Blog

Find our latest articles, reports, and weekly editions at Children's Defense Fund.

  • Child Poverty

    Child Tax Credit Payments Begin Today, But It’s Not Too Late to Sign Up

    Today, the first round of Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments—up to $300 per child—are hitting the bank accounts of millions of families across the country. Thanks to the expansion of the CTC included in the American Rescue Plan passed in March by the House and Senate Democrats and signed by President Biden, all but the highest-income families will receive monthly payments for the rest of 2021.

    | National

  • Making STEM Dreams Possible for Every Child

    Representation matters. Black professionals are underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, while exciting opportunities in STEM careers continue to grow at a frantic pace. Thanks to a generous grant from the Boeing Company, the CDF Freedom Schools® program is doing its part to help produce the next generation of leaders in STEM by introducing Black children to the wide world of possibilities in STEM careers through a new initiative called CDF Freedom to STEM.

    | National

  • Reflecting on the 26th Amendment After 50 Years

    Rooted in our history in the civil rights movement, CDF will continue to fight to ensure that fifty years from now, we can celebrate a 2021 civic redemption, built and led by young leaders who are standing up to finally fulfill the promise of the 26th Amendment.

    | National

  • Child Health

    CDF Endorses the RISE from Trauma Act

    By increasing resources to prevent and respond to toxic stress and trauma, the RISE from Trauma Act is an important step in aligning our policies to promote child well-being and ensure that children are able to thrive in their communities.

    | National

  • Child Poverty

    What You Need to Know About Federal Rental Assistance

    Federal rental assistance is a set of several programs—mostly administered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture with support from tax credits—that help families with little or no income cover their housing costs. Our new fact sheet provides a useful primer on federal rental assistance.

    | National

  • Child Welfare

    Supreme Court Rules on Foster Care Non-Discrimination Case

    While this decision did not undermine the right of state and local governments to protect children and families from taxpayer-funded discrimination, it does underscore how tenuous these protections can be. The decision is a potent reminder of how crucial it is that we pass the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act (S.1848/ H.R. 3488) to ensure that all children and youth in the child welfare system are safe from discrimination, no matter where they live or who they love.

    | National
Starsky Wilson stands at a podium in front of a crowd.

Featured Blog Series

For Our Children

From the desk of President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, discover a new take on child well-being and advocacy. Read to learn more about shaping conversations, policies, and actions for improving the lives of our nation's children and youth.

Learn More