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Safety

The Evolution of Child Welfare

  As part of our research into child welfare reform in Nebraska, we felt it would be helpful to put the current action in historically context.  As a result, Voices for Children has compiled a timeline of the Evolution of Child Welfare – both in Nebraska and Nationally.  The timeline…...

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Children or Adults?

Every year in the United States, about 200,000 young people are tried, sentenced, or incarcerated as adults. What exactly does that mean? It means that these young people don’t have the chance to access the rehabilitative services and supports that they would in juvenile court. It often means that they…...

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Violent Crime Among Youth

Last year, about 14,000 juveniles were arrested in Nebraska. If you’re at all pessimistic or haven’t taken a timeout from the news lately, it would be easy to look at this figure, shake your head and pronounce something about “kids these days.” But it wouldn’t be quite fair....

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Juvenile Justice History 101

  Adults aren’t the only ones who break the law. Every year, many children and youth come into conflict with the law for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from status offenses that apply only because of age (truancy, possession of alcohol) to criminal offenses (shoplifting, possession of drugs, assault).…...

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Four years after the Westroads Mall shooting, has anything changed?

  Four years ago today, like many Omahans and Nebraskans, we were glued to our televisions, watching news reports of the shooting at Von Maur.  We issued a brief statement to the press early the next day: “Omaha,NE– The tragedy at Westroads Mall has again reminded us of the difficulties…...

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Kinship Care Increases Feelings of Stability and Love

Under the roof of every family home, there are ways of going about the day that family members understand without ever having to talk about. Who gets the comfy chair. Who gets first shot at the bathroom in the morning. Who to go to when there’s a dispute. What to…...

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The Other Side of the Tracks: Nebraska Kids in Out-of-Home Care

Take a moment and step into the shoes of a child placed in out-of-home care. Imagine being taken away from your parents, friends, and home and placed into an unfamiliar situation, most likely surrounded by strangers. Every year since 1988, Nebraska has had over 8,000 children in out-of-home care at…...

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Fostering Connections: A Work in Progress

With the Nebraska Legislature due to come back into session in only a few short weeks, I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on one of its big child welfare successes last year – and the work that’s left to be done. In Nebraska, about 70% of state wards…...

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Why Prevention?

If you could pay to prevent child abuse and neglect, would you? How about preventing kids from dropping out of school? What about juvenile crime and delinquency? For many of you the easy answer to this question is YES. But for many years here in Nebraska, our government (from the…...

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Uta Halee Closing

  We are saddened to learn that Uta Halee Girls Village plans to close most of its services effective December 16.  Uta Halee has been a long-time provider of behavioral health services to children in the Omaha area and their closing will impact the lives of the hundreds of children…...

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