There’s been a lot of talk as of late (and over the past couple of years) in the news and in Frankfort about screen time, AI, cell phones, social media, and more. Advocates, researchers, educators, and key leaders are making noise because of the significant implications on children and teens. Some argue that technology and extensions thereof is the latest moral panic. Y’all remember when people got bent out of shape over rock [...]
By Claire Elmore, KYA Intern What is A Home for Every Child? Earlier this month, the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced that 50 states had joined “A Home for Every Child,” an initiative primarily focused on achieving a 1:1 ratio between available foster homes and children in foster care. The initiative launched in November 2025, with Kentucky among the first cohort of states to join. Beyond improving the ratio, the initiative [...]
This year, the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky in partnership with Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA), through the support of Casey Family Programs, is hosting 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 Shelby County on July 14th was one in a series: the first event took place on May 27th in Laurel County, and [...]
During the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly, advocates, attorneys, judges, individuals with lived experience, and policymakers continued an important conversation: How can Kentucky strengthen legal representation for the children and families involved in child welfare cases? This conversation led to meaningful amplification of an important issue, even if the related bills did not reach the finish line this session. Why Legal Representation Matters? Quality legal representation is vital in [...]
Kentucky’s opioid settlement funds came at great cost. Too many families lost loved ones when pharmaceutical companies immorally pushed opioids that were known to cause addiction. We as adults have an obligation to Kentucky children, especially those who have been harmed by opioid use in their families. We must support youth so they grow up healthy and strong and create experiences and environments that bolster their development. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) – like [...]
By Tori Henderson, KYA intern This year, the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky in partnership with Kentucky Youth Advocates, through the support of Casey Family Programs, is hosting a series of free Kinship Connections events to increase awareness and support for kinship caregivers - grandparents, relatives, or close family friends raising children. The first event took place on May 27th in Laurel County, Kentucky. We will be hosting two more this [...]
Young children learn by exploring the environment through their senses. This means that the brain and the body take in information through seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling objects that they come into contact with in their environment. Infants and toddlers particularly have the overwhelming urge to place everything in their mouths in order to see what it is like. Young children often put toys and different foods in their mouths, but without [...]
Contact: Mara Powell | mpowell@kyyouth.org | 502-895-8167 X122 Kentucky Ranks 36th in 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book as Kentucky Youth Advocates Urges Deepened Focus on How Kids and Families Fare Annual National Report on Child Well-Being Shows Progress and Gaps for Kentucky LOUISVILLE, KY — Kentucky ranks 36th in child well-being, according to the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book, a 50-state report of recent data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how kids [...]
On track for impact? A new tool for measuring progress and the impact of opioid abatement funds for kids and families. Kentucky Youth Advocates has launched a new component to the Opioid Data Dashboard on Children and Families, the Kentucky Opioid Data: Change Over Time Progress Report. On more than 20 key measures, community leaders can now see how their county and Area Development District’s data is changing over [...]
New Report – KYA and True Up Examine Education Outcomes of Kentucky Youth with Foster Care Experience Interactive report features key data on outcomes and barriers to success and offers policy recommendations Louisville, KY – Students with foster care experience bring unique strengths and perspectives to our classrooms; they also face trauma and systemic hurdles that can make the climb toward graduation and beyond more difficult. To support more informed, data-driven responses, Kentucky Youth Advocates [...]
