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About Sarah Vanover

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So far Sarah Vanover has created 35 blog entries.

How States are Using Children’s Cabinets for Positive Child Outcomes

Effective and responsive government programs shape whether families can easily find and access the services their children need – and Kentucky lawmakers are exploring examples of streamlining programming and improving stewardship of funding dedicated to children through the development of a Children’s Cabinet.  Example: Ohio During the August meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children, the legislative members listened to a presentation from Ohio on reorganizing [...]

By |2026-09-10T16:10:41-04:00September 10th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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Federal Update on Head Start and How to Take Action

The Head Start program began in 1965 as a way to combat the growing number of families with young children living in poverty. It was created to be a half-day preschool program for children between the ages of 3-5 to help them be prepared for kindergarten. By 1977, the program had reserved slots for children with disabilities and a bilingual and bicultural component, and in 1995, Early Head Start was created to serve [...]

By |2026-09-16T15:54:39-04:00September 2nd, 2026|Blog, Education|
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Federal Update on Special Education

As kids head back to school this August, federal changes to the education system are taking shape – with potential implications for Kentucky students.  Although most of the public education system is planned and implemented at the state level, the special education system is regulated and funded by the federal government. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was established in 1990 to make sure that students with disabilities in the public school [...]

By |2026-08-19T15:22:54-04:00August 19th, 2026|Blog, Education|
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Safety Starts at Home: Preventing Pediatric Ingestions

Young children learn by exploring the environment through their senses. This means that the brain and the body take in information through seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling objects that they come into contact with in their environment. Infants and toddlers particularly have the overwhelming urge to place everything in their mouths in order to see what it is like.  Young children often put toys and different foods in their mouths, but without [...]

By |2026-06-17T15:57:03-04:00June 16th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Celebrating Child Care and Appreciating Providers

Almost 70% of children under the age of 6 go to some type of formalized child care outside of the home. As a working mom, both of my sons went to licensed child care centers so that I could work. When I was growing up, that is not what I expected. My mother stayed at home with me and my sister until we both entered kindergarten. I was blessed that she was able [...]

By |2026-05-20T11:05:13-04:00May 6th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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Paid Family Leave – Strengthening Families and the Workforce

Time is quickly slipping away in the 2026 legislative session, but there is still time for the Kentucky General Assembly to pass important legislation to positively impact Kentucky families.   One policy that could have a huge impact on maternal health and child development for Kentucky families is paid family leave. In December 2024, Governor Beshear passed an executive order that would allow executive branch employees to have paid family medical leave for six weeks after [...]

By |2026-03-26T11:24:21-04:00March 26th, 2026|Blog, Economic Security, Health|
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Diving Deeper into HB 6 to Strengthen Kentucky’s Child Care Ecosystem

Affordable, quality child care continues to be a top priority for families that need to be a part of the workforce while still providing a safe and healthy environment for their young children. During the 2024 legislative session, the General Assembly dedicated more general fund dollars to child care than ever before. That was a first step towards developing Kentucky’s child care infrastructure. Now, during this budget session, Kentucky continues to brainstorm on how to [...]

By |2026-02-24T13:57:30-05:00February 12th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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The Child Care Landscape Heading into 2026

With only a month until the beginning of Kentucky’s legislative session, it is essential for child advocates to be up-to-date on the topics most likely to impact children and families in 2026.  The General Assembly will undoubtedly be discussing topics like food insecurity, children experiencing homelessness, and Kentucky children having access to appropriate health care – and the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children has a number of state policy and budget priorities that will impact kids [...]

By |2025-12-10T10:50:47-05:00December 10th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education|
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Building a Children’s Cabinet: What, Why, Who, and How?

In order to meet the needs of kids and families, many states offer a variety of programs from medical services, nutrition programs, child care, and emergency supports. Although all the programs apply to families and children, the services can be hard to access since they are housed across different departments, cabinets, and websites.  In order to increase efficiency, and make access easier for families of young children, states are looking outside the box and finding [...]

By |2025-12-17T09:36:05-05:00November 12th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Advocacy Corner, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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Ensuring Quality Child Care for Children with Disabilities and Their Families

  Although many families struggle to find safe and affordable child care for their young children, it can be even harder for families whose children have disabilities. Some children may need to find a child care program with accessible playgrounds that allow children in wheelchairs or walkers to move more freely in the environment. Other children may need accommodations if they have low vision or a hearing impairment. Among the most common concerns [...]

By |2025-09-03T15:09:16-04:00September 3rd, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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