Increasing numbers of children are exposed to a world with many social and economic obstacles, including alarming rates of crime and violence, poverty, drug use, poor health, dysfunctional family situations and other negative influences. It is important to improve the responsiveness of governments and community-based agencies to the needs of children and families. The vision for children's services should focus on coordination among service providers to reduce fragmentation, duplication of services, and gaps in needed services. At the state and national levels, a comprehensive policy on children and youth is needed to facilitate collaboration and place children as the top priority in budget and policy considerations. Schools must also work within their own systems to the greatest extent possible to address the conditions of children and to protect youth in the school setting.
Schools have a responsibility to ensure a safe learning environment.
Coordinated Children's Services. Addressing the needs of the whole child requires an improved delivery system which is comprehensive, collaborative, child and family-centered, and focused on prevention. 2 Supports incentives for interagency cooperation, including the removal of barriers that limit interagency collaboration and the flexibility to coordinate funds. 3 Supports the establishment of a comprehensive, integrated student information system to facilitate the sharing of information by professionals and between districts and other children's services providers while maintaining the confidentiality of students and families. 4 Supports partnerships among schools, law enforcement and the juvenile justice system to ensure that students involved in the court system continue to have access to education and support services.