I always think of September as the actual beginning of the year. School starts, summer vacation is over, and we are all back to work. As I help out with coaching duties for cross country at Ballard High School, I…
I always think of September as the actual beginning of the year. School starts, summer vacation is over, and we are all back to work. As I help out with coaching duties for cross country at Ballard High School, I…
The Great Recession didn’t only damage our economy – it also hurt the growth and development of many American kids. During the past quarter century, national and state policies have resulted in numerous positive gains in child health, safety and…
A new report rates the well-being of Washington’s kids as just above average. Here’s why. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual Kids Count Data Book rates all 50 U.S. states on a multitude of factors, and uses them to calculate four…
Healthy employees make for a healthy business. But paid leave benefits isn’t just about business owners stepping up for economic gain. It’s about helping kids get the best possible start in life – which pays off in the long-run.
Healthcare professionals have long touted the benefits of breastfeeding for the health and development of new babies. Research shows infants who are breastfed have lower incidence of respiratory infections, asthma, eczema, childhood leukemia, Type 2 diabetes, childhood obesity, and sudden…
With health care reform currently underway, analysts and advocates are working to determine what effects the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have on specific populations – including children. Thanks to good policy making (and good legislators), Washington is a national…
New research shows “family, friend and neighbor” (FFN) childcare providers with higher levels of education or training are more likely to have the skills to provide higher quality care for children, resulting in improved health and safety, and richer learning…
Economic trends show Washington women and families are falling behind in the economy, and repeated cuts to state childcare assistance is compounding the pain – especially for single mothers. Washington has a high percentage of parents in the workforce –…
Guest column by Brendan Williams, former Washington State legislator Given that the state’s “paramount” constitutional duty is “to make ample provision for” K-12 education, the focus on proposed budget cuts affecting kids is, not surprisingly, on education. This focus is…
With the official end of the Great Recession two and a half years behind us, few people have seen any economic gains – and many are worse off than at the height of the recession, including women and children. There’s…
