Initiatives

Initiatives

Initiatives

The Children’s Cabinet 
The Children’s Cabinet seeks to support vulnerable children and families by driving coordination and efficiency, mobilizing resources and facilitating a holistic approach to serving children by aligning agency policies that affect children’s health, safety, and well-being.    

  • Homeless Children and Families - This workstream’s signature program is Every Child and Family is Known, a pilot program we have established in the Bronx. The program aims to improve the well-being of NYC Public School students and their families living in DHS shelters by establishing 1:1 mentor relationship with Caring Adults and fostering inter-agency collaborations with various city agencies for support and benefits access.  
  • Runaway and Homeless Youth - This workstream seeks to uplift programming and policies for youth 16-24 within the DYCD Runaway and Homeless Youth system with wrap-around supports to stabilize and guide them into permanent housing and stability.     
  • Fathers - This workstream will identify ways we can better support Fathers of vulnerable children by improving coordination between agencies, as well as expanding programs that positively benefit fathers.   

Homeless Children and Families
Every Child and Family is Known: Ensure the wellbeing of every NYC Public school students in shelter by nurturing 1:1 relationships with Caring Adults and fostering inter-agency collaborations with DHS for support and benefits access.  

Housing insecurity is a major risk factor impacting success in school; children in shelters are twice as likely to experience chronic absenteeism and over three times more likely to drop out of high school.  The Mayor’s Office NYC Children’s Cabinet convened, among others, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Department of Social Services (DSS) to build a program that puts children and their families at the center. This groundbreaking collaboration, called Every Child and Family is Known (ECFIK), connects enrolled children and their families living in DHS shelters as part of an integrated and comprehensive support system that enables their well-being and educational success, nurtured and guided by one-on-one relationships with a Caring Adult in their school that checks in on them daily and with their family weekly.   

The first year of our pilot in the Bronx was a success and helped us better support DHS students in NYCPS. Families felt more connected and supported by their school community and the school's overall awareness and empathy towards families in DHS shelters increased. Caring Adults have successfully linked students and families to a range of services that are already improving their stability, such as food pantries, housing opportunities, and academic interventions. 

Runaway and Homeless Youth RHY
The Children’s Cabinet uplifts programming and policies for youth 16-24 within the RHY system with wrap-around supports to stabilize and guide them into permanent housing and stability.  

The Children’s Cabinet has implemented a series of monthly interagency calls to elevate and support cross-agency coordination and collaboration around Runaway and Homeless Youth. These calls have improved coordination, communication, and collaboration on policies between city agencies and housing programs available. 

For more information on RHY and resources available visit here.

Fatherhood
Supporting fathers is a crucial investment in the well-being and future of our children.  
Research shows that children without active fathers face higher risks of poverty, dropping out of school, behavioral challenges, and involvement in the criminal justice system. In contrast, engaged fathers contribute to greater stability, improved cognitive and emotional development, higher academic achievement, and reduced negative outcomes for children. 

Engaged fathers also benefit mothers by sharing parenting responsibilities, reducing stress, and enhancing the family’s economic stability. By equipping fathers with resources to play active roles in their children’s lives, we foster healthier families and stronger communities. 

The Children’s Cabinet regularly convenes agencies to encourage cross-agency collaboration, break-down silos, and improve programs citywide to make them more father-friendly.  For more information on DYCD’s Father initiative and resources for fathers visit here.

For more information on DYCD’s Father initiative and resources for fathers visit here.