children

St. Louis is losing population, driven largely by a lack of investment and housing opportunities for families with children. SLU professor Ness Sándoval says the city should follow the lead of Detroit.

At Dozer, kids put down the screens to play in the sand. A Children’s Mercy pediatrician says it is one way to restore family connection amid "technoference."

The Springs Aquatic Center isn’t just a public pool. Kansas City families say it’s where their kids can cool off, take a dive or even slide down — and more importantly, be adventurous.

Congregate care facilities house foster children in settings ranging from drop-in day programs to inpatient mental health care. Advocates say these buildings need more oversight to curb suspected abuse of children.

The Mid America Regional Council has a new agreement with Guadalupe Centers to operate a Head Start program near Swope Park. The council also approved an amendment for Kansas City Public Schools to take on more kids in the Columbus Park area.

The annual child wellness report Kids Count found child poverty has improved in Kansas and Missouri compared to the years before the pandemic. But federal budget cuts could threaten access to food and health assistance for families in need.

Despite no legislative action on boosting Missouri Children's Division starting salaries, Gov. Mike Kehoe says Department of Social Services leaders could soon take action themselves.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas City closed operations at a Head Start center near Swope Park today, after closing three others earlier this month. Officials say staffing levels were insufficient to serve the 289 children enrolled in the program.

A child welfare bill that passed through both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly this week will raise the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18. House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Platte County, says this will prevent young women from being victimized.

Current law allows 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental permission if the other party is under 21. Proposals to ban child marriage have failed to pass the Missouri legislature for years; now it just needs the governor's signature to become law.

Hailey was 15 when she learned she was pregnant. After being told abortion wasn’t an option, she became determined to be a mom in the hopes of keeping her daughter from repeating the traumatic childhood in the foster care system that she experienced.

Black people are reported missing in higher numbers than white people relative to their population, according to recent data. Some families believe the newly reinstated Missing Persons Unit of the Kansas City Police Department isn’t doing enough to address that. Plus: How the University of Missouri is handling reports of immigration enforcement authorities picking up college students.