The decision of the grand jury in Ferguson and the resulting state of unrest throughout surrounding communities are much on our minds today at Voices for Children. As concerned citizens, we hope and strive toward a society in which the rule of law protects the innocent, holds the guilty accountable,…...
New Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice
As Executive Director of Voices for Children in Nebraska, I would like to extend my formal welcome to Juliet Summers, our new Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice. Juliet will be responsible for overseeing our policy research, analysis, and advocacy efforts on behalf of children involved in…...
Saying Goodbye to an Advocate
This week, Voices for Children in Nebraska is saying goodbye to one of its long-time advocates for children and families – Sarah Forrest. During Sarah’s time as Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice at Voices for Children, we have achieved significant victories for kids. These victories were due…...
September is Attendance Awareness Month
It’s already September! Across the country, communities, school districts, and nonprofits are marking Attendance Awareness Month. The research is pretty clear: missing lots of school, for any reason, can cause children to fall behind academically and put them at increased risk of dropping out or delaying graduation. In January of…...
Why PREA matters for Nebraska’s kids
Here’s something we should all agree on: Nebraska’s children and youth deserve to be safe from sexual abuse and victimization. Last month, we lost an important opportunity to ensure the safety of youth in the juvenile justice system. On May 29, Governor Heineman announced that Nebraska would not comply with…...
The Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act: Investing in the Future
Here in Nebraska, we know that the social and financial costs of the juvenile justice system are not insignificant. Incarceration rates in our state are the 4th highest in the country — and have been increasing while national rates have fallen. Nevertheless, promising steps forward have been made recently in the…...
Number of State Wards Down, but Reform Work Remains
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services released new numbers on significant changes underway in Nebraska’s child welfare system. Over the past few years a number of reform efforts, both administrative and legislative, have been enacted to better serve Nebraska’s children and families. The new numbers show that…...
