National

  • Child Welfare

    End of Year Wins for Children

    Today, Congress passed two large spending packages to fund the government through FY2020 and thus averted a government shutdown. The packages authorize nearly $1.4 trillion in spending and include some important wins for children, including the FFTA.

    | National

  • Child Poverty

    How a Tax Credit for Families with Children Could Do More to Fight Poverty

    The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a powerful tool to stretch the family budget and lift children out of poverty.. From its initiation in 1997 to its recent expansion and inclusion of high-earners in 2017, the CTC has enjoyed bipartisan support. But as conversation about the credit gets louder, it is exciting to see bipartisan enthusiasm for tweaking the CTC to deliver greater benefits for the poorest families.

    | National

  • Child Welfare

    Letter in Support of the Family First Transition Act

    CDF led an effort to garner support from nearly 400 national and state organizations across the country in support of the Family First Transition Act. This Act presents a bold plan to help states, tribes and territories meet the unique fiscal and statutory requirements of implementation. Once enacted, it will provide critical tools to help states, tribes and territories take advantage of the opportunities contained in Family First, so that more children and families can thrive.

  • Child Welfare

    Proposed Rule Will Allow Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination within Child Welfare System

    CDF submitted comments against this proposed rule as it is a license to discriminate and is in direct opposition to the cardinal rule of child welfare, that the best interests of the child must always be paramount. Simply put, this rule threatens the safety, permanency and well-being of children.

    | National

  • Child Welfare

    Comments on HHS Nondiscrimination Proposed Rule

    CDF submitted comments on HHS's proposed rule on nondiscrimination protections for HHS-funded programs. Government-sanctioned discrimination is diametrically opposed to the cardinal rule of child welfare, that the best interest of the child is paramount, and, as such, it should never be allowed in the child welfare system. This rule would threaten the ability of the child welfare system to promote permanency for youth in care and will jeopardize the safety and well-being of children in foster care.

  • Immigration

    Family Detention is Dangerous and Wrong

    There is no safe way to detain children and families. This administration’s attempt to expand family detention is dangerous, and the Children’s Defense Fund will continue to fight its cruelty.

    | National

  • Health

    CDF and Other Leading Children’s Health and Medical Groups Respond to South Carolina Waiver

    With this Section 1115 waiver approval, South Carolina becomes the first state in the nation to exclusively impose the harmful policy of work requirements on low-income parents with children. Children rely on healthy parents and caregivers to help them meet their health and developmental needs, and this waiver will make it harder for parents to be there for their children.