Blogs Archive — Page 2 of 7 — Children's Defense Fund

Child Welfare Early Childhood Education Ending Child Poverty Gun Violence Prevention Health Immigration Youth Justice

After Nine Months of Neglecting the Needs of Children and Families, Congress Will Finally Vote on a COVID Relief Bill

After nine months of failing to pass a COVID relief bill and neglecting the needs of millions of children and families suffering the unprecedented public health, racial justice, and economic and unemployment crisis brought on by this pandemic, Congress will finally vote on a long overdue bipartisan relief bill. While this package was a step in the right direction under a strict timeline ahead of the holidays, it does not include many additional provisions that are needed to fully meet the needs of all our nation’s children and families, especially the most vulnerable.

Ending Child Poverty

Why Changes to the Tax Credits Are Critical Before Congress Adjourns

Before Congress leaves for the holidays, critical changes are needed to adjust how our tax credits are calculated for next year's tax filing season. Unfortunately, neither the bipartisan framework nor the McConnell stimulus package includes changes to the tax credits, and that’s a problem for children and families.

Ending Child Poverty

Eviction Moratorium Is Expiring and Millions of Children Are at Risk of Losing Their Home

The rent has come due again amid another spike in COVID-19 cases and millions of families can’t afford to pay. According to the latest Census data, 1 in 4 renter families with children are behind on the rent. The only thing standing between these families and eviction is the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) temporary eviction moratorium, which took effect in September and is set to expire at the end of the year. If the eviction moratorium is not extended by the CDC before the year’s end and does not include some changes to the existing language to ensure more families are covered, 30 to 40 million renters are at risk of losing their home.

Early Childhood

Workers and Families are Bearing the Brunt of the Child Care Crisis as Congress Fails to Act

Our nation has the resources to make sure child care providers and families can weather this unprecedented crisis if we prioritize child care and recognize it as a necessity. Congress must pass COVID relief that includes the $50 billion in dedicated funding to stabilize the child care sector as high-quality child care is essential for our children, families, and economy.

Health

Children Need Flu Shots and Other Vaccines Amid Pandemic

While current vaccination rates are increasing, they have yet to reach a level that makes up for the large dip over the spring and summer months. Flu shots and other vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary now more than ever to keep our children and families healthy and keep our healthcare infrastructure from being overwhelmed.

Education

New Analysis from CDF: America’s Schools Provide Much More than Lessons

When children are not attending school in person, they are not only missing out on vital education that is hard to deliver virtually; they are also abruptly without services they rely on and support from educators and professionals trained to connect them with resources and ensure their most urgent needs are met. As many schools returned to virtual instruction this fall, students are approaching almost a full year without those supports and services—which include access to healthy food, care for their physical and mental health, caring adults tasked with ensuring their safety, and federally mandated supports for marginalized students.

Child Welfare Early Childhood Education Ending Child Poverty Health Immigration Youth Justice

What the Latest COVID Relief Bill Means for Children

This week, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi introduced a new version of the HEROES Act. Despite the smaller price tag, this bill maintains many of the key priorities for children and families included in the May bill passed by the House, while also taking steps to address at least two critical pieces for children and families that to date, have been largely left out of Congress’ earlier efforts to ensure relief: significant funding for the child care sector and critical investments to help support children, youth, and families across the child welfare continuum. While this new bill may still fall short of all of the things we know children and families need to weather this health and economic crisis, it’s imperative that Congress take this crucial next step to ensure long overdue relief now.

Child Welfare Early Childhood Education Ending Child Poverty Health Immigration Youth Justice

Nation’s Thirst for Pandemic Relief No Match for McConnell’s Hunger for Power

200,000 Americans dead from COVID-19 and millions more marching for racial justice did not move Mitch McConnell to act, but one death on the Supreme Court propelled him into action. Just hours after Justice Ginsburg died, Majority Leader McConnell was rallying his troops in preparation for one of the quickest and most controversial Supreme Court confirmations ever.

Health

Children Aren’t Immune to the COVID-19 Virus or to the Racial Inequities it is Magnifying

While infection and death rates may in fact be lower for children when compared to adults, our children are certainly not immune—to the virus itself or to the racial inequities it is magnifying. Recent CDC reports show that more than 75 percent of children dying from COVID-19 are Hispanic, Black, and American Indian children, though they represent only 41 percent of the population.

Early Childhood

New Legislation Offers Long-Term Child Care Investment Children and Families Need

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that child care providers are not only essential for the development and education of our next generation, they’re also essential for parents who need to continue working to keep food on the table; essential for healthcare workers, USPS workers, and other workers providing essential services; and essential to ensure businesses can stay open and the economy can recover. The Rebuilding a Better Child Care Infrastructure Act will provide the immediate and long-term funding needed to keep child care providers afloat amid the pandemic and reconstruct a child care infrastructure that will better serve all families.

In Defense of Children

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