AGP Executive Report

Forced Adoption Apology (UK): UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a formal state apology for historic forced adoptions, calling it “a stain on our history” and saying the shame “is ours,” after an estimated 185,000 mothers and children were affected. Reproductive Health Funding (US): HHS notified Planned Parenthood affiliates and other groups that they’ll lose teen pregnancy prevention grants for using curricula deemed “sexually explicit” and age-inappropriate. School Religion Policy (US): Florida is reported to be considering mandatory Bible reading in public schools, following Texas’s move. Child Safety Online (Global): UNICEF says children are adopting AI tools more than three times faster than adults, warning that child-protection rules aren’t keeping up. Parenting & Food (Australia): A new guide, The Fussy Eater Reboot, reframes persistent picky eating as linked to sensory sensitivities and anxiety—not stubbornness. Foster Care Recruitment (US): Richland County launched a “This Seat is Waiting” campaign to recruit foster parents, using a simple empty-chair message to highlight kids’ instability. Family Planning Incentives (Vietnam): Vietnam extended maternity leave and added cash and screening support for second children after lifting its two-child limit.

Foster Care Support: Guam mayors are planning a foster parent recruitment and support push after shortages worsened, with officials citing rising foster child numbers but far fewer foster homes—“They just need love.” School Meals: Russell County schools will keep offering free breakfast and lunch for all students through 2026-27 via the federal Community Eligibility Provision, easing costs and stigma for families. Parenting & Health Benefits: Nebraska expanded WIC income eligibility, with a family of four now able to qualify up to $61,050 annually, and DHHS says more caregivers—including foster parents—can apply. Medicaid Work Requirements: Montana begins enforcing Medicaid expansion “community engagement” rules, requiring many adults to document approved activities to stay enrolled. Newborn Policy Abroad: Vietnam’s one-year-old push to encourage more births adds incentives like extra maternity leave for second children, plus prenatal and newborn support. Adoption/Child Welfare Advocacy: CASA of Southwest Missouri says a $200,000 veto will slow its rural foster care advocacy expansion, affecting court-appointed advocate capacity. Consumer Safety for Families: California’s July 1 laws roll out new rules on food allergens and standardized food date labeling, aiming to reduce confusion and protect kids.

Parental Leave Boost: France rolled out extra paid leave that mothers and fathers can share—adding one or two months on top of existing benefits for babies born from Jan. 1, 2026 (adoptive parents included). School Mental Health Funding: In rural California, a mental health program launched five years ago is still hard to implement—schools report long waits, slow reimbursements, and paperwork delays that stall care for kids. Parenting & Body Image: A new look at “body positivity” highlights a tough contradiction: what mothers model in private may shape daughters’ body views as much as what they preach at home. Foster Care Community Support: A church-led “Heart Gallery” event in Texas is spotlighting children waiting for adoption and pushing neighbors to offer real support to foster families. Kids’ Parties Cost Debate: A viral parenting thread asks whether it’s normal to charge guests for a child’s birthday entry fee—and what that means for gift-giving etiquette. Early ADHD Clues: Research links genetic markers to toddler activity levels, offering a possible early window into ADHD-related traits. Noncustodial Fathers Help: A free two-day men’s conference in Wisconsin targets non-custodial dads with skills, mentorship, and support to stay engaged.

Child Online Safety Law (Philippines): A new “Children’s Social Media Safety Act” would fine platforms up to P50 million for weak child-safety rules like age checks and parental controls, and could restrict access after repeated serious violations. Online Speech Crackdown (South Korea): Korea’s revised “fake news” law sets a tougher standard for high-reach creators and platforms, with punitive damages for unlawful content. Supreme Court & Family Life (US): The Court upheld birthright citizenship, blocking Trump’s executive order, while also upholding state bans on transgender girls and women in school sports—decisions that will shape school-age families’ rights and daily realities. Reproductive Health Access (US): Planned Parenthood is cutting jobs and closing its Iowa City clinic, moving in-person care to Des Moines while virtual care continues. Child Welfare (US): Ohio authorities rescued 16 children from a Vinton County home and arrested four adults on felony child endangerment charges. Tech + School Safety: The FCC is weighing whether to end the E-rate broadband support program, as education leaders warn it could worsen the digital divide. Parenting & Wellbeing: Research and commentary continue to challenge assumptions about parenthood and happiness, and to push safer, more mindful approaches to kids’ digital lives.

Child Safety Law (Philippines): The House filed the Children’s Social Media Safety Act (HB 9965), proposing up to P50M fines for platforms that don’t meet child online safety rules like age checks, parental controls, and harmful-content safeguards—plus possible temporary access limits or shutdowns after repeated serious violations. Digital Oversight (U.S./Global): Senate President Pro Tempore Tito Sotto also pushed a resolution to investigate how social media may be tied to minors’ violence and cyber offenses, echoing calls for stricter limits seen in other countries. Child Abuse Support (UAE): A new “Safe Expression Box” project uses age-appropriate tools (including anatomical dolls and emotion cards) to help child abuse victims communicate what happened more comfortably during investigations. Parenting at Home (U.S.): An AP report highlights practical ways families teach kids money skills—like budgeting games and supervised debit tools—so children build healthier relationships with spending and saving. Family & Media Ethics (Oman): Oman’s journalists’ group launched a Child Media Code of Ethics to guide safer, rights-respecting coverage of children. Heat & Kids (Europe): Record-breaking heat is stressing schools, transport, and health systems, raising urgent concerns for child safety in extreme temperatures. Pride & Culture: A roundup spotlights brands making more specific, community-rooted Pride campaigns in 2026.

Online Safety & Parenting: The Philippines’ House Speaker and Majority Leader filed a Children’s Social Media Safety Act to curb risks like cyberbullying, harmful content, exploitation, addiction, anxiety, and sleep disruption. Privacy for Families: A Harvard Law School expert warns parents to think twice before posting kids online, calling out “sharenting” harms like identity theft and future loss of control over their own story. Foster Care Oversight: Kansas lawmakers plan a closed meeting to review foster care cases, sparking transparency concerns about what’s being discussed and whether child-identifying details are involved. Foster-to-Adopt Hope: A North Dakota baby left at a hospital under a safe haven law has found a forever home after complex medical needs; in Georgia, three sisters removed after a toddler’s death were adopted and are now thriving. Parenting Support & Culture: A kaupapa Māori programme is training workers to support whānau using tūpuna parenting traditions. Heat & Care Access: A Peoria nonprofit opened a 24/7 cooling center welcoming families, including children, with water, showers, and free clothes. Child Welfare Legal Fight: The U.S. Supreme Court will review parents’ challenge to a Washington law limiting when youth shelters can notify parents about gender transition services. Adoption & Voice: A youth leader steps down after years focused on helping young people find their voice and engage directly with decision-makers.

Online Safety Push: Philippines House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos filed the Children’s Social Media Safety Act (HB 9965), aiming for a first national framework to protect kids from cyberbullying, harmful content, exploitation, addiction, anxiety, and sleep disruption. Food Insecurity Pressure: Kansas Reflector reports families are turning to food pantries as grocery prices rise and SNAP access shrinks, with one Missouri pantry swapping staples for cheaper options and seeing demand spike. Childcare Workforce Fix: A childcare program in New York City is going employee-owned via an ESOP, pitching ownership as a way to retain early educators in a sector known for low pay and high turnover. Parenting Through Summer: Experts are urging families to avoid “homework” and instead use short, playful daily learning to prevent summer learning loss without killing playtime. Family-Friendly July Plans: Multiple U.S. communities are rolling out Fourth of July events built for kids—parades, fireworks, and hands-on science and play. Adoption & Foster Care Spotlight: Coverage highlights ongoing foster care shortages and child protection efforts, including community support events and calls for stronger systems.

Child Welfare Crisis: Guam’s foster care shortage is worsening as removals rise and a long-running meth crisis strains families, leaving children waiting for placements and more relying on shelters. Online Safety & Parenting: Australia is doubling the maximum penalty for breaches of its under-16 social media ban to A$99m and expanding the regulator’s power to demand proof of enforcement—after officials said too many kids are still on platforms. Foster Care Support: A push for more foster homes is echoed elsewhere, including calls for better court navigation support for foster youth and CASA-style volunteer advocacy. Family Health & Community: Qatar’s Al Mashaf Health Center marked World Blood Donor Day with kid-friendly education booths on blood donation and high blood pressure prevention. Parenting in the Real World: A Michigan case has parents charged with murder and torture after their 7-year-old died amid severe obesity, spotlighting neglect and medical access failures. Adoption & Belonging: Stories of pets and families finding “forever” matches—like bonded cat pairs and adoption-ready dogs—keep the focus on safe, stable homes.

Social Media Rules for Kids: Australia is doubling the maximum penalty for tech firms that flout its under-16 social media ban, raising fines to A$99m, and giving the eSafety Commissioner more power to demand proof of compliance. Parenting Support & Safety: Alaska’s resource-parent orientation sessions (free, online/phone) are opening doors for foster, kinship, and adoption caregivers. Foster Care & Adoption Community: A local “Wild West” 5K is partnering with Main Street Family Services to boost mental health support for families. Co-Parenting Reality Check: A parenting advice column tackles “putting her first” in custody logistics—reminding parents that kids’ needs don’t mean excluding the other parent from decisions. Screen Time at School: Iowa City schools are revisiting device limits for K-5 after surveys flagged distraction and too much screen time. Child Safety After Tragedy: In Zimbabwe, a family petition is pushing for a national child safeguarding and school safety framework after a student drowning. Parenthood in the Spotlight: LPGA mom Dewi Weber shares how expecting a baby is reshaping her mindset on Tour.

Child Safety & Welfare: Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says an anonymous hoax led police to interview his 4-year-old twins and separate him from them for 24 hours; Michigan State Police and Child Protective Services later said the report was false and likely politically motivated. Public Health & Parenting: A Supreme Court decision allowing deportation of Haitians with Temporary Protected Status is raising alarms that immigrant healthcare workers could lose jobs, threatening care for families who rely on nursing homes and home health aides. Tech & Kids Online: Australia is tightening its under-16 social media ban with higher penalties and stronger powers for the eSafety regulator after findings that children still access prohibited apps. Local Family Life: Snohomish County leaders are pushing for solutions to child care shortages, citing high infant costs and staffing gaps that ripple into kindergarten readiness. Community & Learning: Brainerd Memorial Library’s volunteer-run model keeps books and kids’ programs going, even when doors can’t always be open. Parenting in the Spotlight: Haverford Township parents protested a school board’s plan to buy AI tutoring and teacher-assist tools, fearing it will replace learning and make it easier for students to avoid work.

Sports & Parenting Rights: ICC chair Jay Shah says no international player should have to choose between motherhood and representing their country, but the pledge raises a tough question: what happens when individual boards quietly drop pregnant or returning mothers. Child Safety & Accountability: Pete Buttigieg says a false anonymous CPS report led to police showing up and him being separated from his 4-year-old twins for a night; authorities later said the claim was false, highlighting how “swatting” can harm families. Local Family Support: A new family hub in West Drayton (UK) is opening with early-years services, parenting programs, specialist clinics, and youth support—aimed at making it easier for parents to get help in one place. School Safety Policy: New laws effective July 1, 2026 require Minnesota schools to adopt anonymous threat reporting systems, pushing faster reporting and response for dangerous activity. Foster Care to Nursing: A foster-care survivor in Texas earned a nursing assistant certification and is now aiming to become a pediatric nurse—turning lived experience into support for kids and families. Religion in Public Schools: Texas approved a plan requiring students to read Bible passages and stories, adding fuel to the ongoing church-state debate. Reproductive Health Funding: A federal health agency canceled most teen pregnancy prevention grants, affecting grantees across multiple states, including Michigan.

Child Welfare Reform: Michigan has fully rolled out the Children’s Services Administration (CSA) teaming model statewide, shifting from one caseworker to coordinated teams to keep kids safe and strengthen families. Courtroom Parenting: A Singapore judge rejected a plan to place a nine-month-old in foster care, ordering the baby returned to his mother with supervision instead. School Safety & Youth Justice: In Tacloban, two minor suspects in a fatal school shooting are housed separately at a DSWD rehabilitation facility and receive standard rehabilitation, not special treatment. Early Literacy Watch: Utah’s K-3 reading push hasn’t produced sustained gains, according to a new state audit, even as the state raises targets under a new law. Fatherhood & Emotional Health: A therapist highlights how fathers may struggle more than mothers to acknowledge regret and repair parenting patterns. Parenting Support Services: Berkley therapist Amanda Polk launched Nova Therapy to help families through infertility, pregnancy, and postpartum challenges. Summer Parenting Practicalities: Experts share tips on reducing heat risks for kids during hot weather. Family Life Culture: A new children’s book celebrates the bond between fathers and their kids, positioning everyday protection and support as the heart of fatherhood.

School Safety & Juvenile Justice: In Tacloban, the Philippines is debating whether to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12 after a deadly school shooting by 14- and 15-year-old suspects. The Juvenile Justice Welfare Council says harsher laws won’t stop youth violence and urges focus on bullying, family environment, and online content. Parenting Support: The Department of Social Welfare and Development says it will expand parenting effectiveness sessions as a preventive response. School Security Standards: In Cebu, a new Safe Schools Program orders standardized campus security, controlled access, visitor rules, and regular emergency drills. Digital Parenting Tools: Japan’s Babylingual app uses AI to interpret baby cries and suggest likely needs, aiming to reduce parental anxiety. Foster Care & Adoption: Arkansas’ The CALL broke ground on a new facility to recruit, train, and support foster and adoptive families. Public Health at School Routes: Multnomah County, Oregon approved an ordinance limiting mobile syringe distribution within 1,000 feet of K-12 schools. Early Learning Approach: A Montessori podcast episode argues early learning sticks best when it builds curiosity and independence, not memorized content.

School safety & youth accountability: In the Philippines, officials are pushing back on calls to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility after the Tacloban school shooting, arguing harsher laws won’t stop youth violence and that families, bullying, community factors, and online normalization of violence need more focus. Parenting support after violence: The DSWD says it will intensify parenting effectiveness sessions as a preventive response to the Tacloban attack. School security upgrades: Mandaue City is tightening campus safety with more police visibility and coordinated local response plans after the same shooting. Online pressure & parenting: A new Similac campaign, “Love Without Measure,” targets social media “perfect parent” pressure by encouraging real parenting stories. Family travel costs: Ryanair has changed its policy so parents traveling with young children can sit together without paying the earlier “mandatory family seat” fee, after a CMA investigation. Foster care support: Ireland launches “My Fostering Journey” to center the voices of children who foster and help foster families with trauma, culture, and cyber safety. Tech & kids: Research on Australia’s under-16 social media ban finds teen use didn’t drop as hoped, raising questions as the UK considers similar rules.

LGBTQIA+ Parenting & Community: Seattle’s Dykes on Bikes leader Wen Cruz talks about building leadership and raising her 14-year-old trans daughter amid today’s political pressure. Public Health & Kids: Bangladesh signals stronger tobacco control by raising tobacco prices to protect children and future generations. School Safety & Online Harm: In the Philippines, a school shooting is reigniting calls to restrict social media and scrutinize violent online games, while experts stress family, mental health, and weapons access matter too. Adoption & Foster Care: Dorset reports adoption wait times are improving but says the biggest drag is fewer suitable adopting families; in Wisconsin, foster care leaders say central Wisconsin needs more foster parents. Family Rights & Courts: Pennsylvania House advances bills to protect parental rights, including for incarcerated parents, and to allow reinstatement petitions. Care for New Parents: Alabama opens a Safe Haven Baby Box in Helena, letting mothers anonymously surrender babies for up to 45 days. School Policy & Religion: Houston parents push back as HISD considers adopting the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, criticized as too Bible-focused. Foster Care Logistics: West Virginia updates foster care support with an electronic card so caregivers can buy essentials locally. Parenting in Real Life: A new UAMS doula toolkit is piloted to help integrate doulas into hospitals and improve maternal and infant outcomes.

School Safety & Bullying: Philippines actress Yasmien Kurdi urged tougher action after a Tacloban school shooting killed three students, citing how bullying and “toxic parenting” can fuel harm when adults don’t intervene. Maternal Support Funding: South Africa’s child-welfare coalition is pushing for a Maternal Support Grant to help pregnant people in poverty before a baby is born, ahead of budget planning. Violence Behind Closed Doors: A Canadian shelter says intimate partner violence is “hidden” but widespread, with demand up 185% and hundreds turned away due to space limits. Legal Wins for Families: The Philippines Supreme Court blocked GSIS from enforcing a survivorship-benefit rule that cut secondary beneficiaries’ access. Parenting Support Programs: Family Centre in the Bahamas welcomed a government push for parenting-skills training and workshops through its Mirrors Programme. Reproductive Rights After Roe: Four years on, leaders say the Dobbs fallout is reshaping business, philanthropy, and advocacy—especially around access to reproductive care. Surrogacy Scrutiny: A study reports Central Asian women are being recruited into Georgia’s surrogacy market via social media, raising concerns about opaque, risky processes. Parenting in the Spotlight: The Bahamas Crisis Centre will mark Global Day of Parents by tackling family violence and the role of supportive parenting. Child Welfare & Courts: Ongoing cases and investigations highlight how system failures can still end in preventable tragedy.