Federal officials have announced they are exploring offering $5,000 “baby bonuses” to incentivize parents to have more children. Yet a one-time payment of $5,000 is unlikely to cover even a fraction of the costs parents would face in their baby’s first year of life alone. The average cost of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care is […]
On February 6th, the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW), the W.T. Grant Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Casey Family Programs, convened a vital congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on the transformative potential of early childhood education to reduce and prevent child maltreatment. The […]
High-quality early care and education (ECE) programs create safe, stable environments that protect children from harm and sets them on a path toward healthier, more successful lives, demonstrating many benefits for children involved with the child welfare system. Because nearly 40% of children reported as victims of maltreatment are under age 5 and experiencing trauma […]
Delve into the transformative potential of early childhood education and its far-reaching effects on families and child well-being at our briefing session on Capitol Hill.
According to the Surgeon General, 41% of parents say most days they are so stressed they cannot function. Employers face an urgent need to attract and retain high-quality workers, but poor work-life balance and high childcare costs are pushing working parents to the brink. Some are even leaving the workplace entirely. The Clark-Fox Policy Institute […]
This policy briefing addressed the critical intersection between early childhood education and the child welfare system. Click to view the recording.
In this webinar series, researchers co-present with community partners to explore how researchers can engage meaningfully with communities using a social justice lens.
Early childhood education centers face significant financial constraints that limit their ability to raise wages for their educators. Addressing this issue requires investment from both the government and private sectors, policy reforms, and innovative funding solutions to ensure that educators are fairly compensated without making early childhood education unaffordable for families. Click below to download […]
Paid leave and employee well-being are the focus of a three-part policy series on family-friendly business practices put together by the Brown School’s Clark-Fox Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis.
Family-Friendly Business PoliciesPart 3 of a 3-Part Series The Clark-Fox Policy Institute has produced a three-part policy brief focused on family-friendly business policies The evidence-informed policy recommendations were developed by layering scientific research with community voice. They are aimed at supporting employees by providing the flexibility needed to balance the responsibilities of work and family while […]
This virtual panel discussion on Open Classroom examined why access to quality and affordable childcare is essential to support successful children, healthy families, and a thriving economy.
This policy alert was authored by Rebecca Feeney, practicum student at the Clark-Fox Policy Institute. Beginning January 1, 2024, the Missouri minimum wage increased to $12.30/hour for most workers. The increase follows a 2018 referendum that raised the minimum wage to $12/hour over five years and will continue to adjust the minimum wage every following […]
Family-Friendly Business PoliciesPart 2 of a 3-Part Series The Clark-Fox Policy Institute has produced a three-part policy brief focused on family-friendly business policies The evidence-informed policy recommendations were developed by layering scientific research with community voice. They are aimed at supporting employees by providing the flexibility needed to balance the responsibilities of work and family while […]
Demonstrating its commitment to connecting community and academia, the Clark-Fox Policy Institute hosted Children’s Division Director Judge Darrell Missey and Brown School Dean Dorian Traube for a tour of Urban Sprouts Early Childhood Center. Ellicia Lanier, Clark-Fox Policy Institute Scholar-in-Residence and Urban Sprouts founding Executive Director, led the tour.
Judge Darrell Missey, head of the Missouri Children’s Division, spoke to a packed house in Brown Lounge about his initiative to introduce prevention workers across the state, whose role is to engage with families before challenges escalate.
Hundreds of childcare providers, parents, and advocates gathered at the Missouri capitol building in Jefferson City last week for Child Advocacy Day. The groups visited with legislators across the political spectrum to talk about the importance of high-quality, affordable early childhood education. Advocates distributed copies of the Clark Fox-Policy Institute’s report, Launching Lifelong Success, which […]
This virtual panel discussion on Open Classroom examined why paid leave is critical to create thriving families, a strong childcare system, and successful businesses, and how companies of all sizes can respond.
Family-Friendly Business PoliciesPart 1 of a 3-Part Series The Clark-Fox Policy Institute has produced a three-part policy brief focused on family-friendly business policies The evidence-informed policy recommendations were developed by layering scientific research with community voice. They are aimed at supporting employees by providing the flexibility needed to balance the responsibilities of work and family while […]
The room was buzzing with ideas and inspiration last Tuesday night when the Clark-Fox Policy Institute hosted Bright Futures Ahead: Essential Techniques and Policies for Supporting and Uplifting Today’s Youth. The event brought together child well-being experts from research, policy, and practice to discuss how we can work together to improve child well-being in St. […]
Yesterday, the Respect for Marriage Act was codified into law and it will go a long way toward protecting families and promoting child wellbeing. The recognition of same-sex marriages allows children to be raised by loving same-sex parents who are committed to one another and to their children. It contributes to a stable and supportive […]
When families are constantly coping with poverty and racism, access to high-quality early childhood education (ECE) is limited. The result – this early educational gap increases the likelihood of a child coming into contact with the criminal legal system. On August 25, United 4 Children presented their webinar, Building the Preschool to Promise Pipeline. Co-sponsored […]
Here’s Why You Should Care About Early Childhood Education The Clark-Fox Policy Institute and United 4 Children, hosted its second webinar in the Foundation to Thrive Webinar Series, Are You a Business Leader? Here’s Why You Should Care about Early Childhood Education. Access to quality early childhood education is critical to the lifelong well-being of […]
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, nationwide nearly two-thirds of child care providers have closed, leaving working parents struggling to find reliable care. Without additional public funding, over four million providers of early childhood care and education (ECE) across the United States are at risk of permanently closing. One recent survey, by the National […]
A Solution for St. Louis Children in St. Louis do not begin life on an even playing field – and this has profound impacts for the current generation and generations to come. Given the compounded benefits of early childhood care and education (ECE), investment in a coordinated ECE system has the potential to yield greater […]
Missouri is home to many hard working families who are struggling to make ends meet. They take pride in working and in raising their children. Unfortunately, low wages and limited access to quality child care puts an incredible strain on families across the state. The Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s first report, Make Work Work: Strengthening Missouri […]
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has become one of the United States’ most effective programs for combatting poverty experienced by low-income working families. The EITC has garnered broad bi-partisan support, in large part because it encourages and rewards work. In 2015, low-income working families received an average EITC of $3,186, allowing them to […]