CDF-Ohio Awarded Two-Year Grant With Casey Family Programs and First Focus

CDF-Ohio is please to announce the award of a two-year grant to work with Casey Family Programs and First Focus. Casey Family Programs is a national operating foundation whose mission is to provide, improve and ultimately reduce the need for foster care. First Focus is a national bipartisan organization committed to making children and families a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. The First Focus "Children’s State Advocacy Project" is intended to: ensure the successful implementation of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008; raise the visibility of child welfare policies in the federal arena; identify and engage leaders at the state and local levels, and build capacity within states to champion for federal child welfare policy reforms; and highlight the need for renewed investments in our child welfare system.

The National Observance of Children's Sabbaths^® Manual

This multi-faith resource for year-round child advocacy serves as a guide for you and your faith community to engage in child and family advocacy work. The manual includes resources for worship services, education programs, direct service activities, and social justice initiatives for your congregation, organization or community. Learn more and order your copy today.

National, State-by-State and Ohio Data on Children

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT project provides national and state-level data on the well-being of children. The 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book ranks states on 10 key measures and provides data on the economic, health, education and social conditions of America's children and families. This year’s KIDS COUNT Data Book essay, "Counting What Counts," calls for a "Data Revolution" to track progress and improve the lives of vulnerable kids. Visit the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Center website to access the data book, view state profiles and read the essay.

The Ohio’s KIDS COUNT: 2008 Data Book, provides the most current and accurate data that tracks and compares the well-being of children in Ohio and its 88 counties. The data book contains important data and a summary of the trends regarding 14 key indicators of child well-being in the categories of economic security, health, education and safety. Helpful charts provide a comparison of state and county data, with links to additional resources. Also included in each section are highlights of programs and promising practices being implemented to improve the well-being of Ohio’s children.

In addition to these resources, CDF-Ohio has produced Ohio county fact sheets and maps as part of the KIDS COUNT project.

Issue Brief: Children Who Witness Domestic Violence

In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio has released a new issue brief, Children Who Witness Domestic Violence, to increase awareness of the effects of domestic violence on those children who are witnesses to the violence. With the publication of this Issue Brief, CDF-OH hopes to improve the understanding and support throughout Ohio to end family domestic violence and generate a shared vision to protect our children. By paying attention to these children now, we can help stop the cycle of domestic violence once they become adults. The issue brief provides an overview of the problem, the effects domestic violence has on children, domestic violence programs and recommendations and a call to action.

Children Who Witness Domestic Violence is an issue brief published and released by the CDF-Ohio KIDS COUNT program.