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About Sarah Vanover

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So far Sarah Vanover has created 35 blog entries.

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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Showing Support for Early Childhood Workforce on Provider Appreciation Day

Each year, the first full week of May is reserved for Teacher Appreciation Week, a week for students and families to say thank you to the teachers that have worked so hard all year to help their students be successful. This week has typically focused on the K-12 school system; however, there is a large group of teachers who deserve just as much recognition – the early childhood educators working in child care programs for [...]

By |2025-05-08T09:02:03-04:00May 8th, 2025|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security, Education|
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A Look at Autism from the Perspective of a Mom and Advocate

There has been a great deal of information about Autism in the media lately.  These discussions about Autism have brought to life accurate information about this condition, as well as misconceptions.  As many organizations look at how to support individuals with Autism, it is essential to make sure that these supports are built on facts regarding the diagnosis. What is Autism? Autism is a developmental disability that predominantly affects the social and emotional domains of [...]

By |2025-05-01T14:26:59-04:00May 1st, 2025|Blog, Education, Health|
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Why We Need Head Start

This year is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the preschool program for 3- to 5-year-olds and their families that are experiencing poverty.  The Head Start program began with the goal of breaking the poverty cycle for young children. Head Start goes beyond just providing a classroom experience, these programs also provide medical and dental care for children, meals and baby formula, and education programs – like GED courses – for parents and caregivers. Additionally, [...]

By |2025-05-15T13:20:34-04:00April 23rd, 2025|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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Make Your Voice Heard: Paid Family Medical Leave for State Employees

Paid family medical leave is an essential strategy for healthy moms and healthy babies. The benefits of employers offering paid leave includes: Mothers get to heal before returning to work after a delivery or c-section. Mothers have the time and opportunity to breastfeed their infants. Infants can spend time bonding with their mothers to establish a pattern of healthy social and emotional development. Infant mortality rates decrease. Families still have a steady source of income [...]

By |2025-02-13T14:47:40-05:00February 13th, 2025|Blog, Economic Security, Health|
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High Ratings + (Sometimes) High Frustrations: Special Education in Kentucky

In 2024, the Kentucky Department of Education received the highest possible rating for its special education system. This rating is based on the Commonwealth’s ability to meet the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the federal law that governs special education laws and funding. Kentucky has all the necessary policies and procedures in place that IDEA requires, and the state systems are designed to align with federal government laws.   Although [...]

By |2025-01-16T12:57:03-05:00January 16th, 2025|Blog, Education|
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The State of Child Care from the Perspective of Kentucky Providers and Parents

Kentucky kids need safe spaces to learn and socialize while their parents work. And before they begin kindergarten, many families rely on child care – whether in homes or centers – to provide this care. Despite the clear indication that child care is needed for Kentucky families, there continue to be challenges to finding and staying connected to care, especially for children with disabilities.  During the month of September, KYA surveyed child care center directors/owners [...]

By |2024-12-05T15:53:16-05:00December 5th, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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Strengthening Kentucky Homeschool Settings

Kentucky kids access education in a variety of ways, including public schools, private schools, and homeschool settings.  Over the past several years, the number of families choosing homeschool for their children has grown substantially. There are many reasons that families choose to homeschool their children, but whatever motivation the family has for initiating homeschool education, it is important to ensure that all Kentucky kids are in a safe learning environment where they receive a high [...]

By |2024-11-07T11:10:58-05:00November 7th, 2024|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education|
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Child Care Access – Gathering Input from Centers and Families

We are in the final countdown! The final federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan will run out on September 30th, and the child care industry will be expected to stand on its own two feet.   Unfortunately, child care was barely surviving prior to the pandemic, and with the inflation that has occurred in the past four years, the industry is not set-up to be successful. The biggest challenge to overcome is the cost [...]

By |2024-10-24T09:10:38-04:00September 10th, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Education|
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