Especially now, government officials, whether cities, counties, or states, are in a position to make policy decisions that benefit their youngest residents. Thanks to federal COVID-19 response legislation, hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocated to local governments over the past three years, providing an unprecedented opportunity for local officials to make decisions that benefit children. Many government leaders have invested significantly in their youngest constituents. Now they have the chance and the tools to build on that progress.
Child & youth impact assessments (CYIAs)—much like environmental and fiscal impact assessments—offer a fresh strategy to help decision-makers and elected officials focus on kids. Government officials can use impact assessments to understand how proposed policies impact the children and youth they represent. Impact assessments are especially useful in analyzing proposals that policymakers may not think affect youth but, in fact, impact their lives every day, like those related to transportation, housing, and parks. And they can help decision-makers identify any disproportionate effects of proposals on young people of color and other marginalized groups of kids.
While impact assessments are widely used by government leaders in other countries, in the U.S., they have primarily been adopted by community-based organizations. But, as Santa Clara County, California, demonstrates, government officials are best suited to both initiate and benefit from their use as they decide on new policies. Government officials can start by piloting the use of CYIAs and/or adopt an ordinance to authorize the use of them. An ordinance will help ensure that young people’s interests continue to be front and center, despite shifting priorities associated with new elections and government staffing changes.
And be sure to engage youth in developing child & youth impact assessments, given that the policies being considered directly affect them. For example, CYIAs offer youth councils and other youth-engagement efforts a meaningful role in decision-making. This fact sheet provides tips to successfully involve youth in CYIAs.
For more information on how elected and other government officials can initiate and benefit from child & youth impact assessments, see:
Government-Led Impact Assessments: CYIA resources for government leaders
Child & Youth Impact Assessments: Helping Elected Officials Improve the Lives of Children & Youth: fact sheet
Template ordinance to authorize use of child & youth impact assessments
For assistance in implementing impact assessments in your community, contact info@kidsimpact.org.
Especially now, government officials, whether cities, counties, or states, are in a position to make policy decisions that benefit their youngest residents. Thanks to federal COVID-19 response legislation, hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocated to local governments over the past three years, providing an unprecedented opportunity for local officials to make decisions that benefit children. Many government leaders have invested significantly in their youngest constituents. Now they have the chance and the tools to build on that progress.
Child & youth impact assessments (CYIAs)—much like environmental and fiscal impact assessments—offer a fresh strategy to help decision-makers and elected officials focus on kids. Government officials can use impact assessments to understand how proposed policies impact the children and youth they represent. Impact assessments are especially useful in analyzing proposals that policymakers may not think affect youth but, in fact, impact their lives every day, like those related to transportation, housing, and parks. And they can help decision-makers identify any disproportionate effects of proposals on young people of color and other marginalized groups of kids.
While impact assessments are widely used by government leaders in other countries, in the U.S., they have primarily been adopted by community-based organizations. But, as Santa Clara County, California, demonstrates, government officials are best suited to both initiate and benefit from their use as they decide on new policies. Government officials can start by piloting the use of CYIAs and/or adopt an ordinance to authorize the use of them. An ordinance will help ensure that young people’s interests continue to be front and center, despite shifting priorities associated with new elections and government staffing changes.
And be sure to engage youth in developing child & youth impact assessments, given that the policies being considered directly affect them. For example, CYIAs offer youth councils and other youth-engagement efforts a meaningful role in decision-making. This fact sheet provides tips to successfully involve youth in CYIAs.
For more information on how elected and other government officials can initiate and benefit from child & youth impact assessments, see:
Government-Led Impact Assessments: CYIA resources for government leaders
Child & Youth Impact Assessments: Helping Elected Officials Improve the Lives of Children & Youth: fact sheet
Template ordinance to authorize use of child & youth impact assessments
For assistance in implementing impact assessments in your community, contact info@kidsimpact.org.
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