News Room

New Report Shows A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and the Economy

New Report Shows A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and the Economy

Jeffersontown, KY -Thousands of Kentucky families and communities could see immediate and long term benefits, at little cost to the state, if policymakers implemented a state Earned Income Credit (EIC), also known as EITC, according to a new Blueprint for Kentucky's Children issue brief from Kentucky Youth Advocates. The issue brief, A State Earned Income Credit Would Help Kentucky Families and Local Economies, examines the federal EIC's 30-year track record of lifting children and families out of [...]

By admin|2013-12-03T06:00:52-05:00December 3rd, 2013|News Room|

Thousands of KY Babies Would Benefit from a Comprehensive, Statewide Smoke-Free Law

Jeffersontown, KY - A new Blueprint for Kentucky's Children Issue Brief released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates, reveals that Kentucky has one of the highest rates of smoking during pregnancy in the nation. Clearing the Air for All Kentucky Children highlights the need for a comprehensive, statewide smoke-free law to reduce exposure to harmful secondhand smoke for children and unborn children and reduce smoking during pregnancy. Nearly one in four (23 percent) Kentucky babies born in 2011 had mothers who smoked during [...]

By admin|2013-11-19T07:00:56-05:00November 19th, 2013|News Room|

New KIDS COUNT Report finds Critical Investments Should Target the First Eight Years of Life

New KIDS COUNT Report finds Critical Investments Should Target the First Eight Years of Life

Jeffersontown, KY — The KIDS COUNT policy report, The First Eight Years: Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success, co-released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates, presents a strong case for investing in quality early learning opportunities and supporting parents to ensure their young children are on the right track for success. The first eight years of a child’s life are critical for developing needed emotional and cognitive skills for [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-11-04T00:01:06-05:00November 4th, 2013|News Room|

Jefferson County KIDS COUNT Data Book Reveals Common Challenges and Unequal Opportunities Across Metro Council Districts

Jefferson County KIDS COUNT Data Book Reveals Common Challenges and Unequal Opportunities Across Metro Council Districts

Jeffersontown, KY – In a project made possible through the James Graham Brown Foundation, Kentucky Youth Advocates released today the Jefferson County KIDS COUNT Data Book: Child Well-Being Across Louisville Metro Council Districts. The Jefferson County KIDS COUNT Book presents data at the Council District level to provide a deeper look at the status of children and families across Louisville Metro. The data can help local leaders and community members target efforts and resources most effectively [...]

By admin|2013-10-15T00:00:58-04:00October 15th, 2013|Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, News Room, Youth Justice|

Are Kindergarten Classrooms Ready for All Kids?

Are Kindergarten Classrooms Ready for All Kids?

This post originally appeared as a guest post for Education Week. You can find it online, here. One of my best friends is raising his three grandchildren. No small task for an 85 year-old. But Jim is no ordinary 85 year-old. He grew up under the strictures of Jim Crowe laws and segregated schools. He earned his graduate degrees and spent four decades as a public school administrator. And yet he is ready to give [...]

By Terry Brooks|2013-10-07T19:49:50-04:00October 7th, 2013|Blog, Education, News Room|

New Data Shows Child Poverty Remains High

New Data Shows Child Poverty Remains High

Jeffersontown, KY - More than 1 in 4 children in Kentucky are now living in poverty, according to new Census Bureau data from the American Community Survey, released today. Child poverty in Kentucky increased to 26.5 percent in 2012 from 25.6 percent in 2009, bringing the total number of children who live in poverty to 263,819. The poverty threshold in 2012 for a family of four with two children means making an income below $23,283. [...]

By Greta Aschbacher|2013-09-19T11:53:12-04:00September 19th, 2013|News Room|

Health Coverage Continues to Increase for Children in Kentucky

Health Coverage Continues to Increase for Children in Kentucky

Jeffersontown, KY – Over the last decade the number of uninsured Kentucky children has decreased by 2.9 percentage points. According to the new Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS), roughly 1 in 14, or 6.9 percent of children in Kentucky had no health coverage in 2011 and 2012 down from 9.8 percent in 2001 and 2002. Across the country, 17.8 percent of the overall population under 65 lacked health coverage in 2011-2012. In Kentucky, 17.2 [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-09-17T18:30:36-04:00September 17th, 2013|News Room|

Fund Kids First Rally Draws Hundreds to Frankfort on First Day of Special Session

Fund Kids First Rally Draws Hundreds to Frankfort on First Day of Special Session

Jeffersontown, KY –Hundreds of child advocates from across Kentucky are in Frankfort today on the opening day of the special legislative session for the Fund Kids First Rally. Those present are speaking out for restored funding to the Child Care Assistance and Kinship Care Programs and asking state leaders to “Fund Kids First” when they return to Frankfort in January to work on the next two-year budget. The rally comes after the state ended its [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-08-19T12:00:11-04:00August 19th, 2013|News Room|

National Survey Finds Overwhelming Support for Public Investments in Early Learning

National Survey Finds Overwhelming Support for Public Investments in Early Learning

Jeffersontown, KY – Kentucky Youth Advocates joins the First Five Years Fund today in releasing the results of a national survey of voters which finds that a significant majority of Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike support a plan to help states and local communities provide better early childhood education programs to parents of children from birth to age five, ensuring that all children get a strong start in life. Conducted by the bipartisan research team of [...]

By admin|2013-07-31T08:40:13-04:00July 31st, 2013|News Room|

Some 8,700 families per month face losing child care assistance starting Monday, July 1

Some 8,700 families per month face losing child care assistance starting Monday, July 1

Advocates organize State Call-In Day to speak out against the cuts to children's programs On Monday, July 1, the state is set to reduce the income eligibility for families to receive child care assistance from 150 percent of the federal poverty level to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, making Kentucky’s eligibility rate the lowest in the nation. According to state estimates, these cuts will immediately cause 8,700 families to lose child care assistance [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-06-27T21:59:36-04:00June 27th, 2013|News Room|