The 2014 General Assembly kicked-off yesterday. Undoubtedly the legislature’s biggest challenge will be to adopt a new budget to guide the next 2 years of spending as a state. Budgets are about priorities and we believe that Kentucky’s children should be on the top of the list. Join us in asking state leaders to build a budget that gives every child the best opportunity to thrive in childhood and succeed as an adult. Budgets always require tough choices. But especially now – Kentucky can’t afford a budget that fails to invest in kids.
Recent cuts to child care and kinship care are hurting children and families in Kentucky and must be restored in the upcoming session. There are a number of ways to take action:
Child care assistance
1. Call the Governor at (502) 564-2611 and your legislators at 1-800-372-7181 and leave the following message:
“Education is critical, especially in the early years. Please restore funding for child care assistance so that young children can be cared for in safe, structured environments that will prepare them for kindergarten.”
2. Collect photo messages from children, parents and caregivers showing why child care is important.
- Step 1: Print out or create a sign like this one. Ask the child or parents to add one of the following messages, or come up with their own.
- Child care keeps me safe while my mom is working.
- Child care helps me get ready for Kindergarten.
- Child care helps me get nutritious meals.
- Child care means my kids are safe when I’m at work.
- Child care means my kids are learning letters and numbers while I’m at work.
Make sure that all of the signs include the ask at the bottom: Restore funding for #CCAP
- Step 2: Ask the child/parent to hold the sign and take a picture.
- Step 3: Ask the parent to fill out this consent form.
- Step 3: Email the picture and consent form to Shannon Moody at smoody@kyyouth.org who will disseminate it to legislators using social media, post the picture on your Facebook page, and/or tweet it with your Twitter account.
3. Collect video stories from parents who have lost CCAP. Use your i-phone or android to videotape stories of parents who have lost, or will soon lose their CCAP to help document the impact for legislators. Download these guidelines and consent form to learn more.
Kinship care
1. Call the Governor at (502) 564-2611 and your legislators at 1-800-372-7181 and leave the following message:
“In Kentucky, family values are more than just talk. Please support children being raised by grandparents and relatives by restoring funds for kinship care.”
2. Collect photo messages from children and relative caregivers showing why kinship care is important.
- Step 1: Print out or create a sign like this one. Ask the child or caregiver to add one of the following messages, or come up with their own.
- In Kentucky, family values are more than just talk.
- I stepped up to raise my # grandchildren.
- My grandparents/aunt/uncle stepped up to raise me when my parents couldn’t.
Make sure that all of the signs include the ask at the bottom: Restore funding for #KinshipCare
- Step 2: Ask the child or caregiver to hold the sign and take a picture.
- Step 3: Ask the parent to fill out this consent form.
- Step 4: Email the picture to Shannon Moody at smoody@kyyouth.org who will disseminate it to legislators using social media, post the picture on your Facebook page, and/or tweet it with your Twitter account.
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