Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Kids' Share 2010: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children



Kids' Share 2010: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children through 2009 is an annual report that looks comprehensively at long-time and recent trends in federal spending and tax expenditures on children.
  • Findings suggest that historically children have not been a budget priority. 
  • In 2009, this trend continued, as children's spending accounted for less than one-tenth of federal outlays. 
  • Even though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided a temporary boost, children's spending will continue to be squeezed in the next decade:
Latest Children’s Budget: http://www.childrensbudget.org/

Monday, September 27, 2010

Too Many Children Die in America as a Result of Abuse and Neglect. We Can Do Better.


Every Child Matters has released the second edition of  We Can Do Better: Child Abuse and Neglect Deaths in America, a compelling report that explores the crisis of child maltreatment fatalities in the United States.

A weak economy and resulting state budget cuts are putting even more children at risk, leading to a Growing Crisis in Child Protection.

A series of recommendations were previously proposed during the 2009 Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths in America. Included among them is the observation that "Current levels of federal spending are far below the level needed to protect all children at imminent risk of harm."

The National  Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths has launched a campaign urging Congress and the Administration to:
  1. To conduct Congressional hearings on child abuse deaths
  2. To provide emergency funds to stop state cuts in child protective services
  3. To adopt a national strategy to prevent child abuse and stop child deaths
This Coalition includes the following partners:
More information about the Coalition, including how YOU can advocate to support their efforts is available at: http://everychildmatters.org/resources/reports/child-abuse-and-neglect

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Young Lives On Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students

The United States and Immigration: 
  • The United States is in the midst of the largest migratory wave in history: 
  • Since the 1990s, more than 1 million new immigrants have arrived each year.
  • A total of approximately 38 million immigrants live in the U.S. — about three times the number of transnational immigrants in the world’s second-largest country of immigration, the Russian Federation.
Unauthorized Immigration
  • Nearly one-third of the immigrant population of the United States is now undocumented, by far the largest number (and proportion) in U.S. immigration history.
  • In total, the number is approximately 12 million unauthorized persons.

Children of Immigrants:
  • More than 70 million people in the United States are immigrants, or the children of immigrants. 
  • Children of immigrants are now the fastest-growing sector of the child population in the United States.
  • Approximately 2 million children are in the United States as undocumented immigrants
Undocumented Students:
  • About 65,000 undocumented children who have lived in the United States for five years or longer graduate from high school each year. 
  • Although they can legally attend most colleges, they are not eligible for most forms of financial aid. 
  • Given the opportunity to receive additional education and move into better-paying jobs, undocumented
    students could pay more in taxes and have more money to spend and invest in the U.S. economy.
Learn more by reading Young Lives On Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Generation Why


  • There are over 1.6 million homeless youth living in America every year (1 in 50 American children)

  • Over 50% of youth in shelters and on the streets report that their parents told them to leave or knew they were leaving and did not care. 

  • 1 in 4 homeless youth come from the foster care system

  • 33% of heterosexual homeless youth have been sexually abused

  • Around 400,000 homeless youth are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender, in which 58% have been sexually abused

  • 1 in 7 homeless children have moderate to severe heath conditions

  • Less than 1 in 4 homeless children will graduate from high school

  • Every day 12 kids die on the streets of America

    Learn how YOU can make a difference at  http://genwhymovie.com/

    Wednesday, September 15, 2010

    Number of Youth Aging out of Foster Care Continues to Rise; Increasing 64 percent since 1999


    The Fostering Connections Resource Center serves as a library of child welfare information and resources to help states and tribes in their efforts to implement the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.

    By encouraging states to invest more resources in supporting foster youth’s transition to adulthood, federal lawmakers hope that the new law will help more youth leaving foster care have independent and productive lives.


    • During the past 10 years, the number of children who age out of the foster care system has increased steadily, with a nearly 64 percent increase. 
    • Since 1999, approximately 228,000 youth have "aged out" of foster care nationally.
    • The percentage of the total foster care caseload over the age of 14 has increased steadily since 1998.
    • The percentage of children and youth in foster care who are 14 through 18 has continued to grow while financial resources to serve this population through the Chafee Foster Care Independence Act has remained the same each year.