Positive Childhood Experiences: The ability to talk with family about feelings

Did you know that creating positive experiences in childhood can lay the groundwork for lifelong resilience and well-being? These experiences are known as Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). Unlike Adverse Childhood Experiences, which focus on negative impacts, PCEs highlight the nurturing moments, relationships, and environments that build a child’s strength and emotional health. By fostering a supportive environment where children feel safe, valued, and heard, we help them develop the resilience they need to navigate [...]

By |2024-11-07T11:32:34-05:00November 7th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|

Community Support for Our Community’s Youth: A Program to Help Students Get Back on Track in School

By Elizabeth Senn-Alvey One in seven teens and young adults (16- to 24-year-olds) in Kentucky were neither in school nor working in 2023 according to a report by Measure of America.    Many of the young people who “disconnect” left before graduating high school, often due to early or consistent exposure to violence or serious trauma, involvement in the child welfare or justice systems, recent immigration to the community, or unrecognized academic challenges. Young people experiencing [...]

By |2024-10-31T13:43:40-04:00October 31st, 2024|Blog, Education, Health, Race Equity, Youth Justice|

Housing Policy Ambassadors: Speaking Up for Safe, Stable Housing

In October, we had the privilege of hosting an informative retreat for the Housing Policy Ambassador Cohort in Frankfort, Kentucky. This gathering brought together five young adults passionate about housing policy and advocacy. About the Housing Policy Ambassador Cohort The Housing Policy Ambassador Cohort is designed for young leaders across Kentucky who are ready to share their experiences to make effective changes related to housing instability. Running from October 2024 to December 2025, this [...]

By |2024-10-30T14:06:41-04:00October 30th, 2024|Blog, Economic Security, Health, Race Equity|

KYA Welcomes New Class of Board Members

Kentucky Youth Advocates is excited to welcome  Dr. Scottie Day, Dr. Darlene M. Davis Goodwine, and Dr. Aimee Green-Webb to our Board of Directors. This new class of board members bring expertise and passion to the table as we work collectively to make Kentucky the best place in America to be young.  We asked them a couple of questions to introduce them to the KYA community. Get to know our new board members below! Dr. [...]

By |2024-10-30T15:23:23-04:00October 24th, 2024|Blog|

Amendment 2: Perspectives, History, & a Little Nuance

Co-authored by Ellen Ward, Intern at Kentucky Youth Advocates In the heart of the Bluegrass State, the debate about Amendment 2 is heating up as we approach Election Day on November 5th, raising important questions about access, equity, and the future of education for Kentucky’s students. Amendment 2, while framed as a school choice measure, essentially puts it to Kentucky voters to grant legislative authority to explore what funding outside the public school system would [...]

By |2024-10-24T10:54:34-04:00October 24th, 2024|Blog, Education|

Keeping Kentucky Kids Counted!

The Fall season has arrived in Kentucky, complete with chilly weather and visits to pumpkin patches. Another hallmark of this time of year in Kentucky is the upcoming release of the annual Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book, coming up on November 20th. For decades now, many of us have come to rely on the information from the Kentucky KIDS COUNT project to assess how kids are faring, measure our progress on improving opportunities, and identify [...]

By |2024-10-17T15:29:22-04:00October 17th, 2024|Blog, Kids Count, Race Equity|

Kentucky Won Big Against JUUL – but What Happens Now?

Kentucky kids need safe and healthy communities to grow up, free from harmful products like nicotine and tobacco. But for decades, tobacco manufacturers have found ways to evolve their products and marketing strategies to appeal to youth at a young age and keep them hooked.   Despite youth smoking rates declining over the past decade, current use rates remain a concern – with Kentucky youth using nicotine and tobacco at a higher rate than the national [...]

By |2024-10-16T17:36:06-04:00October 16th, 2024|Blog, Education, Health|

Nurturing Positive Childhood Experiences: A Campaign to Strengthen Kentucky’s Future

In the 1990s, groundbreaking research through the Landmark Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) opened our eyes to the profound impact early negative experiences have on lifelong health, well-being, and social outcomes. For many, these findings were a wake-up call—showing that childhood adversity could contribute to a cycle of trauma that could echo through generations.  But with greater understanding came a hopeful message: adversity is a fact, but it is not fate. Fast forward [...]

By |2024-11-07T11:00:01-05:00October 10th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky|

Parental Incarceration & the Impact on Kids: “I want the cycle to end with me.”

Updated April 9, 2026 In 2025, the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children and Bloom Kentucky's 2025 legislative priorities included the Family Preservation and Accountability Act. The proposed legislation would require courts to consider alternative sentences for parents of dependent children who committed low-level and nonviolent offenses. With the hard work of advocates and legislative champions, Senator Julie Raque Adams and Representative Nick Wilson, Senate Bill 122 successfully passed both chambers in 2026 and is expected to be signed into law by [...]

By |2026-04-09T10:25:43-04:00October 9th, 2024|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Justice|

Child Safety Starts with Parent Safety

By Ashlee, KY SEAT member Content Notice: This blog contains information about physical assault and/or violence which may be upsetting to readers. Half of child welfare cases in Kentucky include domestic violence as a leading risk factor. For several members of KY SEAT, a statewide parent council using their lived experiences with systems impacting families to effect positive change, this subject is close to home.  “I don’t remember a lot of what happened. I was [...]

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