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Complete the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children survey to help determine top 2014 Blueprint child priorities

The Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children is is beginning its 7th year. The Blueprint is a policy initiative supported by children’s advocates across the Commonwealth to improve the lives of children in Kentucky. The Blueprint aims to achieve safe and healthy families, a fair deal for working parents and a fair opportunity for every child in Kentucky. Responding to a challenge from legislators asking child advocates to speak with a common voice, children’s advocacy groups formed the Blueprint [...]

By |2013-08-05T17:23:56-04:00August 5th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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Join Us at the Fund Kids First Rally on August 19

The Kentucky General Assembly begins a special legislative session on August 19.  While the state seems unable to find dollars for the youngest children in Kentucky, it ended its fiscal year with a $70.6 million surplus. We want to use this opportunity to let state legislators know that "It's raining on kids" and its time to "Fund Kids First" including restored funding to the Child Care Assistance Program and the Kinship Care Program.  Since April 1, [...]

By |2013-07-29T16:36:20-04:00July 29th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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Blowing smoke on child care and kinship care

Kacey Musgraves is a new country music sensation.  Her opening number, “Blowing Smoke” goes like: Between the lunch and dinner rush Kelly caught that out bound bus for Vegas. And we're all out here talkin trash, makin bets, Lips wrapped round our cigarettes. She always thought she was too good to be a waitress. We all say that we'll quit someday When our ship comes in we'll just sail away. But we're just blowin smoke. [...]

By |2013-07-25T10:40:41-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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Sign-on to speak out against cuts to child care and kinship care

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program. Child care assistance helps low-income working families afford child care while the Kinship Care Program provides financial support to grandparents and other relatives who are raising children because they cannot live safely with their parents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of [...]

By |2013-07-25T10:05:44-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|
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Cabinet responds to advocates’ concerns regarding cuts to children’s program

Since April 1, no new families have been able to receive child care assistance or apply for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. In addition, the state raised income eligibility limits for child care assistance from 150 percent to 100 percent of the poverty level, causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. This stems from a decision by the Department for Community Based Services [...]

By |2013-07-18T15:06:53-04:00July 18th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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Remember the original meaning of “The Pursuit of Happiness” this Independence Day

“The pursuit of happiness.”  That phrase animates an essay by Jon Meacham in the most recent edition of TIME. It made me remember Mary Kay Tachua – the most brilliant professor I ever experienced.  More than forty years ago, an administrative error at the University of Louisville put Dr. Tachua as the professor of an undergraduate section of American History.  Dr. Tachua was renowned as a graduate professor; social activist; and, perhaps on special and [...]

By |2013-07-03T12:12:32-04:00July 3rd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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Child-fatality panel needs more openness and independence

This post originally appeared in the Herald Leader here. A recent Associated Press article gave Herald-Leader readers a look inside of a growing priority amongst the Thoroughbred community in the Bluegrass — how to better protect horses from the inherent risks of "1,000-pound Thoroughbreds stampeding down the racetrack." One of the emerging solutions in addressing equine well-being is to establish a horse-fatality review commission. That group, according to the article, would "dig into the details [...]

By |2013-07-02T10:00:11-04:00July 2nd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|
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Introducing the new and improved KIDS COUNT Data Center

Monday not only marked the public release of the 2013 National KIDS COUNT Data Book, it also included the unveiling of the new and improved KIDS COUNT Data Center by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Data Center is now easier to use, featuring an improved search tool, easier tools to make maps and charts, and better ways to customize and share materials on social media. For those not familiar with the KIDS COUNT Data [...]

By |2013-06-27T16:24:42-04:00June 27th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|
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Participate in Statewide Call-In Day on July 1 to restore funds for child care and kinship care

On July 1, major cuts to child care supports go into effect causing 8,700 families to lose child care assistance each month. Helping families pay for child care makes it more likely they can get and keep a job. The state has also stopped new applications for the Kinship Care Program, which provides financial support to non-parental, relative caregivers, like grandparents. Research shows that children who have been abused and neglected experience less trauma when placed [...]

By |2013-06-27T10:52:25-04:00June 27th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security|
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Can we commit to a ten percent plan?

Yesterday’s blog post focused on some of the new Kentucky data portrayed in the 2013 National KIDS COUNT Data Book released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. I pointed out some of the child well-being indicators our state is moving backwards on and the fact that not all of the apparent good news is all good news. Given that we have a lot of room for improvement, I wondered what child well-being in the Commonwealth [...]

By |2013-06-25T12:52:12-04:00June 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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