2007 Accomplishments

• More than 300 community leaders, child-serving professionals and child advocates convened around current issues affecting children at the 2007 St. Louis Metropolitan Children’s Summit. The daylong conference focused on finding solutions to the crisis facing public education in the city of St. Louis. It also included an update of the St. Louis Metropolitan Children’s Agenda.

• The 2007 Children of Metropolitan St. Louis report was introduced, providing the latest, most comprehensive data on key indicators of child well-being in the St. Louis region. This is the eighth edition of the report. VCR also worked to develop the online Children’s Information Clearinghouse that will provide greatly expanded data and best practices on children’s issues.

• VCR facilitated activities and steering committees for St. Louis Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Success promoting expanded child-care services and reduction in lead poisoning. Worked with statewide groups on implementation of the Missouri Early Childhood Systems Plan in the St. Louis region. An October seminar on Pre-K programs was attended by nearly 100 community leaders and stakeholders.

• The St. Louis Family & Community Partnership, a coalition of 60 agencies dedicated to child abuse prevention and foster-parent support, expanded its work. Child Abuse Prevention Month campaign included kickoff event attended by 100 community leaders, plus local events at 20 sites and distribution of 50,000 promotional items. Assisted five child-care centers in implementing programs to prevent abuse and neglect by families, and trained 40 school personnel in ways to monitor and intervene with children showing potential for abuse.

• VCR conducted community forums on St. Louis public education attracting over 800 participants, and facilitated positive dialogue among stakeholders and a commitment to form a public education coalition.

• On the issue of school dropouts, VCR partnered with the Mayor’s Office on a School Dropout Summit, and chaired two workgroups of Mayor’s Commission on Disconnected Youth.

• Staff support, technical assistance and office space provided to the Teen Pregnancy Partnership.