This paper introduces Connecting for Kids (C4K), a semi-structured facilitated dialogue designed to enhance collaboration between primary care and schools in support of children's behavioral health (BH). Cross-sector collaboration holds promise for improving health and academic outcomes while increasing access to services, yet these sectors remain strikingly siloed. While facilitators have been identified, there are few well-defined, accessible models available to build collaborative relationships across child-serving systems. C4K offers a replicable process that supports interprofessional teams in strengthening relationships, clarifying roles, and aligning shared outcomes. Grounded in community expertise and research, C4K aims to build the collaborative relationships needed to support children's BH. C4K has the potential to break down longstanding silos and strengthen integrated school health partnerships by defusing turf issues, enhancing trust and shared purpose, and streamlining communication. With its accessible structure and emphasis on systems-level change, C4K can promote equitable access to physical and BH services-particularly within under-resourced, high-stress contexts. We propose that C4K is a feasible, efficient strategy for bridging traditionally siloed systems and building sustainable infrastructure for collaboration to support children's BH.

Families of children with suspected autism spectrum disorder, especially those from minority or medically underserved groups, often face multiple barriers to autism evaluation and diagnosis. This subsequently delays access to much-needed interventions. In addition to systemic barriers (e.g., suboptimal screening and provider training, long waitlists), family-level factors including family mistrust of medical providers, disability stigma, and challenges with care navigation further contribute to care gaps. Innovative integrated care models are essential to enhance provider-family relationships and reduce care discrepancies. This conceptual article explores using a multitiered framework within an integrated care model to help mitigate barriers to care and reduce delays to diagnosis for pediatric primary care patients with suspected autism. Integrated psychologists partnered with families and primary care physicians to provide tiered supports for children with suspected autism based on both family readiness and level of impairment. Flexible yet coordinated strategies such as universal psychology prevention visits, targeted intervention referrals, and specialty care referrals with care navigation, were offered. Our care model suggests that the three-tiered framework involving integrated psychology may help reduce care gaps between primary care and specialty autism care and enhance relationships with families of children with suspected autism in medical settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract Background Internalising and externalising behaviours—significant markers for lifetime psychiatric vulnerability—are elevated in children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses, including autism. Although neurodevelopmental features of autism are dimensions that span the population, limited research has examined their differential patterns of association with internalising and externalising behaviours in children without specific, categorically‐defined diagnoses. Evidence of such associations outside of a traditional diagnostic context may enable more targeted support for children's individual needs, irrespective of diagnoses. The current study aimed to characterise the relationship between neurodevelopmental features found in autism—restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) and social communication difficulties—and internalising and externalising behaviours in children from mainstream school who experience emotional, behavioural, or cognitive challenges. Methods We recruited 136 6–7‐year‐olds without known clinical conditions but with school‐identified emotional, behavioural or cognitive difficulties. The Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire‐2 assessed RRBs, the pragmatics scale from the Revised Children's Communication Checklist‐2 assessed social communication, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire examined internalising and externalising behaviours. Results Simultaneous hierarchical linear regression analysis identified differential associations when adjusting for covariance between internalising and externalising. Social communication made a stronger contribution than RRBs to variance in externalising behaviours ( F change (1, 131) = 11.84, p < 0.001). However, for internalising behaviours, RRBs made the strongest contribution ( F change (2, 131) = 8.19, p < 0.001). The insistence on sameness subdomain of RRB predicted variance in internalising but not externalising behaviours independently of social communication while the repetitive sensory and motor behaviour subdomain predicted variance in externalising but not internalising behaviours, but only when social communication was not included. Conclusion These findings will inform future research aimed at understanding the co‐occurrence of traits across diagnostic boundaries. Evidence that RRBs and social communication are differentially associated with internalising and externalising behaviours may identify target areas for the support of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, a group whose co‐occurring neurodevelopmental features are often under‐recognised.

ABSTRACT Many models describing the choice and engagement with Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB) lean heavily on Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) and Place Attachment (PA) as essential components and are designed for adults. The few child-based models often overlook other key components. This study learns from 9 to 10 year-old children living in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, that there is place- and age-based uniqueness of LEK, PA, and PEB, and also that environmental emotions and agency to engage in experiential learning are mediators of LEK, PA, and PEB. Galápagos, an Ecuadorian National Park and UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, is a small equatorial archipelago, where the human population is recently established and thus not Indigenous to the islands, and whose ecosystems are facing increasing climate impacts. We adopt the framework of childism to centre children’s experiences and thoughts. Children exemplified robust and locationally unique LEK, PA, and PEB, but additionally shared environmental emotions and agency to engage in abundant environmental experiences which connected and mediated LEK, PA, and PEB. This case study provides support for children’s role in local conservation to support climate action in other young global communities.

As housing markets become increasingly unaffordable, there has been growing interest in the role of intergenerational transfers for enabling first homeownership. However, there is little understanding of parents’ motivations to assist their children and how these motivations are formed. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and focus groups with Australian parents, we find that while parents appear largely motivated by altruistic intents, with little expectation of direct reciprocity, the divide between altruism and reciprocity is often blurred by evidence of indirect, hidden or heritage driven reciprocities. In terms of fairness concerns, parents with multiple children are keen to ensure fair treatment across siblings, but we find that parental concerns for fairness extend beyond the family to addressing intergenerational unfairness. Important, some forms of parental assistance are fraught with financial risks, and some parents also exhibit an aversion to loss of family wealth to children’s future partners and apply intentional strategies to mitigate this risk when their children form new relationships. Thus, in practice, parental support for children’s home purchase is a highly complex endeavour that challenges traditional economic assumptions of rational choice.

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents is a significant clinical and social concern, particularly among girls. It is associated with anxiety, maladaptation, and lack of social support. Despite increasing research attention, the interplay of these factors in clinical samples in Russia remains insufficiently explored. Objective. To analyze the relationships between anxiety levels, socio-psychological adaptation, perceived social support, and clinical characteristics in adolescent girls with NSSI in order to identify key psychological and social factors associated with this behavior. Patients and Methods: A crosssectional study with prospective data collection was conducted. The sample included 186 girls aged 12–17 years with confirmed NSSI episodes, undergoing inpatient treatment. Psychometric tools: Multidimensional Assessment of Child Anxiety (MODT), Socio-Psychological Adaptation Scale (SPA), Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS). Statistical analysis included descriptive methods, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Spearman’s correlation. Results: Participants demonstrated high anxiety levels (M = 5.12 on MODT), particularly in situations of social evaluation (M = 5.41) and self-expression (M = 5.5). Adaptation deficits (SPA integral score: M = 59.28) correlated with anxiety (r = –0.74). Low parental (M = 50.02) and teacher support (M = 47.01) were more pronounced in affective disorders (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results confirm the association between anxiety and a lack of social support with NSSI in adolescent girls. A comprehensive approach is recommended, including psychotherapy, family counseling, and school-based prevention programs.

We documented how many adolescents contribute to their families through chores, emotional support, earning wages, and caregiving for children and family members with chronic illness. Further, we examined whether adolescents who contribute to their families in more ways differ in mental health from peers, controlling for social and economic resources, and with attention to potential demographic moderators. We drew from a diverse survey of 1854 adolescents ages 14-17 in Massachusetts (60% girls, 52% White non-Hispanic, 19% Hispanic, 9% Black, 6% Asian). Adolescents who contributed to their families in relatively more ways were disproportionately older, girls, and Hispanic, and from families with relatively lower levels of social and economic resources. Contributing to the family in more ways was associated with significantly higher levels of distress (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms), controlling for background demographics. This association was consistent across age, gender, and racial/ethnic groups. It was also significant for youth from homes within all levels of social and economic resources, although it was stronger among youth from homes with relatively higher (compared to lower) levels of social and economic resources. These findings suggest that contributing to the family in many ways could be emotionally taxing over time, even though prior daily diary studies show it can also be rewarding day to day. Perhaps surprisingly, it may be especially taxing for adolescents from more advantaged homes who are less likely to help the family overall. More long-term, within-subject studies are needed to adjust for numerous co-occurring family circumstances and resources that may confound our findings.

Losing a parent in childhood can significantly impact the child, yet little research examines how cause of parental death may affect children differently. This study aims to investigate risks of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and suicide in bereaved children by parental cause of death. Data from Norwegian population registers were interlinked to investigate exposure to parental death from specific causes and risks of DSH and suicide via a nested case-control design. Children under the age of 35 who were treated for DSH (n=20,180) or died by suicide (n=5039) constituted the cases and were compared with population controls of 20 per case matched by gender and age. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the risk. In the study population, 9.7% of the DSH cases and 13.1% of the suicide cases lost a parent. The risk of DSH was increased for bereaved children [OR=1.54, 95%CI 1.46-1.62], with the highest risk associated with parental death caused by mental diseases [2.84, 2.34-3.44], followed by accidental poisoning and suicide. The risk of suicide was significantly increased for bereaved children after parental death [1.28, 1.17-1.40], with the highest risk associated with parental death caused by homicide [4.68, 2.18-10.02], followed by suicide and accidental poisoning. No gender interactions or gender-of-deceased interactions was detected. Parental-bereaved children are at significantly increased risk of DSH and suicide in early life, but the risk differ by parental cause of death. This underscores the importance of psychosocial and familial support for children following a parental loss.

Sleep and its associations with other health behaviours and sociodemographic factors in Australian children under 5 years old.

A study on user satisfaction with medical devices for the elderly: The case of blood pressure monitors.

This study aims to enhance understanding of child maltreatment (CM) in connection with problematic parental substance use (PPSU) and to identify related individual and familial support needs. Using inductive qualitative content analysis, we examined the life stories of trained experts-by-experience (N = 11) who had experienced PPSU and various forms of CM, including physical and emotional violence and neglect in their family during childhood and adolescence. Several family-related and parental risk factors for CM emerged, such as intergenerational transmission of substance use, socioeconomic disadvantage, unemployment or excessive work, parental physical and mental health issues, social wellbeing challenges such as social isolation, violent behaviour, and inadequate parenting practices. Participants also described mitigating factors that partly buffered adverse effects. The findings highlight diverse and persistent support needs. PPSU can expose children to a wide range of harmful CM experiences. Effective early identification of both PPSU and related CM requires close collaboration between social and health services, as well as inclusive and active client engagement. A holistic understanding of individual and family circumstances affected by PPSU is essential for preventing CM and its intergenerational transmission.

Frequency of License Suspension and Civil Contempt in Child Support

Abstract Children living in custodial-mother families are disproportionately poor as compared to children living with both parents. Child support from the noncustodial father is associated with lower poverty rates among custodial-mother families, suggesting that policies to promote child support payments improve the economic well-being of these families. Yet, we do not know whether child support remains a protective factor against child poverty when other anti-poverty strategies are considered, and whether this association remains significant throughout childhood, especially in middle- and low-income countries. We contribute to addressing these research gaps by investigating the following questions in Chile and Colombia: (1) How do child poverty and child support receipt change over time among children in custodial-mother families? (2) To what extent does child support protect these children against concurrent poverty? And (3) To what extent does child support protect these children against future childhood poverty? We find that chronic poverty is common among children in custodial-mother families in both countries, but a higher proportion of Colombian children remain poor throughout their childhood. In both countries child support is inconsistently received, but a higher proportion of Chilean children receive child support throughout their childhood. Child support is associated with a 6–8 percentage point decline in concurrent poverty in both countries. However, child support is associated with a decline in future childhood poverty only in Chile. Our findings highlight the importance of cross-national research to better understand the strengths and limitations of child support policy as a strategy to address child poverty.

ABSTRACT Access to standardized cognitive assessment remains limited in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), with direct implications for the identification and support of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Among these, Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD are highly prevalent and frequently co-occurring yet characterized by distinct cognitive profiles. Online assessment methods represent a promising avenue for scalable, cost-effective screening and research. The present study investigated whether a brief online cognitive task could reliably distinguish performance patterns among children and adolescents with ADHD, ASC, both (ASC + ADHD) and a group of typically developing (TD) peers. Children between the ages of 8 and 14 from diverse regions of Mexico completed a brief online working memory task, where they were required to remember either the identity(N = 61) or the emotional expression (N = 99) of a face. Task completion rates were high, demonstrating the feasibility of remote administration (84.6%). Clinical groups showed expected differences relative to TD peers: the ADHD group was distinguished by poorer overall working memory performance and increased intra-subject variability. The ASC group was selectively impaired in the emotion task. This study demonstrates the feasibility of deploying online cognitive tasks in LMIC contexts, providing a scalable approach to developmental research and early identification and referral. Intra-subject variability is a robust marker for ADHD, while careful future work should continue to disentangle overlapping disorders.

Family-centred, culturally sensitive care is needed as parents navigate uncertain feeding, conflicting beliefs and inadequate support for children with developmental disabilities.

ABSTRACT Cash transfers paid to mothers and women caregivers of children in developing countries are associated with alleviating child and household poverty. But what happens when men claim these benefits? This discourse analysis of 13 interviews with men recipients of South Africa’s Child Support Grant (CSG) in Soweto, South Africa reports on their conceptions of masculinity and fatherhood, in a context characterised by widespread father absence. We find that receipt of the CSG is viewed by these men as a means to give effect to paternal responsibility, with continued engagement in care work reinforcing their conceptions of themselves as competent, useful men. Some men attempted to incorporate “feminine” caregiving roles into more traditionally masculine identities, while others challenged the notion of parenting having any gendered distinctions. Encouraging more men to take up the CSG, alongside public policies to tackle conditions of poverty affecting all caregivers, could be a transformative intervention.

This study examines the problems surrounding the implementation of Religious Court decisions related to the execution of child support obligations following divorce, focusing on three court rulings: Decision No. 180/Pdt.G/2025/PA.Spn, Decision No. 405/Pdt.G/2024/PA.Spn, and Decision No. 408/Pdt.G/2024/PA.Spn. The primary objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of these decisions in practice and to identify factors that hinder the fulfillment of children’s rights after divorce. The research employs a qualitative method with an empirical juridical approach, conducted through document analysis of decisions issued by the Sungai Penuh Religious Court, observation of the substance of the rulings, and examination of legal, economic, and social aspects influencing their implementation. The findings indicate that the execution of child support decisions continues to face significant challenges. From a legal perspective, weak enforcement mechanisms and low compliance by fathers with court decisions constitute major obstacles. Economically, disparities in fathers’ financial capacity contribute to delays or inability to fulfill child support obligations. Socially, low parental awareness following divorce often results in the neglect of children’s rights. Nevertheless, the Religious Court has undertaken efforts to enhance the effectiveness of decision implementation through mediation, the issuance of more realistic and enforceable rulings, and monitoring of compliance. This study recommends strengthening legal enforcement mechanisms, increasing public legal awareness, and developing policies that prioritize the best interests of the child in order to achieve optimal justice and child welfare after divorce.

ABSTRACT Adolescents' right to access their client records is closely tied to their right to participate. Few studies have examined collaborative documentation between practitioners and adolescents, but research suggests they are interested in reading what is recorded about them. This study explores how practitioners in a Norwegian municipal child and family support service experience collaboration with adolescents in writing case notes. Six qualitative in‐depth interviews were conducted and analysed through systematic text condensation using the theoretical frame of Laura Lundy's (2007) model for conceptualizing participation under Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The findings revealed two main themes: case notes as a tool for increasing adolescent involvement and the challenge of involving adolescents in the process of documentation. Case notes were found to support adolescents' participation, both through collaborative documentation and as a tool for practitioner reflection in preparing for future encounters. However, most notes were written solely by practitioners, reflecting challenges with collaborative approaches during sessions, uncertainty about parental access, decisions on what content to include and time constraints. The findings highlight the need for practitioner training in collaborative documentation and further research on adolescents' perspectives on involvement in creating case notes.

Background: Maternal cancer mortality represents a growing but under-recognized global public health issue with profound consequences for surviving children. Breast cancer, cervical cancer, and other common malignancies disproportionately affect women in their reproductive years, leading to substantial psychosocial, health, and socioeconomic impacts for their children. Objective: To synthesize current evidence on the global burden, determinants and consequences of maternal orphanhood due to cancer, and to identify prevention and policy opportunities aligned with existing health system goals and global cancer initiatives. Methods: A structured literature search (2010-2025) was conducted across four databases using predefined keywords, with eligibility screening based on relevance to maternal cancer mortality and orphanhood outcomes. Evidence was analyzed under four thematic domains and interpreted comparatively using World Bank income classifications. Results: An estimated 1.05 million children became orphans due to maternal cancer in 2020. The burden was greatest in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) (83%), particularly in Asia and Africa (>80%), with the highest numbers in India, China, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. Breast, cervical, and upper gastrointestinal cancers are the leading causes. The majority of the affected children were ≥ 10 years old (69%). Maternal orphanhood was linked to poorer survival, mental health, education, and socioeconomic outcomes. Conclusions: Maternal orphanhood from cancer highlights preventable inequities in women's health, cancer control, and child support systems. Despite global initiatives, the burden remains largely unaddressed. Prioritizing equitable access to vaccination, screening, treatment, and social protection within national cancer policies is essential to reduce avoidable maternal deaths and protect affected children.

ABSTRACT Nature can benefit learning through various mechanisms such as improved attention and mood and opportunities for physical activity. These mechanisms also support childhood health and development. Nature-based learning (NBL) is one strategy instructors can employ to harness these benefits in early childhood education. The purpose of this study was to explore parent/guardian and instructor perceptions of learning in NBL programs for young children. Following interpretive description and using interviews to engage with participants (n = 13), four themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that NBL programs fostered a healthy foundation for learning and benefitted child mental health and social-emotional learning. Findings also suggested that NBL programs may enhance community and capacity building for children and parents, as learnings from the ‘classroom’ were brought home. The current study contributes to understandings of NBL beyond pedagogy, positioning NBL as health promoting. Recommendations have been made to support practitioners.