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Let’s Measure What We Value — The Well-being of Kentucky Students

You’ve probably heard the quotes, “What gets measured gets managed,” or “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it,” or even, “We measure what we value.” Central to each of these quotes is the premise that capturing data is the foundation for examining growth, impact, and understanding how the decisions we make change outcomes. If we care about outcomes, we have to measure them. Data as a Compass  The Kentucky Department [...]

By |2026-11-05T15:59:01-05:00November 5th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education|
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A Shared Sentence: Parental Incarceration + Impact on Kids

October is Parental Incarceration Awareness Month and serves a reminder of the impact of having a loved one behind bars and the direct consequences on children and families.  This shared sentence is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience and is associated with negative health and other social outcomes. Research continues to demonstrate how parental incarceration impacts kids – creating disruption and trauma, instability for families, and increased reliance on community supports. Parental Incarceration [...]

By |2026-10-29T09:50:26-04:00October 29th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Justice|
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Bringing Communities Together at The Kids Table

Across the state Kentucky kids are enjoying fall break, trips to the pumpkin patch, and Halloween excitement. At Kentucky Youth Advocates, we’re reflecting on The Kids Table – a series of four Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children regional convenings focused on how kids are faring in each region, state policy solutions, and opportunities for advocates to get involved.  The Kids Table provided an opportunity for community members to convene, learn from each other, and share [...]

By |2026-10-23T13:33:15-04:00October 23rd, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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Child Support Dollars Should Support Kentucky’s Kids

Child support dollars owed by a non-custodial parent are intended to help families meet the everyday costs of raising children, including groceries, clothing, housing, school supplies, and other basic needs. But for some of Kentucky’s lowest-income families, child support being paid on behalf of a child may never reach the family caring for them. On October 1st, members of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary heard testimony about Kentucky’s current child support “cost recovery” [...]

By |2026-10-08T15:09:57-04:00October 8th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Guest Blog: The Reality of GAL Representation in Kentucky

By Margarett Alexander, Alexander Law Office For over twenty years, I have served as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and court-appointed counsel, primarily in Barren and Metcalfe counties. I stand in courtrooms on behalf of hundreds of children who did not choose to be there and who needed someone whose only job was to speak for their best interests. I became a GAL because I have spent my adult life [...]

By |2026-10-07T14:39:13-04:00October 7th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Respite for Kinship Caregivers: Providing a Break, Ensuring Stability

Last week, Tatum Abel, a foster and kinship lived experience advocate and former True Up Peer Network member, spoke before the Kentucky General Assembly’s Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children about the importance of expanding access to respite care for kinship caregivers. We are grateful to Committee Co-Chair Rep. Samara Heavrin for inviting Tatum to share her lived experience and ideas for strengthening support for kinship families. When children cannot safely remain [...]

By |2026-09-24T17:05:45-04:00September 24th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Building Connections During Kinship Care Month in Kentucky

This year, the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky in partnership with Kentucky Youth Advocates, through the support of Casey Family Programs, hosted a series of free Kinship Connections events to increase awareness and support for kinship caregivers, grandparents, relatives, or close family friends raising children. The event in Logan County on September 19th was one in a series: the first event took place on May 27th in Laurel County. KYA and the Kinship [...]

By |2026-09-24T12:56:28-04:00September 23rd, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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How States are Using Children’s Cabinets for Positive Child Outcomes

Effective and responsive government programs shape whether families can easily find and access the services their children need – and Kentucky lawmakers are exploring examples of streamlining programming and improving stewardship of funding dedicated to children through the development of a Children’s Cabinet.  Example: Ohio During the August meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children, the legislative members listened to a presentation from Ohio on reorganizing [...]

By |2026-09-10T16:10:41-04:00September 10th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Education, Health|
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Protect Online, Invest Offline: Social Media Settlement & Kids

By Sarah Kidder, Executive Director of Kentucky Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs On August 26th, Kentucky Attorney General Coleman led the charge in reaching a landmark multi-state $17.1 billion settlement with Meta holding them accountable for the harms caused to young people by the social media company. This historic settlement comes at a pivotal moment to address young people’s mental health, well-being, and safety. It will bring unprecedented child-safety protections to current [...]

By |2026-10-09T08:56:00-04:00September 10th, 2026|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety|
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After a Two-Year Delay, Kinship Caregivers Gain More Time to Consider Their Options

When a child cannot safely remain with their parents, relatives and close family friends often step forward with little notice to provide a safe and familiar home. During an already stressful time, caregivers are also asked to quickly decide whether to pursue approval as a foster parent or accept temporary custody. This decision can have a large impact on the financial assistance, services, and other supports available to the family for months and [...]

By |2026-08-07T12:48:35-04:00August 7th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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