Child Welfare Archives - Children's Defense Fund

Child Welfare

CDF listening tour to stop in South Carolina as President and CEO Starsky Wilson hears families' pressing needs

On Wednesday, Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, president and CEO of the national children’s advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), will visit Columbia to learn more about the challenges facing children and families, as well as the solutions they seek, amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the economy and key programs related to education and health in America.

June 24, 2025 | National

Child Poverty

Landmark Studies Reveal Direct Cash Grants Boost Employment, Improve Well-being, Stability for NYC Youth Exiting Foster Care, Without Negative Consequences

Findings from two studies show powerful results from unconditional cash grants pilot program for young adults transitioning out of New York City’s foster care system: increased sense of well-being and self-determination, greater portion of youth in labor market, and enhanced financial stability, with no increase in negative outcomes like jail entry or shelter use.

June 23, 2025 | New York

Child Poverty

“STARTING TO LIVE”

Our pilot revealed the transformative potential of unconditional cash to help young people emerging from foster care to experience stability and a sense of control over their own lives—to truly experience a transition to adulthood.

Child Welfare

CDF-CA: Military Presence in CA Communities Poses Threat to State's Children

Children’s Defense Fund–California has issued the following statement in response to recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the National Guard in California.

June 9, 2025 | California

Child Health

CDF Urges U.S. Senators to Reject Harmful Budget Cuts Threatening Families’ Health, Food, Financial Security

Today, the national youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) delivered a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to reject proposed cuts to critical health, nutrition, and financial stability programs as part of the budget reconciliation process.

June 9, 2025 | National

Child Welfare

Child and Family Wellbeing Fund One-pager

Legislation creating a new Child and Family Wellbeing Fund would support children’s growth and development by investing resources in 10 communities that have been historically disenfranchised and targeted for government intervention through the child protective services (CPS)/child welfare system for 5 years.

Child Welfare

Child and Family Wellbeing Fund White Paper

This paper brings together our collective learning and explains the proposed New York State Child and Family Wellbeing Fund. We welcome conversations about the Fund and we hope this document will generate those discussions.

Conference

2025 American Youth Policy Forum, Powered by CDF

This forum will bring together key policymakers, advocates, educators, and CDF staff. Together, we will discuss how national, state, and local policies can better serve young people, particularly those marginalized by systemic inequities

November 5-6, 2025

National

Child Health

Experts to Brief Ohio Children’s Caucus on Medicaid’s Impact on State’s Youth as Federal Lawmakers Weigh Program Cuts

Health experts and youth experts are concerned cuts to Medicaid would jeopardize the well-being of hundreds of thousands of children in Ohio. In 2023, approximately 1.4 million Ohio children were enrolled in Medicaid, according to KIDS COUNT Ohio.

March 28, 2025 | Ohio

Child Health

Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition Releases FY '26-'27 Budget Report, Urges Lawmakers to Adopt 70+ Child Friendly Proposals

The Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition (OCBC), a partnership of more than 20 organizations committed to the health and well-being of children, has released its biennial budget report, Creating a Vision of Child Well-being for Ohio.

March 25, 2025 | Ohio