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About Sarah Vanover

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So far Sarah Vanover has created 33 blog entries.

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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Paid Family Medical Leave Can Protect Kentucky’s Most Vulnerable Infants

Kentucky continues to face rates of child maltreatment that are nearly double the national average. Infants are at the greatest risk, making up 1 in 8 victims, making the first year of life a crucial period for prevention. Policies that give parents stability during this window can make a clear difference. The first year with a newborn is both exciting and stressful. Paid family medical leave offers parents time to bond with their newborns and [...]

By |2025-08-27T15:41:52-04:00August 27th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Addressing the Rise in Child Abuse in Kentucky Child Care Programs

Originally published on Face It Movement Access to high quality, safe child care settings is critical for families across the Commonwealth. But recent data reports highlight an increase of child abuse and maltreatment cases in child care programs across Kentucky:  46% increase in hotline complaints from 2022–2024 73% increase in substantiated incidents of child abuse and neglect 64% increase in serious injuries to children in licensed child care impacting up to 764 children This increase [...]

By |2025-07-18T09:33:23-04:00July 10th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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