Contact:
Mara Powell
502-895-8167 *122
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement by Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they face a number of transitions, including a new home and a new caregiver. A child’s removal from his or her home can be traumatic.  We should do everything possible to ensure transitional processes go smoothly. Knowing for some kids that school is the most stable part of their life, we need to place a priority on stability in that piece of their lives. When appropriate, allowing kids to stay in their current school will minimize the loss of important learning time, and even more important, encourage a consistency in relationships built at the school when so many other facets of life are changing.

We applaud Representative Steve Riley for sponsoring HB 527, which prioritizes the educational stability of children who have experienced abuse or neglect, and we thank the House Health and Family Services Committee for unanimously passing the measure.

Stay up-to-date on Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children priorities and other bills that are good for kids on our Kentucky General Assembly Bill Tracker.