Early Childhood

  • Child Welfare

    For Our Children: Back to School

    While many of us caregivers are scrambling to make sure our students have the right supplies (I forgot crayons!), clothes, and enough lunch money, we can’t lose focus on the disturbing social challenges that no pencil, pen, or notebook can prepare our students for.

    | National

  • Early Childhood

    House Passed Budget Cuts Would Harm Children & Youth

    On April 26, the House passed a bill that uses the ongoing debate around lifting the debt ceiling to force budget cuts to critical federal programs that support the health and wellbeing of children and youth. This bill would result in millions of Americans losing their access to quality and affordable healthcare, cash assistance and income support through TANF, rental assistance, and access to child care.

    | National

  • Early Childhood

    New Survey Shows Ohio Parents Overwhelmingly Support “Whole Child” Education

    New Survey Shows Ohio Parents Overwhelmingly Support “Whole Child” Education Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio partnered with Baldwin Wallace University’s Community Research Institute to capture the views of parents on the state’s educational framework (COLUMBUS, OH) – The first statewide survey to ask Ohio parents to weigh in on “whole child” approaches to education finds broad approval among K-12 parents.

    | Ohio

  • Early Childhood

    Understanding and Strengthening Minnesota's Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health System of Care

    Over the last several decades, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of supporting the social and emotional well-being of young children and their families. Through a public-private project, Building Strong Foundations for Families, Minnesota’s team developed policy recommendations to strengthen the infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) system and recommended a systems map of the current system. These report recommendations were derived from interviews with 19 stakeholders representing the Minnesota’s early childhood mental health system, including advocates, state government staff, early childhood educators, mental health professionals, pediatricians, and others.

  • Child Health

    Racial Impact Statement Legislation National Scan (Updated 3.17.22)

    In the absence of racial impact assessment, legislation that “appears” race-neutral at face value can, in practice, adversely – and disparately – affect New York’s children and families of color. Just as our State legislators consider the fiscal and environmental impacts of new laws, so too must they examine the potential racial disparities of all legislation and rule-making activity – prior to enactment.

  • Child Health

    Our New York Children's Budget: A Community Vision for Prioritizing Our Children

    New York can and must do better for our children, youth and families. This report is a blueprint for addressing the most pressing needs of New York children, and the Governor and the Legislature must adopt these proposals in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to realize our bold vision rooted in making opportunities accessible, ending harm and transforming systems.

  • Child Health

    2022 State of the Union Response from Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson

    In last night’s State of the Union address, President Biden welcomed and told the story of Joshua Davis, a 13-year-old from Virginia who lives with type 1 diabetes. The teen, celebrating his birthday with the entire nation, has been advocating for school safety and health since he was four years old. By turning the camera and conversation to the cost of care to keep him healthy, the president made the most significant symbolic gesture of the evening. He centered America’s children in the public policy debate. Now, we have to keep them there.

    | National

  • Child Poverty

    2022 CDF-MN Policy Agenda

    We ALL benefit when children and families thrive, including those growing up in Black, Indigenous and communities of color. At Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, we believe everyone has a role to play in ensuring every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. The Children’s Defense Fund envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.