In 2002, the Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles (CLCLA) was doing “a good job working with one child at a time,” recalls Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, “but we kept banging our heads on the wall with the same concerns. We needed to make the system work better.”

CLCLA began using media outreach to bring attention to issues and developing relationships with policymakers, says Krinsky. They successfully lobbied in Sacramento for new laws, including one that lets foster youth stay at the same school even if they change foster families. CLCLA also convened education summits with county departments and schools—which now make it a priority to enroll foster youth in their educational programs. CLCLA also campaigned for the Board of Supervisors to create a council to develop a plan to help foster youth do better in school.

“Children are not a powerful constituency,” says Krinsky. “Advocacy should be a core responsibility for those involved with vulnerable members of our community. The more groups (who advocate), the easier it becomes to make our voices heard.”

“It’s our responsibility to reflect back (to policymakers) what we hear from families,” agrees Patty Siegel, executive director of the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network.

Child care providers create change

Crystal Stairs, an L.A. child care resource and referral agency, recently organized child care providers to push for changes to new laws restricting family child care in the city of Hawthorne (see Grassroots Snapshot: Family child care providers change laws in Hawthorne)—the laws would have limited families’ access to child care.

After a lawyer with Public Counsel alerted her to the issue, Sydney Kamlager-Santner, manager of public affairs at Crystal Stairs, contacted local providers and asked them to testify at city meetings. After providers testified and Public Counsel filed a lawsuit, several laws were changed. “(It) was empowering for providers (to) learn what role you can play when you’re vocal,” she says.

Last year, Crystal Stairs held a federal and state budget workshop for 200 child care providers—and asked them to write their legislators. They also integrate advocacy into parenting classes.

Tips for getting active

Advocates offer advice for getting involved:

Don’t think advocacy is “too hard:” “Advocacy is far easier than some expect,” says Krinsky. “The resources (it takes) are well worth the investment of time and energy.”

“We all work over 40 hours a week,” agrees Judith Baker, director of the Family Resource Center for the South of Market Area Child Care, “so (advocating) seems daunting. But achieve something though collective action that you couldn’t individually, and it all seems worthwhile.”

“Just do something,” adds Paul Miller, executive director of Kidango. “It’s the cumulative effect of advocacy that creates change.”

Educate yourself: Ask yourself “what are barriers to services? what policies affect them?” advises Siegel. Child care centers can “collect information (on) requests being made by families. What do they say their needs are? Use that information to tell a story that policymakers and the press can understand.”

Start small: “Pick something significant, but doable,” says Krinsky. Miller says even talking with friends and family is important. “Twenty years ago people believed government didn’t have a role educating preschool children. Now polls show 60% of people support universal preschool,” he says.

Reach out: “A collection of voices is more powerful,” says Krinsky. CLCLA partners with California Youth Connection because “having voices of youth is critical to convince legislators.” Baker says SOMA Child Care works closely with a “collaborative of residents and community organizations.” Together they worked with a San Francisco supervisor to get local developers to promise more low-income housing.

Involve those most affected: “Parents and providers hold the best chance of getting your message across,” says Kamlager-Santner. When Governor Davis cut child care funds for families transitioning off welfare, Siegel recalls how Parent Voices (an active parent-led organization) organized parents to testify on short notice. “So many parents testified that the proposal was defeated,” she says.

Provide agency support: Baker says she covers other staff members’ teaching responsibilities so they can attending training and advocacy opportunities.

Advocacy rules for nonprofits

Some people think nonprofits aren’t allowed to advocate for change. But advocates say this isn’t true, as long as nonprofits follow the Internal Revenue Service rules for lobbying:

Vague rules for 501(c)3s: The IRS limits advocacy by nonprofits but doesn’t spell out the guidelines. It says nonprofits should have “no substantial part of the activities” go toward “propaganda” or influencing legislation—but doesn’t define these. If a nonprofit is audited, the IRS decides if it is complying on a case-by-case basis.

Becoming a 501(h): Advocates say nonprofits should add 501(h) to their nonprofit status (by filing form 5768) because there are clear lobbying rules for 501(h) nonprofits.

For 501(h) nonprofits, lobbying is defined as:

• Direct lobbying: efforts to influence specific legislation by expressing a point of view to policymakers—and influencing public opinion on ballot initiatives
• Grassroots lobbying: efforts to influence public opinion about specific legislation by expressing a point of view and asking people to act on it
• Lobbying does not include: nonpartisan research or discussions of social issues.

501(h) nonprofits can lobby as long as they don’t spend too much on it. For example, a 501(h) nonprofit with a budget of up to $500,000 cannot spend more than 20% of it on lobbying—and no more than one-quarter of that 20% on grassroots lobbying.

Sources: Rules of the Road by Betsy Buchalter Adler; Alliance for Justice

Research says:

Some people are skeptical about advocacy by service providers—believing providers only push for more money and power. While it is true that people who work with children and families are generally underpaid, a 2004 study of California child advocates found that money isn’t what gets them active:

• Concern for children motivates service providers who become advocates
• Service providers who are concerned about children are more likely to endorse letters, contact policymakers, and go to rallies.

For more information, contact Kevin Hickey, kevinphickey@yahoo.com

Resources

• Alliance for Justice, www.allianceforjustice.org
• California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, 415-882-0234
• Children’s Advocates Roundtable, 916-444-3875
• Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles, 323-980-1700
• Crystal Stairs, 323-299-8998

Extra resources from the Children’s Advocate bulletin (updated 3-06)

• 2005 Congressional Scorecard, from the Children's Defense Fund Action Council, scores members of congress based on how they voted on key issues affecting children and families. California's congressional delegration scored an average of 59%. Online at
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/

• Better Baby Care Strategies Series, from Zero to Three, offers information and resources to help advocates develop and promote an infant and toddler policy agenda. Topics include child care, foster care, mental health, school readiness, and advocacy tips. Online at http://www.zerotothree.org/

• Making Public Programs Work for Communities of Color, from Families USA, discusses racial and ethnic health disparities. Includes case studies of state and local advocacy efforts, as well as advocacy tips. Online at http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/
  tools-for-advocates/kits/minority- health-tool-kit.html

• Translating School Readiness, from Voices for America's Children, discusses research on early childhood development and offers tips for talking about school readiness. Online at http://www.voicesforamericaschildren.org/Template.cfm
  ?Section =Store&CONTENTID=6318&TEMPLATE=/
  ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

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