Using Your Voice for South Carolina‘s Children

USING YOUR VOICE FOR SOUTH

CAROLINA‘S CHILDREN

Sue Williams, Chief Executive Officer

Megan Branham, Policy and GovernmentLiaison

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

September 11, 2013

Advocacy, Policy, and Program Development

Monitoring, Surveillance,

and Evaluation

Fund Direct Service

Provision

Convene public and private

partnerships

Training and Professional Development

Mission:To strengthen and support public and

private prevention

efforts that keep South Carolina's children safe.  

What We Do

Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina

Community Based Child Abuse Prevention

MIECHV

Safe Kids of South Carolina

Evidence-based Parenting Programs

Strengthening Families Program

Training and Professional Development

Policy and Advocacy

Mission:To strengthen and support public and

private prevention

efforts that keep South Carolina's children safe.  

How We Do

Strengthening Families: The Protective Factors

Framework to preventing child abuse and neglect:

Parental resilience: managing stress, problem solving

Social connections: friends & family that support Knowledge of parenting and child development:

nurturing, positive interactions, safety Concrete support in times of need: basic needs Social-emotional competence of children: positive perception and responses to child

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

PROTECTIVE FACTORS SHAPE OUR WORK

There are 1 million children under 18 in South Carolina

Children don’t vote

SC’s child-wellbeing ranks 45th in the nation

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

WHY CHILDREN NEED OUR VOICE

Annie E. Casey Foundation supported since 1989 to measure overall child-well being

New format: 4 domains, 16 indicators

Domains of Economic Well-Being, Education, Health and Family & Community

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

DATA: KIDS COUNT

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

KIDS COUNT U.S. & S.C.

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

KIDS COUNT U.S. & S.C.

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

KIDS COUNT U.S. & S.C.

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

KIDS COUNT U.S. & S.C.

ADVOCACY: BEING A VOICE FOR CHILDREN

13

Number of SC Senators?

Number of SC Representatives?

How long is the annual legislative session?

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

SC LEGISLATURE AND SESSION

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

PATH OF A BILL

Bill introduced and read to

full body

Sent to committee

Sent to full body

Voted on by full body

Passes and moves to other full

body

Same process

Voted on by full body

Passes and

moves to Governor

Governor signs into

a bill

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Vote!Are you registered to vote? Is your staff?Do you give staff time off / encourage them to vote?

Know and understand the issues, use KIDS COUNT. Share the issues with friends and family.

Find and tell your storyData is good but a personal story is better, more powerful

GETTING INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY: THE BASICS

Case building: know your audience:Start with “I’m a constituent and I live….”How are they connected to your mission? Do they have kids, grandkids? Have their sponsored/co-sponsored legislation you support? “As a dad of two girls, I know you are concerned about their safety.” Or “thank you for co-sponsoring H/S _____ to keep kids safe.”

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

EFFECTIVE MESSAGING

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Creativity: facts and a storyZackery Lystedt“Concussions are the 6th leading cause of injury to kids under 18”

Delivery: your voice, not cannedCongressman Gowdy: “It doesn’t matter if you’re always right but it always matters that you are authentic.”

“I want to keep kids in South Carolina safe and I can’t do it without you. Can I count on you to help me by voting ‘yes’ for H/S_____?”

EFFECTIVE MESSAGING

Most Effective TacticsPersonal visits

Meet during and outside of session Meet in home districtStaff members are great contacts!

Personal phone calls or letters E-mails are less effective Social media (Twitter and Facebook)

Concentrate on YOUR legislatorsAttend and speak at subcommittee hearings

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

ADVOCACY TACTICS

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Get to know your elected offi cials. Including local (city and county council), state (state legislature), and national (Congress). How do they vote on issues relating to children?

Are you a member of a professional or community organization? Connect with their advocacy efforts. Sign up for Children's Trust Policy Post e-newsletter and join our Advocacy Network!

GETTING INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY: THE BASICS

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

SCCHILDREN.ORG/ADVOCACY_AND_MEDIA

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

LEGISLATIVE TRACKING

Children’s Trust of South Carolina scchildren.org

Our agenda focuses on legislation primarily in education, health and safety that aff ect child well-being.

We group legislation in to four buckets: lead, endorse, monitor, and oppose.

We add and remove legislation throughout the session In 2014, we are focusing on the following legislation:

Child passenger safety Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle safety Distracted driving (texting) Expanding list of mandated reporters for child abuse Enhancing background checks for childcare workers

OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

ADVOCACY EFFORTS AT THEIR BEST!

Student Athlete Concussion Law Signing August 15, 2013

Sue WilliamsChief Executive Offi cer

Children’s Trust of South Carolina 803-744-4023

[email protected] scchildren.org

Megan Branham, LMSWPolicy and Government Liaison

Children’s Trust of South Carolina 803-744-4047

[email protected] scchildren.org

Children’s Trust of South Carolina

scchildren.org

QUESTIONS & CONTACT