Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is pleased to welcome Kara Foley to our team! Kara will cover policy analysis, research, and writing on a wide array of child welfare and juvenile justice issues.

Kara's previous experience includes serving as a Community Program Consultant with Adoption Rhode Island, a Research Health Science Specialist at the Providence VA Medical Center, and an MSW intern at both the Office of the Child Advocate and Adoption Rhode Island. She has a Master of Social Work with a Macro Concentration from Rhode Island College and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Simmons College.

Kara can be reached at [email protected], or 401.351.9400, ext. 17.

The 2016 annual national KIDS COUNT Data Book, a state-by-state report on children's well-being issued by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, finds that Rhode Island ranks 27th in the nation for overall child well-being (1st is best and 50th is worst), up from a ranking of 31st last year. 
 

The 2016 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Profiles of Child Well-Being ranks states on key measures of child well-being and provides data on the economic, health, education, and social conditions of America's children and families. 

Rankings were also issued for four key areas: 

• Health: Rhode Island ranks 6th best (an improvement from 12th in 2015) 
• Education: Rhode Island ranks 25th (decrease from 24th in 2015) 
• Family and Community: Rhode Island ranks 30th (improvement from 33rd in 2015) 
• Economic Well-Being: Rhode Island ranks 34th (improvement from 36th in 2015) 

For more information, please see the full Data Book, and Rhode Island data profile, as well as our press release, Providence Journal coverage, and the Providence Business News coverage about the publication & findings.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is pleased to release the 2016 Legislative Wrap-Up, which reports on selected laws and budget appropriations affecting children in the areas of early learning, education, economic well-being, health, and safety considered in the Rhode Island General Assembly's 2016 Legislative Session. 

Below is an overview of Safety victories for Rhode Island children and families in the 2016 Legislative Session: 

• The Child Fatality Reporting Act passed, which expands DCYF and the Office of the Child Advocate responsibilities for reporting and investigating child deaths. 
• The DCYF Foster Parents' Bill of Rights was passed, which outlines the rights that foster parents have to timely information, communication, and training about children in their care.

For the full Legislative Wrap-Up, please click here.

Lisa Guillette, Executive Director of Foster Forward joined Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Executive Director Elizabeth Burke Bryant on our public television show to discuss foster children and families. To view the show, please click here.

For more information, please see the following indicators from the 2016 Rhode Island Kids Count Factbook:  

• Children in Out-of-Home Placement  
• Permanency for Children in DCYF Care 

The Providence Journal recently published a three-part series about one family's experience in and with the foster care & child welfare system:

• Failed by his family and the system, he lived a life no child ever should (Part 1)
• Even with the safety of a new family, he shuts down (Part 2)
• With family's love, the 'knot' is untied (Part 3)

Are you interested in specific areas of child well-being? Rhode Island KIDS COUNT publishes E-Newsletters on specific areas related to child well-being: 

• Children's Health and Health Insurance 
• Child Welfare/Juvenile Justice 
• Early Childhood/Early Learning 
• Student-Centered Learning
• Grade-Level Reading 
• Rhode Island KIDS COUNT also publishes a general interest E-Newsletter. 

Please click here to start receiving these updates today!