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Youth Justice

The Juvenile Justice System Should Treat Kids Like Kids

CDF joined more than 50 organizations writing to Congress in support of this legislation to reduce children’s contact with the criminal justice system; address racial disparities in criminalization, arrests, and sentencing; and create more equitable and age-appropriate measures for those children that do encounter these systems.

June 24, 2021 | National
Child Welfare

Supreme Court Rules on Foster Care Non-Discrimination Case

While this decision did not undermine the right of state and local governments to protect children and families from taxpayer-funded discrimination, it does underscore how tenuous these protections can be. The decision is a potent reminder of how crucial it is that we pass the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act (S.1848/ H.R. 3488) to ensure that all children and youth in the child welfare system are safe from discrimination, no matter where they live or who they love.

June 24, 2021 | National
Child Poverty

Remove Harmful, Costly SNAP Eligibility Provisions from Ohio’s Budget

June 23, 2021 | Ohio
Child Health

HB 248 endangers our thread bare public health systems and threatens child safety

June 23, 2021 | Ohio
Child Welfare

CDF Endorses the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2021

Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) have introduced the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2021 (S. 1927), which would reauthorize and amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The Children’s Defense Fund was proud to endorse this legislation because of its significant increase in funding for prevention, its emphasis on race equity in child welfare, its overdue focus on child abuse and neglect fatalities, and the fact that the law would guarantee right to counsel for children and parents in all cases involving child abuse and neglect allegations.

June 22, 2021 | National
CDF Letter to Conference Committee Members: Let's bring it home for Ohio's children!

June 21, 2021 | Ohio
Immigration

I ❤️ My Immigrant Family

America is a nation of values, founded on the ideal that we are all created equal. These values—freedom, equality, and opportunity—are strengthened by our immigrant family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We love them, we’re glad they’re here, and we recognize that in order for children and this nation to flourish and prosper, we must commit to policies that reflect that 1 in 4 children in the U.S. live with at least one immigrant parent or are immigrants themselves.

June 17, 2021 | National
Raise Your Voice for Children! Whole Child Budget Agenda Fact Sheet

June 15, 2021 | Ohio
Child Health

ICYMI: The 87th Texas Legislature is finally over. Here's what you missed:

June 14, 2021 | Texas
Youth Justice

We Must Put an End to the Racist and Counteractive Practice of Juvenile Fees and Fines

Juvenile fees and fines are not rehabilitative – instead, they increase recidivism and destabilize families, criminalize poverty, and heighten existing racial disparities within the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. It's time we move beyond reforming broken policies and put an end to these harmful practices altogether.

June 14, 2021 | National

Starsky Wilson stands at a podium in front of a crowd.

Featured Blog Series

For Our Children

From the desk of President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, discover a new take on child well-being and advocacy. Read to learn more about shaping conversations, policies, and actions for improving the lives of our nation's children and youth.

Learn More