Proposition 10 – The Children and Families Act of 1998

Children who are healthy in mind, body and spirit grow up confident in their ability to live a fulfilling, productive life.  Healthy children have sufficient nutrition, health care, nurturing and guidance, and mental stimulation, and they live in families and communities that value them.

The importance of preparing children to succeed in school is critical.  Skills that allow one to problem solve and think creatively are developed in early childhood education settings and nurtured through community and parental reinforcement.

Successful and strong families are those that are able to provide for the physical, mental and emotional development of their children. Young children are entirely dependent upon caregivers for survival, and nurturing parents and caregivers provide the foundation for a child’s ability to create successful relationships, solve problems and carry out responsibilities.

Many parents and caregivers with young children have difficulty in accessing existing forms of assistance, much less being able to learn about and utilize new services that are introduced. Services must be made available in a culturally competent manner, embracing the differences in cultures and languages within the county. The system of children and family services should also recognize the challenges faced by families whose children have disabilities or other special needs, and work to make services more accessible to these families.