02 Staff Report - Bill of Rights for Children and Youth in Santa Clara CountyCOUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: JANUARY 19, 2010
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE ATTACHED BILL OF
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY RIGHTS
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Mayor to sign the attached Bill of Rights for Children and Youth in Sa
County.
nta Clara
BACKGROUND:
The Mayor received a request from Kids in Common asking the Town of Los Gatos
community groups and municipalities to endorse the Bill of Rights for Children and y uth other
the State of California and County of Santa Clara have endorsed this Bill of Ri ts. Both
h
Common is a comprehensive child advocacy organization focused on children'sssue >an in
policies throughout Santa Clara County. sand
Kids in Common has established the Santa Clara County Children's Agenda Vision
oversee and advocate for the endorsement and adoption of this Bill of Rights throughout
to
county. The Santa Clara County Children's Agenda Vision Council's mission is to champion
systems change, effective investment and policies, and strategic a ghout the
outcomes for children, � partnerships, which improve
identified thirteen outcomes of child well-being being that ies in Santa lrov deara unt .
identifieds irimprovement. The elof Ri is fo y of f cusland m Agenda has
p areas of focus and measureable
which provides a framework to formulate decisions, sions, n and Youth is a public agreement
support and impact children and youth. develop policies, and make investments that
MEETING DATE: 02/01/10
ITEM NO: ez
PREPARED BY: Regina Fall
Community es Director
N:'CSDITCRPTS'2010 TCRPTS'\Children Bill of Rights.doc
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manag
Clerk Administrator Finance
+wn Attorney
ommunity Development
PAGE 2
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
(INSERT DATE)
DISCUSSION:
Endorsing this Bill of Rights for Children and Youth demonstrates the Town's support of the
community's children and youth. It affords the Town the opportunity to go on record and
endorse this formal agreement ensuring that the needs of children and youth shall be considered
when making decisions regarding policies, budgets and government practices. In addition, this
Bill of Rights for Children and Youth is complimentary to the Town's previously identified stake
in Project Cornerstone whose mission is to train and mobilize adults throughout Santa Clara
County to intentionally work to develop healthy, caring, and responsible children and youth.
CONCLUSION:
By signing the attached, the Town of Los Gatos endorses the Bill of Rights for Children and
Youth in our community, supports the efforts by the Santa Clara County Children's Agenda
Vision Council, and joins other municipalities and community organizations in supporting the
right for all children and youth to be safe, healthy, successful in learning and successful in life.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Endorsing this bill will not fiscally impact the Town.
Attachments:
1. Request Letter from Dana Bunnett, Executive Director of Kids in Common
2. Bill of Rights for Children and Youth Endorsement signature page
3. Supporting endorsement information from the Santa Clara County Children's Agenda
Distribution:
Dana Bunnett, Kids in Common
RF/mr
$4 KIDS
,11 in COMMON
1605 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
408-882-0900
www.kidsincornrnon.org
Alemb'r, Voices .fin. America 's ( lrilrlren
Every child safe, healthy, successful in teaming, and successful in life.
December 30, 2009
Mayor Mike Wasserman
Town of Los Gatos
110 East Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Dear Mr. Mike Wasserman,
RECEIVED
JAN 0 4 201Q
MAYOR & TOWN COU C L
I am writing to ask you to join Kids in Common and other community leaders to endorse the Bill of
Rights for Children and Youth at your next city council meeting. The Bill of Rights for Children and
Youth is a bold, public agreement which provides local leaders, officials, and funders with a
framework to formulate decisions, develop policies, and make investments that support children and
youth.
In taking this step to ensure that youth are entitled to certain fundamental rights, Santa Clara County
will be joining San Mateo County and the State of California who passed this Bill of Rights in 2009.
It is time to bring this same promise of support and protection to our children in Santa Clara County.
Locally, Franklin -McKinley School District has already made this promise to our children in their
adoption of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights will also go before the Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors on January 12th. Your city council can join these local leaders in ensuring that progress
will be made for our children with your endorsement of the Bill of Rights.
If possible, we ask that you put the Santa Clara County Bill of Rights for Children and Youth
on your January Board Meeting Agenda for endorsement. Kids in Common would be happy to
present at your meeting and we will work to identify members from your community to attend the
meeting in support of the Bill of Rights. To facilitate this process, we have enclosed an information
sheet about the Bill of Rights, the Bill of Rights Endorsement document, resolution language and a
"Frequently Asked Questions" document. We are hopeful you will be able to endorse the Bill of
Rights by our February 5th Children's Summit. Information enclosed.) Even if you are not able to
endorse the Bill of Rights by February 5th, we hope you will be able to include it on an agenda later
in the year.
Please contact me at 408-795-3772 or dbunnett(a,kidsincommon.org, if you have any questions and
to let me know the date that this will be on your agenda,
Thank you for supporting the children and youth in Santa Clara County.
In partnership,
Dana Bunnett
Executive Director
ATTACHMENT 1.
Bill of Rights for
Children & Youth
Santa Clara County
All children and youth have a right to be safe, healthy, successful in learning and successful in
life regardless of their language, culture, race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation,
religion or developmental abilities. Santa Clara County is enriched by the diversity of its
children and youth. In order to benefit from this diversity, we must ensure all children
and youth realize the same rights. Therefore we resolve to support Santa Clara County children
and youth so that:
♦ They have a healthy mind, body and spirit that enables them to
maximise their potential.
♦ They develop a healthy attachment to a parent, guardian, or
caregiver and an ongoing relationship with a caring and supportive
adult.
• Their essential needs are iiiet — nutritious food, shelter, clothing,
health care, and accessible transportation.
• They have a safe and healthy environment, including homes,
schools, neighborhoods and communities.
• They have access to a 21 st century education that promotes success
in life, in future careers and a love of life-long learning.
• They have training in life skills that will prepare them to live
independently, be self-sufficient and contribute to their community.
• They have employment opportunities with protections from unfair
labor practices.
♦ They have freedom from mistreatment, abuse and neglect.
♦ They have a voice in matters that affect them.
• They have a sense of hope for their future.
Signature Date
Name
Representing Self Organization
Organization Name
ATTACHMENT 2
CHILDREN'S AGENDA
Santa Clara County
Bill of Rights for
iiidrer� &YouTh
Thc Bill of Rights for Children and Youth is a bold, public agreement that all children and
youth are entitled to certain fundamental elem.ents.
Thc United Nations proclaimed an International Children's Bill of Rights in 1990, and the
State of California passed its own in 2009 modeled on the Bill of Rights for Children and
Youth of San Mateo County.
It is time for Santa Clara County to join in this public agreement. Specifically, all children
and youth have a right to:
A healthy mind, body and spirit that enables them to meiximi e
their, potential.
Develop a healthy attachment to a parent, guardian, or caregiver
and an ongoing relationship with a caring and supportive adult..
• Have their essential needs wet — nutritious food, shelter, clothing,
health care, and accessible transportation.
A safe and healthy environment, including hordes, schools,
neighborhoods and communities.
Access to a 2 f st century education that promotes success in life, in
fixture careers and a love of life-long learning.
Training in life skills that will prepare themd to live independently,,
be sel sx fficient and contribute to their community.
Employment opportunities with protections from unfair labor
practices.
Freedom from mistreatment, abuse and neglect.
A voice in matters that affect them.
A sense of hope for their fixture.
ATTACHMENT 3
CHILDREN'S AGENDA
Santa Clara County
SANTA CLARA COUNTY CHILOREN'S AGENDA ?; BILL OF RIGHTS :: 2009
WHY SHOULD WE ENDORSE?
Leaders and citizens of Santa Clara County who
believe children and youth have fundamental rights can
now go on record. A formal and written agreement
provides local leaders, officials and funders with
a framework to formulate decisions, develop policies,
and make investments that impact children and youth.
Unfortunately, thousands of children in Santa
Clara County are not realizing the promise of the
Bill of Rights for Children & Youth:
• Each year, nearly 3,000 students in grades 9 - 12
drop out of high school. 3000 students could fill 2
mid -size high schools.
• More than 1 in 4 children have significant
developmental needs in either self -regulation,
language development, or both when they enter
kindergarten.
• Only 8 % of our middle and high school students
have the developmental assets needed to thrive.
• Nearly 25,000 students who are eligible
for free or reduced cost lunches are not
receiving this support.
• Only 50% of our third grade students perform at
grade level on reading tests and only 24% of those
who are economically disadvantaged students
perform at this level.
Santa Clara County is enriched by the diversity of
its children and youth. In order to benefit from
this diversity, we must ensure all children and youth
realize the same rights, regardless of their culture, race,
gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, religion
or developmental abilities.
At all times, but especially during times of political
change and tinancial upheaval, a Bill of Rights helps
our community stay focused on children and youth
as a priority. Importantly, it keeps the spotlight on
all children, from all racial and cultural backgrounds,
income levels, family structures, and developmental
abili ties.
HOW WILL A BILL OF RIGHTS CHANGE ANYTHING?
As a public agreement, adoption of the Bill of
Rights for Children & Youth is a first step in
ensuring that leaders are keeping the needs of
children and youth in the forefront when decisions
are made regarding policies, budgets and government
practices.
The Santa Clara County Children's Agenda, developed
by hundreds of community partners under the
leadership of Kids in Common, provides the
community with an explicit set of goals and methods
for measuring the well-being of our children. The
Children's Agenda is a highly selective and thoroughly
researched set of 13 indicators of children's health
and well-being. The data from these 13 indicators
is collected and monitored over time to track progress
in assuring that children and youth are safe, healthy,
successful in school and successful in life.
By tracking the progress of the 13 indicators
of the Children's Agenda, we will be able to
track our progress towards fulfilling the Bill
of Rights for Children & Youth. Furthermore,
public agreement on the Bill of Rights for Children &
Youth and the Children's Agenda as a plan for action
to assure those rights is a rigorous and reliable way
to attract and maximize partnerships, resources and
policies that will lead to positive change on behalf of
children and youth.
A PATHWAY TO ACTION
The Santa Clara County Children's Agenda is the
pathway to action for fulfilling the Bill of Rights for
Children and Youth. The agenda states community
goals and thirteen data outcomes to track our progress
in achieving those goals:
• Access to Health Care
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Early Childhood Social and Emotional
Development
• School Readiness
• Third Grade Reading Proficiency
• Eighth Grade Math Proficiency
• Children in the Thriving Zone (Developmental
Assets)
• Children Fluent in 2 + Languages
• High School Graduation Rates
• Children Living in Safe and Stable Families
• Children Experiencing Hunger
• Juvenile Arrest Rates
• Children & Youth Reporting They Feel Valued by
the Community
1
CHILDREN'S AGENDA
Santa Clara County
SANTA CLARA COUNTY CHiLDRaN'S AGENDA // BILL OF RIGHTS !i 2009
Mission:
Santa Clara County Children's Agenda has identified
community goals for our children and thirteen data
outcomes to track our progress in achieving those
goals. The Children's Agenda provides a basis for
action, makes it easier to seek and allocate resources,
and allows our stakeholders to develop powerful
strategies for change. Itprovides a framework to build
meaningful and deep partnerships and provides'a
common language that helps us to align public and
private investments, coordinate and align resources,
assess and improve quality and increase reach and
impact across sectors.
Santa Clara County Children's Agenda
1605 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
T: 41)8.795.3771
F: 408.882.0909
www.kidsincommon.org
t
CHILDREN'S AGENDA
Santa Clara County
Bill of Rights for ikik-A,),1'
Children & Youth
Santa Clara County
All children and youth have a right to be safe, healthy, successful in learning and successful in
life regardless of their language, culture, race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation,
religion or developmental abilities. Santa Clara County is enriched by the diversity of its
children and youth. In order to benefit from this diversity, we must ensure all children
and youth realize the same rights. Therefore we resolve to support Santa Clara County children
and youth so that:
• They have a healthy mind, body and spirit that enables them to
maximize their potential.
• They develop a healthy attachment to a parent, guardian, or
caregiver and an ongoing relationship with a caring and supportive
adult.
• Their essential needs are met — nutritious food, shelter, clothing,
health care, and accessible transportation.
• They have a safe and healthy environment, including homes,
schools, neighborhoods and communities.
• They have access to a 21 st century education that promotes success
in life, in future careers and a love of life-long learning.
• They have training in life skills that will prepare them to live
independently, be self-sufficient and contribute to their community.
• They have employment opportunities with protections from unfair
labor practices.
• They have freedom from mistreatment, abuse and neglect.
• They have a voice in matters that affect them.
• They have a sense of hope for their future.
Signature /are/ , ath Date 3.%.9./..9.0•.
Name Diane McNutt
Representing Self Organization
Organization Name Town... of .. Los... Gatos.
CHILDREN'S AGENDA
Santa Clara County