Spread the news to families in your community: even if they've never filed taxes, even if they have little or no income, they may be eligible for the 2021 Refundable Child Tax Credit. They have until May 17, 2021 to file with the IRS to receive this credit: $3600 for each child ages 0-6; $3000 for children 6-17.
The Worker Relief and Credit Reform Act, WRCR HR5271, introduced by Reps Gwen Moore (WI) & Marcia Fudge (OH), would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to make it fully refundable and available to more people, including mothers and other unwaged primary caregivers, and get cash directly into mothers’ and families hands
Paid leave for parents during COVID-19 emergency
The test emphasis in education is finally failing. Here's a long-proven alternative developed by Dr. James P. Comer of Yale University. For over 40 years, Dr. Comer’s program has shown that in order to help...
The Roots of Empathy program, started decades ago in Canada by Mary Gordon, is expanding to the U.S. and other countries. A June 2, 2014 front-page article in The Washington Post features the program's implementation in some Washington, D.C.,...
The State of Maryland is considering a law that would increase penalties for violent crimes committed in front of children, recognizing the child's trauma. From The Washington Post 3-10-14: Maryland considers making violent offenders do more time if...
In January 2012, Jane Stevens posted a question in the Discussion Forum: " Do we need to change the language of child abuse? " I saw the discussion in March 2014, with many wonderful responses, and I wrote the following in response. Several...
Great story. Especially love this (reporting the thoughts of UCLA researcher Nim Tottenham): "parenting, she says, is a bit like oxygen. It's easy to take for granted until you see someone who isn't getting enough." Orphans' Lonely Beginnings Reveal...
Good to have more attention on the problems of racial disparity in school discipline... but it is another patch on a system that is fundamentally broken in so many ways. The first paragraph: The Obama administration is issuing new...
It would be wonderful if every parent were offered excellent information and support. Unfortunately, that's not happening yet--but there are some very effective supports available to parents. One important thing to remember is that parents themselves...
Genetically modified humans. Yes, scientists and entrepreneurs are pushing for FDA approval of research that would create babies with 3 biologically-related parents. The genetic traits would be handed down from one generation to the next. While aimed...
I've had a guest post published on the blog of the New America Foundation, calling for a transformation in how we discuss family policy. These ideas are built on decades of prevention and advocacy work of the grassroots nonprofit Family and Home...