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Stand For Children
District 7 Human Resources Development Council
Inspired by the spirit of the "Stand for Children", the national day of commitment to children, District 7 Human Resources Development Council sponsored Stand For Children Day on June 10th in Billings at North Park; June 17th in Hardin at City Park; and June 24th in Columbus at Heritage Park. We celebrated children with lunch & snacks, activities for children, door prizes, games and entertainment.
We need to invest in our children now – in their education and enrichment from pre-school through high school, their health, and their safety – to ensure they have a fair chance in life and to create a better future for Montana. Stand For Children Day 2005 is about building safer, healthier communities for every child.
Education is widely accepted to be the key to social mobility and the foundation of access to the "American Dream". American public education is unique in providing a free, public education to all children in society. In order to keep up with the needs of a new generation and to prepare them for a future which we cannot fully understand, but we know will continue to change at an increasing rate, the education system must increase its own capacity for and commitment to change and improvement. The results that need to happen are that the very concept of "school" continues to be constantly re-defined to reflect our growing understanding of the implications of serving the "same client" inside and outside of the school and all social institutions. This commitment to collaboration and partnerships as a common way of operating must include parents. Our goals are:
- Access for all children under five years of age to quality child- care and education services.
- Linkages and articulation of educational and social services throughout the educational continuum, both between educational institutions and with other agencies.
- Access to quality education for all children
- Increase rates of high school graduation and employment for all students.
To paraphrase the World Health Organization’s definition of health, it is not only the absence of disease and disability, but the positive conditions of physical, mental and social well-being. Not only is this our vision for all of Montana’s children, we also view that all of a culture’s social, economic and political forces converge to impact the health of children. All organizations and institutions serving children be linked together in time, space and philosophy to value, nurture, protect and serve the "whole child".
- All children should receive necessary screenings and immunizations at recommended periods during the developmentally appropriate stages of life.
- Toddler and preschool health and developmental assessments and follow-up should be provided.
Our children should be able to grow up in a society that values them and protects them from intentional and unintentinal injury. Our vision is to provide the education and physical environment that allows children to engage fully, safely, and successfully in life. To accomplish this, we must equip parents, neighbors and community leaders with the knowledge and parenting skills to be positive role models and mentors. We must provide children with opportunities that direct them in how to be responsible and constructive members of society. We must focus on asset-focused development. The following goals will help us to achieve this end.
- Child abuse and neglect should not be tolerated in our society.
- Education for parents on skills and strategies that promote healthy and responsible behavior must be valued and become an expected norm for all parents.
- All children should be able to live in safe housing.
- All children should be regularly nourished and free from hunger.
- All children should have access to health care, including preventative health care services.
Across the country Stand For Children Day events will raise awareness about building safer, healthier communities, and push towards programmatic solutions. If you are interested in receiving more information about Stand For Children, please call Sheri Boelter at 247-4787 or e-mail Sheri at sboelter@bilhrdc.hhs.state.mt.us
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Copyright © 2005 District 7 HRDC
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