Spotlight: Child Well-Being in Georgia Focus of New Symposium Series
The first in a series of symposiums focusing on child policy in Georgia was held on Thursday, April 21 at the Seney-Stovall Chapel on the grounds of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. “Improving Child Well-Being” brought together university faculty, students, and staff as well as practitioners and policymakers from throughout the state.
The symposium was sponsored jointly by the Georgia Child Policy Partnership, a new effort of the Child and Family Policy Initiative at the University of Georgia, and the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University. The UGA initiative partners currently include the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the School of Social Work, and the College of Education.
Featured speakers were Richard Rothstein, research associate at the Economic Policy Institute and visiting professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Tafia Butler, policy director for Georgia’s Family Connection Partnership. Rothstein is recognized nationally for his research on how income, health, safety, social class, and other gaps affect student achievement. Butler offered her perspectives on supporting Georgia children and supporting public policy.
The Child Policy Symposium Series is intended to provide a link between child policy research currently under way and best practices in child well-being, emphasizes Karen Baynes, associate director of the Vinson Institute. “By highlighting child policy research and practice from several dimensions we hope to provide community and state leaders with the information they need to make more informed decisions regarding child well-being and at the same time stimulate future research and program development in areas that are identified,” she explains. A national assessment ranks Georgia 40th in the nation in child health and well-being, Baynes adds.
 Speaker Richard Rothstein shares his perspectives on the current myths and realities about the role that a child's socioeconomic background plays in his or her ability to achieve in school and encourages symposium attendees to be advocates for partnerships like Georgia 's Family Connection Partnership. |
 Taifa Butler provides a review of how Georgia families measure up statistically and how efforts like Family Connection and Georgia KIDS COUNT work to strengthen investment in Georgia 's children through collaboratives and by monitoring public policy initiatives as they relate to families. |
