child care – Kentucky Youth Advocates

Reauthorizing the Child Care & Development Block Grant

Reauthorizing the Child Care & Development Block Grant

Although the US Congress has now passed its Inflation Reduction Act, the bill did not include many of the family supports that were initially anticipated. The bill included affordable health care coverage; however, it left out essentials like affordable child care, extension of the child tax credit, and expanding paid family leave for new parents, kinship situations and foster youth. The need for accessible, affordable child care is growing every day, and child care owners [...]

By Sarah Vanover|2022-08-29T16:35:38-04:00August 29th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education|

A Look at the New Early Childhood Education Task Force

A Look at the New Early Childhood Education Task Force

The 2022 legislative session has ended, and now Kentucky’s lawmakers are dedicating their time to interim meetings in order to learn more about issues pressing the Commonwealth. This year a new committee has been added specifically to look at Kentucky’s early care and education systems – the Early Childhood Education Task Force is chaired by Senator Danny Carroll from Paducah and Representative Samara Heavrin from Leitchfield. They are joined by Senators Wil Schroder, Reginald Thomas, [...]

By Sarah Vanover|2022-07-06T16:14:24-04:00July 6th, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Race Equity|

Child Care Centers: Safe Spaces for Children to Grow, Learn, Play, and Thrive

Child Care Centers: Safe Spaces for Children to Grow, Learn, Play, and Thrive

We know that for many children summer brings changes to daily routines formed during the school year, including how children spend their free time and their food and drink choices throughout the day. But licensed child care centers continue to provide a safe, structured environment for children when they are out of school and new regulations took effect this month that codified Senate Bill 45, passed during the 2020 legislative session. SB 45 ensures all [...]

By Alicia Whatley|2021-06-30T14:22:44-04:00June 21st, 2021|Blog, Education, Health|

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|

Statement by Terry Brooks, executive director, on Funding for Child Care in the Final Proposed Budget

Statement by Terry Brooks, executive director, on Funding for Child Care in the Final Proposed Budget

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - Budgets are about tough choices. And the good news is that the final budget proposed by the House and Senate places a priority on Kentucky's kids in many ways. While there are several key kid components to applaud, we especially want to underscore the progress made in restoring funding for the Child Care Assistance Program. Do we wish that full restoration of the program, which was cut last year, [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2014-03-30T10:11:14-04:00March 30th, 2014|News Room|

Video Stories Show the Importance of Full Restoration for Child Care in the Final Budget

Video Stories Show the Importance of Full Restoration for Child Care in the Final Budget

Check out the videos below of parents and child care providers that have felt the significant impacts of the Child Care Assistance Program cuts that began last year. The Child Care Assistance Program helps low-income parents maintain employment or further their education while their children are learning and being cared for in a safe environment. Because of the cuts, Kentucky now has the lowest eligibility level in the nation for parents to qualify for child [...]

By Shannon Moody|2014-03-25T16:35:17-04:00March 25th, 2014|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Health|

Terry Brooks on Pure Politics with Ryan Alessi – KIDS COUNT Early Reading Proficiency

Terry Brooks on Pure Politics with Ryan Alessi – KIDS COUNT Early Reading Proficiency

Yesterday, Terry appeared on Pure Politics to discuss the recently released KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot - Early Reading Proficiency in the United States by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates. You can find the interview online here or watch the video on you tube below.

By admin|2014-01-29T10:54:12-05:00January 29th, 2014|Blog, Education|

WDRB Guest Editorial by Terry Brooks – Support Child Care

WDRB Guest Editorial by Terry Brooks – Support Child Care

This video was originally a WDRB guest point of view. You can view it online here. Last April 1st, when faced with tough budget decisions, Gov. Beshear announced cuts to child care assistance that allowed working moms and dads to enroll their little ones in quality child care. Those supports helped parents make ends meet while working low-wage jobs. Without this assistance, parents face a hard decision: to spend nearly all of their hard-earned wages [...]

By Andrea Bennett|2014-01-27T10:03:02-05:00January 27th, 2014|Blog, Education|

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|

Sign-on to speak out against cuts to child care and kinship care

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 Patricia Tennen|2013-07-25T10:05:44-04:00July 25th, 2013|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education|

ACTION ALERTS!