More Information on The Children's Defense Fund (CDF)

My current professional development focuses on better understanding of interventions used in early childhood education to ensure that disadvantaged children and children with mental health diagnoses have an equal chance. One of the programs that The Children's Defense Fund  has in place is they work to build awareness of the root causes of the Cradle to Prison Pipeline and trends that incarcerate our youth.  According to the website, "The Children's Defense Fund's vision with it's Cradle to Prison Pipeline campaign is to reduce detention and incarceration by increasing preventive supports and services children need, such as access to quality early childhood development and education services and accessible, comprehensive health and mental health coverage. Emphasis must be shifted for the sake of our children and our nation's future."

One of the articles I came upon in my readings was a comparison of black and white children. I knew that inequalities exist but I was surprised to read so many of the differences.

Black and White:

Black Children Compared to White Children

Black children are poorer.

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Three times as likely to be poor

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Nearly four times as likely to live in extreme poverty

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Seven times more likely to be persistently poor

Black children are less likely to live in traditional two parent families.

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More than twice as likely to be born to a teen mother

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More than twice as likely to live with neither parent

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Almost three times as likely to live with their mother only

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Four times as likely to be placed in foster care

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More than seven times as likely as to have a parent in prison

Black children are in poorer health.

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More than one and a half times more likely to be uninsured

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Almost twice as likely to be born at low birth weight

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More than twice as likely to die before their first birthday

Black children are behind in school.

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Half as likely to be placed in a gifted and talented class

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More than one and a half times as likely to be placed in a class for students with emotional disturbances Almost twice as likely to be placed in a class for students with mental retardation

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Two and a half times as likely to be held back or retained in school

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Almost three times as likely to be suspended from school

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More than four times as likely to be expelled

Black children are more at risk of arrest, incarceration and gun death.

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More than twice as likely to be arrested

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As likely to use drugs but twice as likely to be arrested for drug offenses and more than five times as likely to be in secure residential placements for these offenses

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More than four times as likely to be detained in a juvenile correctional facility

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More than five times as likely to be arrested for a violent crime (at ages 10-17)

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More than five times as likely to be killed by a firearm

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Black males born in 2001 are more than five times as likely as White males born that year to   be incarcerated some time during their lifetime.September 2011

The CDF advocates for rights of children. The CDF talks about various policies that are in effect that help children. An example is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama. This act helps alleviate the stress on families and communities by investing in improvements for a range of needed services and supports, including those services that will help children in poverty. The CDF believes in the investment of children. I realized how much politicians can have an affect on our children.

Another insight that I gained  was under the Take Action link. They suggested ways to advocate for children which include, emailing and calling elected officials, write a letter or meet with an elected official, and/or write an letter to the newspaper.