children

In an annual report on child wellbeing by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Wyoming is twelfth in the country, up from 23rd last year.

Several Intermountain West states rank near the top of an annual report on child wellbeing due to a lower cost of living and more investment in education.

There’s been an especially steep drop in fertility rates in western states, including Wyoming, which has also seen a big jump in the cost of housing.

The high cost of living and other economic conditions could be to blame.

The well-being of Wyoming’s kids and families is moving in the right direction, according to the most recent data book, Kids Count. But stakeholders are worried about how future cuts may hinder this growth.

And with tariffs on imports, they could see it go up even more.

It’s a sign of the great need daycares have for support.

Wyoming could be next to require adult sites verify age.

The Commission on Native Children presented its report to a U.S. Senate committee. It highlighted the struggles that Native children face and also recommended ways to help fund critical resources, such as Tribal juvenile justice programs, job training and after-school programs, and early childhood learning.

ICWA was passed in 1978. It keeps tribes of Indigenous children in the know of family court proceedings to maintain families and communities. Before ICWA, a high percentage of Indigenous children were being removed from their tribal affiliations and placed in families outside their culture.