers think about postsecondary education. In 2003, more than 160 mothers and daughters made college visits to California State University at Northridge. The program serves 17 schools and approximately 425 mother-daughter teams, and participation continues to grow. Due to its popularity, Families in Schools and District F expanded the Mother-Daughter College Preparation Program to form an extension known as Going On To (GOT) College. The GOT College program guides boys, girls, and family members to visit local colleges and to plan their middle and high school programs to enable students to qualify for college. By introducing postsecondary pathways early in students' education careers, families and students can plan more effectively for their futures-both educationally and financially.

Collaborating with the Community

A school learning community works with many partners to increase students' learning opportunities and experiences. Activities to enrich students' skills and talents may be conducted during lunch, after school, and at other times by school, family, and community partners (Sanders, 2001; Sanders & Harvey, 2002).

Teachers in the middle grades at Good Shepherd School in Peace River, Alberta, asked community instructors in tai chi, tae kwon do, and hip-hop dance to volunteer their time to conduct fitness classes for students during the lunch hour. This program, known as Try It at Lunch, enrolled many students, increasing interest in the community programs.

FamiliesFORWARD, working in Cincinnati, Ohio, conducted the Gifts We Share program to help students and families in high-poverty schools give of themselves, meet their neighbors, and improve students' writing and reading skills. Students wrote letters to invite senior citizens to become pen pals and to interact in other ways. Parents helped students coordinate several events, including a dinner to honor the seniors. The seniors, too, shared their talents and participated as guest readers, oral historians, and volunteers at school. The project extended the demographics of the learning community by including senior citizen neighbors.

Studies indicate that enriched learning activities help students do better in school, but not all families have extra resources for such activities. At East Taunton Elementary School in Taunton, Massachusetts, business partners provided part of the costs of buses and entrance fees for students and families to visit museums and attend cultural programs. Many community partners are more willing to help when they know that their investments contribute to student learning and success in school.

Allen and Lathrop Elementary Schools in Canton, Ohio, organized the Mercy Pals program to support two-way community service. Local medical center volunteers provided students and families with health care information and medical testing, gave presentations on careers and hobbies, led science activities, and supplied nutritious treats to sustain students during achievement testing. In return, students conducted community service activities for patients and hospital staff, created art displays, and performed at hospital celebrations.

Strengthening School Learning Communities

Schools have a vested interest in becoming true learning communities. They are now accountable for all students' learning. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires schools, districts, and states to develop academic programs that will increase students' proficiency in reading, math, and science. To learn at high levels, all students need the guidance and support of their teachers, families, and others in the community.

NCLB also requires schools, districts, and states to develop programs to communicate with all families about their children's education and to involve them in ways that help boost student achievement and success. The federal legislation, related state and district policies, school goals, family and student expectations, and useful research on partnerships are converging to encourage all schools to establish active and effective learning communities.

Most schools conduct at least a few activities to involve families in their children's education, but most do not have well-organized, goal-linked, and sustainable partnership programs. The schools featured here differ from most schools in two important ways. Organizationally, educators, parents, and other partners are working together to systematically strengthen and maintain their family and community involvement programs over time. Interpersonally, these partners recognize that they all have roles to play in helping students succeed in school-and that, together with students, they are the school's learning community.

ASCD is a community dedicated to educators' professional growth and well-being.

Let us help you put your vision into action.

We empower educators to reimagine and redesign learning through impactful pedagogy and meaningful technology use. We achieve this by offering transformative professional learning, fostering vibrant communities, and ensuring that digital tools and experiences are accessible and effective.

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Partnering with Families and Communities

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A well-organized program of family and community partnerships yields many benefits for schools and their students.

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Teachers can facilitate a strong connection with families in order to provide students with deeper support, in and out of the classroom.

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As a parent or caregiver, you want the best for your children or other dependents. You may be concerned or have questions about certain behaviors they exhibit and how to ensure they get help.

What to Look For

It is important to be aware of warning signs that your child may be struggling. You can play a critical role in knowing when your child may need help.

Consult with a school counselor, school nurse, mental health provider, or another health care professional if your child shows one or more of the following behaviors:

Feeling very sad or withdrawn or easily irritated for more than two weeks

Seriously trying to harm or kill themselves, or making plans to do so

Experiencing sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart or fast breathing

Getting in many fights or wanting to hurt others

Showing severe out-of-control behavior that can hurt oneself or others

Not eating, throwing up, or using laxatives to make themselves lose weight

Having intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities

Experiencing extreme difficulty controlling behavior, putting themselves in physical danger or causing problems in school

Using drugs or alcohol

Having severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships

Showing drastic changes in behavior or personality

A drop in their school performance

Because children often can't understand difficult situations on their own, you should pay particular attention if they experience:

Loss of a loved one

Divorce or separation of their parents

Any major transition-new home, new school, etc.

Traumatic life experiences, like living through a natural disaster

Teasing or bullying

Difficulties in school or with classmates

What to Do

If you are concerned about your child's behaviors, it is important to get appropriate care. You should:

Talk to your child's doctor, school nurse, or another health care provider and seek further information about the behaviors or symptoms that worry you

Ask your child's primary care physician if your child needs further evaluation by a specialist with experience in child behavioral problems

Ask if your child's specialist is experienced in treating the problems you are observing

Talk to your medical provider about any medication and treatment plans

How to Talk About Mental Health with Your Child

Do you need help starting a conversation with your child about mental health?

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As a parent or caregiver, you want the best for your children or other dependents. You may be concerned or have questions about certain behaviors they exhibit and how to ensure they get help.

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Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger by Elizabeth Cole | Teaching Kids about Diversity and Kindness

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Equality Diversity & Inclusion in 2021 - WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

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Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust

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Mind Matters promotes diversity, equality, and inclusion

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Trauma Informed Postive Behaviour Support

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Trauma Informed Positive Behaviour Support (TIPBS.COM)

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Family Connection of South Carolina - Changing lives by making connections, raising awareness, and promoting inclusion for those with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

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Family Connection of South Carolina | Changing lives by making connections.

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Buddy Walk 2023 Register and start fundraising now, then join the Buddy Walk celebration on October 29 at Saluda Shoals Park Athletic Fields! LOOK! 2023 New location! A limited number of photos from the LOOK! 2023 Exhibit are now on display at the Irmo Branch Library--6251 St. Andrews Road.

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What we do

Our Continuum
of Care

Thompson is a human services leader transforming lives through early childhood, family stability, and mental health services. As a solutions-driven organization committed to rewriting narratives for the most vulnerable in our community; Thompson achieves this by providing comprehensive, evidence-based services, and trauma-informed care, for children (ages 0-18) and their families, virtually and in-person.

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Empowering Families and Kids - Thompson Child and Family Focus

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Empowering Families and Kids through Mental Health, Early Childhood and Family Stability Services in Matthews and Charlotte, NC. Visit our Site to Learn More.

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Where to Find Children's Special Needs Resources in South Carolina - About Play

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Are you the parent of a child with special needs or a developmental delay? Here are 5 helpful South Carolina special needs resources.

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The New Parent Support Program (NPSP) is a professional team of social workers and nurses who offer education, counseling and support to expectant parents, adoptive parents or families with children five and under.

NPSP helps families cope with stress, isolation, post-deployment reunions and the everyday demands of parenthood through a variety of programs including home visits, support groups, and Baby Boot Camp.
Home Visits
To request a home visit send us an e-mail.
Baby Boot Camp
This is a fun and interactive class for expectant parents or those who have children up to 3 months of age. Baby Boot Camp participants will gain knowledge that will help them feel more confident in caring for their new baby. Helpful local family resources are also discussed. Topics covered include:

Transition into Parenthood

Infant Care

Infant Nutrition

Child Safety

Postpartum Adjustment

Class participants will have the opportunity for hands-on learning of infant care skills with practice dolls and real baby bath tubs. We even provide the Empathy Belly Pregnancy Simulator for Dads to join in on the pregnancy experience! Come as a couple or individually depending on your needs. A nice BBC bag for our Mom's & Dad's will be given out.

Baby Boot Camp is for adults only, children are not permitted. Please make arrangements for childcare.

Call 843-228-6565 to register.

Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday

0730-1600

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The New Parent Support Program (NPSP) is a professional team of social workers and nurses who offer education, counseling and support to expectant parents, adoptive parents or families with children five and under.

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Find Parenting Group Therapy and Support Groups in South Carolina - Psychology Today

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Find Parenting Group Therapy and Support Groups for Parenting in South Carolina. Psychology Today makes it easy to find and connect with the best group therapy near you or online.

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Federation of Families of South Carolina | A Voice for Children’s Mental Health

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I am so happy to be a part of their Family Support Network group. Sharing my experiences with others has helped me realize that I am not alone in the problems I face as a parent.

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All CACs in South Carolina have a Primary CAC Program with many of the services listed above. Some of the CACs in South Carolina also offer the specialized services listed above. Use the find a CAC button below to go to our CAC directory page where you will find a map that lists CAC programs and specialized services by county.

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As the state's longest-running and most-respected fatherhood organization, we know the unlimited potential of dads. Last year we marked our 20th anniversary with a total of 25,000 fathers who have been helped through our programs. As the voice of fatherhood in South Carolina, we work to help dads overcome obstacles to being responsible and nurturing role models for their kids.

Learn more about What We Do

More than you may realize, fathers can change outcomes for their children and for all of us. Research proves that dads can be difference makers, improving children's self-esteem, making it less likely children will be involved in crime and more likely they'll make better choices, graduate high school and go to college.

Learn more about Why It Matters

A crisis threatening the safety, economy and well-being of children and communities.

The Dad Facts

With your support, we can make a difference in the lives of fathers and families in South Carolina.

Every dollar helps us cultivate our state's most underused resource-fathers-by providing parenting and job skills for more than 3,200 dads annually at sites across South Carolina.

Generous support from partners and people like you make it possible for our services to be offered free of charge to all program participants.

Donate Online Today

Looking to find a nearby program? Enter your zip code below to find a program near you.

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South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families

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The South Carolina Center for Fathers & Families is a faith-based, nonprofit fatherhood initiative reducing barriers & strengthening families. Learn more about us!

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Resources and Support Groups for Patients and Families

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Below are post-adoption support services available to families who live in South Carolina. Services may not be available in all areas and/or may be dependent upon the circumstances of the placement. Please check with your post-adoption services provider about the availability of specific post-adoption or guardianship support services for your family. You can also visit Child Welfare Information Gateway for information on Adoption and Guardianship Assistance, as well as additional information on post-adoption support.

On this page:

Post-adoption/guardianship support services

The South Carolina Department of Social Services contracts with South Carolina Foster Parent Association to provide services such as information, referrals, and training for adoptive parents.

These services include a hotline dedicated to assisting adoptive parents who need information or assistance in supporting and parenting their children.

Parent support groups

Below are support groups for adoptive, kinship, and foster families. Support groups may be offered as part of a state's post-adoption/guardianship support program, through a statewide or regional foster or adoptive parent association, through specific agencies, or may be run independently. If we have additional information about the group's purpose or the community served, it's provided under the group's contact information.

To add a group or make a suggestion, email the AdoptUSKids family support team.

Statewide association
South Carolina Foster Parents Association
Parent groups

Abbeville County Foster Parent Association
gcfisher@wctel.net

Aiken County Foster Parent Association
Ckf003@aol.com

Anderson County Foster Parent Association
AndersonFPA.SC@gmail.com

Beaufort County Foster Parent Association
csmalls@bcgov.net

Berkeley County Foster Parent Association
babersark@gmail.com

Bethany Christian Services
bcsgreenville@bethany.org
Location: Greenville

Calhoun County Foster Parent Association
LoisSCFPA@gmail.com

Charleston County Foster Parent Association
e.carolyn19@yahoo.com

Cherokee County Foster Parent Association
newman.amye@gmail.com

Chester County Foster Parent Association
HelenBoydBell99@gmail.com

Chesterfield County Foster Parent Association
frankiepowell55@yahoo.com

Clarendon County Foster Parent Association
jonjones09@gmail.com

Colleton County Foster Parent Association
lahiott@yahoo.com

Darlington County Foster Parent Association
Edellgamble1@frontier.com
Location: Mara

Dillon County Foster Parent Association
justchurchin2013@yahoo.com

Dorchester County Foster Parent Association
fpadcsc@yahoo.com
Location: Ladson

Florence County Foster Parent Association
addison9@bellsouth.net

Georgetown County Foster Parent Association
jspeer1950@aol.com

Greenville County Foster Parent Association
gcscfpa@gmail.com

Greenwood County Foster Parent Association
greenwoodfpa@gmail.com

Hampton County Foster Parent Association
Gail29919@yahoo.com
Location: Estelle

Horry County Foster Parent Association
horryfpapresident@gmail.com

Lancaster County Foster Parent Association
leaphartfamily@gmail.com

Laurens County Foster Parent Association
Prssymo2@yahoo.com

Lexington County Foster Parent Association
mamamia8@aol.com

Marion County Foster Parent Association
bryantjw@scdot.org

Marlboro County Foster Parent Association
amanda.steen67@gmail.com

Newberry County Foster Parent Association
franm1229@aol.com

Oasis of Hope
Location: Multiple, statewide

Oconee County Foster Parent Association
Amyj@clemson.edu

Orangeburg County Foster Parent Association
loisfpa97@gmail.com

Pickens County Foster Parent Association
ajmedlin521@yahoo.com

Richland County Foster Parent Association
rcfpa@rcfpa.org

Southeastern Children's Home, Inc.
rkimberly@SECH.org
Location: Duncan

Spartanburg County Foster Parent Association
spartanburgcountyfpa@aol.com

Special Link, Inc.
speclink@infionline.net
Location: Greenville

Sumter County Foster Parent Association
ty00nightryder@hotmail.com

Williamsburg County Foster Parent Association
sylviaanderson58@yahoo.com
Location: Andrews

York County Foster Parent Association
robertdreyer100@gmail.com

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Below are post-adoption support services available to families who live in South Carolina. Services may not be available in all areas and/or may be dependent upon the circumstances of the placement. Please check with your post-adoption services provider about the availability of specific post-adoption or guardianship support services for your family.

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Family Connection of South Carolina - Changing lives by making connections, raising awareness, and promoting inclusion for those with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

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When families are connected to a community of support, resources, and other families, the individuals in their care have the best chance to thrive. Our staff are also parents, and provide lived experience to other parents along every stage of their child's journey.
Each year we connect more than 3,000 families to:
* Professional staff who are also parents

* Peer-to-peer support

* Guidance in navigating the healthcare system

* Assistance with education plans and school meetings

* Trainings, workshops, and events

* Resources, tools and professional

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Family Support - Family Connection of South Carolina

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Family Support Family Information Center 1-800-578-8750 When families are connected to a community of support, resources, and other families, the individuals in their care have the best chance to thrive. Our staff are also parents, and provide lived experience to other parents along every stage of their child's journey.

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Other Resources & Helping Agencies for SC Families
These external links provide information and resources consistent with the SC Department of Social Services' (SCDSS's) intended purpose of connecting individuals and families to needed resources. SCDSS cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided on these sites and linking to a non-dss.sc.gov webpage does not constitute an endorsement by SCDSS. Please be aware that SCDSS's Privacy/Nondiscrimination Protection may not be applicable at the external link.

Statewide Assistance Search Portals

Find help with employment, food, healthcare, rent/shelter/utility bill assistance and more.

Local residents can dial 211 from a landline or mobile phone to connect with a United Way agent for information or assistance.

Text "DSS" to 211211 for a menu of DSS programs and services.

Search and connect to support for financial assistance, food pantries, medical care and other free or reduced-cost help.

One -stop shop to find resources, get access to public assistance benefits and help completing applications.

Adult Protection/Adult Advocacy

Child Support Services

Child Care and Early Education

Child Protection and Well-Being

Disabilities and Special Needs

Domestic Violence Prevention

Emergency Preparedness

Employment Services

Fatherhood Programs

The SC Center for Fathers and Families

A Father's Place (Horry, Georgetown, Marion, Williamsburg)

A Father's Way (Allendale, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Williamsburg)

Man 2 Man (Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marlboro)

Midlands Fatherhood Coalition (Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Clarendon, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Sumter)

Food Assistance

SNAP
APPLY ONLINE for SNAP benefits or call DSS Connect at 1-800-616-1309 for SNAP case information.

SC Food Banks

Golden Harvest Food Bank Serves Allendale, Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, McCormick Counties.

Harvest Hope Food Bank Serves Calhoun, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and Sumter Counties.

Lowcountry Food Bank Serves Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, and Williamsburg Counties.

Second Harvest Food Bank of MetrolinaServesCherokee, Lancaster, Spartanburg, Union, and York Counties.

SC Food Pantries

WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children)

SC Department of Education Summer Food Service Program

Health Care

Housing

Internet/Broadband Service

Legal Services

Mental Health Services

Substance Abuse Prevention

Transportation

Utilities

Veterans Services

Family Resource Centers (May vary in the services and resources they provide.)
(This webpage was last updated 02/05/24.)

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Other Resources & Helping Agencies for SC Families - South Carolina Department of Social Services

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These external links provide information and resources consistent with the SC Department of Social Services' (SCDSS's) intended purpose of connecting individuals and families to needed resources. SCDSS cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided on these sites and linking to a non-dss.sc.gov webpage does not constitute an endorsement by SCDSS.

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Discover parenting and family support services at First 5 South Carolina. Get the support your child needs from birth through age 5. Check your eligibility for free services and apply online.

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The SC DSS Scholarship Program is offered by the SC Department of Social Services. The program provides child care tuition support to income-eligible families to enable parents and guardians to work, attend school, or pursue professional training. DSS Scholarships are also available to parents and guardians who have a disability. Many parents share in the cost of care through co-payment based on family size and income.

More information is available here. You can also contact our Child Care Referral Specialist at SCCCRR@mailbox.sc.edu for help starting the application process.

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The SC DSS Scholarship Program is offered by the SC Department of Social Services. The program provides child care tuition support to income-eligible families to enable parents and guardians to work, attend school, or pursue professional training. DSS Scholarships are also available to parents and guardians who have a disability.

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Every family needs a little help sometimes. One family's needs, big or small, are no more or less important than another's. If your family needs help, it takes strength to reach out. Remember, a little bit of help can go a long way to reducing the stress and anxiety that you feel when working to meet the basic needs of your family.

In South Carolina, there are many supportive programs to help your family through the tough times:

Medicaid: Medicaid, or Healthy Connections in South Carolina, provides health insurance to eligible families with limited resources. Factors determining a family's eligibility include but are not limited to pregnancy, having a disability, low to no income, or being the guardian for a child under the age of 18 or in foster care. However, if you or someone in your family needs healthcare, you should apply even if you think you are not eligible. Learn more or apply for Medicaid at gov/members/getting-started.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): SNAP provides food benefits to eligible low-income families by adding to their monthly grocery budget, allowing them to afford more healthy food. Families, individuals, seniors and those who need help stretching their income to purchase food may be eligible for SNAP. The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) administers SNAP through DSS county offices. Apply for SNAP on the DSS Benefits Portal.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): TANF is South Carolina's welfare program that assists low-income families to meet their basic needs. TANF provides cash assistance, training and employment opportunities for single- and two-parent households. Eligible families must be South Carolina residents, willing to participate in the TANF work program and agree to pursue child support from parents not in the home. Families can apply on the DSS Benefits Portal.

Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC): WIC is a nutrition program for pregnant women, new and breastfeeding moms and other caregivers of biological or foster children under five. The program provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, referrals to other healthcare services and more. Household size and income determine WIC eligibility. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster parents or other legal guardians of a child under five years old can apply for WIC. To apply, call 1-855-472-3432 or create an online account using the WIC pre-application. Learn more about the program at https://scdhec.gov/health/women-infants-children-wic-nutrition-program.

Palmetto Pre-K: South Carolina also offers free or reduced-cost preschool programs for your three- or four-year-old child through the Palmetto Pre-K portal. In the three-step search, determine if your child qualifies, search for available programs and apply for the best preschool option for your family: Head Start, First Steps 4K or Public School 4K. Determine your family's eligibility for these programs by visiting palmettoprek.org to answer a few questions, including your contact information, child's birthday and family income.

Child Care Scholarship Program: Funded by the Department of Social Services, the Child Care Scholarship Program, formerly the SC Voucher Program, helps income-eligible South Carolina families afford child care so parents can work, attend school, or get job training. To qualify for a child care scholarship, parents must meet various requirements, including having a child under the age of 13 in need of at least 15 hours of weekly child care services, meet income guidelines based on family size and gross monthly income, and be working, in school or in a training program. Scholarships are also available for parents with disabilities. Learn more about the Child Care Scholarship Program at https://www.scchildcare.org/families/child-care-scholarships/.

SC Parents: SC Parents is a parenting website designed to help South Carolina families find services, knowledge and support at all stages of their parenting journey. Find tips, answers to common parenting questions, information about local parenting classes and advice from other parents. SC Parents has information from navigating the childcare search to when your child is ready to stay home alone. The website also houses a free, online statewide directory of free and reduced-cost social services in your local area. These resources include financial and housing assistance, medical care, food pantries, parenting resources and more. Visit scparents.org to search by zip code, connect with local resources and find support for your parenting journey.

First Five SC: First Five SC connects families with infants and young children to the help they need. With a free online application, parents with children under five can securely submit their information and apply for multiple federal and state-funded early childhood programs and services at once. First Five SC connects parents to more than 40 publicly funded programs, including healthcare, food and nutrition assistance, preschool programs, child care assistance, parenting programs and more. To connect to services, parents fill out the common application by entering information about their child and household to determine which programs their family is eligible for. Visit firstfivesc.org to learn more and check your family's eligibility.

Whenever your family needs help, it's comforting to know there are many statewide resources available to financially support you and your loved ones.
Blog post by special contributor: Children's Trust of South Carolina

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Find the Financial Support Your Family Needs in South Carolina

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ABC Quality is a voluntary rating and improvement program that helps South Carolina parents identify high quality child care and daycare providers.

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Help Me Grow South Carolina - Help Me Grow is a program that links families to existing, community-based resources and services for children at-risk for developmental, behavioral, or learning problems.

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Addressing disruptive behaviors in your early childhood program can be hard. Help Me Grow SC, SC Department of Social Services (DSS) and SC Child Care Early Care & Education have partnered to provide you with a pathway of support, especially around child care expulsion prevention.

Help Me Grow SC is now the centralized place to direct you to the support you need to address the factors that may be leading to behavioral and mental health concerns in your early care and education center. Reach out to our care coordinators today for child care support.

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Child Care Support - Help Me Grow South Carolina

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Addressing disruptive behaviors in your early childhood program can be hard. Help Me Grow SC, SC Department of Social Services (DSS) and SC Child Care Early Care & Education have partnered to provide you with a pathway of support, especially around child care expulsion prevention.

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Family Mental Health - Children & Family Resource Center

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Family Mental Health Navigator Finding behavioral healthcare for your child can feel overwhelming. CFRC is a good place to start. The Family Mental Health Navigator connects families with children who [...]

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Federation of Families of South Carolina | A Voice for Children’s Mental Health

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I am so happy to be a part of their Family Support Network group. Sharing my experiences with others has helped me realize that I am not alone in the problems I face as a parent.

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Child Welfare Services Transformation

Best Outcomes for Children and Families

Do you have a complaint regarding services being provided to a child by a state agency? Please submit your complaint by phone (1-800-206-1957) or an electronic submission form here with the South Carolina Department of Children's Advocacy.

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Resources - South Carolina Department of Social Services

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Do you have a complaint regarding services being provided to a child by a state agency? Please submit your complaint by phone (1-800-206-1957) or an electronic submission form here with the South Carolina Department of Children's Advocacy.

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From Our Physicians
What to Expect During Your Visit Weill Cornell Connect
With Weill Cornell Connect, you can schedule an appointment, contact your pediatrician's office or view your child's health record. Learn more about Weill Cornell Connect.
Kids Health Cast
Our podcast covers a variety of topics relevant to every age bracket of pediatric care. Learn more about the latest medical developments and tune in for reliable, factual health information from our experts.

Dosage Charts for Over-the-Counter Medications

Recommended Sources for Pediatric Health Information

Safety Topics

Book Resource Guide
Parenting and Child Behavior

"1-2-3 Magic: Gentle 3-Step Child & Toddler Discipline for Calm, Effective, and Happy Parenting" Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.

"Setting Limits with Your Strong-Willed Child: Eliminating Conflict by Establishing CLEAR, Firm, and Respectful Boundaries" by Robert J. Mackenzie, Ed.D.

"Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues" by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske

"The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences" by Carol Stock Kranowitz

"How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk" by Adele Faber

"Parenting Without Fear: Letting Go of Worry and Focusing on What Really Matters" by Paul J. Donahue, Ph.D.

"The Blessing Of A Skinned Knee: Raising Self-Reliant Children" by Wendy Mogel, Ph.D.

"Too Much of a Good Thing" by Daniel Kindlon

"The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child" by Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D.

Development

"Why Motor Skills Matter: Improve Your Child's Physical Development to Enhance Learning and Self-Esteem" by Tara L. Liddle

"Your One-Year-Old: The Fun-Loving, Fussy 12-To 24-Month-Old" by Louise Bates Ames, Ph.D.

"Your Two-Year-Old: Terrible or Tender" by Louise Bates Ames, Ph.D.

"Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy" by Louise Bates Ames, Ph.D.

Feeding
"Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense" by Ellyn Satter
Sleep

"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, 5th Edition: A New Step-by-Step Guide for a Good Night's Sleep" by Marc Weissbluth, M.D.

"Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems" by Richard Ferber, M.D.

Anxiety

"Freeing Your Child from Anxiety: Practical Strategies to Overcome Fears, Worries, and Phobias and Be Prepared for Life - from Toddlers to Teens" by Tamar Chansky, Ph.D.

"Growing Up Brave: Expert Strategies for Helping Your Child Overcome Fear, Stress, and Anxiety" by Donna B. Pincus, Ph.D.

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Parent Resources for Children 1-3 Years Old

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From Our PhysiciansWhat to Expect During Your Visit

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​​

There's no one "right" way to raise a child, and sometimes parenting a baby, toddler or preschooler can be a challenge. You don't need to be perfect. To help you do the best you can, here's some information, tools and resources for supporting your child's healthy development and learning.

Find information and resources on child development, health and safety, quality child care and school readiness.

Learn why the early years are so important (spoiler alert: 90% of a child's brain develops by age 5) and the huge impact you can make on their future

Understand what's happening at different stages of your child's growth and what you can do to help nurture their healthy development

Use our tools and information to help find a quality early learning program for your infant, toddler or preschooler

Learn how talking and reading with your child is the best thing you can do to help develop the skills they'll need to read and be successful in school

Get answers to your questions or concerns through this free service available to all Arizona families with young children

​

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​​ There's no one "right" way to raise a child, and sometimes parenting a baby, toddler or preschooler can be a challenge. You don't need to be perfect. To help you do the best you can, here's some information, tools and resources for supporting your child's healthy development and learning.

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Organizations across South Carolina are ready to help families
with their challenges - big and small. Find your help today.

Growing strong families in South Carolina

Proven prevention programs meet families where they are to help parents and their children thrive.

Working with partners across South Carolina

Children's Trust of South Carolina is the statewide organization focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. We provide funding, resources and training to help local program partners build strong families and positive childhoods.

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Organizations across South Carolina are ready to help families with their challenges - big and small. Find your help today. Proven prevention programs meet families where they are to help parents and their children thrive. Working with partners across South Carolina Children's Trust of South Carolina is the statewide organization focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

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Resources | Palmetto Association for Children & Families

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If you've come into contact with the child welfare system, there are things you can do to be prepared and to advocate for your child and family. The single most important thing is to keep your child safe and to communicate to the child welfare case worker. This resource is designed to help families who encounter the child welfare system. Learn what to do if you are reported for child abuse and neglect, what to do early on if you are involved in a child abuse or neglect investigation, and what to do if your child is removed from your home.
More suggestions and resources are below.

Download PDF
Download Image
Download Image to share in your emails, newsletters, and social media. Download PDF to print and display the above poster in your tribal child welfare office or in your community.

Download PDF
Download Image
Download Image to share in your emails, newsletters, and social media. Download PDF to print and display the above poster in your tribal child welfare office or in your community.

The child welfare system is responsible for

helping children to be safe and secure

helping families solve the problems that cause abuse or neglect

preventing separation of children from their families

responding to reports from people in the community who think that children are being abused or neglected

ensuring that children receive appropriate care while they are away from their families

working with the families so their children can return home safely (when children have been separated from their families to be safe)

finding another suitable permanent home for children who cannot return home

How does the child welfare system work?
The child welfare system was created to help every child have a safe and secure home life. This responsibility has been given to child welfare agencies, but they can't do it alone. The courts, private child welfare agencies, and other service systems (such as mental health, substance abuse treatment, healthcare, education, and domestic violence prevention) are all partners in serving children and families who come to the attention of the child welfare system. It's important to note that most tribes operate child welfare programs under their own laws.

Resource: Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System

Yes. Under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), federal requirements apply to state foster care, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and adoption proceedings involving an Indian child who is a member of or eligible for membership in a federally recognized tribe.

When ICWA applies to a child's case, the child's tribe and parents or Indian custodian have a right to be involved in decisions affecting services and placement decisions for the Indian child. A tribe or a parent can also petition a state court to transfer the case to the child's own tribal court. ICWA sets out federal requirements about removal and placement of Indian children in foster care, guardianship, group homes, or adoptive homes and allows the child's tribe to intervene in the case (e.g., participate in court proceedings, access court records and documents, share information with the court). ICWA also requires a heighthened level of services and supports for families, called active efforts, to prevent the removal of their children from their home and help return them safely after a removal.

Resource: The Indian Child Welfare Act: A Family's Guide

Resource: Your Rights Under the Indian Child Welfare Act

How should I prepare for a home visit from a child protective services investigator/worker?

Resource: 5 Things Social Workers Looks for During a Home Visit

1. The environment

2. Other hazards

3. Illegal activity

4. Basic needs

5. Your relationship to them as a parent

Resource: What CPS Can and Cannot Legally Do During Investigations?
What additional advice and resources are available?
90% of child neglect cases are due to poverty, untreated mental health issues, and substance abuse. If you are accused of child abuse or neglect, first ensure your child's safety. Demonstrate that you are doing everything you can to keep your child safe.

Have family and friends' phone numbers ready to call. Know who can help you keep your child safe in your home or who can care for your child in their home temporarily.

Find an attorney. If you think you can't, there are resources to help you. All parents in child welfare proceedings have a right to be represented by an attorney in court. You may need to advocate for yourself to find an attorney with Indian law expertise.

Ask for help accessing services or supports for income assistance and services related to mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence issues (see links below).
Know your rights:

You have the right to know what the specific report against you is that you are being investigated for.

All states are required to give relatives a preference for the placement of a child being placed out of the home.

You have the right to contribute to, review, comment on, and approve your case plan.

You have the right to all of your court documents and records and the right to have them explained to you so that you understand them.

For more about your rights, see "General Parental Rights" at Your Rights Under the Indian Child Welfare Act and Your Rights During an Investigation-And How to Use Them

Things that a child welfare worker will likely not know or might misjudge about you as an American Indian or Alaska Native parent:

A caseworker will assume you understand the language they are speaking, even if it is legal or technical language. If you don't understand, say so. Ask them to explain it using simpler language.

A caseworker will assume you can answer their questions immediately when they ask them. If you were taught to take your time and think carefully before responding, explain your preferred style of communication to the caseworker.

A caseworker probably doesn't know if you come from an extended family that shares parenting responsibilities. If you have close family that can help keep your child safe, tell the caseworker.

A caseworker may assume that you or your family has drug and alcohol problems just because you are Native. If you are in recovery or getting treatment, tell the caseworker.

A caseworker may mistake Mongolian spots (birth marks common on Native skin) for bruises. If your child has such birthmarks, tell the caseworker.

A caseworker will not usually know the negative history of Indian boarding schools, child removal, or the impact of this historical trauma on Native families today. If you feel panic, stress, or fear because of what happened to your family, including your ancestors, tell the caseworker.

A caseworker may stereotype the appearance of American Indians or Alaska Natives. If you are American Indian or Alaska Native, say so- whether you look like the stereotype or not. If you are not sure about your tribal heritage and you have relatives that are American Indian or Alaska Native, say so. If you are American Indian or Alaska Native, you may be eligible for protections under the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Be prepared for the child welfare agency to disagree with you.

Do the best you can to cooperate.

Be prepared to be in a child welfare agency office or courtroom and to be asked a lot of questions. Consider whether you want anyone to sit in with you to support you. You can request an advocate that you choose to be with you during questioning.

Have some notes about what you want to say, including family strengths and resources (people, services, etc.) available to you. Be prepared to talk about how you see the problem and what you've done in the past to try to address it, including people in your family who help you and services you receive.

Bring paper to take notes. Document every conversation you have with caseworkers. Include the date, location, who was there, summary of conversation, anything you are asked or were required to do.

If you don't like your caseworker or if they are not asking the right questions, respectfully ask to talk with their supervisor. If that person is not helpful, then ask for their supervisor or an ombudsman (someone who's job is to solve disputes with families). Many agencies have an ombudsman to support clients and assess whether they are getting the help they need and/or a state child welfare complaint office .

Don't be afraid to say when you need a break from the conversation or to say that you don't understand a question or a statement.

Your tribe may be involved in the investigation and/or court proceeding. You cannot assume the tribal representative is representing your interests. Legally they represent the best interest of the child as defined by the tribe's laws. They may be helpful in getting services and resources for your family.

Resources for Common Question

If you think the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) applies, trace your ancestry, and pursue enrollment with your tribe if needed.

Resource: Tracing Your Native Ancestry

Get familiar with your legal rights under ICWA.

Resource: Your Rights Under the Indian Child Welfare Act

What if ICWA doesn't apply to my child welfare case?
Resource: ICWA Doesn't Apply to My Child Welfare Case. What Other Help Can I Receive?
How can I report an unethical child welfare worker?

Resource: How to Report an Unethical CPS Worker

How can I contact the American Indian or Alaska Native tribal government of which I am a member?

Resource: Indian Child Welfare Act; Designated Tribal Agents for Service of Notice

How can I share my story and advocate for myself? Read chapter 8 of the grandfamilies toolkit and share this document with your caseworker.

Resource: American Indian and Alaska Native Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Family and Cultural Identity

Where can I go to get help for substance abuse issues in the family, mental health issues related to the child abuse or neglect investigation, or domestic violence in my home?

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More suggestions and resources are below. Download PDF Download Image Download Image to share in your emails, newsletters, and social media. Download PDF to print and display the above poster in your tribal child welfare office or in your community. Download PDF Download Image Download Image to share in your emails, newsletters, and social media.

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Child and Family Services Resource Guide - Joseph F. Rice School of Law | University of South Carolina

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Browse the list below for links to service providers that assist children and families in South Carolina.

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Family resource centers are community-based places where families can access support services and information, such as parenting classes, job training, mental health and family counseling, child care, job training and more.

Family resource centers can be found in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, churches, community centers and other organizations.

With programs and activities generally provided at no cost or low cost to participating families, they are responsive to the specific needs, cultures, and interests of the local populations they serve.

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Family Resource Centers - Children's Trust of South Carolina

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Community-based places where families can access support services and information, such as parenting classes, job training, mental health and family counseling, child care, job training and more.

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Brain Song for Kids: Hippocampus Hip Hop Teaches Kids How Memory Works

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"Hippocampus Hip Hop" is an animated song that uses catchy music and rhymes to teach kids about their brain. Ms. Hippo leads the song telling how your brain and hippocampus help you remember while cute baby hippos dance around her. "Hippocampus Hip Hop" is featured in the forthcoming mobile app "Remember the Brain."

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Gerry Leisman, Academic Editor

Abstract

Compared to other primates, humans are late bloomers, with exceptionally long childhood and adolescence. The extensive developmental period of humans is thought to facilitate the learning processes required for the growth and maturation of the complex human brain. During the first two and a half decades of life, the human brain is a construction site, and learning processes direct its shaping through experience-dependent neuroplasticity. Formal and informal learning, which generates long-term and accessible knowledge, is mediated by neuroplasticity to create adaptive structural and functional changes in brain networks. Since experience-dependent neuroplasticity is at full force during school years, it holds a tremendous educational opportunity. In order to fulfill this developmental and learning potential, educational practices should be human-brain-friendly and "ride" the neuroplasticity wave. Neuroscience can inform educators about the natural learning mechanisms of the brain to support student learning. This review takes a neuroscientific lens to explore central concepts in education (e.g., mindset, motivation, meaning-making, and attention) and suggests two methods of using neuroscience as an educational tool: teaching students about their brain (content level) and considering the neuro-mechanisms of learning in educational design (design level).

Keywords: educational neuroscience, neuroplasticity, human learning and development

1. Educational Neuroscience (Teaching for the Brain and Teaching about the Brain)

Educational neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field exploring the effects of education on the human brain and promotes the translation of research findings to brain-based pedagogies and policies [ 1]. The brain is the target organ of education. Education is thought to influence brain development [ 2, 3] and health, even as the brain ages [ 4, 5]. Studying the dynamics between the brain and education can be instrumental in finding ways to better support learners across the lifespan.

Educational neuroscience research explores every possible relationship between the physiological, mental, and behavioral aspects of learning. Some studies have tried to identify the optimal physical conditions for neuroplasticity and learning. This stream of educational neuroscience research includes studies exploring the effects of sleep (or sleep deprivation), physical exercise, and environmental pollution on the brain and its cognitive performance [ 1]. While these studies focus on the effect of brain health on learning, other studies examine the effect of learning on brain health, assessing the long-term effects of learning/education on the human brain and exploring in what ways formal/informal education is associated with better aging of the human brain [ 2, 3, 4].

Some educational neuroscience studies take a developmental approach to study the relationship between cognitive and learning capacities across the lifespan. For example, multilevel measurements collected from adolescents (e.g., neuronal, hormonal, psychological, and behavioral) have advanced our understanding of how the massive neuronal changes that take place during adolescence promote cognitive development but also introduce immense neuronal and mental vulnerability (and the onset of most psychiatric disorders) [ 1, 5, 6, 7]. Other studies in this line of research explore the factors supporting neuroplasticity in the mature brain-to support lifelong learning [ 8].

Educational neuroscience also explores the nature-nurture aspects of learning, for example, examining how learning environments interact with genetic conditions and what DNA variations predict differential learning abilities [ 9]. Environmental influences on learning include studies about the impacts of socio-economic status (SES) on the brain and cognitive developmental trajectory [ 10]. Furthermore, educational neuroscience seeks to understand the mechanisms that facilitate general learning abilities (such as executive control and social and emotional skills), discipline-specific learning abilities (such as literacy, numeracy, and science), the connections between these mechanisms, and the extent to which these learning skills are trainable [ 11].

As a developing, interdisciplinary research field, educational neuroscience faces challenges, limitations, and criticism, especially concerning the ability to generalize research findings in lab conditions to classroom learning, and its validity and transferability to larger scales, such as mass education systems. Other challenges stem from the fact that learning is one of the most basic yet complex brain functions that incorporates the entire brain and has a continuous effect. Furthermore, empirical studies in educational neuroscience are challenging and cumbersome due to the interdisciplinary nature of the field (education, psychology, and neuroscience); the need for repeated measures over time; and the young target population (school students), which imposes ethical restrictions on experimental designs. Finally, while still evolving as a research field, educational neuroscience is intriguing for many educational leaders who are enthusiastic about applying neuroscience in education practices. Unfortunately, the current gap between the high demand and limited supply may lead to misuse of neuroscience in pedagogy (e.g., neuromyths or the justification of educational methods based on limited to no evidence) [ 1].

While educational neuroscience is preliminary in forming evidence-based pedagogy, it can already offer valuable information and a much-needed bridge between educators and scientists in translating the research of learning into effective educational practices.

Neuroscience-informed educational design (teaching the way the brain learns) can promote learning motivation, high-level information processing, and knowledge retention. Moreover, neuroscience educational content (teaching about the brain) can inform students about their developing brains to promote scientific education and self-exploration.

1.1. Learning and Neuroplasticity

Human development is based on nature (genetics), nurture (physical and social environments), and their interactions (epigenetics) [ 12, 13]. These factors play an essential role in learning processes and the reorganization of neuronal networks to create neuronal representations of new knowledge. Learning and training new knowledge or skills evoke specific and repeated activity patterns, and in the process of Hebbian neuroplasticity, neural pathways are reinforced by the strengthening of specific synapses, while less functional ones are eliminated [ 14, 15, 16].

Almost half a century ago, Vygotsky introduced the zone of proximal development (ZPD) [ 17] in education. According to the ZPD, learning and development depend on an optimal balance between support and challenge (see Figure 1 : the zone of proximal development and neuroplasticity), which should be tuned and tailored for each learner based on their specific developmental stage. The ZPD model was revolutionary, as it emphasized the importance of the educational environment (nurture) in unlocking the internal potential (nature) of students, and it placed the learning process (as opposed to the learning product) as the central educational goal [ 17]. Some decades later, the biology of learning revealed a beautiful alignment with Vygotsky's theory-with evidence showing that brain neuroplasticity is highly affected by environmental conditions and the balance between demands (challenge) and available resources (support) [ 18]. The impact of stressors on learning can be constructive or destructive depending on the intensity, duration, and accumulation of the stressors and the coping mechanisms and support that one has.

Neuroscience research suggests that experience-dependent neuroplasticity [ 19], which facilitates learning processes, benefits from several principles. The central one is that learning a skill or new knowledge requires the activation of relevant neuronal pathways. The research also points to the saliency, intensity, and repetition of the learned skill/knowledge as valuable strategies for enhancing neuroplastic changes [ 16, 20, 21]. Learners cannot be passive recipients of content but must be active participants in the learning process.

An enriched environment for enhanced neuroplasticity offers physiological integrity, cognitive challenge, and emotional safety. More specifically, an enriched environment includes adequate sleep and nutrition, sensory-motor and cognitive challenges, opportunities for exploration and novelty, and secured relationships that act like a safety net and enable learners to take on challenges [ 22, 23]. Conversely, a lack of these conditions may slow down or decrease the level of neuroplasticity in the developing brain.

The social and cognitive safety net that enables learners to aim high while taking risks and to turn failure into resilience is rooted in safe relationships (with adults and peers) and in holding a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and learning potential are not fixed and can be developed [ 24]. Holding a growth mindset has been associated with academic success, emotional wellbeing, and motivation while reducing racial, gender, and social class achievement gaps [ 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]. While the impact of mindset interventions on academic performance is debatable regarding the general population [ 31], the literature is clear about the potential of growth mindset intervention in supporting the academic development of high-risk and economically disadvantaged students [ 26, 27, 31, 32].

The notion of human potential as something dynamic resonates with the concept of the plastic brain. Moreover, teaching students about neuroplasticity and the dynamic potential of their brains has been shown to effectively reinforce a growth mindset [ 32].

1.1.1. Using Neuroplasticity as Educational Content

Teaching students about experience-based neuroplasticity and the dynamic changes in neuronal networks during learning provides strong evidence of their natural and powerful learning capacity. Furthermore, teaching students about neuroplasticity with explicit connections to the growth mindset and development creates a motivating premise for learners-according to which their learning potential is dynamic and depends significantly on their attitudes and learning practices.

The neuroplasticity rules of "use it or lose it" and "use it to improve it" mean that, while teachers should support and guide them, learning occurs by and within the students. This physiology-based realization can help build students' responsibility and ownership over their learning.

Harnessing neuroplasticity and a growth mindset to motivate students can be especially important with neurodivergent learners, whose cognitive development and learning styles deviate from the typical range. Twenty percent of the population is neurodivergent, including students on the autistic spectrum (ASD), students with learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia), attention disorders (e.g., ADHD), neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy), and mental illness (e.g., PTSD). While neurodiversity and variations in neuronal and cognitive expressions hold many advantages [ 33], neurodivergent students face extra challenges navigating neurotypical-oriented school systems. Learning about neuroplasticity can be a potent form of validation for neurodivergent students, as neurodiversity is a natural result of experience-dependent neuroplasticity [ 19]. In addition, by fostering a growth mindset and neuroplasticity awareness, neurodivergent students can be motivated to participate in evidence-based interventions. For example, teaching students with dyslexia about the specific structural and functional brain changes associated with the reading interventions that they apply [ 34, 35, 36] can motivate them to endure the hard work before noticing visible results.

1.1.2. Using Neuroplasticity to Guide Learning Design

Organizing learning systems around conditions that promote neuroplasticity can enhance learners' academic development and wellbeing. When a student accomplishes today what was not in their reach yesterday, it is the product of neuroplasticity through a growth mindset.

Educational environments that promote neuroplasticity include encouraging and modeling a healthy lifestyle (physical exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and regulated stress), -for example, educating students about the counter-productiveness of sleep deprivation (e.g., "all-nighter" study marathons) on learning. In addition, learning systems should invest in intellectual stimulation (novelty and challenge) and the system's social and emotional climate (human connections). Neuroplasticity and development are optimal in the stretch zone, where learners experience a motivating level of challenge and stimulation while feeling emotionally supported and socially safe. This ratio between support and challenge should be individualized (between learners and within learners over time).

Educating teachers about neuroplasticity can be powerful in understanding and supporting students that were affected by trauma. Childhood adversity hampers neuroplasticity duration and magnitude [ 37]; a surviving brain is not a learning brain. While neuroplasticity is compromised by early trauma, neuroplasticity is also the key to healing from trauma. Schools have a pivotal role in battling the damage of early trauma by creating enriched and safe learning environments that reinforce alternative neuronal pathways to reverse the effects of early adverse environments on child brain development [ 22, 38, 39, 40].

1.2. Learning Motivation and Reward

Learning and adaptation are essential for surviving and thriving in dynamic environments. The brain evolved to make sense of information from our external and internal environments and to produce adaptive behaviors that promote survival. The brain is, therefore, a learning machine by nature, and learning does not require external initiation. However, learning is highly experience-dependent and can be directed and enhanced through education.

The brain reward system evolved to reinforce effortful behaviors that are essential for survival (e.g., foraging, reproduction, and caregiving). Such behaviors activate the dopaminergic system associated with reward and motivation [ 41]. The hormone/neurotransmitter dopamine is a central player in reward-motivated behavior and learning through the modulation of striatal and prefrontal functions [ 42]. The human brain reward system balances between (limbic) impulsive desire and (cortical) goal-directed wanting to guide flexible decision-making and adaptive motivational behaviors.

Psychologically, intrinsic motivation is driven by the need to experience a sense of competence, self-determination, and relatedness [ 43, 44, 45, 46, 47].

Competence refers to a perception of self-efficacy and confidence in one's abilities to achieve a valuable outcome. Self-determination refers to the sense of autonomy and agency in the learning process. Relatedness refers to the drive to pursue goals that hold social value, which can be achieved by working collaboratively as part of a team or by creating something that resonates with others. Relatedness is a strong motivational driver, as it touches on a primary and primordial need to be part of a group and a higher spiritual and intellectual need for self-transcendence and impact.

Overall, these components are based on the human inclination to be valued and validated by the self and others. Biologically, they reflect basic survival needs that combine self-reliance (competence and ownership) and social reliance. Psychologically, these are all subjective perceptions that serve the need to maintain positive self-perception and self-integration. Finally, educationally, they reflect the natural human curiosity and tendency to learn and develop continuously.

The human brain reward system in the 21st century is an evolutionary mismatch. There is a discrepancy between the conditions that the reward system evolved to serve and those that it often faces in the 21st century. The reward system evolved over millions of years to motivate humans to work hard (invest time and energy) in maintaining their survival needs (e.g., nutrition, protection, reproduction, and the learning of new skills). However, this system is not designed for the abundance and immediacy of stimulation in the digital and instant reward era, which promotes the persistent release of dopamine that leads to an increased craving for reward (seeking behavior; wanting) and a decreased sense of pleasure and satisfaction (liking) [ 42, 48].

Some of the most significant challenges of modern education systems relate to the massive changes in how people consume information and communicate in the digital era. Digital platforms have become dominant in information consumption and communication, which provide access to unlimited information and reinforce immediate rewards.

1.2.1. Using Neuroscience (of Reward and Motivation) as Educational Content

The science of human motivation, including its evolutionary mismatch, can be utilized to shed some light on students' struggles with learning motivation. It can further provide a framework for students to explore their motivational (approach or avoid) tendencies regarding learning and academic challenges. Moreover, learning the neuroscience underlying motivation and reward can raise students' awareness and proactivity in managing and protecting their reward system. Since adolescence is the peak time for the initiation of substance use, and early onset imposes a higher risk of mental health and substance abuse disorders persisting into adulthood [ 49, 50, 51], neuroscience knowledge about the reward system and its vulnerability (especially during brain development) is essential educational knowledge that can help in the prevention and mitigation of teen addiction.

1.2.2. Using Neuroscience to Guide Learning Design and Intrinsic Motivation

While students of the digital era are the most stimulation-flooded and attention-challenged in human history, learning is a process that takes time, selective attention, and perseverance. Therefore, learning designs that harness students' intrinsic motivation for training and the development of stamina and grit (skills that might be hampered in the digital era) are precious for students' health and success.

Motivational drivers include an adequate level of challenge that fits the student's sense of competence and that creates optimal arousal levels, opportunities to expand social relatedness and impact, and balance between support and autonomy (see the ZPD, Figure 1 ).

Importantly, in classroom learning, educators are required to manage the attention, motivation, and reward system of not one but many students, which is a complex task. The typical classroom presents a broad spectrum of learners with diverse learning needs and stretch zones ( Figure 1 ). While the facilitation of autonomy and the sense of competence varies between learners and requires personalized support, the social norms that promote learning are more ubiquitous and apply to most learners. While educators do not always have the resources to support students' motivation individually, harnessing the social aspects of classroom learning is a manageable, effective strategy to elevate students' motivation. Learning environments that demonstrate empathy, inclusiveness, and psychological safety have shown positive results in students' behavior, self-esteem, motivation, and academic success [ 52, 53, 54, 55, 56]. Social motivation has been shown to enhance the encoding of new information (even if the content is not social) [ 57]. Learning-for-teaching and peer tutoring (one student teaching another student) effectively encode information into memory. Beyond memory improvement, peer tutoring has many further benefits to both the tutor and the learner in academic achievements [ 58, 59], motivation, and ownership over the learning process and results in a deep conceptual understanding of the material [ 60].

The teacher's demeanor is another controllable factor with a high potential to affect students' motivation. For example, the literature points to teachers' immediacy (creating physical and psychological closeness with students) as an effective way to enhance students' engagement, learning motivation, and performance (including memory retention) [ 61, 62, 63, 64, 65]. Immediacy can be demonstrated through verbal and non-verbal gestures that communicate interest and personal connection (relating to personal stories, using animated voice and body language, creating eye contact, and using humor).

The research also indicates that, when students perceive the content as being personally relevant, they are more motivated to study [ 66]. Therefore, educators can actively make the learning content more relevant by using stories and real-life examples, making explicit connections and demonstrations of how the content may be relevant/applicable to the students, and giving students opportunities to reflect and share their connections to the learning material.

In summary, physiological and psychological approaches point to primary motivational drivers that direct engagement and investment in the learning process. Not surprisingly, these drivers that are anchored around social and intellectual needs align with the conditions supporting neuroplasticity discussed in the first part of this review.

1.3. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Processing in Learning and Meaning-Making

As the environment provides more information than the brain can handle, survival depends on saliency detection and attention management to direct perception and behavior. The brain constantly selects and attends to relevant input while suppressing irrelevant or distracting information [ 67]. Information that is valuable or urgent for survival and prosperity receives attention. Attention capacities (e.g., alerting, orienting, and controlling attention) are managed by several brain systems that interact and coordinate [ 68, 69, 70]. Top-down, cognitive-driven attention that fosters a goal-directed thinking process is associated with the dorsal attention network (consisting of the intraparietal sulcus and the frontal eye fields) [ 71]. This mechanism enables students to read a paragraph, listen to a lecture, think about the teacher's question, or write an essay. A second attention system is bottom-up and stimulus-driven, and it orients attention to unexpected and behaviorally relevant stimuli. This ventral attention network consists of the right temporoparietal junction and the ventral frontal cortex [ 71]. This attention-grabbing mechanism enables the individual to respond quickly to urgent environmental demands, for example, moving away to prevent a struck-by-object accident. Flexible attention control depends on dynamic interactions and switching between the two systems and involves the central executive network (CEN) [ 68, 70].

The insula and anterior cingulate cortex comprise the core structures of the saliency network [ 72], another major player in attention altering to emotionally salient stimuli through the interaction of the sensory and cognitive influences that control attention [ 72, 73, 74].

In addition to outward-focused attention, the human brain is also invested in inward-focused processing. Functional brain imaging studies of the human brain show a robust functional anticorrelation between two large-scale systems, one highly extrinsic and the other deeply intrinsic [ 75, 76, 77]. The central executive network (CEN) is an externally driven system and is paramount for attention control, working memory, flexible thinking, and goal-directed behavior. The core components of the CEN are the dorsolateral PFC and the lateral posterior parietal cortex (hence, the frontoparietal network) [ 72, 78]. When the human brain is not occupied with external tasks, the default mode network (DMN) is activated. This internally driven cognitive network includes the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) as core components. The DMN is thought to facilitate reminiscing, contemplating, autobiographical memory, self-reflecting, and social cognition [ 79]. Conversely, the DMN is immediately suppressed when the brain is engaged in externally driven tasks and stimulation.

Resting-state brain imaging studies revealed that the activity in the DMN during resting awake states indicates the quality of subsequent neural and behavioral responses to environmental stimuli [ 72, 80]. Moreover, a high connectivity between "intrinsic" (DMN) and "extrinsic" (CEN) brain networks, and specifically emotional saliency, attention (extrinsic), and reflection (intrinsic) networks is associated with better cognitive performance, meaning-making, and broad perspective thinking [ 75, 76, 81]. These networks function antagonistically but are highly connected and balance each other. Furthermore, the anticorrelation between their function is associated with better task performance and positive mental health [ 79, 82]. Recent studies also suggest that a causal hierarchical architecture orchestrates this anticorrelation between externally and internally driven brain activities. More specifically, that regions of the saliency network and the dorsal attention network impose inhibition on the DMN. Conversely, the DMN exhibits an excitatory influence on the saliency and attention system [ 79].

1.3.1. The Neuroscience of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Processing as Educational Content

Teaching students about the dynamics of the default mode and executive control network can help them understand how their brain processes information, the importance of each process (e.g., extrinsic and intrinsic), and their integration for meaningful learning. This knowledge can be applied as students explore and experiment with ways to enhance their learning and memory by intentionally engaging both intrinsic and extrinsic processing and integrating the two.

1.3.2. Using the Neuroscience of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Processing to Guide Learning Design

Traditionally, instructional education is based on learning objectives that are externally dictated and is focused on outward attention (stimulus-driven lectures and assignments). Mind-wandering has become the enemy of classroom teachers, as it indicates students' lack of attention and poor learning.

Nevertheless, neuroscience research indicates that meaning-making and cognitive performance benefit from the interplay between extrinsic and intrinsic oriented attention and processing [ 56, 75].

Learning instructions should consider the different attention mechanisms, evoking adequate arousal levels and leading to goal-directed thinking. Furthermore, students will benefit from an educational design that stimulates the natural interplay between "intrinsic" (DMN) and "extrinsic" (CEN) brain networks by incorporating external stimulation (e.g., presenting content), allocating time and space for intrinsic reflection (e.g., guided reflection and journaling), and integrating the two (e.g., guided class discussion and insights sharing) [ 83, 84].

2. Discussion

2.1. Teaching Students about Their Developing Brains

As far as we know, humankind is the only species with access to the underlying mechanisms of its perception, learning, and inner workings. In addition, the human brain is endowed with a lengthy developmental period of approximately 25 years [ 85, 86]. Therefore, schooling years are the prime time for neuroplasticity, and students can learn about their brains while they are highly malleable and can utilize this to amplify their learning and growth.

While students were traditionally required to choose whether to focus on the humanities or science fields, an integrative view is becoming increasingly common in academic institutes. Multidisciplinary studies have been shown to promote students' positive learning and professional outcomes [ 87]. Teaching neuroscience from a dual perspective, both scientific/objective and humanistic/subjective, is a novel but natural bridge between the humanities and science fields.

Studying neuroscience with explicit connections to the lived experience of brain development and its behavioral manifestation can be academically and personally transformative for students.

Shedding a scientific light on students' experiences as they unfold can support significant developmental processes during those years, such as improvements in executive functions, emotional regulation skills, meta-cognition, and social cognition [ 88].

Among the topics and burning issues of teens and young adults that neuroscience can offer insights into are selective and leaky attention [ 89], the reward system and addiction [ 90], the PFC-limbic developmental mismatch during adolescence [ 91], neurodiversity and inclusion, emotion regulation, and mental health [ 92].

Moreover, adding a personal layer to neuroscience studies fits the notion that personal relatedness and relevance are essential for learning motivation. Teaching neuroscience from a dual (scientific and personal) perspective and connecting neuroscience knowledge to a deeper understanding of the self and others can elevate engagement and nurture students' passion for science and their ability to integrate and transfer scientific knowledge across contexts. In addition, similar to the effect of physical education, educational neuroscience can promote the awareness of brain health and encourage students to be intentional about their education and developmental trajectory.

2.2. Teaching the Way(s) the Human Brain Learns Best

Teaching students in brain-friendly ways means implementing principles that align with how the human brain encodes, consolidates, and retrieves information. Educational neuroscience points to the importance of a holistic and integrated view of cognitive, emotional, and social aspects to support learning and development [ 52, 75, 93, 94]. Maintaining physical health, cognitive challenge, and emotional safety are essential factors in creating an enriched environment that supports neuroplasticity and learning.

Assessing the learning progress rather than the end product can encourage students to move away from rote memorization to more meaningful learning that carries on beyond the final exam.

Meaningful learning can be promoted by learning designs that encourage students to take experimental and explorative approaches, take risks, and make mistakes without detrimental consequences to their grades.

Furthermore, assessments throughout the learning process and not only at the end of it, using multiple sample points and low-risk tasks, can provide information on the student's learning curve and allow for personalized and timely feedback that students can apply to improve their learning on the go.

These methods not only promote psychological safety but also align with the evidence-based practices of building long-term and accessible knowledge by spreading out the learning concept across time (spacing), practicing information retrieval from memory (recall), and integrating and transferring knowledge (the application of knowledge in different contexts) [ 95].

3. Conclusions

Brain knowledge is brainpower; teaching students about their developing brain can support their academic and personal development by deepening their understanding of science and humanities, their mental capacity, and their self-identity. Educational neuroscience is a promising field in teaching students about their brains and teaching them in brain-friendly ways to support them in becoming lifelong learners.

Funding Statement

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study did not require ethical approval.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

The study did not report any data.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

Publisher's Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Articles from Brain Sciences are provided here courtesy of Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

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Growing Brains, Nurturing Minds-Neuroscience as an Educational Tool to Support Students' Development as Life-Long Learners

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Compared to other primates, humans are late bloomers, with exceptionally long childhood and adolescence. The extensive developmental period of humans is thought to facilitate the learning processes required for the growth and maturation of the complex ...

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A deeper understanding of how the brain works can help teachers plan lessons that reach every student.

Olav Ahrens Røtne / Unsplash

Understanding, even minimally, how the brain works when it comes to learning can help teachers more effectively educate students. In her recently released book, Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn, Dr. Barbara Oakley and her coauthors provide easy-to-understand explanations of neuroscience concepts and practical tips for how teachers can help students learn more effectively no matter what the content. I recently met with Dr. Oakley and learned about some of the neuroscience concepts on which her book is based, as well as practical advice for how teachers can apply this information in the classroom.

Understanding Working Memory

As explained in Uncommon Sense Teaching, we can think of information as a collection of balls. (Metaphors are a powerful tool to help our brains hold on to information.) Information is kept alive in working memory, a temporary mental storage space, by focusing on or repeating ideas. Students can hold on to only so much information consciously in their working memories. A typical working memory can hold, or work on, only about four balls of information at once. Long-term memory's ability to hold on to information is just that-longer.

Special education teachers and learning specialists are well aware of the effect that working memory capacity can have on a student's ability to learn. However, Dr. Oakley and her coauthors noticed that these ideas are often not applied to general classroom teaching practices. "We would like to think that this is common knowledge among all teachers, but, at present, it isn't," Dr. Oakley said when I spoke with her. Even in a single class, working memory capacity among students can vary dramatically. For example, students with a lesser-capacity working memory often have trouble completing multistep directions, or they may omit or repeat words when writing a sentence.

"As teachers," Dr. Oakley told me in our interview, "we need to help kids realize that if you can't understand something the first time you sit down to try, that doesn't mean you are some kind of dummy. It just means that you are a member of the human race. Creating neural structures in long-term memory is what levels the playing field, so that a person with a low-capacity working memory can perform just as well as, or even better than, a person with high-capacity working memory."

Simple teaching techniques such as pausing periodically during a lesson to give students a chance to reread or displaying multistep directions so that students can free up working memory capacity for actual lesson content can show tangible results for those with lesser-capacity working memory.

Declarative Versus Procedural Pathways to Learning

Similar to differences in working memory capacity, pathways through which we teach and learn knowledge can vary. There are two main pathways the brain uses to deposit new information in long-term memory. The declarative pathway is often thought to involve facts or events. The procedural pathway involves learning complex patterns, such as those found in mathematics, or skills such as typing, tying a shoe, or solving a Rubik's Cube.

"Teachers need to know that both ways of learning are valuable and provide a deeper way for students to understand material," Dr. Oakley said. "When teachers emphasize only one system of learning, as by forcing students to explain declaratively every step in solving a problem, for example, it can make it more difficult for a student to be a successful overall learner. We are hurting students who learn well procedurally. This type of learning is often difficult or impossible to explain."

Offering opportunities for both declarative and procedural learning is key. One-minute summaries, where students write down everything they remember immediately following a lesson, or peer teaching, where students work with partners to teach one another facts and information from a lesson, are great ways for students to plug declarative information into long-term memory. Alternatively, teaching through procedural pathways requires the ability to practice, and actual practice of a skill helps automatize the information. Incorporating classroom activities that involve both types of pathways will optimize learning for all students.

Another important aspect of brain science is understanding focused versus diffuse modes of thinking. When the brain is in focused mode, working memory is hard at work. It's making neural connections and building an understanding of the material. Studying for a test, reading a text, or reviewing vocabulary in a foreign language are all examples of the brain working in focused mode.

In diffuse mode, the brain is less focused on the material. Instead, it's making subconscious connections to the material. Daydreaming while going for a walk or letting your mind wander while taking a shower are examples of the brain in diffuse mode. Optimal learning often involves both focused and diffuse modes of thinking. Teachers can guide students to recognize these two forms of learning. For example, when students study, they can begin to recognize the point at which they become frustrated. That's the point at which their focused mode is essentially maxed out. Taking brain breaks at this stage will switch their thinking to diffuse mode when neural links can begin to connect. As Dr. Oakley writes in Uncommon Sense Teaching, "Knowing when frustration has just reached a peak, so it's time to switch to something else or take a break, is a valuable learning meta-skill. It comes in particularly handy on tests, where students often can't unstick themselves once they become stuck on a problem."

Dr. Oakley is a passionate educator who wants the best for both teachers and students, and is developing an online course for teachers. "Teachers are heroes," she told me. "We wrote this book to help them teach even better and to help students excel in the subjects that can be the most difficult to learn." While many of these strategies may not seem novel to teachers, thinking of them in terms of the neuroscience concepts they employ can guide teachers in making thoughtful, science-based decisions when planning lessons and units.

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Applying Insights From Neuroscience in the Classroom

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A deeper understanding of how the brain works can help teachers plan lessons that reach every student. Olav Ahrens Røtne / Unsplash Understanding, even minimally, how the brain works when it comes to learning can help teachers more effectively educate students.

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Summary: A new study emphasizes the importance of understanding the teenage brain to foster resilience and independence in adolescents. The approach, reflective parenting, encourages parents to go beyond addressing challenging behaviors, aiming instead to help teenagers manage their feelings and relationships safely.

Highlighting the significant neurological changes during adolescence, including the reorganization of biobehavioral systems and the dominance of emotional processing, This method seeks to improve communication and understanding between parents and teens.
Key Facts:

1. Teen Brain Development: Adolescence involves significant brain changes, with a shift from emotional to more rational processing still underway into the mid-twenties, affecting decision-making and emotional regulation.

2. Reflective Parenting Techniques: This approach focuses on understanding the underlying emotions and thoughts driving a teenager's behavior, fostering open dialogue and empathy to navigate challenges together.

3. The Importance of Boundaries and Mental Health Support: While reflective parenting promotes a deeper connection, maintaining boundaries and seeking professional help for serious mental health concerns remains crucial.

Source: Taylor and Francis Group
Helping teenagers to understand what is going on inside their own brains is the key to helping them mature into resilient and independent adults, research suggests.
Sheila Redfern, a consultant clinical child and adolescent psychologist, proposes that rather than focusing on stamping out difficult behaviours, parents should teach teenagers to manage their feelings and relationships in safe ways.

Dr. Redfern says that although parenting teenagers is uniquely challenging, with concerns about social media use, self-harm, risk-taking and other difficult behaviour, this stage can be full of enjoyment and connection.

In her new book How Do You Hug a Cactus? Reflective Parenting with Teenagers in Mind, she advocates for reflective parenting - which involves trying to understand what goes on in the teenage brain - as essential for building resilience and security in young people, to navigate through the storm and stress of adolescence.
What is going on in a teenage brain?
"Understanding the neuroscience of the changing teenage brain can really help parents to empathize and connect with their teenage children," Dr. Redfern explains.

"This is not just a time of physical and neurological change, but also of great vulnerability. It's during this period of development that teenagers are much more likely to engage in risky behavior and develop a mental illness."

The statistics from the UK NHS research on child and adolescent mental health show that in young people aged 17 to 19 years, the rate of mental health problems rose from 1 in 10 in 2017 to 1 in 4 in 2022 - the biggest challenge to mental health being anxiety and depression.

"The focus in reflective parenting is on keeping a connection with your teenager and helping them to manage, sometimes overwhelming and unwanted, feelings," Dr. Redfern explains. "This is one of the most important skills for life you can teach your teenager."

Dr. Redfern explains that while we used to think most emotional development occurred in childhood and was fully formed by around age 7, we now know that this continues into early adulthood.

There are three basic biobehavioural systems that enable humans to adapt to our complex social environment: the reward system; the mentalizing, or 'social cognition' system, which is our capacity to understand ourselves and others in terms of our feelings, desires, and values; and finally the stress and threat system.

"During adolescence, these three biobehavioural systems are being reorganized in the brain and, put very simply, this reorganization of the systems leads to patterns of thinking, behavior and responses to others, including parents, which may be difficult to understand, seem illogical, highly reactive or self-destructive," she explains.

"Where adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain's rational part, teenagers process information with the amygdala - this is the emotional part. This leads teenagers to be preoccupied with their own emotions, particularly when they have an overwhelming emotion, and less able to tune into other people.

"When we look at brain development, it's factually inaccurate to describe an 18-year-old as an adult. Our brains haven't fully developed until we're in our mid-twenties, From the age of 18 until around 25 years old, sometimes even later, our brains are still developing," Dr. Redfern explains.
How to parent in a reflective way
Dr. Redfern points to research suggesting the best way to help a teenager is to parent in a reflective way - this means not just focusing on the behavior but what is going on in their mind.

Reflective parenting allows parents to support teenagers in coming with their own ideas about how they are going to meet challenges when these arise: "By drawing out from your teenager how they are planning to solve difficulties, without pointing out flaws but simply offering another perspective of any potential downsides, you will learn how to mentalize yourself and your teenager in a way that helps them to thrive, gain independence and develop skills for life, while staying connected to you."

Dr. Redfern warns that parents who solely focus on fixing behavior will leave their teenager not feeling understood or unable to manage the feelings that lie underneath.

As teenagers lose their ability to be reflective because of changes in their brain, resulting in frequent states of high emotional arousal, parents can step in and help guide the process.

This emotionally-charged brain can make assumptions that feel like fact - thoughts like 'no one likes me, I am alone' - and adolescents are much more likely to slip into these mindsets. Dr. Redfern suggests it is the job of a reflective parent to help them recover their capacity to mentalize - that is, to regain awareness, understanding and control over their emotions.

The aim of helping teenagers practice this is to restore their ability to understand what's going on in other's minds and appreciate different perspectives, as well as understand what's going on in their own minds.

Dr. Redfern points out that while reflective parenting may bring about a greater connection between you and your teen, and hopefully even a calmness and enhanced understanding of your relationship - it is important to maintain strong boundaries.

"Reflecting on thoughts and feelings alone is not the type of parenting being advocated here. Boundaries still count, and so does parental authority," she explains. "There is no one-size-fits-all parenting manual but all parents can use the framework of reflective parenting to help navigate teens through the adolescent years."
Guiding teens through difficult feelings
One key concept of reflective parenting is for parents to also check in with themselves - asking themselves if they are experiencing strong emotions and need to regulate before approaching a conversation.

Then the parent can approach a teen's emotional distress using validation and empathy, by describing how they are feeling and avoid putting their own opinion across.

"You take this self-reflective step first, then you can give your full attention and curiosity to your teenager's perspective, and they will experience you as somebody steady, consistent and trustworthy," she explains. "This can be extremely hard for parents as we worry a lot about our teenagers and regulating emotions is difficult sometimes."

Dr. Redfern acknowledges that being a reflective parent - simultaneously being aware of what's in your own mind and being empathic and curious about the teenage mind - is difficult.

"None of us can be a reflective parent all of the time, because our emotions rise and fall along with events that happen in our lives and as a result of the support (or lack of) that we get from other people," she explains. "If we're doing this reasonably well, then we would expect to be mentalizing around 30% of the time."

She also suggests that if parents have serious concerns about their teen's mental health, seeking professional help and advice is key.

About this parenting and neurodevelopment research news

Author: Becky Parker-Ellis
Source; Taylor and Francis Group
Contact: Becky Parker-Ellis - Taylor and Francis Group
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

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Reflective Parenting: Navigating Teen Brains Towards Resilience - Neuroscience News

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A new study emphasizes the importance of understanding the teenage brain to foster resilience and independence in adolescents.

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Parenting is a responsibility for more than one brain. In addition to continuing to use your own brain to learn and grow, you will encourage the growth and development of your child's brain. This can be a long and confusing process.

This set of pages is here to help you understand your children's brain development, how to get them the brain basics that they need and maybe even how to stay sane in the process!

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Parenting is a responsibility for more than one brain. In addition to continuing to use your own brain to learn and grow, you will encourage the growth and development of your child's brain. This...

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Summary: Researchers revealed nuanced insights into parent-child synchrony, differentiating between behavioral and brain-to-brain connections in 140 families. This research indicates that higher brain-to-brain synchrony, particularly in mothers with insecure attachment traits, might compensate for less attuned interactions.

While mothers and children demonstrated stronger behavioral synchrony, fathers and their offspring showed greater neural synchronization, suggesting varying strategies of emotional connection and compensation within family dynamics. These findings pave the way for deeper explorations into optimizing parent-child relationships, especially in families with neurodivergent children or those with experiences of care and adoption.
Key Facts:

1. Mothers with insecure attachment traits exhibited more brain-to-brain synchrony with their children, possibly as a compensatory mechanism.

2. Fathers and children had higher neural synchrony, while mothers and children showed stronger behavioral synchrony, highlighting different patterns of emotional bonding.

3. The study aims to identify an optimal range of synchrony to enhance relationships and child attachment development, challenging the notion that more synchrony is always beneficial.

Source: University of Essex
More synchrony between parents and children may not always be better, new research has revealed.
For the first time a new University of Essex study looked at behavioural and brain-to-brain synchrony in 140 families with a special focus on attachment.

It looked at how they feel and think about emotional bonds whilst measuring brain activity as mums and dads solved puzzles with their kids.

The study - published in Developmental Science - discovered that mums with insecure attachment traits showed more brain-to-brain synchrony with their children.

Dr Pascal Vrticka, from the Department of Psychology, said: "For secure child attachment development, sensitive and mutually attuned interactions with parents are crucial.

"If the parent, here the mother, has more insecure attachment traits it may be more difficult for the dyad to achieve optimal behavioural synchrony.

"Increased brain-to-brain synchrony may reflect a neural compensation mechanism to overcome otherwise less attuned interaction elements."

The study also discovered different behavioural and brain-to-brain synchrony patterns depending on whether the parent was a mum or a dad.

Fathers and children showed stronger brain-to-brain synchrony, whereas mums and their kids had stronger behavioural synchrony.

These findings suggest higher father-child brain-to-brain synchrony may reflect a neural compensation strategy to counteract a relative lack of behavioural synchrony.

It hopes this research will springboard studies into parent-child relationships and open new avenues for intervention and prevention.

It comes as Dr Vrticka prepares to work with the NHS to explore family relationships.

He added: "Together with the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, we will soon start looking at synchrony within families with neurodivergent children and children with experiences of care and adoption.

"Our aim is to find behavioural and neurobiological correlates of an optimal range of synchrony to help all families with their relationships and child attachment development.

In doing so, we must appreciate that not only low but also high synchrony can signal interaction and relationship difficulties."

Attachment was assessed in parents with an interview and in children with a story completion task.

Brain-to-brain synchrony between parents and children was derived from functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning.

Finally, the parent-child interaction was video-recorded and coded for behavioural synchrony.

The study was led by Dr Trinh Nguyen who now works at the Italian Institute of Technology in Rome, Italy, and Dr Melanie Kungl from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany - along with colleagues from Vienna, Berlin, and Leipzig.

About this parenting and psychology research news

Author: Ben Hall
Source: University of Essex
Contact: Ben Hall - University of Essex
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
" Visualizing the invisible tie: Linking parent-child neural synchrony to parents' and children's attachment representations" by Pascal Vrticka et al. Developmental Science
Abstract Visualizing the invisible tie: Linking parent-child neural synchrony to parents' and children's attachment representations
It is a central tenet of attachment theory that individual differences in attachment representations organize behavior during social interactions.

Secure attachment representations also facilitate behavioral synchrony, a key component of adaptive parent-child interactions. Yet, the dynamic neural processes underlying these interactions and the potential role of attachment representations remain largely unknown.

A growing body of research indicates that interpersonal neural synchrony (INS) could be a potential neurobiological correlate of high interaction and relationship quality.

In this study, we examined whether interpersonal neural and behavioral synchrony during parent-child interaction is associated with parent and child attachment representations.

In total, 140 parents (74 mothers and 66 fathers) and their children (age 5-6 years; 60 girls and 80 boys) engaged in cooperative versus individual problem-solving. INS in frontal and temporal regions was assessed with functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning.

Attachment representations were ascertained by means of the Adult Attachment Interview in parents and a story-completion task in children, alongside video-coded behavioral synchrony.

Findings revealed increased INS during cooperative versus individual problem solving across all dyads (𝛸 ²(2) = 9.37, p = 0.009).

Remarkably, individual differences in attachment representations were associated with INS but not behavioral synchrony ( p > 0.159) during cooperation.

More specifically, insecure maternal attachment representations were related to higher mother-child INS in frontal regions (𝛸 ²(3) = 9.18, p = 0.027).

Conversely, secure daughter attachment representations were related to higher daughter-parent INS within temporal regions (𝛸 ²(3) = 12.58, p = 0.006).

Our data thus provide further indication for INS as a promising correlate to probe the neurobiological underpinnings of attachment representations in the context of early parent-child interactions.

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Parent-Child Synchrony Isn't Always Better for Attachment Development - Neuroscience News

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Researchers revealed nuanced insights into parent-child synchrony, differentiating between behavioral and brain-to-brain connections in 140 families.

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