Each June, First Focus on Children hosts Children’s Week with a schedule of events aimed at urging Congress to better protect the health, safety, and well-being of America’s children. This Children’s Week shines a light on the challenges facing our children — challenges like hunger, homelessness, poverty, and gun violence. But we must act in the best interests of our children each and every day. This year, throughout the week of June 9-15, we look forward to working with members of Congress and our partner advocates to bring awareness to some of the most pressing issues facing the nation’s children.
Stay tuned for more information about events and activities happening during the week.
CHILDREN’S WEEK 2024 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MONDAY June 10 | Standing on Our Principles: How the Child Tax Credit can Promote the Economic Security and Well-Being of Children and Families
Monday, June 10, 1 pm
During this briefing — co-hosted by the Automatic Benefit for Children (ABC) Coalition, Center for the Study of Social Policy, Children’s Defense Fund, and First Focus on Children. — parents and caregivers from across the country will share their insights and recommendations for improving the Child Tax Credit (CTC) so that it provides meaningful assistance with the costs of raising children, and effectively supports healthy and flourishing communities. In 2025 we will face an important opportunity to reform the CTC and bring equity to the tax code with the expiration of key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Parents and caregivers will discuss how the CTC supports families now and the potential for the CTC to advance equity and promote the well-being of children and families in the years to come.
MONDAY June 10 | Youth Voices: Homelessness, Hope, and The Road Ahead
Monday, June 10, 2 pm
*Partner Event*
Hosted by SchoolHouse Connection in coordination with U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), this briefing is a facilitated discussion among eight youth and young adults from across the country who experienced homelessness in high school and throughout much of their childhoods. Participants will discuss the challenges that they experienced in their K-12 education – and those they are experiencing now in college or the workforce – as well as the people, programs, and internal attributes that have helped them persist and achieve success. They also will address the connection between homelessness and chronic absence, as well as their experiences with the FAFSA.
Recap coming soon.
TUESDAY June 11 | Empowering Fathers: Positive Parenting in the U.S. and Around the World
Tuesday, June 11, 12 pm
Hill briefing on examples of effective programs that engage fathers in responsive caregiving to promote healthy childhood development during the earliest years. Programs would include both those in the U.S. and those in low- and middle-income countries around the world through the support of U.S. government investment.
Recap coming soon.
WEDNESDAY June 12 | Speaking Of Kids: Raising the Voice of Dads in Child Policy with Rep. Jimmy Gomez
Wednesday, June 12, 9am
In this special Children’s Week episode of the First Focus on Children’s podcast, Speaking Of Kids, co-host Bruce Lesley chats with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), chair of the Dads Caucus. Rep. Gomez launched the Dads Caucus after a photo of him holding and caring for his son Hodge on the House floor went viral. Rep. Gomez talks about how moms have been the “default parent” and the importance of fathers stepping up for kids both at home and in Congress.
WEDNESDAY June 12 | Data Week 2024: Innovation for Families Economic Mobility
Wednesday, June 12, 10:30 am
*Partner event*
You are invited to join a virtual event (streaming live from San Juan, Puerto Rico) hosted by the Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud (IDJ) where they will present the Puerto Rico Family Data Center (PRFDC) — a digital tool that centralizes and analyzes data on the living conditions of children, youth, and families in Puerto Rico. As part of the presentation, IDJ will be joined by the team from Datawheel, the developers behind this platform, who have collaborated with organizations worldwide to develop platforms such as Data Chile, Data USA, Data Africa, and Data Estonia.
WEDNESDAY June 12 | More than Paint and Pipes: A conversation on the various sources of lead exposure and risks to child health and development
Wednesday, June 12, 1:30 pm
Please join First Focus on Children, Pure Earth, and representatives from King County (Washington State) Hazardous Waste Management Program for a conversation on the dangers of lead exposure for children. While there has been recent progress in addressing lead exposure in our domestic infrastructure, and increased attention on the need to fund efforts abroad, more must be done to protect our children.
THURSDAY June 13 | Building a Community Safety Agenda: What Are Communities Asking For?
Thursday, June 13, 2:00 pm ET
*Partner Event*
Please join March for Our Lives, Color Of Change, Movement for Black Lives, and The Futures Institute—in partnership with the Community Safety Working Group—on June 13th @ 2:00 pm in Russell 188 for the second event in the Community Safety Working Group’s summer safety series: Building a Community Safety Agenda: What Are Communities Asking For
This event will present views on what different communities are implementing — and asking for — when it comes to public safety. The panel will explore solutions that are currently working to prevent violence and harm, including community violence intervention and alternative crisis response while spotlighting youth and Black movement leaders who can share their views on what youth and Black Americans most want to see.