Family and Children

Jimmy Buffett's longtime bassist says if he weren't a musician, he’d be a psychologist. Jim Mayer not only continues to tour with the Coral Reefers, the band of the late Buffett, he plays in hundreds of schools per year, trying to teach kids social-emotional skills.

Volunteers are needed to support children experiencing abuse and neglect, or who are part of the foster care system.

A McLean County program that supports abused and neglected children is expanding to Logan County.

The head of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said the agency has made big gains in reducing chronic staff shortages this year.

McLean County System of Care is hosting its first Youth and Family Resource Fair from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Western Avenue Community Center in Bloomington.

McLean County’s new Family Treatment Court accepted its first client and received a $750,000 grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to fund operations.

Treble Trouble is a hero's tale of how Princess Poco saved the land of Melodia from perpetual silence — and teaching a few lessons along the way.

A McLean County woman’s struggle to get overdue child support illustrates a complicated, and sometimes bewildering and frustrating system.

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph is best known as Sesame Street's Abby Cadabby. She takes a break from fairy training to bring comedy cabaret, puppet-making and a sock called Lolly Lardpop to Bloomington-Normal and Peoria. Carrara-Rudolph and Normal native Paul Rudolph will sit down to talk about their journeys to Sesame Street at the end of the four-day residency next month.

Lab Schools director Anthony Jones says said one way to boost diversity is better communication with potential students during the application period early in the year.