A new report finds the well-being of Connecticut's kids is wavering in the pandemic's aftermath. The state ranks 8th in the Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book, up from 9th last year.

While the state advanced kids' economic well-being, progress stagnated in education. Fourth graders not proficient in reading and eighth graders not proficient in math grew exponentially.

Emily Byrne, executive director of Connecticut Voices for Children, said the report's recommendations can improve children's academic performance.

"Ensuring access to low or no-cost school meals, reliable internet connections and a place to study, and time to be with friends, teachers, and counselors," she said. "Another recommendation is around expanding access to intensive tutoring for students who are behind in their classes."

She added improving a family's economic security contributes to a child's learning ability, and said the state should invest in families and children through a state child tax credit. Connecticut's General Assembly considered legislation establishing such a credit during its legislative session. It would have provided families $600 per child for up to three children. But the bill failed to pass.

Another issue Connecticut is dealing with is chronic classroom absences.

Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said states and schools should track chronic absenteeism as many states don't track this data by grade.

"Good data can lead to good policy," she explained. "So, it's important that states look at chronic absenteeism data that schools collected, they look at it by grade, and they look at strategies that can be deployed that can reduce chronic absenteeism, particularly since it's at an all-time high."

A Connecticut State Department of Education report finds absenteeism declined to 20% from almost 24% in the 2022-2023 school year. This means around 28,000 more students were attending school. Despite this, absenteeism for all students still exceeds pre-pandemic levels.

June is National Safety Month and experts are highlighting medication safety for Kentucky kids.

Kentucky has seen a steady increase in pediatric overdoses and ingestion cases in recent years, with research showing the number of cases doubled between 2019 and 2023. The number of fatal pediatric ingestion cases in the state tripled over the same period, with 80% of those considered potentially preventable.

Dr. Jennie Green, a child abuse pediatrician in the Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine at the University of Kentucky, said safe storage is essential.

"Making sure that the medications that are present are stored safely," Green recommended. "And usually that's going to mean keep them up and out of reach, but also preferably in a stored, locked location. So, thinking about medication lock bags or lockboxes tend to be the best."

She reminded parents "child resistant" does not mean childproof.

The 2024 Kentucky Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel found opiate exposure was present in more than half of overdose and ingestion cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends households with opioids, whether prescribed or not, have a supply of Narcan, a nasal spray to block or reverse the effects of opioids including fentanyl.

Green noted Narcan is safe for anyone.

"There's no harm in giving a child a full dose of Narcan," Green emphasized. "In fact, it's lifesaving. And a lot of the kids who end up coming into the hospital with opioid overdose, they actually need multiple doses of Narcan. So that one dose of Narcan is not going to hurt them, but it can save their life."

Experts advised keeping track of medications present in the home including how many pills remain, to determine how many may have been ingested. Curious children may also explore purses or luggage of visitors, and inquiring if they have medication with them is also suggested.

Shannon Moody, chief policy and strategy officer for Kentucky Youth Advocates and a representative of the Face It Movement, said it is important to think about when children are away from home.

"If your child is visiting a family member, like a grandparent or friend's house, asking them to ensure that their medications, whether it's prescription over the counter or any other substances that a child may get into, that those are put away safely in a place where a child cannot reach," Moody urged.

It is also recommended parents save the number for poison control in their phone and post it on the refrigerator. The number is 800-222-1222.


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Based in Provo, Utah, the software company Qualtrics ranks among the top employers providing adoption and foster-care benefits to its workers.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption commissioned a national survey of employers to learn whether they offer financial reimbursement for adoption costs and paid leave for foster parents, and how many workers are eligible for those benefits.

Matt Inama, customer success manager for Qualtrics, said adopting a child can be quite expensive. He stressed the financial reimbursement his company offered was "transformational" for him and his wife to create the family they had always dreamed of.

"Having that kind of support and benefit available from one's employer I think is very, very important," Inama asserted. "It just helps to foster, I think, that sense of belonging for an employee within their organization."

Inama encouraged those considering adoption to know it can be a lengthy process. He emphasized it is critical to find local experts in your area who can shed light on how different laws and guidelines affect the adoption experience.

Rita Soronen, president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, said the survey aims to foster a sense of equity among employers which many times offer benefits to families formed through birth. She argued those formed through adoption should be no different.

"We created the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace list to encourage employers to take that step, to learn about it," Soronen explained. "Then, we know that employers enjoy sort of competitive advantages over each other and 'best' lists tend to provide that."

Soronen added people in the job market who are contemplating offers may look to see if adoption benefits are included. For some, it could be a deciding factor.

"If everything else is equal and this company offers adoption benefits or foster care benefits, then they tend to lean that way because it said something about the company," Soronen observed. "It gives, we believe, employers a competitive edge in recruiting employees."

Ohio child welfare advocates are urging lawmakers to restore more than $60 million in funding to address the state's ongoing foster care placement crisis. A decision is expected by the end of June.

Gov. Mike DeWine and state House leaders included funding in the budget to expand the State Child Protective Allocation and create new child wellness campuses. But the Ohio Senate removed both investments.

Scott Britton, assistant director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, said counties can't manage this crisis alone.

"Children deserve a safe place to sleep that meets their behavioral health and their well-being needs. The cost of foster care placements is outpacing inflation - 68%, or $158 million more today than just five years ago - and federal reimbursement is declining," he explained.

The Senate cut $61 million from the House budget: $31 million from county child protection funds and $30 million from proposed wellness campuses. Conference committee members are working to finalize the budget by June 30.

Britton said the proposed child wellness campuses would help reduce the number of children sleeping in county offices. He adds that the governor, House, and a cross-agency group support the plan.

"The campuses are going to be trauma-informed places where children can be properly assessed and supported," he said. "Our cross-system working group prioritized this solution, so we believe Ohio could be a national leader with the strategy."

Advocates say restoring the full investment would help stabilize foster care costs and better serve children in crisis across Ohio.