There is a belief that organizing people to raise awareness about the needs of children and families will lead to systemic change.

PERSPECTIVES FROM ADMINISTRATORS

“We are feisty here in (this) County. We are! There are a bunch of really stubborn bull headed, mostly women, who continue to advocate. We wield the shield and sword to protect families. ...we really have created our village.”

“I really wanted to be a part of a system and a program that was recognizing the families that these children belong to, and create that support from the start. From the time that that baby is born. This is what drives me every day.”

There is a recognition that state and federal policies need to be re-written to better support children and families. But to do so, elected officials need to be more responsive to their constituents' needs.

PERSPECTIVES FROM DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS

“The big piece that I need is for legislators to take us seriously. The legislative breakfast that we scheduled got canceled simply because legislators who had agreed to be there 6 months ago, a year ago, all canceled within 2 weeks. Panelists who had prepared data, who had prepared presentations, all got canceled. Travel plans got canceled. I'm kind of getting choked up talking about it because it was really disheartening that a lot of people's work, a lot of people's time to coordinate this very large event was completely dismissed by our legislature. In doing this work I have seen that pattern, and I'm here to shake that up. I can't see this really important work continue to go unnoticed by legislators, and the problems that stem from childcare deserts and those kinds of things continue to amplify. The voices that can speak on problem solving are not heard and are not being amplified.”

“We need to advocate for State and Federal policies that fund family leave, pay for mental health consultation and support 0 to 5 strategies, and then aim to secure legislative backing and financial resources to broaden the reach of centered care.”