Foster children with nowhere to go are spending up to a week or more in Kentucky office buildings, according to a preliminary report from the state.

Most kids were age 11 or older, and the youngest was just 1 year old. The problem stems from a lack of foster homes and beds in state residential care facilities.

Allison Ball, auditor of public accounts for the State of Kentucky, said her office has continued to receive reports from constituents revealing kids are also being housed in hotels and state parks throughout the Commonwealth.

"Quite a bit of these children were removed straight from their home, so probably mom or dad, and then and then moved straight into an office building to sleep for a period of time," Ball observed. "It's a worrying picture. It's a deeply sad situation."

According to state data, as of February 2025 there were more than 8,200 children in Kentucky's foster care system.

Shannon Moody, chief officer of policy and strategy for Kentucky Youth Advocates, said when children are either removed from the home due to safety reasons or are unable to stay in foster care or kinship care placement, social workers are left with few options.

"Office buildings are not an appropriate place for a child to be cared for," Moody emphasized. "Especially if they have histories of trauma, where they are experiencing issues of not feeling safe."

Ball added a more extensive investigation is ongoing to assess barriers and come up with solutions.

"I've asked the ombudsman to do a more thorough review," Ball pointed out. "Now that we know what we're dealing with, we need to find out what kind of oversight is happening for these children, how many children are sleeping at one time in office buildings."

Gov. Andy Beshear recently signed an emergency amendment to increase per diem rates for therapeutic foster care. Advocates said the state still needs a clear plan to fund critical supports for kinship care outlined in last year's Senate Bill 151.


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Tennessee families who depend on Head Start programs for child care are watching Congress carefully, to make sure its federal funding isn't cut.

For 60 years, the Head Start program has supported children from birth to age 5 during the most critical stages of their development - as research shows 90% of a child's brain develops by age 6.

The program supports more than 15,000 children in Tennessee, and nearly 750,000 nationwide.

Johnny Nelson, Head Start program director with Save the Children Tennessee, said his organization runs six Head Start sites in five rural counties, preparing more than 320 children to start school.

"The goal that we have in our program is to ensure that all children, regardless of their circumstances, are fully prepared to enter Kindergarten," said Nelson, "and to enter Kindergarten on a level that's comparable to other children of their age and their peers."

In recent polling, four out of five voters said they support Head Start, across political lines.

While the Trump administration's current budget doesn't cut the program directly, funding delays and mixed messages this year have raised concerns.

Nelson said their program includes not just early learning, but wraparound services, too. He explained that it's a more comprehensive approach than typical day care, supporting both kids and their families.

"Our job is to come in and we provide not only the educational service," said Nelson, "but there's also mental health support, there's support with disabilities, medical, nutrition, and also family services."

Roy Chrobocinski - managing director for domestic policy with Save the Children - said Head Start is vital for low-income families, especially in rural areas where it's often the only child care option.

He said he's relieved it wasn't cut in the President's budget - but said there's still more work to do, and advocates for more funding.

"So, at current funding levels, only about 26% of families who are eligible for Head Start receive services," said Chrobocinski. "So there needs to be a significant increase in Head Start funding in order to ensure that more families who are eligible are able to participate in this kind of life-changing program."

He said his organization sees Head Start as a big part of the solution to the U.S. child care crisis, which is estimated to cost the nation's economy $122 billion a year of lost revenue.

This Sunday is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the federally funded preschool program supporting more than 12,000 children, up to age four, in Washington and nearly 800,000 children across the country.

Although cuts to Head Start are not specifically included in the Trump administration's most recent budget proposal, some locations have faced funding delays this year, leaving them nervous about the program's future.

Ashly Hyatt has three children in Head Start in Spokane, and is a parent ambassador alumna. She is currently in school to become a teacher and said without Head Start, her life would look very different.

"I wouldn't be in school, it wouldn't be possible," Hyatt pointed out. "Three children in day care is going to be close to $3,500. My husband works 60 to 80 hours a week right now as it is, and it's tight."

Hyatt added Head Start has done so much for her children, she was inspired to get involved in advocacy work. Washington Head Start is completely federally funded, and received about $200 million last year.

Roy Chrobocinski, managing director of domestic policy at Save the Children US, which runs Head Start programs in several states, said he is focused on reminding Congress about the bipartisan support Head Start has enjoyed for the last 60 years, and stressed the program is about much more than child care.

"It also provides medical assistance, dental visits, nutrition assistance," Chrobocinski outlined. "Two meals and a snack every day."

Head Start is often the only child care option in rural areas, Chrobocinski emphasized. Without funding, parents would not be able to work, affecting their families and local economies. He pointed out currently, only about a third of eligible families are able to receive services due to limited funding.

"There needs to be a significant increase in Head Start funding in order to ensure that more families who are eligible are able to participate in this life-changing program," Chrobocinski contended.

He underscored child care disruptions already cost the economy an estimated $122 billion annually.

With the end of the state legislative session in sight, Connecticut lawmakers are moving closer to establishing a permanent child tax credit.

The 2025 legislative session has seen several child tax credit bills circulate, offering differing levels of rebate. The current proposal has moved out of committee as part of the state budget bill and would establish a $150 per child credit, capped at $450.

Lisa Tepper Bates, president and CEO of the United Way of Connecticut, said her organization has been advocating for a state child tax credit, which she noted has widespread support.

"We've gained some ground on creating a child tax credit at the state level," Tepper Bates pointed out. "There is legislation with the support of an enormous number of the members of the House of Representatives and supporters in the state Senate who want to see this done and they want to see it done this legislative session."

The credit would be available for single filers making up to $100,000 per year, $160,000 for heads of household, and $200,000 for joint filers.

Data published by United Way show nearly 40% of Connecticut households are living paycheck to paycheck. Among those are households considered as ALICE, an acronym for those who are Asset Limited and Income Constrained but Employed. Categorizing households in this way attempts to capture the financial circumstances of working people who are above the poverty level but still cannot afford the basics such as housing, food, health care and child care.

Tepper Bates noted while rents are high in the state, in many households it is not the biggest financial burden.

"Our ALICE research shows that child care for families with small children can be their single biggest cost center," Tepper Bates reported. "This is an important point to understand because we now know that in Connecticut, the cost of child care for many of these families is becoming simply unsustainable."

The scarce availability of child care is pushing costs higher, with recent data showing 80% of the state's licensed family child care centers are operating at capacity, a 6% increase over the year prior.


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