View allAces and TraumaAdoption, Foster and Kinship CareCASA, GAL and Child ProtectionChild Abuse and DeathsDay Care and EducationChild ProtectionChild self harm and suicide#childabuse#childprotectionChildren's RightsCOVID 19 and its ImpactsDataDomestic ViolenceEducationFeatured ArticlesGuest PostsGun Violence and Controlinvisible childrenJuvenile + Criminal Justice#karaKARA News and EventsAll Posts from Kids at Risk Action#kidsatriskaction#lackoftransparencyLGBTQMediaMikes Favorite PostsMental Health + Over MedicationPODCAST & STREAMINGPODCASTSPublic PolicyRebuttals & Guest PostsReligion, Politics + the LawReporting and News - InternationalReporting and News - MN SpecificReporting and News - US BasedStatisticsStunning StatisticsThe StatesTheir stories& TransparencyVideos
Jul162025

The Assault on Child Protection PART 3 (what this will cost)

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Protection, Data, Education, Religion, Politics + the Law, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Nationally, cuts will deepen inequality, entrench generational poverty, and erode the foundation for future economic growth. This is not budget tightening—it is a deliberate dismantling of the infrastructure that keeps children safe and families stable. We will be a sicker, poorer, less educated, and less productive America, with the highest price paid by its most vulnerable children and the communities already struggling to survive.

Details
Jul142025

The Assault on Child Protection – Part 2

Adoption, Foster and Kinship Care, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, Data, Day Care and Education, Public Policy, Religion, Politics + the Law, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics, The States

The combined cuts to child friendly programs will impact some states more than other. This article presents a snapshot of what different states will be experiencing. Send  KARA information concerning what’s happening in your state (send to info@invisiblechildren.org with CUTS in the subject line).

California:

Details

The Assault on Child Protection PART 1

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, Day Care and Education, Education, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Between DOGE cuts to child friendly programs and policies and the big beautiful bill, the cuts and service reductions described below will impact millions of children and families nationwide. In the foster care system alone, over 343,000 children are currently in care across the United States, with the largest numbers…

Details

LGBTQ Foster Care, Suicide, & Ground Truths (podcast #3 in KARA’s foster care series)

Adoption, Foster and Kinship Care, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, LGBTQ, Reporting and News - US Based, Stunning Statistics

the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system — a population far too often isolated, unsupported, and at devastating risk of homelessness, suicide, and trauma. They share staggering statistics, heartbreaking stories, and expose how

Details
Jul112025

Worker Bees Speaking Out

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Protection, Media, Mikes Favorite Posts, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based

Many reading this post may not be in the job you are doing this time next year. DOGE and other Federal policy changes have determined that the work being done for at-risk children and families is either wasteful or like DEI the wrong approach to public policy. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently stated that significantly less than 20% of funding cuts will be reversed

Details
Jul92025

Part 4 of 5: Why Early Childhood Investment Outperforms Remedial Spending

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Protection, Data, Day Care and Education, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Compared to other government expenditures, early childhood programs are uniquely cost-effective. K–12 education spends ~$15,000/student annually with diminishing returns; prison systems cost $40,000/inmate yearly with high recidivism. Meanwhile, early childhood interventions like Head Start save $4.8B–$16.1B per

Details
Jul82025

Part 3: Scaling the “Minnesota Model” for Maximum ROI Impact

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Data, Day Care and Education, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Market-based scholarship programs like Minnesota’s Early Learning Scholarships (MELS) prove these returns are scalable. MELS provides vouchers to low-income parents, empowering them to choose high-quality programs. Result: an 18% inflation-adjusted public ROI—higher than the S&P 500’s historical average111210. The keys to replicating this success are: Targeting at-risk children: Returns exceed $17 per dollar in high-poverty neighborhoods7. Parent empowerment:…

Details
Jul22025

Part 2: The Science Behind Early Childhood Returns (ROI)

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Data, Day Care and Education, Education, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

The extraordinary ROI of early childhood programs stems from neurobiological and economic synergy. During ages 0–5, the brain forms 1 million neural connections per second, creating foundational skills that dictate lifelong learning, health, and behavior56. Programs like Child-Parent Centers leverage this plasticity: at-risk children receiving enriched preschool and parent mentoring achieved $10.83 in societal benefits per dollar spent by age…

Details