Children
Australia will require social media platforms to act to prevent online harm to users
Australia plans to require social media platforms to act to prevent online harms to users such as bullying, predatory behavior and algorithms pushing destructive content, the government said Thursday.
First kids ages 5-11 to get COVID shot looking forward to sleepovers, ‘feeling safe’
As pharmacies and health care providers begin rolling out the Pfizer COVID vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds, appointments and waitlists are filling up.
COVID vaccines for young children could be approved soon. Are Gulf States prepared?
Kids between the ages of 5-11 years old might be able to get vaccinated in the near future. Here’s why it would be a game-changer for the Gulf States, and how they’re preparing for the shot’s rollout.
Children’s Well-Being In Alabama Improves, But Still Lags Behind The Country
Alabama's children are graduating on time and more children have health insurance. But the state still falls behind the rest of the country in overall well-being for children.
Schools Faced Social Distancing Hurdles In Meal Prep And Distribution
Since schools have been out statewide, some districts have struggled to continue to provide meals. After a bumpy start, Birmingham and Jefferson County schools have opted to outsource their meal programs.
Report: State Improved in Several Child Health Indicators but Still Struggles With Poverty, Racial Disparity
Alabama has made significant progress in infant mortality rates, teen pregnancies and child safety, but poverty and a racial disparity in indicators of wellbeing remain a problem for children in the state, according to a report released today.
The Final Curtain Falls on Youth Shakespeare Group
The theater group Bards of Birmingham has performed Shakespeare with casts of mostly children for almost a decade. The group's performance of "Henry V" opening this weekend will be its final show ever.
An Alternative to Delivering Babies at the Hospital
Alabama has the second-highest infant mortality rate in the nation. And more rural hospitals are closing. Now some physicians and nonprofits say birth centers are a way to provide cheaper and safer prenatal care and delivery.
When Your Child Isn’t the Child You Expected
Sometimes children turn out differently than parents had hoped or expected. Writer and psychologist Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, looked at how parents manage to find profound meaning in raising exceptional children.
Kids, Dogs and the Culture of Breweries
For WBHM’s food series, “Sound Bites” we look at why breweries have become such popular places for families to spend quality time.
Alabama Receives Best Ever Report on Overall Child Well-Being
Alabama improved last year in 11 of 16 indicators used to measure overall child well-being, according to the national Kids Count Data Book released annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Bill Would Require Licensing for Religious Day Care Centers
Gigi Douban talked with Reveal reporter Amy Julia Harris, who investigated incidents of abuse and neglect at Alabama’s religious child care centers.
For Parents of Children with Disabilities, A Question of How Much Is Enough
The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a decision on whether public schools are doing enough to educate students with special needs. Under federal law, students with disabilities are entitled to a “free appropriate education.” At issue, however, is what constitutes “appropriate”. In Alabama, there are more than 83,000 children with special needs. And for the parents and educators of those children, meeting educational needs is often a struggle.
UAB CORD Program Helps Students Get Ahead of the Curve in Science
Students in Alabama and throughout the South are back in school this month. However, long before the first day of school, hundreds of kids spent part of their summer in labs at UAB. The goal? Getting ahead of the curve in science class.
Advocates Searching for Ways State can Improve Child Wellbeing
According to the report, Alabama ranks 46th in the country for overall child wellbeing, an area the state continues to fall in year over year. The state ranked in the bottom ten states in every category and VOICES analyzed what it would take to improve these numbers.
A Trip to Las Vegas Could Mean Trouble for Governor Bentley
There’s a new twist in the feud between Governor Robert Bentley and former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency head, Spencer Collier; a trip to Las Vegas could put Bentley in hot water with campaign finance law and a look at the state’s lack of oversight on religious daycare centers. The latest from AL.com’s Kyle Whitmire.
Sensory-Friendly Performances Open Theater World to People with Autism
People with autism often get uncomfortable in situations like live theater. Sudden loud noises and bright lights can cause distress. With one in 68 children being diagnosed with the condition, lots of Alabama families don’t see musicals or plays. One theater in Birmingham wants to change that by offering one of Alabama’s first “sensory-friendly” performances.
AL Health Officials: No Heightened Level of Lead
The co-director of the Regional Poison Control Center at Children’s of Alabama today refuted claims that lead poisoning levels in Dallas and Houston Counties are among the highest in the nation, following reports last week on the national website VOX.com. “There are thousands of children who are being screened in Houston County whose data is […]
More than a Quarter of Alabama’s Children Live in Poverty, Report Finds
A new study shows that more than 26% of Alabama’s children are living at or below the poverty level. The 2015 Kids Count Data Book released this week by VOICES for Alabama’s Children provides a snapshot of well-being across several indicators including education, health and safety. “Well I think any time you’re talking about the […]
John Archibald: The Ethics of Economic Development
There's the adage it takes money to make money. An Alabama corollary could be it takes money to recruit jobs as state and local officials recently spent several hundred thousand dollars to attend an international airshow in London. They're hoping to recruit new aerospace business to Alabama. While that's supported by taxpayer dollars, the private money involved has Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald concerned.
