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All Connecticut Children Grow Up in Stable Living Environments and 1 more... less...

Secondary Indicators

High School Students Who Feel Loved and Supported

Current Value

86.60%

2017

Definition

Line Bar Comparison

Story Behind the Curve

For the purposes of this indicator, data is collected through the Department of Public Health’s biannual Connecticut School Health Survey (CSHS), Youth Behavior Component. While the survey has been consistently conducted since 2005, this particular survey question was inserted in 2007. The survey asks students in grades 9-12 the following: “Do you agree or disagree that your family loves you and gives you help and support when you need it?” The survey then allows one of five options (strongly agree, agree, not sure, disagree, strongly disagree), from which two are combined for this indicator: strongly agree and agree. In 2015, 85% of students said they felt loved and supported by their family. White non-Hispanic students were more likely to feel love and support (87.9%) compared to Black non-Hispanic students (77.5%) or Hispanic students (82.5%). The data has remained statistically similar since 2007, however, an increase was seen in Hispanic or Latino students (76.8% to a high of 86.0% in 2013).

The importance of love and support in early childhood is critical to solidifying a parent’s relationship with their child through high school. Providing love and support allows for the promotion of self-esteem and confidence and teaches children how to express love and affection. The resulting self-esteem, confidence, and other social skills increase positive outcomes as the child grows. They are more likely to become healthy adults, have increased communication skills, are less likely to engage in risky behavior, and have higher rates of academic success.

Because the survey is anonymous, and random in the school selection, and conducted on a biennial basis, it is difficult to accurately identify specific policies related to the individual student and their parent. There are, however, legislative acts that have sought to improve the overall emotional well being of high school students in Connecticut and improve relationships between parents and their children. Recent policies undertaken in the 2015 legislative session were Senate Bill 841 and House Bill 6899. Senate Bill 841 implements a comprehensive children’s mental, emotional, and behavioral health plan, which was developed in response to the issues surrounding childhood mental health after the Sandyhook shooting in 2012. House Bill 6899 establishes the term fictive kin (a person “who is unrelated to a child …but who has an emotionally significant relationship with such child amounting to a familial relationship…”) and removes barriers for foster parents to allow their children to engage in developmentally appropriate activities. The intent of the language within this bill is to ensure children that are in the care of DCF have every opportunity to be placed with an individual that will provide them love and support and can strengthen the child-guardian bond. The Connecticut Commission on Children, a non-partisan agency within the Connecticut General Assembly, also regularly engages and collaborates with legislative leaders and advocacy groups to improve the well being of children and strengthen parental/family engagement with children.

Partners

  • Department of Public Health
  • Connecticut Commission on Children
  • Keep the Promise
  • Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • CT Voices for Children
  • Office of the Child Advocate
  • Connecticut Association for Human Services
  • Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA)
  • Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut
  • Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership

Strategy

  • Work with DPH contractors to integrate the practice of conducting a mental health assessment during a physical. (DPH)
  • Encourage parents to read to their children, use television wisely, and establish a family routine with scheduled homework time (Partnership for Family Involvement in Education)
  • Promote attachment-parenting skills for parents with young children. (Ask Dr. Sears)
  • Provide information on teaching children self-esteem (Love Our Children USA)

Strategies collected from the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education, Ask Dr. Sears, and Love Our Children USA.

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