|
Recognizing the role the Internet can play in policy development for children, youth and families, Columbia's Institute for Child and Family Policy has created a web-based databank containing cross-national, comparative information on policies, programs, benefits and services. The site is designed to serve the news media, public officials, public and private agency administrators, scholars and students, who can access policy information in other nations in developing or gauging their own initiatives.
The site, the Clearinghouse on International Developments in Child, Youth and Family Policies, is funded by the W.T. Grant Foundation and open to the public. The site is directed by Drs. Sheila B. Kamerman and Alfred J. Kahn of Columbiašs School of Social Work and managed by Shirley Gatenio.
"The main reason for establishing the Clearinghouse is that more and more Americans are curious about what other major industrialized countries do with regard to child, youth and family policies," said Dr. Kahn. "In recent years, the requests for information about other countries' policies have increased enormously, well beyond what we could provide informally. There is no other single source of information and data on these developments."
Initial coverage focuses on 22 advanced industrialized countries, including all of the European Union and most Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Expansion to additional countries and other parts of the world is planned, including Latin America and Asia.
"We are beginning with these countries because they are most similar to the United States and therefore have experience that is most relevant," said Dr. Kamerman. "The United States has a series of child, youth and family problems. While we cannot copy from any country directly, the experiences of many countries can provide an opportunity for learning and discussion."
The Clearinghouse holds information on policies, programs, benefits and services that affect children, other individual family members or the family as a whole. The Clearinghouse has data on topics typically considered as "Child, Youth and Family Policy" by the world's industrialized nations. These include family allowances and tax benefits, early childhood education and care, child support, parental leave, child health and youth policies.
Systematic data are compiled from a variety of major international organizations, government agencies and research centers, which are cited by the Clearinghouse. For a few policy areas, it draws upon one-time work of individual researchers.
Dr. Kamerman is the Compton Foundation Centennial Professor for the Prevention of Children and Youth Problems at Columbia University's School of Social Work. She has consulted for U.S. and international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Union (EU), United Nations and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Dr. Kahn is professor emeritus, special lecturer and special research scholar at Columbia University's School of Social Work, where he joined the faculty in 1947. He is also co-director of the Cross National Studies Research Program and chair of the Steering Committee of the Institute of Child and Family Policy at Columbia University.
|
