Texas parents under investigation for child abuse by the state will be informed of their rights before their children are removed from the family s home under a law passed by legislators this session. House Bill 730 requires that caseworkers notify parents accused of abuse or neglect of their legal rights, such as their right to an attorney and their right to refuse to answer questions. Andrew Brown - policy advocate with the Texas Public Policy Foundation - said from the first knock on the door, the family s rights will come first. .
One organization wants to help the longest waiting children in Arizona s foster-care system find their way into loving, adoptive family homes. Rita Soronen, CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, said Arizona was one of the first states where they launched their Wendy s Wonderful Kids Program, a child-focused recruitment model, which Soronen noted works to help children with a higher likelihood of going through the foster care system and not being adopted. Soronen added the goal is to get enough youths adopted from the foster system, so the state can then use the savings to pay for the program independently. .
Child care is one the costliest services for families across the country. Advocates for child well being say Washington state has positioned itself to tackle the issue going forward. Staffing remains one of the toughest issues for child care facilities. .
Children living in income-restricted households do not always have regular access to healthy meals, especially when school is out. Almost summer meal programs in Indiana are working to change it by offering thousands of kids free breakfast and lunch. What started at a park site in the summer of 2017 with a monthly book distribution to area kids has transitioned to a quickly growing summer school meal program. .