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Social Policy and Children’s Development
Social Policy is a national government’s course of action which is designed to influence the welfare of its citizens. A current trend is to conduct child development research that produces knowledge which will lead to wise and effective decision making in the area of social policy.
The research shows that the nation needs revised social policy related to children. One day in the lives of children in the United States proves it:
17,051 women get pregnant.
2,795 of them are teenagers.
1,106 teenagers have abortions.
372 teenagers miscarry.
1,295 teenagers give birth.
689 babies are born to women who have had inadequate prenatal care.
719 babies are born at low birthweight.
129 babies are born at very low birthweight.
67 babies die before one month of life.
105 babies die before their first birthday.
27 children die from poverty.
10 children die from guns.
30 children are wounded by guns.
6 teenagers commit suicide.
135,000 children bring a gun to school.
7,742 teens become sexually active.
623 teenagers get syphilis or gonorrhea.
211 children are arrested for drug abuse.
437 children are arrested for drinking or drunken driving.
1,512 teenagers drop out of school.
1,849 children are abused or neglected.
3,288 children run away from home.
1,629 children are in adult jails.
2,556 children are born out of wedlock.
2,989 see their parents divorced.
34,285 people lose jobs.
Among the groups that have worked to improve the lives of the world’s children are UNICEF in New York and the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington. At a recent United Nations convention, a number of children’s rights were declared. A sampling of these rights appears in table 1.
| Table 1.1 A Partial Listing of the Declaration of Children’s Rights Presented to the United Nations |
| Abuse and neglect The need to protect from all forms of maltreatment by parents and others: In cases of abuse and neglect, the government is obligated to undertake preventive and treatment programs Best interests of the child The need for the best interests of children to prevail in all legal and administrative decisions, taking into account(₁) children’s opinions Child labor The need to protect children from economic exploitation and from engaging in work that is a threat to their health, education, and development |
| Children of ethnic minorities The right of children from ethnic minority backgrounds to enjoy their own culture and to practice their own religion and language Children without families The right to receive special protection and assistance from the government when deprived of family support and to be provided with alternative care Drug abuse The need of children to be protected from illegal drugs, including(₂) their production or distribution |
| Education The right to education: The government should be obligated to provide free and compulsory education and to ensure that school discipline reflects children’s human dignity Aims of education Education that develops a child’s personality and talents and fosters respect for human rights and for children’s and others’ cultural and national value |
| Sexual exploitation The right of children to be protected from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and pornography Freedom from discrimination The need to protect children without exception from any form of discrimination Handicapped children The right of handicapped children to special care and training designed to help them achieve self-reliance and a full, active life in society |
| Health and health services The right to the highest standard of health and access to medical services: The government should be obligated to ensure preventive health care, health care for expectant mothers, health education, and the reduction of infant and child mortality Leisure and recreation The right to leisure, play, and participation in cultural and artistic activities Standard of living The right to an adequate standard of living: The government should have a responsibility to assist parents who cannot meet this responsibility |
Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, has been a tireless advocate of children’s rights and has been instrumental in calling attention to the needs of children. Especially troubling to Edelman are the indicators of societal neglect that place the United States at or near the bottom of industrialized nations in the treatment of children, Edelman says that parenting and nurturing the next generation of children is our society’s most important function and we need to take it more seriously than we did in the past. She points out that we hear a lot from politicians these days about the importance of “family values”, but that when we examine our nation’s policies for families, they don’t reflect the politicians’ words.
Notes: 1. taking into account – принимая во внимание; 2. including – включая
Упр. 8. Прочитайте текст еще раз и письменно ответьте на следующие вопросы:
1. What is social policy? 2. What is the aim (цель) of one of current trends in social policy? 3. What are the names of organizations that try to improve the life of the world’s children? 4. What place does the United States occupy in the treatment of children? 5. Have they made comprehensive child-care bills law? 6. Why is public concern over the provision of day care increasing? 7. In what way can child developmentalists influence the social policy related to children?
Упр. 9. Письменно закончите данные предложения, выбрав правильный вариант из предложенных:
1. Social policy is a national government’s course of action designed to influence
a) the health of its citizens.
b) the welfare of its young generation.
c) the welfare of its citizens.
2. The research data show that
a) the government is providing children with everything necessary for happy life.
b) the nation needs to revise its social policy related to children.
3. The Declaration of Children’s Rights was presented
a) at the meeting of the British Parliament.
b) in Congress.
c) at one of the United Nations Conventions.
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