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Guest Post: Ending Child Care Deserts Is Possible in 2020 and We Would All Benefit

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on April 18, 2019.  By Cindy McGaha and Andrea Woodward Will Wright’s recent article about Kentucky’s child care deserts brought much-needed attention to the lack of available and affordable child care in the state. Two crucial points we want to emphasize in response are that all of us—whether or not we have children—have incredible gains at stake when we advocate for increases to federal child care subsidies, [...]

By |2019-04-22T11:53:43-04:00April 22nd, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|
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Gavel Comes Down, Party Decorations Go Up: Cheers for Children Celebration on April 11th

As the gavel falls on the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly, party decorations are going up! Kentucky kids—and the committed advocates, caregivers, and volunteers who support those kids every day—have a lot to celebrate. On April 11th you can join the celebration at Cheers for Children, Kentucky Youth Advocates’ annual fundraiser where we ask for your support as the independent voice for Kentucky kids in Frankfort. (Check out a recap of last year’s event, including photos, [...]

By |2019-03-28T16:29:40-04:00March 28th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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Upset Wins for Kentucky Kids

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Herald Leader on March 15, 2019.  A high and holy season in the Bluegrass is upon us – March Madness. I will deeply dive into the metrics of winning basketball before completing my bracket. And my grandkids will consider elements like favorite mascots and team colors before completing theirs – and they will beat me. So, while I may be unable to accurately project winners, this I know: [...]

By |2019-09-05T12:57:28-04:00March 18th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice|
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Practicing Self-Care, Especially When You Love Your Job

Image from the New Social Worker® Social workers (and other helping professionals) often work in demanding contexts and help people process difficult situations. We’re expected to be keenly aware of the negative impact this work can have on our well-being and capacity for burnout. However, during my first years in the field, my understanding of self-care was synonymous with (and limited to) taking a bubble bath or getting a massage after a bad [...]

By |2019-03-12T13:30:01-04:00March 12th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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2020 Census: The Clock Is Ticking

Though Census Day is officially April 1, 2020, most people will receive their first invitation to complete the decennial census next March. This means we have only 12 months left to make sure our state is fully prepared to ensure each Kentucky resident is counted once, only once, and in the right place. If you’ve been reading our blogs on the census you know that mission is easier said than done. While the proverbial clock [...]

By |2019-03-07T16:12:48-05:00March 7th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count, Medicaid|
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Celebrating and Sustaining Investments in Child Care in Kentucky

As spring approaches, there’s nothing more wonderful than finding the early blooms peaking their way through the hard, brown soil. They represent hope for warmth and growth to come. This March, we are starting to see early blooms peeking out from seeds planted by Congress and state leaders into Kentucky’s child care system. And we know beautiful growth is ahead! This calls for both celebration and continued attention to ensure that all working families in [...]

By |2019-03-06T15:13:06-05:00March 6th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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15th Annual Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol: Advocates and Leaders say “Let’s Find Common Ground for Kids!”

For the past 15 years, Children’s Advocacy Day has grown from a small group of committed advocates with a big idea, to a huge group of advocates—and state leaders—with even bigger commitments to Kentucky kids. This week nearly 900 advocates, including more than 200 youth, came to Frankfort to ask their legislators to make kids the commonwealth’s top priority. Some of those advocates made long drives or brought newborn babies or courageously met with [...]

By |2019-03-01T16:51:51-05:00February 14th, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Youth Justice|
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Governor Bevin and Other Elected Leaders Join Youth and Advocates for Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol

Contact: Mara Powell 502-895-8167 *122 mpowell@kyyouth.org Governor Bevin and Other Elected Leaders Join Nearly 800 Youth and Advocates for 15th Annual Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol Hundreds of Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth, including over 250 children and youth, are convening in Frankfort today for the 15th annual Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol. They are urging elected leaders to support the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children, a unified agenda for child advocates across the state. “Today, [...]

By |2019-02-13T13:13:59-05:00February 13th, 2019|Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, News Room, Youth Justice|
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The Countdown is On: Children’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol is February 13th!

With Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol only days away, be sure you’re registered to join hundreds of advocates and youth from across Kentucky in Frankfort on February 13th. Kentucky kids need advocates like you to speak up on their behalf on Children's Advocacy Day and throughout the 2019 Kentucky legislative session. As you prepare for Children's Advocacy Day, check these to-do items off the list: Watch the prep webinar to learn how to be confident in attending Children's Advocacy Day and advocating on [...]

By |2019-02-05T14:29:47-05:00January 31st, 2019|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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In 2019, Let’s Work Together for Kentucky Kids

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal.  Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA) recently released its 2018 KIDS COUNT County Data Book. This is, in many ways, the report card for Kentucky’s kids on a state-wide, regional, and county-level basis. Lots of data. Lots of good news. Lots of challenges. Though we’ve seen improved rates in 93 out of 120 counties, nearly one in four Kentucky kids still live in poverty. We have [...]

By |2018-12-20T15:39:23-05:00December 20th, 2018|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Youth Justice|
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