Educational Stability for Youth in Foster Care

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) latest report on “Foster Care: Education Could Help States Improve Educational Stability for Youth in Foster Care,” examined the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provisions related to the educational stability of youth in foster care. ESSA requirements as it relates to improving educational stability for youth in

A&E’s “The Day I Picked My Parents”

On October 16, 2019, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) and Kidsave presented a special screening of the A&E documentary series “The Day I Picked My Parents.” NBC-4 veteran reporter and creator of the Wednesday’s Child program, Barbara Harrison, opened up the briefing discussing the role that the Freddie Mac Foundation had on helping

Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Domestic Violence and Trauma

On October 16, 2019, the YWCA held a briefing entitled Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Domestic Violence and Trauma, which featured community-level panelists representing YWCA programs across the nation. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) spoke about his work with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), which aims to provide

Teens and Children See Dramatic Increase in Suicide Rates

This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report, Death Rates Due to Suicide and Homicide Among Persons Aged 10–24: United States, 2000–2017. Among children and youth ages, 10 to 24 years old suicides climbed 56% between 2007 and 2017. Perhaps what is even worse is that the suicide rate

Press Release and Resources on DACA Amicus Brief

On Monday, October 7, 2019, the groups that headed up the Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), released a press statement describing both the reasons for the action and resources that advocates can use. CWLA was one of more than thirty groups signing on in support of

Who Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Families

On October 10, 2019, The Chronicle of Social Change, released its third annual analysis of the nation’s foster care housing crisis. Through the collection and analysis of state data and federal reporting, this year’s findings aim to address two critical questions: 1. How many children and youth are in foster care today? 2. Where and

Courts Use of the Valid Court Order

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) is the only federal law that protects children and youth in the justice system and address prevention services for at-risk youth. JJDPA was passed in 1974 and most recently reauthorized in 2018. In 1980, Congress added the valid court order (VCO) exception to the Deinstitutionalization of Status

Child Sexual Abuse is More Accessible Today Because of the Internet

Child sexual abuse is preventable, yet the last decade the number of children exploited over the internet has grown substantially, and the federal government, technology companies, law enforcement, and the community-at-large are not doing enough to prevent, stop, or reduce the problem. The New York Times article, “The Internet Is Overrun with Images of Child

CWLA Joins Amicus Brief in Support of DACA

On Friday, October 4, 2019, more than 30 national groups submitted an amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and in opposition to the Trump Administration’s attempt to repeal the original executive order. In June of this year, the Supreme Court announced that it would take up a legal challenge

Court Upholds Flores Protections: New Regulations Violate Rule of Law

On Friday, September 27, 2019, Judge Dolly Gee, slapped down the Trump Administration’s attempt to replace the Flores protections for immigrant children and their families through regulation. The Judge flat-out declared it a violation of the law. In her closing statement of the ruling Judge Gee of the U.S. District Court for the Central District

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