What Kids Need Now Is a White House Office for Children
Joe Biden and Donald Trump, having formally accepted their parties’ nominations for President of the United States, both stated that the November election will be the most significant in our history. As a nation, we are deeply entrenched in the fight for racial justice, are living through the effects of climate change, and are battling to survive a global pandemic. Indeed, we are at an inflection point—not only for how we, as a country, address these issues, but how we care for and prioritize our children and young people.
We all want our kids to grow up healthy. We all agree there are things children need to thrive—a loving family, healthcare, education, safe environments to live and play. There is an urgent need to bring kids to the forefront of our discussions and ensure they remain top of mind in all policy decisions. The question is—how? One step that would be helpful is to create a formal structure at the federal level—a White House Office for Children—which will ensure the needs of kids are always taken into account.
As I’ve written previously, while Americans love to say that children are our future, our policies are failing them. Simply put, children in the United States are not doing well. Each year, the Innocenti project of UNICEF releases a report looking at an aspect of child well-being in the world’s richest countries. On September 3, the newest report was published: Report Card 16 – Worlds of Influence: Understanding What Shapes Child Wellbeing in Rich Countries. Among 38 countries, the U.S. is ranked 36th, based on scores of children’s mental and physical health and academic and social skill sets. The U.S. also ranked 29th on policies supporting child wellbeing; 28th among countries whose 15-year-olds have basic proficiency in reading and mathematics; and 33rd in a group of countries whose child mortality rates are greater than one per 1,000 children aged 5-14 years.
The placement of the U.S. in these rankings is consistent with previous Report Cards; between 2016 and 2018, out of 40 countries the U.S. ranked: 22nd in primary education performance; 24th in secondary education performance; 30th in inequalities in child well-being; 36th in child well-being against nine sustainable development goals; and 40th in early childhood performance. While these numbers are depressing, the good news is that we know how to address all of the issues that lead to these results – if we could develop the collective will to do so.
One of the things that makes the U.S. different from the many places where kids are doing better is in those countries, there are people who work in their federal governments, whose job it is to focus, every day, on how kids are doing. These formal structures—children’s ombudspeople or commissioners—are responsible for overseeing and advocating for the health and well-being of young people. In the U.S., we have no such office in our federal government.
Today, key programs supporting children are spread across multiple agencies with no existing structure to hold the government accountable for achieving positive outcomes for children. This fractured approach results in programs that are not well coordinated, are more expensive, and frequently fail to consider child well-being holistically.
The establishment of a White House Office for Children would focus on kids’ health and well-being, and provide the visibility, structure, coordination, and accountability necessary to successfully implement a National Plan for Children. Housed within the Executive Office of the President, the Office for Children could be created by Executive Order, and have five key responsibilities:
(1) The White House Office for Children would coordinate children’s policy across the Executive Branch and advise the President on issues related to children.
Historically, the President has not been briefed on policies through a child-focused lens and issues related to child well-being lack urgency. Our current discourse surrounding reopening schools and child care during the COVID-19 pandemic is an example of our failure to think about children early and often; the decision to reopen schools is complex and is being leveraged as a political tool without any clear guidance and without one clear national voice for children.
(2) The Office would recommend a national children’s plan—with measurable goals—and will publicly monitor and report progress on the strategy and goals.
Our kids need a comprehensive National Plan for Children—one that underscores our acknowledgement of the importance and value of our children and young people. The agenda could provide clear goals and policies for the things children need to thrive—including access to health care, high-quality childcare, equitable education, a juvenile justice system that treats children as children, and the reduction of child poverty.
(3) The Office would convene interagency committees that are focused on key issues (e.g., child poverty) and include representation from key agencies.
Within the plan, it is likely that issues related to kids will need support from multiple federal agencies and coordination between agencies is critical to ensuring kids remain centered in discussions. The White House Office for Children will establish a Children’s Council of Representatives from all agencies serving children, and provide input, monitor progress and most importantly, share accountability for the goals on the Children’s Plan.
In our reopening school example, imagine how different our current situation would be with a White House Office for Children driving collaboration between the Department of Education (counseling on kids’ educational needs), the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control (providing infectious disease guidance), and the Department of Agriculture (ensuring food security) and overseeing the critical decisions affecting our young people.
(4) The White House Office for Children would be responsible for reviewing the President’s Budget and other major initiatives to ensure their alignment with the National Plan for Children.
We often hear this saying: a budget is a moral document that shows our priorities. With advocacy and accountability, the programs and services targeting children can move from being an afterthought to a priority.
(5) Through the establishment of a Youth Advisory Council, the White House Office for Children would allow the Administration to hear directly from young people about the issues that impact them. Members of the Youth Advisory Council will also serve on the Children’s Council.
Many countries, including Scotland and England, have youth parliaments, whose elected members are elected and whose job is to elevate the youth voice in programs and policies that affect them. These youth parliaments have successfully enacted real change, including building mental health programs and lowering the voting age to 16.
We have seen the power of young people when they mobilize and speak out on issues, including climate change and gun reform, and most recently, in their fight for racial justice. We must provide meaningful opportunities for our youth to share their ideas and opinions, listen to what they are saying and sharing, and then take action.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of 2018, and for the first time ever, non-Hispanic white children make up less than half of children under the age of 15 years. There is a dire need to take action to address the racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes for children of color compared to white children. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored these gross inequities, which are extensive and widening; children’s health outcomes are not only dependent on access to healthcare but on healthy environments, economic stability, quality education, safe housing, and food security.
We cannot wait to address the way we are caring for our children. Kids must be centered in policy discussions with the actions of decision makers reflecting the potential impact of a decision on children and young people. A White House Office for Children may be the first of many steps in this direction and its efficacy can be measured by goals that decrease disparities and achieve equity in children’s health and well-being. As November draws closer, let’s recognize the urgency in needing to do better by our kids. Let’s vote for those who prioritize children and young people—and once elected, hold our elected officials accountable for putting kids first. A White House Office for Children would be a terrific place to start.