Children and Families Conference set for October

The University of Kentucky will sponsor the second annual interdisciplinary "Children and Families 2001: Bridging Research and Practice" conference Oct. 26 in the UK Student Center.

The conference offers professionals who work with children and families - educators, community service workers and government officials - a look at new research affecting children and families. Featured speakers for this year's conference will include Kinsey B. Green, president of the American Association of Family Consumer and Science and dean emeritus of Oregon State University; Kimberly Barnes-O'Connor, director of children's policy for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Helen Pratt, director of developmental and behavioral pediatrics and associate professor of pediatrics and human development in the Pediatrics Program at the Michigan State University/Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies; and Ronald Crouch, director of the Kentucky State Data Center at the University of Louisville. Topics for conference sessions will include empowering parents of diverse populations, early childhood music and implications for family enhancement, the implementation of Kentucky's early childhood initiative, improving family and child well-being through learning labs, family and community well-being, student mobility and academic achievement and Kentucky's foster care program.

Advance registration by Sept. 1 is $50. Late registration will be $55, and registration at the door will be $60. All registrations include lunch. Student registration is $20 including lunch and $5 excluding lunch. Continuing education units will be offered. For more information, contact Cindi Jefferson at (859) 257-3889.

For registration and information, contact the UK Department of Family Studies at 315 Funkhouser Building, UK, Lexington, KY 40506-0054 or (859) 257-4363 or (859) 257-7750 or the UK College of Education, 103 Dickey Hall, UK, Lexington, KY 40506-0017 at (859) 257-3889.