child abuse

A Look at the Latest Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel Report

A Look at the Latest Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel Report

This was originally published on Face It Movement's blog. The 2025 Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel Report was released this month, summarizing the findings from comprehensive reviews of 248 cases that were determined to be the result of child abuse. Of those cases, 72 were fatalities and 176 were near fatalities with 82% involving children aged four and younger and 44% under the age of one. Key Takeaways Neglect was the most [...]

By Cortney Downs|2026-02-25T16:08:59-05:00February 25th, 2026|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

New Issue Brief: Improving the Safety of Kentucky’s Youngest Children

New Issue Brief: Improving the Safety of Kentucky’s Youngest Children

Contact: Mara Powell mpowell@kyyouth.org New Issue Brief: Improving the Safety of Kentucky’s Youngest Children Understanding the Scope of Child Abuse in Child Centers and Proposed Recommendations LOUISVILLE, KY – Parents across Kentucky rely on child care options in order to go to work and provide for their family. While the vast majority of child care programs are safe and high-quality, recent data shows that incidents of child abuse emanating from child care centers have increased [...]

By Kentucky Youth Advocates|2025-11-20T10:23:11-05:00November 20th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, News Room|

Addressing the Rise in Child Abuse in Kentucky Child Care Programs

Addressing the Rise in Child Abuse in Kentucky Child Care Programs

Originally published on Face It Movement Access to high quality, safe child care settings is critical for families across the Commonwealth. But recent data reports highlight an increase of child abuse and maltreatment cases in child care programs across Kentucky: 46% increase in hotline complaints from 2022–2024 73% increase in substantiated incidents of child abuse and neglect 64% increase in serious injuries to children in licensed child care impacting up to 764 children This increase [...]

By Sarah Vanover|2025-07-18T09:33:23-04:00July 10th, 2025|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Children Won in the 2014 KY General Assembly

Children Won in the 2014 KY General Assembly

The 2014 Kentucky General Assembly wrapped up late last night. The day after, a review of the action taken by legislators in Frankfort this year shows major accomplishments for Kentucky children. Thank you to the many bill sponsors, leaders on budget issues, Governor Beshear, President Stivers, Speaker Stumbo, other members of House and Senate leadership, and all legislators that helped make these accomplishments possible! What do these wins mean? SB 176, sponsored by Senator Denise [...]

By Tara Grieshop-Goodwin|2014-04-16T14:54:12-04:00April 16th, 2014|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|

Thanks Governor Beshear for stepping up for kids in your budget

Thanks Governor Beshear for stepping up for kids in your budget

Budgets always require tough choices, and on Tuesday, Governor Beshear built on his previous commitment to kids around health and high school graduation and became “the Children’s Governor” because of the choices he made, the priorities he established, and the values he exemplified. In what is arguably the most historic budget address for kids in the Commonwealth in decades, Governor Beshear laid out an agenda that is as smart as it is bold. He tackled [...]

By Terry Brooks|2014-01-23T09:42:14-05:00January 23rd, 2014|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Youth Justice|

Child-fatality panel needs more openness and independence

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 Terry Brooks|2013-07-02T10:00:11-04:00July 2nd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Become a volunteer with KY’s Citizen Review Panels

Become a volunteer with KY’s Citizen Review Panels

Are you looking for a way to improve the lives of children and families in Kentucky as well as those who serve them? Kentucky's Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services are currently seeking volunteers. The Panels are groups of volunteers who are federally mandated to review Kentucky’s child protection system and make recommendations for improvements in policy, practice, and procedure. Citizen Review Panels are located in the Southern Bluegrass (Lexington and surrounding counties) and [...]

By Patricia Tennen|2013-06-10T14:03:49-04:00June 10th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|

Gov. Beshear Needs to Reverse Cuts to Kinship Care and Child Care Assistance

Gov. Beshear Needs to Reverse Cuts to Kinship Care and Child Care Assistance

This post originally appeared as an op-ed in the Courier Journal on May 22, 2013. You can find it online here. It was not as dramatic as scenes in Frankfort can be. There was neither a gallery of cameras nor the moment of confrontation between elected leaders. But on Tuesday, a very important event took place in Frankfort. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services held a public hearing regarding the recent cuts to kinship [...]

By Terry Brooks|2013-05-22T10:41:35-04:00May 22nd, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

Kids, Families and State Budget Debates

Kids, Families and State Budget Debates

There is a swirl of speculation about the topic. Is the Governor going to call a special session, and – if so – what will be on “the call?” Or what are the priorities emerging at this very moment in Cabinet-level planning for the 2014-16 budget? Any talk about budgets offers us both hope and worry. Will it spotlight the very real need for fundamental and systemic changes in the state’s tax and budget structures [...]

By Terry Brooks|2013-04-25T11:04:15-04:00April 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

Child Abuse: A Community Solution

Child Abuse: A Community Solution

Last Thursday, April 11, Terry Brooks spoke at the Rotary Club of Louisville on child abuse. April is Child Abuse Prevention month as we've previously mentioned on the blog. We hope this video of Terry's speech inspires us to all play a role in ending child abuse. A first step is to become an ambassador of the Face It Movement, which is a recently launched campaign by Kosair Charities to end child abuse in our [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2013-04-17T11:10:22-04:00April 17th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety|