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THE LATEST
On December 10, the President signed the bi-partisan Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces the No Child Left Behind law. Of particular interest to relationship educators is Title IV SEC. 4108 C-iv with activities to support safe and healthy students. It allows schools to improve instructional practices for developing relationship-building skills, such as effective communication, and improve safety through the recognition and prevention of coercion, violence, or abuse, including teen and dating violence, stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence and harassment. There is funding devoted specifically for “safe and healthy” initiatives in ESSA. Districts that get more than $30,000 will have to spend at least 20 percent of their funding on at least one activity that helps students be safe and healthy.” For the entire text of the bill, click here.
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Adolescence is increasingly understood as a distinct stage in which behaviors, habits, and decisions have long-term effects on health outcomes. Evidence supports the strong, positive influence of parental monitoring on adolescent decisions and health behaviors. Parental monitoring, the overall participation and knowledge of their teen’s social life and contacts, is a significantly influential behavior that can modify adolescents’ decisions regarding sexual behavior. It remains unclear, however, what type of monitoring is most effective and the overall relationship between monitoring and sexual behavior among teens. This meta-analysis explores the effects of parental monitoring on teen sexual behavior. Overall, higher parental monitoring of teen behavior, rule enforcement, and knowledge of behaviors, locations, and companions (monitoring knowledge) were associated with delayed sexual intercourse in teens. (Ed. Note: Dibble programs have been found to increase communications between young people and their parents/guardians, which is an important protective factor.)
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Findings published in Developmental Psychology show that those who are in relationships were more similar to their partners than to friends on measures of alcohol abuse. Similarity between friend reports of alcohol abuse declined after one or both of the adolescents, ages 12 to 19 years old, became involved in a romantic relationship, to the point where they became more similar to their romantic partners than to their friends.
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Fact: marriage is still the norm in many parts of the world, while in others, young people are redefining what a committed relationship looks like Ready for the marriage apocalypse?” challenges CNN. “Young couples shun marriage over divorce fears,” booms the Telegraph. Headlines like these give the impression that marriage has all but died among millennials – but this isn’t the whole picture.
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DIBBLE IN THE NEWS
As part of the Youth Education and Relationship Education Services (YEARS) project, the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) and Child Trends, recently published a fact sheet on youth-serving Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education (HMRE) programs. The fact sheet focuses on HMRE programs funded by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) during the 2011-2015 grant cycle that served youth ages 14-24. It outlines the total number of youth served between October 2013 and September 2014; the age, gender and racial composition of these participants; and the most commonly used curricula, program goals and expected program outcomes. For more information about the YEARS project click here. (Ed Note: We are thrilled that Love Notes and Connections were among the most frequently used programs!)
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From Policy & Practice, a publication of the American Public Human Services Assembly
No non-custodial parent going to Child Support Services is expecting a helping hand like Building Brighter Futures (BBF). For stressed parents, the smallest acts of kindness have enormous consequences; BBF, with its encouraging environment, works powerfully. Co-parenting, relationship communication skills, and understanding what children need to thrive are just some of the topics covered by BBF over eight weeks. The Dibble Institute’s relationship curriculum “Love Notes” by Marlene Pearson is the key intervention used in BBF. (Ed. Note: Approximately 24% of non-custodial parents participating in BBF started paying child support and all reported better communications with their children.)
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TOOLS YOU CAN USE Tip Sheet - Click here for our newest Tip Sheet with new ways to create greater student competence through the innovative use of workbooks.
Leveraging the Strengthening Families Act to Promote Normalcy
What Young People Need to Thrive Young people in foster care often understand why they entered the system. They usually can make sense of the complexities that prevented them from remaining in their homes. But what may be hardest for these young people to understand is the lack of everyday experiences and relationships with families and friends readily available to peers who aren’t in foster care — opportunities that are frequently difficult to ensure because of requirements imposed by child welfare systems. These young people need normal and healthy experiences, which include positive relationships and activities. Read more. (Ed. Note: The Normalcy Activity Check-List (page 7) includes education about healthy relationships and sexuality. What an important addition!)
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Here’s a great chart that illustrates the good and not-so-good ways to break up.
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January 13
Generation Unbound: Drifting into Sex and Parenthood without Marriage Over half of all births to young adults in the United States now occur outside of marriage, and many are unplanned. The result is increased poverty and inequality for children. The left argues for more social support for unmarried parents; the right argues for a return to traditional marriage. In Generation Unbound, Isabel V. Sawhill offers a third approach: change “drifters” into “planners.” In a well-written and accessible survey of the impact of family structure on child well-being, Sawhill contrasts “planners,” who are delaying parenthood until after they marry, with “drifters,” who are having unplanned children early and outside of marriage. These two distinct patterns are contributing to an emerging class divide and threatening social mobility in the United States. Sawhill draws on insights from the new field of behavioral economics, showing that it is possible, by changing the default, to move from a culture that accepts a high number of unplanned pregnancies to a culture in which adults only have children when they are ready to be a parent. Presenter: Isabel V. Sawhill, Author and Senior Fellow in Economic Studies, The Brookings Institute Who should attend: Researchers, policy makers, press, practitioners, program operators, advocates and others interested in trends related to pregnancy, marriage, and family formation among young adults. When: Wednesday, January 13, 2016, 4:00 pm Eastern/1:00 pm Pacific Duration: 60 minutes Cost: Free!
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Funds for Measurement Research on Teen Dating Violence National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is seeking proposals for measurement research related to teen dating violence (a.k.a. adolescent relationship abuse). In particular, NIJ is seeking proposals that advance the accurate and developmentally appropriate measurement of dating violence perpetration and victimization among adolescents and young adults. The deadline for applications under this funding opportunity is March 9, 2016. Download the solicitation.
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Rural Initiatives in Idaho, Montana Funded
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Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada The goal of the Family Violence Prevention Program is to improve the safety and security of Aboriginal women, children, and families. Funding is provided for the day-to-day operations of a network of shelters that provide services for women and children living on reserve in provinces and in the Yukon, as well as for community-driven prevention projects such as public awareness campaigns, conferences, workshops, stress and anger management seminars, support groups, and community needs assessments on reserve. Eligibility varies by funding type. Applications may be submitted throughout the year to the nearest Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada office.
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Town Pump Charitable Foundation The Town Pump Charitable Foundation supports nonprofit organizations and government agencies that enhance the quality of life in Montana. The Foundation's priority is supporting education and meeting basic needs for Montana citizens. Specific areas of interest include children and youth services, educational programs, food banks and homeless shelters, health initiatives, and social services. Letters of request may be submitted throughout the year. Visit the Town Pump website to learn more about the application process.
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Our most popular TEACHING TOOLS are now online. The Dibble Institute’s content-rich teaching tools for building healthy relationships just got easier to use. Take a look!
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