Maine Children's Alliance in the News

Mainers honored for impacting the lives of children across the state

December 12, 2024

It was the 30th year of honoring those who stick their neck out for Maine children in the annual Giraffe Awards. Six individuals, businesses and organizations were given giraffe awards Tuesday for their work with Maine kids. Put on by the Maine Children’s Alliance, it’s one of the organization’s favorite events of the year.

Commentary: It’s time to build the public and political will to help Maine families

November 3, 2023

Child welfare continues to appear in headlines as policymakers and state leaders react to the challenges faced by our state’s child welfare system. Information about the efficacy of the child welfare agency is important and deserves routine discussion and thoughtful analysis. However, our focus and attention cannot stop there. Why are so many families struggling? We must find ways to work together to help parents and caregivers provide safety and stability for their children.

Bipartisan support of child care benefits Maine, today and tomorrow

July 5, 2023

Budgets are a reflection of our state values and priorities. The recent bipartisan budget agreement reflects what we know to be true: The Maine child care system needs new investments to better work for children, families, early educators and employers.

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More investment needed for the well-being of Maine children

May 4, 2023

The Maine Children’s Alliance recently released the 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book on the well-being of Maine children and families. Feedback from across the state and political spectrum has been clear and consistent, and the data are sobering. Approximately 34,000 Maine children live in poverty. Child maltreatment is high. Maine youth are facing unprecedented mental health issues. Significant disparities persist across indicators when disaggregated by income, race and ethnicity, geography and other factors.

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Critical report on Maine's child welfare system sets up reform talks in Legislature

January 6, 2023

The state’s child welfare system has been one of the top subjects of legislative debate since the tenure of former Gov. Paul LePage, just as it was ahead of major reforms in the early 2000s. It has usually been prompted by high-profile deaths that thrust the worst cases into public view. This is going to happen again in 2023.

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Maine’s Children's Alliance Holds 2022 Children’s Convention

September 22, 2022

HALLOWELL, Maine (WABI) - It started with an opening forum where people from different communities spoke about the work that they do. The theme of the convention is community. According to the Maine Children’s Alliance, the focus is on policies, structures and systems to make sure children and families have the chance to get a good start in life.

Bilingual Daycare Coming to Bangor

August 30, 2022

Throughout the pandemic, we've heard about a growing need for child care services across the state. According to the Maine Children's Alliance, the number of licensed family child care centers in Maine dropped by more than 10% in just the last two years. Last year, there were less than 800 licensed family child care centers in Maine.

Report highlights mental health struggles of Maine’s kids

August 16, 2022

The Maine News Service recently covered the release of the national KIDS COUNT Data Book and Maine's state ranking of 12th. Children’s advocacy groups are sounding the alarm about the mental health challenges of Maine’s kids. The 2022 Kids Count Data Book, released last week, highlights how children are struggling with anxiety and depression at unprecedented levels, about one-in-nine nationally.

Mills Administration Delivers More Than $100 Million for Child Care During Pandemic

June 28, 2022

The Mills Administration announced today that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has provided more than $100 million in Federal funding for child care during the pandemic, a milestone that represents more than three times the funding provided before COVID-19. As a result of these investments, child care providers have been able to maintain, and even build, capacity despite the pandemic – from 47,819 licensed slots in February 2020 to 48,940 licensed slots in June 2022.

Maine Child Welfare Action Network Press Statement

May 18, 2022

We all want children in our state to grow up in safe and supportive environments. Our Network stands with the families who have experienced the tragedy of a child’s death, and the immeasurable loss that represents for them and their communities. Their voices should be central in our discussions. One way we can honor their experiences now is by moving beyond debate to take collective action and implement recommended changes.

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Maine Voices: State funding is needed to ensure the safety of Maine children

May 5, 2022

To truly recognize April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, investing in abuse and neglect prevention alongside improvements to the intervention system is essential.

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Public health nurses far understaffed as hiring drive stalls, needs remain high

March 27, 2022

The nurses who serve Maine’s poorest families saw their ranks dwindle under former Gov. Paul LePage. They haven’t rebounded much under Gov. Janet Mills.

Advocates fear Maine’s latest fix for troubled special ed program is moving too fast

March 22, 2022

The Maine Department of Education under Gov. Janet Mills is proposed making local school districts responsible for special education screenings of 3- to 5-year-olds as well as for providing appropriate services to children with disabilities and developmental delays. Those services are currently provided by a state agency.

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Maine Voices: It’s time to work together to strengthen families, keep children safe

January 21, 2022

Many families in Maine experience challenges to providing safe, nurturing homes for their children. In response to recent child deaths, high levels of reports of abuse and neglect and the stressors added by the pandemic, Maine has an obligation and opportunity to respond. We can and must act to build an effective child well-being and family strengthening system with a dual focus on supporting families to prevent maltreatment and effective child protective response when families are in crisis. We all have a role to play in developing a child welfare system that better supports the needs of Maine families; it is up to all of us to work together now to make it happen.

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Child welfare group calling on state to strengthen supports for families

January 19, 2022

The Maine Child Welfare Action Network, a group made of up of several organizations that promote the well-being of children, is calling on the state to strengthen supports for families.

Why Aroostook County has the most public pre-K students

October 23, 2021

Despite its rural setting and high poverty rates, Aroostook County is leading the state when it comes to pre-kindergarten enrollment. Though enrollment declined statewide during the pandemic, more Aroostook parents opted for public education than any other part of the state, by a wide margin.

Local and state experts say easy access and public investment are a big part of Aroostook’s success. Now legislators and advocates are turning to The County as an example of how public pre-K could expand throughout the state.

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Maine Voices: Doing our part to protect children from COVID-19

October 12, 2021

The Delta variant has brought renewed concern about the risk COVID-19 poses for our children. A recent CDC study indicated that since the rise of the Delta variant, there has been a tenfold increase in hospitalizations for children ages 0-4. It also showed that hospitalizations for unvaccinated adolescents were 10 times higher than for fully vaccinated youth. These numbers demonstrate the alarming and increasing impact of COVID-19 on the health and safety of children.

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Our Child Care System is Broken. Congress Can Fix It.

September 28, 2021

It is time that we, as a nation, confront and commit to resolving the child care challenges hindering many families’ economic security, our children’s long-term success, and the continued prosperity of the economy. Making a substantial and sustained investment in America’s child care and early learning system by approving the funding included in the American Families Plan is a critical step in the right direction.

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Parents tout benefit of child tax credit at event hosted by Gov. Mills, Rep. Pingree

August 18, 2021

The two Democrats want Congress to make the tax credit permanent, saying it provides critical support for child care and other living expenses.

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ME Parents, Advocates: Make Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent

July 22, 2021

Parents are now receiving fully refundable monthly 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit payments, and advocates for children and families have urged Congress to make them permanent. Nearly one in four Maine families reported difficulty paying for usual household expenses in the last week. The expansion increased the credit to $3,000 annually per child age 6 and up, and $3,600 for kids 5 and younger.

Maine Voices: It’s time to rethink how we prevent child abuse, neglect

July 2, 2021

The state must prioritize prevention and early intervention services to stabilize struggling Maine families before they are in crisis. The recently reported deaths of four Maine children in the past month send an alarm signal to those concerned with the safety of our children and call for an intensive review, both within state government and in communities across our state, of how these tragic deaths could have been prevented. We should also take this moment to assess how we can prevent the breakdown of healthy family functioning, so fewer children experience the trauma of abuse or neglect.

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'It is a scary time:' Maine child care providers search for more workers

June 1, 2021

As Maine parents with young children try to return to the workplace, they’re facing problems when it comes to finding child care.

Maine races to vaccinate kids 12 and older before school breaks for summer

May 13, 2021

Maine faces a tight deadline and familiar access challenges as it works to vaccinate children over 12 against the coronavirus in schools prior to the summer, when access could prove to be more difficult.

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Advocate: Biden's $200 Billion Pre-K Proposal Would Be 'Complete Game Changer' For Maine

May 10, 2021

President Joe Biden is proposing the federal government spend $200 billion to provide universal pre-kindergarten. That proposal would no doubt benefit many, but there could be some hurdles for Maine to overcome. Morning Edition host Irwin Gratz spoke with Maine Children's Alliance Senior Policy Analyst Rita Furlow about the proposal.

Policies to support Maine children, families should be supported by equity and data

April 9, 2021

The Maine Children’s Alliance is committed to providing data to inform public policy, with the aim that all children thrive and meet their full potential. Where possible, the 2021 Maine KIDS COUNT Data Book highlights 2020 indicators that reflect the current situation for children and families. Earlier figures from 2019 can serve as a baseline for assessing well-being before the onset of the crisis. The Data Book reveals positive trends for children and families as well as key areas of concern.

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Congress must pass recovery plan to help children

March 4, 2021

The American Rescue Plan — the federal COVID relief proposal currently moving through Congress — has the power to cut child poverty in our nation and in our state by nearly half. In Maine, this means close to 15,000 children would be lifted above the poverty line, and many more would benefit. It’s exactly the kind of bold policy we need to begin making our post-pandemic “new normal” more equitable and give families the chance to rebuild.

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Foster Care System Needs Further Reform

January 13, 2021

The recent lawsuit filed against Maine DHHS alleging the overuse and misuse of psychotropic medications for children in state custody underscores the need for continued vigilance to ensure Maine’s most vulnerable kids are getting the care they need.

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Families in rural Maine struggle to find child care during COVID-19 pandemic

August 31, 2020

Finding affordable, high-quality child care in Maine has been a longstanding issue – but the coronavirus pandemic has brought on additional challenges. Some facilities around the state have had to close or limit capacities, leaving families with fewer options.

How to prioritize child well-being in safe school reopening plans

August 8, 2020

The state recently announced that school districts in all 16 counties can consider in-person instruction, with “green” ratings based on assessments of COVID-19 risk. Nevertheless, school administrators face the difficult task of coming up with plans that best support the needs of students, while at the same time meeting all the new health and safety requirements. Given limited resources and local circumstances such as facility space, priorities will need to be made.

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As workplaces reopen, Maine parents scramble for child care made scarce by pandemic

July 4, 2020

Twenty percent of Maine's licensed child care programs are closed and some will never reopen, leaving parents looking desperately for slots that were in short supply even before the pandemic.

Report: Maine In Top Quarter for Overall Child Well-Being

June 25, 2020

A national report ranks Maine in the top quarter among states for overall child well-being. The annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book shows Maine faring fourth in the category of family and community indicators, including fewer children living in high-poverty areas.

MCA Stands in Solidarity with Black Lives Matter

June 3, 2020

The Maine Children’s Alliance stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the protests against police brutality and institutional racism. We recognize that it is impossible to meet our mission to promote policies and practices so that all Maine children and families thrive, when racist systems deny opportunity for Black people in our communities.

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Counting everyone in the Census will take the efforts of us all

March 31, 2020

Starting March 16, the US Census began mailing forms to every household in the country. Amidst the current coronavirus crisis, it’s even more important now for everyone to know that it has never been easier or safer to complete the census online, by the phone, or by mail – all without a census taker coming to your door.

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Make sure children are counted in the 2020 Census

February 29, 2020

Data from the 2020 Census will be used to determine federal funding for essential programs and services for young children and families. It is critical that everyone gets counted, so communities get their fair share. That’s why advocates and providers are working to get the word out about the importance of counting everyone in the upcoming census — especially young children.

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Letter to the editor: Expanding child care access will boost Maine’s economy

February 1, 2020

Thank you for your Jan. 9 editorial making the point that the lack of affordable, high-quality early care and education is not just a problem for Maine families with infants and young children. We all need to be concerned about its impact on Maine’s economy today, as well as its implications for developing our future workforce.

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Fewer Maine kids live in poverty. Thank the minimum wage increase.

January 3, 2020

On New Year’s Day, the minimum wage in Maine rose to $12 an hour, raising the pay for more than 170,000 workers in the state. It is the final significant increase in the state’s minimum wage that was set in motion by voters in 2016. Since then the state’s minimum wage has risen incrementally from $7.50 an hour. In coming years, adjustments will align with a measure of inflation. The voter-approved wage increase had immediate impacts.

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We must respond to the health crisis of adverse childhood experiences

December 16, 2019

Maine has the nation’s highest rate of anxiety and the third highest rate of depression among children ages 3-7. It is above the national rate for behavior problems and children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD).

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Eglinton named executive director of Maine Children's Alliance

December 12, 2019

The Maine Children’s Alliance has hired Stephanie Eglinton as its new executive director. Eglinton brings extensive experience with Maine’s philanthropic and nonprofit communities. Most recently, she worked as a senior program officer at the Maine Community Foundation, where she led the foundation’s statewide initiative to improve outcomes for young children in Maine.

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10 years of failing to raise the federal minimum wage

November 27, 2019

Raising the minimum wage isn’t the only solution to reducing poverty or increasing standards of living, but it certainly helps. For this reason, Maine can serve as one example for why the federal minimum wage should be increased.

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Gender pay gap is real and pervasive in Maine

November 24, 2019

In Maine, it is illegal for an employer to pay one worker less than another for the same work. However, pay disparity between men and women continues to persist in our state. We hear every day from individuals who find out they’re paid less than their male counterparts, even in 2019.

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