Avoid the defrosting "danger zone"

While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. But as soon as it begins to thaw, bacteria that may have been present before freezing will begin to grow again.  There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: keep reading to learn how!

The Food-Safe Path to Thanksgiving and Beyond

Hosting Thanksgiving can be a logistical challenge that starts with planning what to cook and ends with figuring out what to do with all of those leftovers. This year, streamline your Thanksgiving planning to ensure you have a fun and food-safe holiday. 

Check out this blog post from USDA to get day-by-day guidance for Thanksgiving planning, shopping, cooking, and more!

Podcast: Working With the Correctional System and Incarcerated Parents

When professionals work, interact, and exchange information with parents who are incarcerated and who have children involved in the child welfare system, they must also work with the correctional system and detention facilities (prisons). Navigating the protocols and procedures within a State's correctional system can be challenging and confusing, especially to professionals unaware of the restrictions on visitations and correspondence with inmates. This podcast features a conversation between representatives of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services familiar with the relationship between the child welfare and correctional systems. Listen to gain insight on how to facilitate communication, develop and execute case plans, and how to plan and prepare children for visiting their incarcerated parent. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/child-welfare-podcastincarcerated-parents

New resource: 10 fact sheets from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network

In partnership with Futures without Violence, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed Children and Domestic Violence, 10 fact sheets for parents who may have left, or still be in, an abusive relationship. To download, go to: http://www.nctsn.org/content/resource

Cohabitation usurps marriage as most common experience in young adulthood

Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth (1995 and 2011/13), this profile from the
National Center for Family & Marriage Research presents changes in the experiences of
marrying and cohabiting among young adult women (aged 25-29) between 1995 and 2011/13.
https://www.ncfr.org/news/trends-marriage-cohabitation-usurps-marriage-most-commonexperience-young-adults

Video: The Science of Neglect

Extensive biological and developmental research shows significant neglect—the ongoing disruption or significant absence of caregiver responsiveness—can cause more lasting harm to a young child’s development than overt physical abuse, including subsequent cognitive delays, impairments in executive functioning, and disruptions of the body’s stress response. This edition of the InBrief series explains why significant deprivation is so harmful in the earliest years of life and why effective interventions are likely to pay significant dividends in better long-term outcomes in learning, health, and parenting of the next generation. This 6-minute video provides an overview of The Science of Neglect: The Persistent Absence of Responsive Care Disrupts the Developing Brain, a Working Paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. - http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-the-science-of-neglect-video/

Research connects parental behavior to adolescent sleep and cognitive function

 According to a University release, one UNM professor claims arguing parents can disrupt the development of children. College of Education Family Studies Professor Ryan Kelly found that, while Americans spend around $7 billion annually on supplemental education, if parents can’t get along with each other, “then all this conditioning is moot.” According to the release, Kelly’s research looks at many of the issues that affect marriage, such as finances, problem drinking, mental health problems and the physical relationship had between each other, and their children. http://www.dailylobo.com/article/2016/10/studying-arguing-parents- brief?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nmdailylobo+ %28New+Mexico+Daily+Lobo+Email+Edition%29

Preventing, Identifying, and Responding to Human Trafficking

Preventing, Identifying, and Responding to Human Trafficking provides information about how agencies, organizations, and individuals can get involved with the effort to prevent human trafficking and identify and support victims. - https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/trafficking/pir/

Does financial literacy yield positive trends?

Students may be more likely to open bank accounts and engage in other economic activity if they participate in financial education, according to a study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Literacy. Data from a 10-week program show students were 11% more likely to open accounts and 5% more likely to understand basic finances. Time.com - http://time.com/money/4514596/fourth-graders-money-classroom-exercise

USDA to offer paid training to veterans

Officials this week announced that the US Department of Agriculture will collaborate with the departments of Labor and Veterans Affairs to offer paid apprenticeships to veterans. The oneyear program will train veterans for careers in agriculture and will be used to pilot an online platform for learning. FederalTimes.com - http://www.federaltimes.com/articles/usdaapprenticeship-program-targets-veterans

Building Core Capabilities for Life

Adults need certain capabilities to get and keep a job, provide responsive care for children, manage a household, and contribute productively to the community. When these skills have not developed as they should, or are compromised by the stresses of poverty or other ongoing adversity, our communities pay the price. But where do these capabilities come from and how do they develop? How can we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to develop them? This report combines research from the biological and behavioral sciences with practical, on-theground knowledge from working with adults and families to provide effective solutions for helping individuals develop more effective skills for coping with adversity. Download the report at: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/building-core-capabilities-for-life/

Applying the Science of Child Development in Child Welfare Systems

How can we use insights from cutting-edge science to improve the well-being and long-term life prospects of the most vulnerable children in our society? Child welfare systems encounter hundreds of thousands of these children, and their families, every year. In a new report, the Center shows how the science of child development can be applied to child welfare policy and practice to improve how these systems support the children, families, and communities they serve. Read the new report at http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/child-welfaresystems/

Five Ways You're Sabotaging Your Career Success (And What To Do About It)

Most professionals aren't using LinkedIn enough to get the full benefits the social network provides, Ariel Lopez writes. You can't be afraid to reach out to others and make new connections if you want to be as successful as possible, she argues. http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2016/10/13/five-ways-youre-sabotagingyour-career-success-and-what-to-do-about-it/#194398a31849

Job seekers should watch for these red flags

As much you may want a job, it's important to heed early warnings that a potential employer is not the right fit. These signs include holding "cattle-call" interviews, immediately asking how much you made at your last job and pushing back your start date after an offer has been made. Forbes - http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/10/06/ten-warning-signs-of-a-cheap-andtacky-employer/#350b538e3719

What you must have to impress employers

Every job seeker must have critical thinking and social skills and a passion for their industry to impress potential employers, writes Jeffrey Kudisch. Other important qualities include the ability to improvise during interviews and think outside the box. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitalbusiness/wp/2016/09/30/why-your-next-job-depends-on-mastering-the-sixqs/?wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief

When to keep short-term jobs on your resume

It's smart to include short-term jobs on your resume if leaving them off would cause an employment gap of one year or more, writes Caroline Ceniza-Levine. It's also more important that your jobs add to your overall story than to have a long list of lengthy stints at various companies. Time.com - http://time.com/money/4521234/resume-tips-short-term-jobs/