Early Childhood

  • 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.

  • Child Health

    National Paid Family and Medical Leave is an Important Promise to Children

    Being there isn’t negotiable. National paid family and medical leave is one building block in a stack of policies, including the Child Tax Credit and high-quality, affordable child care, that create a solid foundation for children to grow and thrive. Congress must raise the pillars of stronger, better, and more inclusive national paid family and medical leave in Build Back Better--and beyond.

    | National

  • Child Poverty

    CDF Urges the House to Pass the Build Back Better Act

    The Build Back Better Act will boost families’ economic stability and reduce racial inequities in income, housing, education, and health care that harm Black and brown children every day. By passing this critical legislation, we are finally meaningfully investing in our children and families.

  • Child Health

    What the Build Back Better Compromise Means for Children and Families

    The compromise bill includes important generational investments to boost families’ economic stability and reduce racial inequities in income, housing, education, and health care that disproportionately harm Black, Latino, and Indigenous children. However, it leaves out important investments to ensure children and families have what they need to thrive.

    | National

  • Child Health

    Children’s Defense Fund Responds to President Biden’s Build Back Better Framework

    “President Biden’s framework brings us one step closer to a historic, essential, and long-overdue investment in our country’s children and families. We’re poised to boost families’ economic stability and reduce racial inequities in income, housing, education, and health care that harm Black and brown children every day. We appreciate the countless child advocates, parents, friends in the White House, and champions in Congress who have fought for decades to bring us to this point."

    | National