Yesterday, Vermont took a step in the wrong direction. With the passage of S.58, legislators all but ensured the rate of children being jailed in our state will increase. Allowing issues of resource scarcity or staffing to drive policy decisions about whether to try children as adults sets a dangerous precedent at a pivotal time. By choosing to further criminalize Vermont’s children and youth instead of addressing the underlying systemic issues at the heart of the matter, our state government will continue to perpetuate the very conditions of harm that lead to increased crime.
The journey of childhood is a shared one, occurring across multiple contexts and over the course of many years. Each child’s lived experience plays out against a larger tapestry of values, systems, and structures that in turn translate into the kind of investment (or disinvestment) that propels or limits their ability to thrive. In this landscape, Voices builds our engagement around an awareness that real systems change cannot be driven by strength alone. We recognize that our advocacy is part of a chorus of individuals, families, and communities working toward an equitable and just future for children and youth. And although the scale of need in this moment may be significant, by choosing to approach our individual efforts as elements of an interconnected whole, the scale of change we can effect becomes amplified.
Vermont ranks fourth in child well-being, according to the 2023 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, a 50-state report of recent household data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how children and families are faring. Despite the fourth place ranking, the report also shows that our country’s lack of affordable and accessible child care short-changes children and causes parents in Vermont to change or even quit their jobs, while those who can find care are paying dearly for it. These child care challenges cost the American economy billions of dollars a year and stymie women professionally.
When it comes to creating structures that center and support impacted communities, the path we choose to take is frequently as important as where we end up. This session created enormous opportunities for child and family well-being in Vermont. In this moment, there are many reasons to celebrate. At the same time, much remains uncertain–from the bills that have passed, to the impact of the legislative path taken to get here, and ultimately whether we will be able to come together to address the needs of the nearly 600 children in our state at risk of becoming unhoused and find a path forward. We also are taking this moment to attend to what has not happened- the larger gaps that remain for children and families, and the work that lies ahead for advocates and champions of child, youth, and family well-being in Vermont.