Children at Risk - History

History

CHILDREN AT RISK began in the fall of 1989 when a group of child advocates met to discuss the lack of documentation on the status of children and the absence of strong public policy support for Houston’s children. For over twenty years, CHILDREN AT RISK has been speaking out and driving change on behalf of our city’s most defenseless youth, led by its original mission ’’To serve as the voice for children.’’ Using the tools of advocacy, CHILDREN AT RISK works on a broad range of children’s issues, including child welfare, education, child trafficking, juvenile justice, mental and physical health, and parenting. Their efforts are focused where they are needed most: where a significant number of children are affected, and where they can enhance, but not duplicate, the work of others.

Over its history, CHILDREN AT RISK has evolved from an organization researching the multitude of obstacles our children face, to one that also drives macro-level change to better the future of our state through community education, collaborative action, evidence-based public policy, and advocating for our youth at the local and state level. Through its Public Policy & Law Center—established in 2006 as the only center of its kind in Texas—CHILDREN AT RISK uses policy and legal expertise as a powerful tool to drive change and create a better future for our children. In recent years, CHILDREN AT RISK has grown exponentially in its capacity to speak out and drive change for Texas’ children and has become the premier resource on children’s issues among major media outlets, public officials, and the non-profit sector. In addition, the organization has significantly strengthened its voice in the community through a weekly radio show, regular appearances on television and radio broadcasts, and partnerships with newspapers.