Expanding Outside School Time Services for Delaware Children in High-Poverty Schools.  Action for Delaware’s Children has successfully supported the funding recommendations of the Redding Consortium, in particular its recommendations to establish quality programs in high poverty schools to expand the school day and the school year to provide additional help to students who need it.  (https://townsquaredelaware.com/redding-consortium-focuses-proposed-funding-on-early-childhood-services/)

 

Reducing Lead Poisoning Among Delaware Children.  Action for Delaware’s Children has worked with other advocacy groups to draft and obtain passage of landmark legislation to reduce lead poisoning among children by reducing their exposure to exposed lead-based paint.   First, Action for Delaware’s Children helped draft and pass legislation that improved the state’s response when a child was diagnosed with elevated blood lead levels, and created more oversight of the state agency responsible for lead paint.   (https://delawarelive.com/state-looks-to-rectify-effects-of-lead-paint/)  Then Action for Delaware’s Children worked with legislators in 2024 and 2025 to draft and pass forward-looking legislation that will, over time, require all landlords to inspect their properties to determine if exposed lead paint exists, and if so, remove it.  (https://www.wmdt.com/2025/02/child-advocates-in-delaware-demanding-funding-for-lead-paint-removal/)  

 

Expanding Mentoring Opportunities for Delawareans in Delaware Public Schools.  Action for Delaware’s Children worked with legislators to make it easier for Delawareans to volunteer to mentor students in Delaware public schools, including eliminating the background check fee for potential mentors and expanding the number of places that Delawareans could go to in order to receive their background checks.  (https://news.delaware.gov/2024/10/29/governor-carney-launches-statewide-student-mentoring-program/)

 

Improving Outcomes for Delaware Juveniles Being Released from Juvenile Detention Facilities.  Action for Delaware’s Children worked to set up the state’s first dedicated fund to provide post-release services for teenagers released from Delaware juvenile detention facilities, which was used to provide vocational training and therapy to those teenagers.  (https://www.wboc.com/news/regional/delaware/carney-signs-criminal-justice-reform-bills-into-law/article_3ae006a2-24db-50f9-b2bc-0d3aef6fb5f4.html)  More recently, Action for Delaware’s Children worked with legislators to create a task force that has created a set of actionable recommendations for getting students back into educational settings when they are released from juvenile detention facilities.  (https://legis.delaware.gov/TaskForceDetail?taskForceId=480)

 

Improving the Availability of High-Quality Early Education Services for Delaware Children.  Action for Delaware’s Children successfully worked to support the Redding Consortium’s recommendations to improve the availability and quality of early childhood education services offered to children living in poverty.  (https://townsquaredelaware.com/redding-consortium-focuses-proposed-funding-on-early-childhood-services/)