Sean Faircloth - Children's Advocacy

Children's Advocacy

Faircloth led the creation of Maine's Healthy Start child abuse prevention initiative, and sponsored the first law making possession of child pornography a crime in Maine.

“For his legislative accomplishments in the prevention of child sex abuse, and the healthy start child abuse prevention initiative, and for spearheading the deadbeat dad child support law,” Faircloth was named Legislator of the Year by the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers in 1995, and by the Maine Psychological Association. The deadbeat dad law was incorporated into a proposal by the Clinton administration. Laura Fortman, then Maine Women's Lobby Executive Director, said of this law, “Sean took the lead in proposing his revised amendment to members of the Appropriations Committee, in disagreement with some members of his own party on the Judiciary Committee, demonstrating tenacity and leadership. This legislation provided essential economic support for low-income women and children.” Maine's Chapter of the National Organization for Women said, “In his first term Sean Faircloth had a major impact on national public policy.”

Faircloth received the Outstanding Advocacy Award from the Maine Association of Community Service Providers (MACSP) in 2003, in part because Faircloth twice successfully opposed cuts to children’s mental health programs. MACSP President Jan Fraser said to Faircloth, “If there was ever the case that one person can make a huge difference, you are living proof.” Faircloth sponsored An Act To Enhance Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children, which increased pay and the number of teachers for these children, as well as paid for new equipment for education for the blind.

In 2003 Faircloth initiated a first-in-the-nation policy improving school nutrition standards 24/7 in Maine K-12 schools, preventing sale of soda from school vending machines, and leading to removing “super-sizing” from schools. For his work on child obesity policy, Faircloth was invited to speak at conferences at Harvard Medical School, Yale University, and the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Kelly Brownell, listed in Time Magazine's 100 most influential people said, “The legislative actions Rep. Faircloth has proposed are among the most innovative in the country. I fully expect legislators to follow Sean Faircloth’s lead.” Because of these successes, Faircloth was named Legislator of the Year by the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003.

In 2004 Faircloth was appointed House Chair of a Sex Crime Commission to Improve Sex Offender Accountability, successfully enhancing penalties on fixated pedophiles while advocating moderation of sex crime registries.

In 2007 Faircloth was appointed House Chair of the Commission to Establish a Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine’s Young Children, which created a prioritized plan regarding children’s policy, and resulted in creation of the Maine Children’s Growth Council. This Council, later designated Maine's Early Childhood Advisory Council, makes children’s issues a top priority in law, emphasizing economic return on investment in early childhood.