While the bailout package is capturing headlines, child advocates across the country are quietly cheering some recent successes in Congress—including significant reform to the child welfare system—while raising concerns about a setback that may leave many homeless children without services they need.

In September, Congress passed legislation to reform the child welfare system—the Fostering Connections to Success and Improving Adoptions Act of 2008—which for the first time makes federal payments available to grandparents and other relatives who assume guardianship of children. It also extends foster care supports to cover young people up to age 21 who don't have permanent families, to prevent them from "aging out" of eligibility abruptly at 18.

The Child Welfare League of America was among several national child advocacy organizations to praise the bill, calling it the "most significant reform of child welfare in more than a decade."

Congress also renewed the Healthy Start program, which provides grants to communities to improve prenatal and early infant care.

At press time, both bills awaited President Bush's signature to become law.

Congress also renewed the Higher Education Act—after five years of debate and delays—with increases in federal student aid for low-income and minority students, veterans, and students with disabilities. The 21st Century GI Bill, enacted as part of the funding bill for the Iraq war, also contained some increases in college funds for veterans.

The housing legislation enacted in July to help curb foreclosures included a $30 million boost in funding for the federal program that guarantees educational supports to homeless children and youth—but did not take steps to fix an inconsistency in the federal definition of homelessness.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness strictly as people who are living on the streets or staying in shelters, while the Education Department includes in its definition students doubled up in motels, staying with relatives or friends, or in immediate danger of losing their housing.

Children and families in the latter category, estimated at about 1 million people, are ineligible for emergency shelter and other public housing supports under the HUD definition.

"Unfortunately, the housing bill specifically chose not to provide additional help to homeless children with housing assistance funding. The legislation contained an extension of a definition of homelessness that remains detrimental to children and families," said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus, a bipartisan advocacy group.

First Focus estimates that some 2 million children will be directly impacted by the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008 and 2009.

Those opposed to expanding the definition of homelessness note that federal funds are not enough to meet the current need, and worry that increasing the range of eligibility would result in the most vulnerable people being left behind.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, an advocacy organization, has raised concerns that a broader definition would "likely reduce resources for people who are currently homeless, particularly children, youth, and adults who live in emergency shelters, on the streets, or in other places not meant for human habitation."

Representative Barney Frank told the New York Times that the failure to extend the definition was a matter of funding. "When there's not enough money to cover 'all of the above,' you have to do priorities. The question is, which category of people are you going to leave unhelped?"

"I think this issue continues to underscore just how much farther we need to come as a community to get policymakers...to truly make children a priority in policymaking," said Bruce Lesley of First Focus.

Several national organizations, including the America's Promise Alliance, the Every Child Matters Education Fund, and the National Collaboration for Youth, have joined campaigns to focus attention on children and youth this election season.

A new "Children's Budget Act" is also making its way through both houses of Congress. If passed, it would require the president to calculate and publish the amount of spending in the annual federal budget proposal that goes to children and youth—a task that is complicated by the number and range of funding streams that impact programs for children.

An April First Focus analysis finds that only one penny of every new, non-defense dollar spent by the federal government has gone to children and children's programs, and spending on children has dropped by 10 percent, over the past five years.

Reprinted by permission of OneWorld US. OneWorld.net [1] is an online hub for people who care about the world beyond their own borders.