Hi All
So just in case you hadn't figured it out yet, my passion is pretty much anything to do with children and providing them the best possible world. This is an awesome clip from The Ounce. It is a national initative to gain support for and investment in children.
I think we have touched on presenting family policy needs in terms of the investment or financial outcomes and this video does just that. It is also a great example of how preventative policy can work wonders!
In other news . . . I am also including a couple of links in case any of you are also passionate about children. There are a couple of things happening right now at both the state and federal level that will affect kiddos (besides health care) and I just wanted to bring them to your attention.
http://www.utahchildren.org/
This website provides information on what is happening in Utah for children. It currently has legislative updates on bills that affect children. A couple of interesting ones is HB 111 on full day kindergarten (which would limit funding to extended day kindergarten services for at risk children) and HB 181 which will prohibit public schools from offering child care or preschool services.
Lastly at the federal level, part of the proposed budget cuts include cutting child care subsidies for low income parents by $39 Million. These are delivered in block grants to states to administer as state need dictates and many families rely on the subsidized child care in order to be able to have a liveable wage. In addition many family and center child care providers who serve these children depend on this funding. They also are proposing a $1 Billion cut to Head Start, the only federally supported free preschool option for at risk children. So if you want to take action and express your opinion you are urged to call your representative.
http://www.naeyc.org/policy/federal/2_14_2011 has more info and good updates.
That video was very moving. I'm a headstart girl and look at me now!!
ReplyDeleteThose are some pretty big threats to our young ones! My Elias is in extended day Kindergarten and he has improved so much and is right on course. Preschool and childcare are both so expensive and when parents need these services and do not have the money, the child may suffer. Preschool learning is does not happen and low-end childcare is all that is left. I have been lucky to find an excellent sitter who charges me very little and takes my girl Faith to a couple of on-campus preschool classes for me. I've had the sit and watch tv sitter and that was hard to live with. Parents and children really need these programs.