Today, we are excited to debut the 2016 Kids Count in Nebraska Report! Kids Count continues to be the most comprehensive source of data on the well-being of children in Nebraska and covers data in population, health, education, economic stability, child welfare, and juvenile justice and contains Voices for Children’s Index…...
Detained: Nebraska’s Problem with Juvenile Incarceration
An effective juvenile justice system holds young people accountable for their actions in age-appropriate ways that best promote community safety. Our children and citizens alike are entitled to a system that will offer the best return on investment, by providing the right package of accountability and supports to change anti-social…...
Voices Releases “Juvenile Injustice” Issue Brief
When children get in trouble with the law, our system should ensure they are held accountable for their actions in an age-appropriate, fair and just way. No one should face trial and punishment without understanding their rights, the possible consequences, and the reasons why; this is particularly true for young…...
A Shared Sentence: the devastating toll of parental incarceration
Last month, the Annie E. Casey Foundation recommended to state and local policymakers the adoption of policies that would help millions of children and families nationwide deal with the emotional and financial instability inflicted as a result of having an incarcerated parent, in the policy report A Shared Sentence: the…...
2015 Kids Count in Nebraska Report
The 23rd edition of the Kids Count in Nebraska Report continues to offer a visually-oriented data in each of Voices for Children’s 5 issues areas: health, education, child welfare, juvenile justice and economic stability. Each year we build upon the report to hopefully improve the most comprehensive source of data on child…...
Barriers to Economic Opportunity for Low Income Women
Families should be able to achieve financial security through hard work and we should ensure that policies support working families. Financially secure parents can provide their children with adequate housing, child care, health care, food and transportation. As a state, one of the best ways that we can improve childhood…...
Supporting Informal Kinship Families in Nebraska
Children thrive in a stable and loving home with a family that offers support in a safe environment. Research tells us that the relationships that children have with the adults in their lives are an extremely important component of successful development. Without these relationships, children have an increased risk of lasting health, behavioral, and…...
Voices for Children Releases Pro-Kid Policy Plan for Nebraska
As the independent voice for kids, Voices for Children in Nebraska is committed to building pathways to opportunity for all children and families through research, policy and community engagement. As part of this commitment, we are releasing the first of its kind “Pro-Kid Policy Plan for Nebraska.” Guided by research, …...
Equality Before the Law: Commentary Series Part 7, Final Index Scores and Recommendations
This year’s Kids Count in Nebraska Report featured a commentary debuting our new Index of Race & Opportunity for Nebraska Children. After spending the last 6 weeks introducing the commentary and detailed our methodology, and diving into the 13 indicators by issue area: health, education, economic stability, child welfare and juvenile justice, we…...