Growing Up
BLOG POSTS, PRESS RELEASES, & ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CHILDREN AT RISKHurricane Harvey’s Impact Revealed the Unique Needs of Children During a Disaster
By Rebecca Harms, Disaster Recovery and Research AmeriCorps VISTA Harvey's Impact on Children by the Numbers Hurricane Harvey has a significant impact on children, disrupting children's lives immediately and continuing for months into the recovery. Harvey was the most...
“Stop Trafficking Now”
By Caroline Roberts On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, over 200 advocates, legislators and concerned citizens from around the state gathered on the south steps of the Texas Capitol to support human trafficking legislation. Members of the crowd excitedly braved the cold,...
Most Texas Families Cannot Afford Child Care
By Patrick Gill and Shay Everitt, CHILDREN AT RISK In the recently released report, Building Brains & Economies: Quality Child Care as an Engine for Economic Development in a 21st Century Texas, CHILDREN AT RISK examines how quality child care can be leveraged to...
Human Trafficking Near Texas Public Schools
By David McClendon & Jamey Caruthers, CHILDREN AT RISK Across the state of Texas, there are hundreds of illegal massage businesses (IMBs) acting as fronts for human trafficking and sexual exploitation. These illicit businesses are found in nearly all major Texas...
Number of Uninsured Children in Texas Could Increase 60% if Congress Fails to Renew CHIP
By David McClendon, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation The uncertain fate of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, in Congress is putting 400,000 low-income Texas children at risk of losing their health insurance. CHIP provides health insurance...
School districts with the top food programs for low-income students in Texas
By David McClendon and Jenny Eyer, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation Across Texas, over 3 million low-income students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals through federal programs such as the National School Lunch Program and the School...
Who represents the 2.9 million Texas children affected by Hurricane Harvey?
By David McClendon, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation Hurricane Harvey deeply affected the lives and education of many Texas children. In the days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster proclamation for 58...
Cómo mantener la positividad con sus hijos en medio del huracán Harvey: Cómo hablar con sus hijos sobre lo que está pasando
Aquí hay cinco consejos para ayudarle a comenzar el proceso de restauración con sus hijos.
Looking for Signs of Trauma and Continuing to Help Your Child Feel Safe
As we begin the recovery process in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, we will need to monitor the recovery of our most vulnerable population – our children. Disasters can leave children feeling scared, nervous, confused and anxious. It’s important to recognize these...
Hurricane Harvey keeps 1.4 million students out of public schools for at least a week
By David McClendon, Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation Last Monday was the first day of the new school year for public school students across Texas. But for many children up and down the Gulf Coast, Hurricane Harvey has delayed the start of school – for...
How to Cope as a Parent so That You Can Be Present for Your Children
From the Center for Parenting and Family Well-Being at CHILDREN AT RISK: This is a stressful and scary time for all of us affected by Hurricane Harvey, including our most vulnerable population – our children. Disasters can leave children feeling scared, nervous,...
Maintaining Positivity With Your Children in the Midst of Hurricane Harvey: How to Talk to Your Kids About What’s Going On
A few tips for parents on how they can support their children during this time of crisis in Texas.
Access to Latest C@R Research and Data
We know many community organizations are working hard to improve the quality of life for children in Texas and that now, more than ever, data is important to their efforts. To increase access to our research, the Center for Social Measurement and Evaluation (CSME) at...
Academic performance across Texas school districts
By David McClendon, Center for Social Measurement & Evaluation The Texas Education Agency recently revised their labels for student performance on the STAAR state exams. There are now four categories. Here is what these categories would mean for a 3rd grade...
HB 1522 Helping Parents Be The First and Best Teachers State Agency Coordination and Effectiveness
HB 357 Pre-K Eligibility for First Responders
HB 357
SB 940 Early Childhood Transparency and Coordination
CHILDREN AT RISK at the Capitol
February 1, 2017 Early Education Legislative Briefing The CHILDREN AT RISK early education team hosted a briefing for legislative staff on January 20th at the Capitol. The event focused on three recently-released Texas reports and highlighted policy...
The Early Investment Project: Subsidized Child Care in Texas
12/13/16 In preparation for the upcoming 85th Legislative Session, CHILDREN AT RISK has continued to research and collaborate with statewide partners on policy priorities and community needs. We completed 9-city Texas Tour to release key findings on the...
Website Allegedly Linked to Human Trafficking
*Originally Posted on 10/7/2016 The CEO of Backpage.com, a popular marketplace for online commercial sex, was arrested on Thursday in Houston on orders from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and charged with conspiracy and pimping of minors. Advocates have long...
Fighting Food Insecurity in North Texas
*Originally posted on 9/19/2016 *Feeding America (2013). Map the Meal Gap 2015: Child Food Insecurity in Texas by County in 2013. Retrieved from www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/our-research/map-the-meal-gap/2013/TX_AllCounties_CDs_CFI_2013.pdf Food insecurity...
Combatting Human Trafficking in North Texas
*Originally posted on 9/12/2016 *Statistic taken from https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/houston/news/press-releases/texans-unite-against-human-trafficking-local-state-and-federal-agencies-launch-statewide-campaign The presence of human trafficking in...
Improving Access to Parent Education in North Texas
*Originally Posted on 9/6/2016 “The State of Parent Education in Dallas County: Opportunities for the Future” (December 2014) Parents play a vital role in their child's life. CHILDREN AT RISK aims to ensure that parent child relationships are healthy and nurturing in...
Improving Education in North Texas
* Originally posted on 8/29/2016 *Texas Education Agency. (2015). Texas academic performance report 2014-15 district profiles. CHILDREN AT RISK understands the barriers facing Texas children in terms of education and aims to break down these barriers: 1....
Photography For The Kids
David Stiff Photography in North Texas and Mindy Harmon Photography in the Houston Area are proud to support CHILDREN AT RISK. When you donate $99 or more to CHILDREN AT RISK, you will receive a $500 gift certificate to your choice of either outstanding photography...