Family, School, and Society: Shaping the Developing Child

What obstacles do single, low-income fathers face to becoming and staying involved in the lives of their children? Why are students in poor schools at increased risk of entering adulthood without all the skills they need to succeed in the workforce and life? Why do children in poverty have higher chances for serious health issues than wealthier children? What difference do kinship versus non-kinship care arrangements make in the lives of children who are in foster care? Why are children subjected to harsh discipline policies at school more likely to go to jail or prison later in life than those who are not? How do strengths and resiliencies of immigrant children go unnoticed in the face of their many challenges? How important are affirming relationships with family and school practices for successfully navigating stigma and bullying of LGBTQ youth? Using theory, research findings and other data sources, and current news, this course focuses on the complex social issues that America's children and adolescents face both in their immediate settings of family and school and with broader societal values, customs, and laws, and the effects of these issues on their psychological development and well-being.