Fact Sheets and Issue Briefs Archives — Page 2 of 25

Sierra Campbell2021-04-06T11:34:41-05:00[ April 6th, 2021 ]

Understanding the Expanded Child Tax Credit

The American Rescue Plan includes a significant, one-year expansion to the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Millions of newly eligible children and their families will benefit from this major expansion, and successful implementation is now key to realizing a significant reduction in child poverty, building racial equity, and creating a public investment for the good of all children. Here’s what you need to know about the expanded CTC.

Sierra Campbell2021-02-04T12:06:08-05:00[ February 4th, 2021 ]

Family First Prevention Services Act: Implementing the Provisions that Support Kinship Families Checklist

Family First Prevention Services Act makes historic reforms to the child welfare system to better support children, families, and kinship caregivers, and promote a kin-first culture. Many of the reforms have significant implications for connecting children to kinship caregivers and further promoting permanency through kin guardianships. This checklist is designed to help child welfare agency staff take advantage of provisions in the law to engage and support kinship families.

Sierra Campbell2021-01-25T15:18:28-05:00[ January 12th, 2021 ]

Child Welfare Provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021

On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which combines a $1.4 trillion year-end funding package with a $900 million dollar COVID-19 relief package. The law contains several important provisions related to the child welfare system.

Sierra Campbell2020-12-10T09:30:56-05:00[ December 10th, 2020 ]

Child Poverty in America 2019: National Analysis

Official poverty data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on September 15, 2020 show nearly 10.5 million children in America lived in poverty in 2019, about 1.4 million fewer than in 2018. The national child poverty rate declined from 16.2 percent in 2018 to 14.4 percent in 2019. Although 2019 data show a decline in poverty numbers, these estimates do not reflect the current realities and heightened disparities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sierra Campbell2020-10-20T09:18:00-05:00[ October 20th, 2020 ]

America’s Schools Provide Much More than Lessons; Children Out of School in America Need Congressional Action Now

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.

Sierra Campbell2020-09-25T11:41:32-05:00[ September 25th, 2020 ]

“Back to School” During a Pandemic: Why Our Children Need Access to Nutritious Food to Learn and Thrive

Child nutrition programs alleviate poverty and hunger, improve child health and well-being, and strengthen development and academic achievement. However, these programs utilize long-standing bene t and eligibility criteria and lengthy reimbursement processes that require providers to cover the costs up front and can be in exible to the growing needs of children and families. This is particularly true during the current pandemic as factors including meal times, meal sites, and delivery are constantly shifting.

Sierra Campbell2020-09-24T11:26:04-05:00[ September 22nd, 2020 ]

Evaluating 2019 US Census Child Poverty Data in the Wake of COVID-19

On September 15 and 17, the U.S. Census Bureau released national and state-level poverty estimates from 2019. However, these estimates did not adequately capture our present-day realities due to the impacts of COVID-19.

Sierra Campbell2020-07-13T14:44:33-05:00[ July 13th, 2020 ]

The Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act Would Assist Children and Families During the COVID-19 Health Crisis

On July 2, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced the Child Welfare Emergency Assistance Act of 2020 (S. 4172). The bill will provide a much-needed infusion of emergency resources to help the child welfare system adequately respond to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sierra Campbell2020-07-07T08:57:08-05:00[ July 2nd, 2020 ]

Increase Chafee Funds to Protect and Support Foster Care Youth

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the failure of the child welfare system to appropriately prepare older youth for adulthood. Each year, nearly 20,000 children “age out” of the child welfare system, reaching adulthood without the security, consistency, and support of a permanent family. When children are thrust into adulthood without that support, they have worse outcomes and are confronted with obstacles no young person should face alone. In ordinary times, youth who age out of care experience high rates of homelessness and poor educational attainment; these outcomes are exacerbated by the current crisis. Across the country, youth from foster care are losing their jobs and their homes and are facing serious food and economic insecurity without the support of family, yet Congress has failed to provide them with relief. Congress must act now to provide $500 million in emergency funding for the John H. Chafee Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood to ensure these youth with unique needs are not left behind.

Joshua Stewart2020-06-17T10:29:55-05:00[ June 17th, 2020 ]

Housing Is a Racial Justice Crisis: Solutions for Children and Families During COVID and Beyond

Before the COVID-19 crisis hit, millions of children and families, especially families of color, were struggling to afford housing. Housing disparities in America are a matter of racial justice; fair and affordable housing is out of reach for far too many Black and Brown families who often live in segregated neighborhoods.

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