Latest news with #schoolreadiness
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hundreds of Nashville-Area Kids Receive Free Dental Screenings, Shoes, and More at 2025 Kids Dental Day
Delta Dental of Tennessee, Nashville Sounds, and cityCURRENT team up with local partners to promote health and confidence for the new school year NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hundreds of children from across Middle Tennessee recently received free dental screenings, new shoes, hygiene kits, books, and more during the 4th annual Kids Dental Day at First Horizon Park. Hosted by Delta Dental of Tennessee, the Nashville Sounds, and cityCURRENT, the event brought together 250 children and over a dozen community organizations to provide essential health services and school readiness resources to area youth. "This is one of our favorite days of the year," said Adam English, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Nashville Sounds. "First Horizon Park is meant to be a place where families can come together, and thanks to our incredible partners, we're able to make a real impact for hundreds of kids in our community." Tooth decay is the most common chronic condition of childhood, and poor oral health can affect a child's quality of life, performance at school, and success later in life. According to the CDC's 2024 Oral Health Surveillance Report, half of all children aged 6 to 9 have had cavities in their primary or permanent teeth. Left untreated, these cavities can lead to pain, infections, and missed school days - and affect a child's ability to eat, speak, play, and learn. Events like Kids Dental Day help bridge the gap in access to care and put children on a path toward healthier, more confident futures. "We're always grateful to the Sounds and our many community partners and volunteers who come together to make Kids Dental Day such a success," said Jeff Ballard, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. "It's a fun, high-impact day that helps make care more accessible - and reminds kids that their health and happiness matter." The 250 participating kids arrived throughout the day from summer camps and community programs that coordinated with event organizers, including Preston Taylor Ministries and local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee. Kids received free dental screenings and dental cleanings (as needed), a new pair of socks and shoes, snacks, and a new book. About 25% of children receiving cleanings also had signs of developing cavities that the dental team was able to treat with silver diamine fluoride (SDF), a non-invasive treatment used to stop the growth of tooth decay. "Helping kids access quality dental care is at the heart of our mission," said Dr. Michele Blackledge-Polk, Director of Oral Health at Neighborhood Health. "Good oral health habits start early and set the foundation for lifelong health, confidence, and success. One of the most powerful aspects of events like Kids Dental Day is our ability to assess the state of children in the community by having limited exams and education on brushing and flossing. Silver Diamine Fluoride is a new tool that works by preventing the progression of cavities. When properly used, we can reduce the need for drilling and hopefully the number of visits required to treat the tooth. This event is all about meeting families where they are and making oral health approachable and fun." The day also featured educational stations and activities to engage children as they prepare to return to school in the coming weeks. Book'em brought their Book Bus, giving every child the opportunity to pick out a free book to take home. The American Heart Association provided hands-only CPR demonstrations, and the Adventure Science Center hosted STEM activities. PBS Kids on Nashville PBS gave out temporary tattoos featuring characters from the Delta Dental and Smile180 Foundation supported oral health education programming. "For many of our families, back-to-school can be extremely time-consuming and stressful," said Dwight Johnson, Executive Director at Preston Taylor Ministries. "Kids Dental Day helps to alleviate a lot of that burden with care, joy, and community. Our students left with healthier smiles, fresh shoes, and a boost of confidence for the year ahead." 130 volunteers from cityCURRENT and other community groups helped make the day run smoothly ─ from assisting families and guiding kids through activities to distributing books, snacks, and dental kits. "Kids Dental Day is a shining example of what can happen when the business community comes together with a shared purpose," said Kelly Meyers, Nashville Market President, cityCURRENT. "It's more than a day of service ─ it's a reminder to each child that they matter, and we're here to support them." Additional partners helped to make the event possible behind the scenes. Signature Transportation provided buses to bring kids to and from summer programs and camps across the region, ensuring that transportation was never a barrier to participation. Volunteers stayed energized thanks to snacks and drinks donated by Kroger, as well as coffee and doughnuts donated by Dunkin' Donuts. Dental supplies were donated by Henry Schein and equipment was provided by Hope Smiles. To learn more about Kids Dental Day, visit: View source version on Contacts Ann Waller Curtis /
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
4 key skills a child should be able to do before school as councils to set 'readiness' targets
There are many skills a child should be able to master before starting school, according to early years educators. Today, education secretary Bridget Phillipson will announce plans for councils to set targets and improve the number of children ready for school in their area. Ministers previously set a target of 75% of children being "school-ready" by 2028. As part of the plans, Phillipson will confirm that all local authorities will have to work with Whitehall to agree targets. She'll also reveal that a tool focused on school readiness data will be launched this autumn, designed to help schools support children through their reception year. Phillipson is expected to say that, alongside government and school leaders, "parents have responsibilities, too. To make sure their children arrive at school ready to learn. Whether that's their first day in reception, or last day in year 11." The stats come after a list of "school-readiness" skills, developed by a collection of early-years educators, was released in March. The coalition said the guidance was the first of its type, intended to help parents prepare children starting in reception classes in England from the age of four. The group, which involved groups from the state and private sector and includes the National Day Nurseries Association and the Early Years Alliance, joined forces to create a clear definition after complaints from teachers of children arriving at school in nappies, lacking basic skills and unable to play with others. The "basic skills" are categorised into four key areas: growing independence, building relationships and communication, physical development and healthy routines. Go straight to a breakdown of the four skills: > Self-care skills > Social skills > Early literacy, numeracy skills and fine motor skills > Emotional regulation Getting children school-ready isn't just about children having the right uniform, packed lunch and arriving on time. Experts say a huge part of school readiness concerns a child's physical, social, emotional, and cognitive skills, but parents are often uncertain about how to encourage these skills. "When preparing children for school, it's essential to focus on a broad set of school readiness skills rather than rigid developmental milestones," explains educational psychologist, Dr Patricia Britto. "Every child develops at their own pace, and placing too much pressure on them (or on parents) can lead to anxiety and resistance rather than progress." Here's what matters and how you can support your child without overwhelming them (or yourself). A child starting reception should ideally be able to manage simple self-care tasks such as going to the toilet independently, washing their hands and putting on their coat and shoes. How to help: Parents sometimes worry about toilet training, getting dressed, or using cutlery at mealtimes, but the school isn't expecting military-level discipline. "The goal is essential independence, like being able to ask for help when needed and manage simple self-care tasks most of the time," Dr Britto adds. Toilet training: If your child isn't fully toilet trained, don't panic. "Try to set up a predictable routine, use visual prompts, and reassure them that accidents are OK," Dr Britto suggests. "Many schools support kids who still need a bit of help." Getting dressed: Dr Britto recommends letting them practice with easy clothes (hello, elastic waistbands). "Give them extra time in the morning rather than rushing to do it for them," she adds. Eating independently: Keep meals low-pressure. "If they struggle with cutlery, try foods they can manage with their fingers while they build up confidence," Dr Britto suggests. Being able to recognise emotions, take turns, and cope with little setbacks is more important for school success than knowing how to read. "Kids don't need to be social butterflies, but they need to start understanding things like waiting, sharing, and asking for help," Dr Britto explains. How to help: Play turn-taking games (board games, "your turn, my turn" activities) to practice patience. Name emotions as they arise. "I can see you're frustrated that your tower fell," Dr Britto says. "Do you want to try again?' Model problem-solving out loud so they learn what to do when things don't go their way. "Oops, I dropped my spoon! I'll pick it up and try again." "Vygotsky's theory of learning through social interaction shows that children learn best through play and gentle adult guidance," Dr Britto adds. "So, just chatting, playing, and including them in daily life is enough to build these skills." Many parents worry their child should be reading before school, but that's not the expectation. "More critical is exposure to knowing how to hold a book, turn pages, and recognise that words have meaning," Dr Britto explains. "Similarly, early numeracy isn't about doing sums but recognising patterns, shapes, and counting in everyday life." How to help: Make books part of daily life, but let them engage at their own pace. "Looking at pictures, pretending to 'read', and listening to stories all count," Dr Britto says. Point out numbers naturally - counting steps, spotting numbers on houses, or dividing snacks ("one for me, one for you"). Let them scribble and 'write' - early mark-making (drawing, 'writing' shopping lists) is a foundation for later writing skills and a great way to bolster their fine motor skills. Children should have some ability to manage small frustrations, separate from their caregiver without distress and engage with peers in play. How to help: "Starting school is a huge transition, and one of the best things parents can do is create routines that mimic the school day," advises Dr Britto. "Research on executive function (the brain's ability to plan, focus, and manage tasks) shows that kids feel safer and more in control when they know what's coming next." Introduce simple morning routines (eg, "First we have breakfast, then we get dressed, then we brush our teeth"). Practice separating for short periods, such as during playdates, nursery visits, or even saying goodbye for an hour with a trusted adult, to help ease separation anxiety. Talk about school positively, walk past the school, read books about starting school, and let them ask questions. Dr Britto says no child is entirely "ready" in every area before school starts, and that's OK. "What matters most is that they feel safe, supported, and curious about learning," she explains. "Pressure (from ourselves or others) often does more harm than good, so trust your child's pace, celebrate progress over perfection, and remember that schools are used to supporting children at all different stages of development." The best thing you can do? Keep engaging, keep playing, and reassure yourself that your child will get there in their own time. "Seek support from professionals such as your GP and an educational psychologist if you need further clarification about your child's needs and strengths," Dr Britto adds. For families of neurodivergent children, starting school can pose many challenges. Rebecca Varrall, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Neurodiversity Unravelled, advises taking away some of the unknowns by preparing a social story including photos of key people and places to help your child know what to expect when they start school. "Keep communication open, having a home school book to share how your child slept, can be really useful as a barometer of their engagement that day," she adds. "Remember that starting school can be tiring, allow time for low-demand, relaxed weekends for your child to recharge and reset as they are adjusting to so many changes to their daily routine. Change can be tough for neurodivergent children to navigate, taking some of these preemptive steps could help to ease the transition." Read more about parenting: Seven signs your child could be addicted to their mobile phone (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read) Five ways parents can teach 'kindness' as it is named children's word of the year (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read) Talking about extreme online violence with young people: advice for parents (Guardian, 6-min read)
The Independent
04-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Councils will have to set targets to improve number of children ready for school
Councils will have to agree targets to improve the number of children ready for school, under new plans to be announced by the Education Secretary. Bridget Phillipson will decry 'a national scandal' when she speaks at a Government regional improvement conference on Friday. Ministers have previously set a target of 75% of school children being 'school-ready' by 2028. As part of the Government's plans, Ms Phillipson will confirm that all local authorities will have to work with Whitehall to agree targets that could improve school readiness in their area. Officials have pointed to wanting to bring down the number of children starting school in nappies or unable to hold a pencil as part of their plans. A tool focused on school readiness data will also be launched this autumn, designed to help schools support children through their Reception year, and will be demonstrated at the conference. Ms Phillipson is expected to tell school leaders: 'How can there be a fair race to success in our society when whole groups of children start so far behind? 'Nearly half of the disadvantage gap at age 16 is already there by age 5. 'It breaks my heart that, for these children, here in our country, a quarter of the way through the 21st century, background still means destiny. It's a national scandal.' She will also say that, as well as Government and school leaders, 'parents have responsibilities too'. 'To make sure their children arrive at school ready to learn. Whether that's their first day in reception, or last day in year 11.' The head of a school leaders' union has welcomed the Government's focus on early years but said 'targets alone won't solve the problem, and targets must not become another stick to beat schools with'. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'We hope that today's announcement will be followed shortly with further information about the tangible actions government will take to ensure every young child and family gets the support they need.' A poll of primary school teachers in May found that a majority believe that the Government will miss its target of three in four being ready for school in the coming years. A poll of more than 2,500 primary school teachers in England found 80% do not think the Government is likely to meet its goal of 75% of children being 'school ready' by 2028.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Councils to have to set targets to improve number of children ready for school
Councils will have to agree targets to improve the number of children ready for school, under new plans to be announced by the Education Secretary. Bridget Phillipson will decry 'a national scandal' when she speaks at a Government regional improvement conference on Friday. Ministers have previously set a target of 75% of school children being 'school-ready' by 2028. As part of the Government's plans, Ms Phillipson will confirm that all local authorities will have to work with Whitehall to agree targets that could improve school readiness in their area. Officials have pointed to wanting to bring down the number of children starting school in nappies or unable to hold a pencil as part of their plans. A tool focused on school readiness data will also be launched this autumn, designed to help schools support children through their Reception year, and will be demonstrated at the conference. Ms Phillipson is expected to tell school leaders: 'How can there be a fair race to success in our society when whole groups of children start so far behind? 'Nearly half of the disadvantage gap at age 16 is already there by age 5. 'It breaks my heart that, for these children, here in our country, a quarter of the way through the 21st century, background still means destiny. It's a national scandal.' She will also say that, as well as Government and school leaders, 'parents have responsibilities too'. 'To make sure their children arrive at school ready to learn. Whether that's their first day in reception, or last day in year 11.' The head of a school leaders' union has welcomed the Government's focus on early years but said 'targets alone won't solve the problem, and targets must not become another stick to beat schools with'. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'We hope that today's announcement will be followed shortly with further information about the tangible actions government will take to ensure every young child and family gets the support they need.' A poll of primary school teachers in May found that a majority believe that the Government will miss its target of three in four being ready for school in the coming years. A poll of more than 2,500 primary school teachers in England found 80% do not think the Government is likely to meet its goal of 75% of children being 'school ready' by 2028.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
The reasons parents delay sending children to school
Nadine Ensor always suspected she would delay sending her daughter, born in June, to school. "She was very advanced with language and the standard things they check off, like being able to count and recite the alphabet, so I had no doubts academically she could have gone [when first eligible]," says 36-year-old Nadine, based in Brisbane/Meanjin. "For me, [the motivation to delay] was definitely more the emotional side of things." Regulations around the age children start school vary across Australia, and between public, Catholic and independent schools. Typically, however, children born in the first part of the year can be sent to school in either the year they turn five or the year they turn six. If Nadine's daughter started school when she was first eligible, she would have been four and a half, and one of the youngest in her class. "I also worried about the social aspects, and also fatigue," Nadine says. "If she was starting school when [she was] four and a half, she would just be too burnt-out." New research from Macquarie University found that of Australian parents who could choose when to send their children to school, 66 per cent planned for them to start later. The study surveyed 226 parents. Co-author Penny Van Bergen, an associate professor of psychology in education at the university, said one of the most interesting findings was that academic concerns didn't typically play a role in parents' decision-making. "A lot of international research says academic competitiveness is why you might hold a child back, but there wasn't a sense [parents in Australia] were making those choices for competitive reasons," Dr Van Bergen says. Like Nadine, many parents are concerned about their children's social, emotional and behavioural readiness for school, Dr Van Bergen says. "Whether a child would make friends, be able to sit still — parents were seeing that as a sign they are probably not ready and won't enjoy themselves if they are still developing those skills." Rebecca English, a senior education lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology, says parents may also be concerned about their child needing a nap or rest time, and other factors such as whether the child has toileting accidents. Another motivation for Nadine delaying her daughter's schooling was the family dynamic. "I had a newborn that year, so I didn't want the whole commitment of school alongside a newborn as well," she says. She also wanted to spend more time with her daughter, a desire shared by some parents surveyed in the Macquarie University study. Dr Van Bergen says there is a philosophy of "they are really little, let them enjoy life, there's plenty of time for school". "They recognised they were privileged to make that choice, but talked about wanting that extra 'gift of time'." Parents were also considering milestones ahead, such as when their children would reach the ages they could drive and drink. "We don't want them to be the last to get their drivers licence," Dr Van Bergen gives as an example. Because early childhood education and child care are more expensive than public schooling, some parents felt they had to send their child "on time", Dr Van Bergen says. Work demands also played a role. Boys are more likely to be "held back", Dr Van Bergen explains, due to "beliefs about boys not being social and emotionally ready". Parents she surveyed were almost four times as likely to report they intended to start boys later than girls. "There is a narrative that boys are less mature, or less developed, than girls that floats around, and that drives parents' decision-making," Dr Van Bergen says. She says while at a group level there are school-readiness trends that favour girls, on an individual level there is a "huge overlap" between genders, showing readiness really needs to be considered case by case. Parents reported concerns about physical size, usually more with boys than girls. This is particularly in the context of bullying and "sporting prowess", Dr Van Bergen says. Five per cent of the parents surveyed by Macquarie University said they were still unsure about when to send their child to school. Dr English says it can be hard for parents to know what to expect from school because things will have changed a lot since their years of education. "Talk to the school. Talk to your peers. If you have a psychologist or occupational therapist or speech therapist, talk to them as well," she says. "If you are on the NDIS, talk to your providers." She says it can also be helpful to ask relatives and friends with older children about their experience, as well as instructors of the child's extra-curricular activities, such as swimming. Dr Van Bergen says parents should follow their instincts. "School teachers do an amazing job to support children and bring them into a different educational context, but it's still a big transition," she says. She recommends parents avoid being "fatalistic" about their decision. "If there are any education gaps between younger and older children to start with, [research shows] it closes over time." Nadine says she "100 per cent" made the right decision by delaying her daughter's schooling. "There is so much pressure on prep and so many commitments … it's full on." This is general information only. For personal advice, you should see a qualified professional.
