DOCUMENT RESUME ED 357 864 PS 021 390 TITLE Parents Speak Out for America'sChildren. Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Healthy Children Ready To Learn--The Critical Role of Parents (Washington, D.C., February 9-12, 1992). INSTITUTION Office of the Surgeon General (DHHS/PHS), Washington, DC. SPONS AGENCY Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (DHHS), Washington, D.C.; Food and Nutrition Service (DOA), Washington, D.C.; Health Care Financing Administration (DHHS), Washington, DC.; Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (ED), Washington, DC.; Public Health Service (DHHS), Rockville, Md. PUB DATE Feb 92 NOTE 197p. PUB TYPE Collected Works Conference Proceedings (021) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Child Health; Child Rearing; *Early Childhood Education; *Federal Government; Government Role; Health Promotion; *Health Services; Parent Participation; Parent Responsibility; *Parent Role; School Readiness; *Social Services ABSTRACT This report details the proceedings of a conference hosted by U.S. Surgeon General Antonia Novello. The conference joined 225 parents from all 50 states and more than 700 government officials and representatives from public and private health, education, and social service agencies to search for new ways to advance the health and education of America's children. The report includes: (1) an executive summary (10 pages); (2) an introduction to the conference; (3) the Surgeon General's opening remarks;(4) a summary of parent work groups, focusing on national and regional issues; (5) presentations of findings by parent representatives and resrmses from government officials; (6) speeches by key government officials at the conference, including President George Bush;(7) presentations on various issues related to child health and education; and(8)the Surgeon General's closing remarks. Appendices include a list of conference participants; a list of advisory group members; a list of planning committee members; the conference agenda; a list of conference facilitators and recorders; a summary of the 28 conference workshops; a list of organizations with exhibitions at the conference; and a list of groups that entertained at the conference. (MM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Parents Arl ri Lt LFliforAmerica's Report of the Surgeon creperal'sConference U.S. ININUITNENT Of EDUCATION Oneco or Educator. flourondr owl M*10nIfitOnt . I EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (EMC Is ment- Ms boon reproduced U >tm docue* from the pompon or coparezenon ornanunng It. 0 Woof cnenpee novo boon mode to Improve neproducnon wanly. C:111 Poore or elogroropreons Manedin the clocw we do not narcotise,* roPreirrnrofficel OEM poseen or polity. MEIEmeii.. C13111) oady to Learn The Critical Role of Pa&ents +eMOneilie r" P BEST COPY AVAILABLE If von %could like more information on the "Healthx-Children Ready to Leaf n- Initiative. the Conference on "IlealthyChildren Reads to Leal n: The Critical Role of Parents... or the six National Education ( ;oak please contact one of the follouing agencies: Department of Health Department of E6ucation National Governors' Association and Human Services 40)) Nlan land Ae.. 444 N. Capitol St.. N.\V. 200 Independence Ave.. S.W. Washington, IX: 20202 Suite 250 Vashington. DC 20201 (202) 401-3000 Washington, Dc 20001 (2021 215-6445 (2021 621-5300 Office of the Surgeon General Department of Agriculture Department of Health and Human Setlices 11th St. & Independence . \s r., S.W. 2(10 Independence Ave.. S.W. Washington. DC 20250 Washington, DC 20201 (202) 720-2791 1202) 215-7163 ParentsOtt for America's Children ki.EAD-111Ciiilsiot -Ready-to -Learn- The Critical Role of Parents February 9-12, 1992 FEDERAL COSPONSORS etkci * Administration for Children and Families,U.S. Department of Health and Human Services * Food and Nutrition Service,U.S. Department of Agriculture * Office of Elementary and Secondary Education,U.S. Department of Education * Health Care Financing Administration,Department of Health and Human Services * Intergovernmental Affairs Office -LEleataatearrir *U.S. Public Health Service,Department of Health and Human Services * Alcohol. Drug Abuse. and Mental Health Adminis ration Office for Substance Abase Prevention * Centers for Disease Control National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion National Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control National Center for Prevention Services * Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Care Deliver): and Assistance Maternal and Child Health Bureau * Indian Health Service * National Institutes of Health National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Dental Research * Office of Disease Prevention and HealthPromotion * Office of Population Affairs 5 PRIVATE COSPONSORS * Alliance to End Childhood Lead * Home and School Institute Poisoning * Institute for Educational Leadership * American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry * La Leche League International * American Academy of Pediatrics * March of Dimes Birth Defects * American Association of Public Health Foundation Dentistry * National Association of Community * American Association of School Health Health Centers, Inc. * American Dental Association * National Association of Elementary School Principals * American Dietetic Association * National Association of PediatricNurse * American Medical Association Associates and Practitioners * American Nurses' Association * National Association of Social Workers * American Public Health Association * National Association of WIC Directors * American Public Welfare Association * National Center for Clinical Infant * American Red Cross Programs * American School Food Service * National Center for EducationalStatistics Association * National Commission to PreventInfant * Association for the Care of Children's Mortality Health * National Congress of American Indians * Association of Maternal and Child Health * National Dental Association Programs * National Head Start Association * Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors * National Health/EducationConsortium * Association of State and Territorial * National Mental Health Association Health Officials * National Parent Network on Disabilities * Child Welfare League of America, Inc. * National Parent-Teachers Association * Children's Action Network * National SAFE KIDS Campaign * Federation for Children with Special * National Urban League Needs * Parent Action * General Federation of Wnmen's Clubs * Parents as Teachers NationalCenter * Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. * Society for Nutrition Education * Healthy Nlothers/Healthv Babies Coalition * United Way of America 6 Dedication ktEALtil rE/4 There are 64 million children in this country. When I wasappointed to be Surgeon General. I vowed to speak for all of them---whether rich or poor, healthy or sick, whatever their race or ethnic background. To this end, nearly 2 years ago, I established the Healthy Children Ready to LearnInitiative. This Initiative, which focuses on the health aspects of school readiness, was born out of the President's first National EducationGoal, that "By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn." Ready to 00511P7 As part of this Initiative, the Conference on Healthy Children Learn: The Critical Role of Parents was held here inWashington, DC, in February eytcy -earrr- 1992. More than 700 people attendedhealth professionals andadministrators, The Critical Role teachers. Government officials. and others involved in the health andwell-being of Parents of our Nation's young peoplebut our guests of honor for thisConference were the approximately 225 parents who attended from each of the50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories. Over the course of those 3 days, our time was spent listening to andlearning from one another. We learned what worked; we were told whatdidn't. The Conference was unique in that the parents spoke from their hearts.They raised a collective voice that said, in effect."As parents, we must stand up for our children and our families and see that our needs are met. We mustdo so with dignity, and we must demand respect when others try torob us of our dignity." Parents who never knew that they could speak forothers eloquently articulated the needs of children and families. Although these parents came to our C, inferencec..rom all parts of the country and from all walksof life, they came with the same mission: to improve the lives of the children and thefamilies of this country. This proceedings document is dedicated to those parents who attended our Conference. We are proud of them and inspired by them. It is our sincerehope that what we learned in those 3 days is reflected honestly inthese pages. This document will serve as a "guide" for the rest of us and as aninspiration to do what was asked. A.s I stated at the close of ourConference. "This Conference may be ending, but what we have accomplished is the beginning of a wayof acting and thinking with families in mind." 7 ivParents Speak Out for America's Children We must care for our children. That responsibility doesnot belong to only one individual or entity or Government agency.What we learned at this Conference is that we are all responsible for all of the children.We must become advocates for one another