White House Office on Children and Youth

Nemours Children’s Health System, Mental Health America , First Focus on Children , The Education Redesign Lab at Harvard University ,  Forum for Youth Investment  and Children's Funding Project  have called upon the incoming Biden-Harris Administration to establish a White House Office on Children and Youth and a federal Children’s Cabinet. Children are the future of our nation. Our economic and civic strength and prosperity rely on today’s investment in children and youth. At this critical inflection point for our nation’s future, we need to re-imagine our systems for optimal health, well-being and development for all children and youth.

Over the past few months, 400 organizations and leaders have signed on to a letter in support of a National Strategy for Children and Youth and a Children’s Budget, which would be coordinated by this new White House Office. To add your support and sign the letter, please use our White House Office on Children and Youth Sign-On Form  

Sign-On Letter

See the organizations and leaders that support cohesive, national leadership for children and youth.
Learn More (PDF) »

Press Release

Read the joint announcement from the organizing partners supporting national leadership for children and youth. Learn More  

Executive Summary

Read a summary of the proposals to elevate an agenda for children and youth. Learn More (PDF) »

Rationale

See why a coordinated, national strategy and budget for children and youth, spearheaded by a new White House Office and Children’s Cabinet, is needed. Learn More (PDF) »

Charter

See how a White House Office on Children and Youth and federal Children’s Cabinet could be structured and what their core roles and functions would be. Learn More (PDF) »

News and Views

Creating an Agenda for Children's Resiliency and Health
By Kara Odom Walker, Josh Rising and Daniella Gratale | April 21, 2021

Building Systems of Integrated Student Support: A Policy Brief for Federal Leaders | The Center for Optimized Student Support
By Boston College | February 2021

Dear President Biden: We Need a White House Office on Children and Youth  
By Dr. Larry Moss and Bruce Lesley | Morning Consult | January 25, 2021

Advice from two experts on how Biden and Harris can tackle America’s child-care crisis
By Valerie Strauss | The Washington Post | January 24, 2021

An Issue That Can Unite the Country: Kids  
By Bruce Lesley | Inside Sources | January 19, 2021

What America’s kids need now: Biden should marshal the nation to address the dire condition of U.S. children
By Norm Ornstein and James Harvey | New York Daily News | Decemebr 26, 2020

Open letter to the incoming Biden administration on Next Generation Community Schools
By Rebecca Wintrop | The Brookings Institution | December 18, 2020

The lack of a national policy agenda for children during Covid-19 — and beyond — causes grave harm  
By Stephen Patrick | STAT | August 31, 2020