May 19, 2017   Subscribe
Breakthrough research for youth in foster care
The well-being and placement stability of children in the foster system can be improved over time through trauma-informed care (TIC), according to Child Trends' recent evaluation of a TIC intervention implemented by KVC Health Systems in Kansas City. Many young people in the foster care system have experienced trauma, but there have been few peer-reviewed studies of the effectiveness of TIC--which involves orienting every aspect of service to recognize and respond to the effects of trauma--in child welfare systems. This study, the results of which were published in the April and May issues of the  Children and Youth Services Review , constitutes one of the first large-scale evaluations of TIC so far. 
Early Childhood Data 
The Wisconsin Early Childhood Data System, set to launch later this year, will   draw on three state agencies' early childhood data to provide a comprehensive picture of young children and families. A new case study of WI ECIDS, from the Early Childhood Data Collaborative , highlights their model of interagency collaboration and makes recommendations for others working on data integration. One recommendation: building a data system that draws on agencies' existing systems, rather than requiring agencies to adapt to a completely new and untested model.
The Early Childhood Data Collaborative will host a  webinar on Tuesday, June 6 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. Representatives from North Carolina and Minnesota will describe their Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems (ECIDS) and how stakeholders are using their data and reports to inform state policies and programs. Speakers will include Dale Epstein, director of North Carolina's ECIDS and a senior research scientist at Child Trends. Join the webinar and learn how to do this in your state. 
Child Trends in the News
Teen employment
The Washington Post 's Karla Miller cited Child Trends researchers  Kristin Anderson Moore  and  David Murphey  in a  recent column   about teen job hunting, exploring why today's teens may have a difficult time finding work. One possibility? "Soft skills" like social adeptness and self-control are not visible in applications submitted online. Only 18 percent of teens held jobs in 2015. This is down from a high point in the late 1990s, when nearly twice that percentage (35 percent) of teens were employed.