Black T-shirt with bold white text promoting kids' voices.

Federal Chafee Changes vs. Minnesota Reality: Are Foster Youth Getting What They Need?

Adoption, Foster and Kinship Care, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, KARA News and Events, Reporting and News - MN Specific, Reporting and News - US Based

For years, young people aging out of foster care have told us the same story: they are expected to become independent adults overnight, often without stable housing, reliable income, or consistent adult support. Minnesota has made some important strides—extended foster care, Northstar payments, education vouchers, and youth advocacy organizations—but the lived reality for too many youth is still homelessness, interrupted education, legal and financial barriers, and parenting without support.

A girl with messy hair looks worried beside a chalkboard with writing.

Pediatric Clinicians Needed to Guide KARA’s National Child Abuse Platform”

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Protection, Education, Reporting and News - US Based

Pediatricians see the front line of child abuse, trauma, neglect, and family crisis. Kids At Risk Action (KARA) is building a national child abuse information platform so clinicians, caregivers, policymakers, and families can quickly find the resources and solutions they need in one place. We’re inviting pediatric clinicians to review this work and share how it could best support screening, referrals, family education, and advocacy. If this resonates with your practice, please connect or email mike@invisiblechildren.org—and share this widely.

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Balancing IP Rights and Children’s Right to Health

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Children's Rights, Data, Rebuttals & Guest Posts, Reporting and News - International

The WHO has highlighted alarming statistics. Millions of children suffer from preventable and treatable diseases, even though affordable treatment exists. Children’s right to health is recognized in several United Nations and international agreements.  The growing economic power of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and pharmaceutical giants raises new questions. Many ask whether these private, non‑state entities have an obligation to ensure children’s right to health.

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Happy New Year – 2026 Projections & Plans + Meet KARA People (short videos)

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Children's Rights, Featured Articles, Public Policy, Religion, Politics + the Law, Reporting and News - US Based

In 2025, the federal government declared a bonfire of deregulation in Child Protective Services (CPS) for 2026. This is part of a broader “parental rights” and religious liberty agenda. MAGA voices,

Children holding signs advocating to give children a voice.

Millions of Abused Children, 2 Powerful Programs, 1000’s of Volunteers—and Little Public Awareness”

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

Because CASA and Children’s Advocacy Centers remain largely unknown, at‑risk children and families lose critical lifelines they don’t even realize exist. Low public awareness means fewer mandated reporters, neighbors, teachers, and relatives can to turn when they suspect abuse—or how to push for a CASA volunteer or a CAC referral when a child enters the system. It depresses volunteer recruitment for CASA and philanthropic support for both models, limiting how many children can be served. It also allows policymakers to underfund these services…

Silhouettes of a family with two adults and one child.

What Happens if “Child Neglect” In Child Protective Services Is Removed or Diminished

Adoption, Foster and Kinship Care, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Featured Articles, KARA News and Events, Public Policy, Religion, Politics + the Law, Reporting and News - US Based, Stunning Statistics

National and federal data show that child neglect is the primary allegation in a clear majority of CPS cases, so removing neglect from CPS as an entry criterion would likely eliminate investigation for roughly 60–75% of the children who are currently investigated or substantiated, with some variation by state. About 7.8 million children / year are reported abused and neglected to CPS.​ Because child abuse is invisible, it is likely that at least that many children remain unseen and unreported. The Trump child welfare executive order leans heavily into language about “unnecessary removals” and “overreach”

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KARA Concerns About Trump’s Child Protection Order (deep dive)

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

This post gets at the meaning of President Trump’s Presidential Order bringing change to America’s Child Protection System. If you support the work KARA is doing to improve the lives of abused and neglected children and at-risk families, read to the bottom and send this link to your State Representative (find them in the link below).

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When Is Child Abuse a Crime ?

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, Child self harm and suicide, Children's Rights, Reporting and News - MN Specific

WHEN IS CHILD ABUSE A CRIME?
AT THE HANDS OF THEIR PARENTS

If I had committed the crimes parents perpetrated upon these children, criminal child abuse laws would send me to jail. How can it be that because caregivers delivered the beatings, rapes and other traumas, the abuse was not a crime and children were all returned to their parents for more of the same (these Minnesota children died).

Silhouettes of a family with two adults and one child.

High Cost of Ignoring Childhood Trauma (Podcast)

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, KARA News and Events, PODCAST & STREAMING, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Emma and Michael expose the staggering economic cost of ignoring childhood trauma. With U.S. taxpayers absorbing trillions in health care, education loss, criminal justice, and reduced productivity, the data paints a devastating picture:

Silhouettes of a family with two adults and one child.

America’s Childhood Trauma and ACEs Impact (podcast)

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, KARA News and Events, PODCAST & STREAMING, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

Emma and Michael expose how childhood trauma is quietly devastating the lives of millions of children—some as young as toddlers—who are misdiagnosed, overmedicated, and left unsupported in overwhelmed systems.

Silhouettes of a family with two adults and one child.

All About ACEs (Podcast)

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, childabuse, Data, invisible children, PODCAST & STREAMING, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

This episode of the Kids at Risk Action podcast dives into the science and societal impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—early life traumas like abuse, neglect, and household instability that dramatically shape physical and mental health outcomes. Through powerful commentary from child advocates

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KARA UPDATES

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, KARA News and Events

KARA UPDATES are sent once a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also SIGN UP HERE Send your comments, stories, & information important to KARA conversations about child abuse and child protection here: info@invisiblechildren.org with HELLO in the subject line. We are a volunteer organization and unable to answer all correspondence. We will notify you if your subject matter is included in KARA’s social media.

Become an advocate for abused and neglected children and send your favorite posts to your State Representative. Find them here. They make the policies that rule the lives of At-Risk children.

ACES Economic Burden on Healthcare (PODCAST)

Aces and Trauma, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Data, PODCAST & STREAMING, Public Policy, Reporting and News - US Based, Statistics

In this PODCAST episode of Kids at Risk Action, Emma and Michael expose the massive $14.1 trillion economic toll of untreated childhood trauma in America. They connect the dots between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and long-term impacts on health, education, and the justice system

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This year’s Budget, Bills, and Abused Children

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Public Policy, Reporting and News - MN Specific

For the next biennium, legislators appropriated 40 million dollars to modernize Minnesota’s Social Services Information System. This will create more training, collection of child welfare data, clarity, transparency, and best practices throughout the “life of a case” and shine a light on how well or poorly programs and policies are working. This upgrade of our…

A Win For Abused Children of Minnesota

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, Child Abuse and Deaths, Child Protection, Child self harm and suicide, Reporting and News - MN Specific, Stunning Statistics

Safe Passage For Children of Minnesota has helped bring the issue of transparency of child abuse death and near death into the light and Legislature in our State. In about three weeks, Minnesota will create a statewide child fatality and near fatality review panel to track cases of children dying and suffering egregious harm while…

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Seeking Stories About Childhood Trauma

Aces and Trauma, Adoption, Foster and Kinship Care, All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, CASA, GAL and Child Protection, KARA News and Events, LGBTQ, Their stories

KARA’s next book will be the gathered wisdom from those of us with stories about child abuse, child protection, and childhood trauma. Do you have a story you want to tell?

We invite writers to submit original work of 300-400 words for consideration in our upcoming book, (working title), CHILD ABUSE IN THE MIRROR.

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Suicide, Child Abuse and Christmas

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Reporting and News - US Based, Stunning Statistics

Many foster youth and abused and  neglected children in toxic homes suffer especially during the holidays. There is no joy in being removed from your birth home or to continue living in a birth home with broken parents and the behaviors that come with abusive caregivers.

About 25% of the children and young adults in California foster care have attempted suicide. 41% of LGBTQ kids seriously thought of killing themselves last year.

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Why Children Need Mandated Reporters

All Posts from Kids at Risk Action, Child Abuse and Deaths, Mikes Favorite Posts, Reporting and News - US Based

https://invisiblechildren.org/2013/07/04/mandated-reporting-or-basic-responsibility-its-absence-is-killing-wisconsin-pennsylvania-children/ Facebook Replacing Mandated Reporters for Child Abuse? Don’t Blame The Mandated Reporter (why child abuse reporting is sporadic) Fear and Firing of Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse Being A Mandated Reporter (and what it means) Reporting Maltreatment Of Children; How Minnesota Does It (State Statute – 626.556) Tolerating Child Death in Minnesota (thank you…