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Latest News

‘Dora’ Special Explores Influence on Children (NY Times)

The Gray And The Brown: The Generational Mismatch (National Journal)

FCC Indecency Policy Rejected on Appeal (NY Times)

 

Happy Meal complaint opens Pandora’s box (Chicago Tribune)

Protect your kids from aggressive online marketing (WSFX-TV)

Is Television Harmful for Children? (Discovery News)

New oral health guidelines for pregnant women (Dental Products Report)

Study delves into disparities in children’s dental care (Sacramento Bee)

Junk food and obesity: Taking a cue from tobacco control (LA Times)

High school graduation rate puts California to shame (Sacramento Bee)

Consumer group targets McDonald’s Happy Meal toys (Reuters)

Shrek lures kids to sugary snacks, not carrots (Chicago Tribune)

Cost of Raising a Child Goes Up (KCBS-FM)

Big insurance changes in store for Californians with pre-existing conditions (San Jose Mercury News)

FCC Fines 7 For Kid’s TV Ad Violations (TVNewsCheck)

State Lags in Dental Health Care for Children (NY Times)

Group links 4th-grade reading proficiency, national success (USA Today)

Schwarzenegger’s proposed cuts to ‘Healthy Families’ violate federal law (KPCC-FM)

Law protects kids with pre-existing conditions (San Francisco Chronicle)

Ranks of those without health insurance soar in California (Sacramento Bee)

U.S. youth likely to face greater health issues (NPR)

U.S. politicians may unite in obesity battle (CNBC)

Children Now gives California health, education low grade (SFGate.com)

School Matters: California Must Raise Latino Student Achievement (New America Media)

Another dismal report card (San Jose Mercury News)

Companies fall short in advertising healthy foods to children (Los Angeles Times)

Fed warning threatens CA kids’ health program (KGO-TV)

 

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Reports & Research

California Report Card, 2010

The Impact of Industry Self-Regulation on the Nutritional Quality of Foods Advertised on Television to Children, 2009

California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being, 2008

 

California County Data Book, 2007

Educationally/Insufficient? An Analysis of the Availability & Educational Quality of Children’s E/I Programming, 2008

Big Media, Little Kids 2, 2007

The Promise of Preschool, 2006

 

Why It’s Time For
The Children’s Movement

Our nation’s leaders often speak of children being a priority, yet the reality is that children continue to be underrepresented and under-funded by state and federal policymakers. Their well-being is steadily declining because our political system is driven by the interplay and competition among interest groups.

Interest groups rely on the established sources of political power—organized constituencies, lobbying dollars and campaign contributions—to get results. Since children are, after all, just children, they currently do not have any source of political power behind them. They have no competitive voice in this system.

“But they’re children,” you may be thinking, “aren’t their issues treated differently?” They are not. Over 20 years of experience on the front lines and the opinions of the top political analysts with whom we’ve strategized tell us that children are subject to the same political forces as any other issue.

Children Now—and your participation in The Children’s Movement—gives children the source of political power they need. Together, we can hold policymakers and industry more accountable by giving children a stronger voice in interest group-driven politics. We, as a unified force, can bring attention to the tremendous opportunities our society has in establishing better policies and practices concerning our children.

Our Mission

Children Now’s mission is to find common ground among influential opinion leaders, interest groups and policymakers, who together can develop and drive socially innovative, “win-win” approaches to helping all children achieve their full potential.

A Unique, Proven &
Repeatable Approach

Figure: Children Now’s Approach (Click to enlarge image)