October 2002

Through a coalition unusual for its ubiquity on the campaign trail and unity among advocacy groups, Philadelphia Safe and Sound and its partners are working to ensure that Pennsylvania state government makes children a policy priority.

Focus Five for Kids: Pennsylvania's Campaign for Children and Families was founded by Philadelphia Safe and Sound, Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. Organizations and individuals from across the state have joined the non-partisan campaign, which seeks firm commitments to a comprehensive children's agenda from the leading gubernatorial candidates. The effort is already showing signs of success in the public commitments of the candidates.

Focus Five concentrates on five key issues that, implemented together, ensure that children grow up healthy, safe, well-educated and prepared for tomorrow's workplace.

1. Grow up healthy
2. Enter school ready to learn
3. Get a high-quality education
4. Have safe places to go and things to do after school
5. Live in stable and supportive families

"Focus Five recognizes the interdependence of all five issues, and the reality that none can be solved unless all are addressed," says Naomi Post, Urban Health Initiative Fellow and former Safe and Sound president who led the organizational effort. "One of the most satisfying aspects of Focus Five is that it is such a united and focused effort. When we thought about how to make children a pivotal issue in the upcoming election, we knew that, as separate agencies, our individual messages would be lost in the noise and din of a political campaign. Our organizations may have different goals, but we have found common ground with these issues that, when addressed, will have the most positive, longest-lasting impact on the kids of Pennsylvania."

States have had varying degrees of success in passing legislation and budgets supportive of children, says Bob Nelkin, director of policy initiatives at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development. "The critical difference in those states that have supportive policies is strong leadership from the governor," he says. "That's why Focus Five is so important.

"Efforts to get kids' issues on candidates' policy agendas in the past have relied, with limited success, on typical strategies such as questionnaires, forums and white papers," says Nelkin. "We're doing some of those things as well, but we're also using paid and earned media, polling, taking candidates on tours of successful programs, and other strategies not typical of youth advocacy campaigns. Basically, we're trying to get candidates to think about children at every turn. We're creating a presence, a buzz, an expectation among the electorate that these issues must be addressed, and committed to, by the candidates."

For example, college football fans inching along the traffic-snarled roads on the way to the Nebraska-Penn State game were exposed to billboards that highlighted the Focus Five policy areas. Both candidates were at the game to press the flesh, and the Focus Five campaign made sure they were greeted by scores of volunteers sporting buttons with the Focus Five slogan, "Hey, what about the kids?" (Click here to visit the Focus Five website.)

Focus Five has been running since April 2002, during both the primary and general election campaigns. Evidence of the campaigns impact can be seen in the public statements of the candidates. Some examples:

* Republican Mike Fisher says, "As governor, my administration will make the largest investment in early childhood education in Pennsylvania history." As governor, Fisher would push for critical additional investments in school readiness programs, including Head Start, early learning centers and community-based partnerships. (Click here to visit Fisher's website.)

* Democrat Ed Rendell would institute all-day kindergarten in all public schools and dramatically increase state aid to education, and he supports smaller class sizes. He has promised more money for family support centers, which provide services ranging from drip-in day care to drug treatment to help struggling parents. (Click here to visit Rendell's website.)

"Focus Five has really brought advocacy groups statewide together," says Nelkin. "I believe that, for years to come, we will have more unity, strength and influence."

For more information about Philadelphia Safe and Sound on this website, click here. For more information on this website about campaigns and communication, click here. Click the appropriate link for the websites of the Focus Five founding partners: Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth; University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development; Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.