Introduction: The Four R’s of the Governor’s Children's Cabinet

Since the beginning of the King Administration in 1995, the Children’s Cabinet has predicated its actions on the belief that children’s needs are best met within the context of relationships in their families and their communities.

Our vision flowing from this belief has resulted in steady progress toward achieving the “4 R’s” in Maine:

Respecting Children and Youth

Every child has the opportunity to be a child and the education, resources, and support to become a healthy and productive adult.

The Governor and his Children’s Cabinet are committed to respecting children and youth. A respected child becomes a respectful adult, a respected child has increased self-esteem, and a respected child respects other children. We also respect a child’s right to be a child because we want children to be playful and carefree, in order to explore their creative potential without fear of criticism or harm or abuse. Every child starts out as a helpless infant and we need to adore and care for each child - 100%- in order that he or she may grow up to be a healthy, happy, and productive adult. Respected children and youth need adults who simply rejoice in their being free and energetic selves as integral parts of our families and our communities.

A quick perusal of the issues listed in the section entitled “Respecting Children and Youth,” below, shows that this is not an academic “to-do” list; these issues are manifestations of our caring for children and represent our commitment to ensuring the birthright of every child.

We take our cue from the Governor, who, when asked by a young man at a public meeting why the Governor cared so much about whether the boy smoked or not, came down off the podium and put his arm around the boy and answered, “Why? Because I love you, that’s why”.

Revitalizing Families

Every family recognizes the responsibility and rewards of raising children and is provided the support necessary to fulfill their roles.

Maine was rated first in the nation as the best state in which to raise a child ^[1] by the Children’s Rights Council, a Washington, D.C.-based national advocacy group. We want to keep it that way ­ and make Maine an even better place to raise children by supporting families to support their kids.

Children learn and grow best within the context of their own families. Therefore, families must have the resources and support they need to provide children with security and a positive environment. The issues listed in the section of our report entitled “Revitalizing Families,” below, are intended to work toward the goal of ensuring this environment.

Rallying Communities

Raising children is a shared responsibility that includes a process of establishing and modeling clear standards of behavior.

Children need a good start in life, and communities can play an important role with families in providing that great start. Community groups like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, PTA groups, Communities for Children, Little League, as well as churches, sports, and civic organizations can all contribute to making the community a safe and healthy environment where children can grow. Communities can also involve their children in work or projects that benefit the community, and at the same time, demonstrate to children that they are valued by the community and have much to give to their communities.

Our work in this category is intended to help communities and families raise healthy and empowered children, who have a strong sense of civility and responsibility to the community of which they are a part.

Regenerating State Government

State agencies collaboratively support families and communities, keeping family and children at the heart of all decisions.

It is not enough to respect children in all of our efforts, or to revitalize families. Nor is it enough to rally our communities to revisit how they treat their families and children. We must also look to our government and regenerate it with the values and principles of the Children’s Cabinet. Our efforts to regenerate government to date on behalf of children and families are listed within this report.

We have dedicated Maine’s child-serving State departments to a common purpose ­ to keep children and families at the heart of all decisions and all actions. Maine’s government is organized to partner with communities and families to provide the best possible delivery of services. We have spent the first 7 years of this Administration, and will spend the final eighth year, fine-tuning our governmental processes so that we can work together for the true benefit of children and families. Our work is not only dedicated to addressing and solving current problems, but has also focused substantial resources on prevention and systems change. We work to make sure that we have done everything we can to move our system for caring for children toward the outcomes listed in the table below

1995 ­ Where We Started	2002 ­ Moving Towards …
Problems reach crisis stage before action is taken.	Prevention and early intervention solve emerging problems well before they reach the crisis stage.
Thousands of family problems receive minimal or no response either by the State or private system because of a lack of resources.	A child or family receives help the first time it is requested.
Community and State agencies act independently of each other.	Community and State agencies work collaboratively to find solutions for at-risk kids.
Schools have limited options to deal with the problems of children, culminating in policies of expulsion.	Schools and communities develop a capacity to deal with emerging problems within the school and community system.
Juvenile cases are handled with "retributive justice".	Juvenile cases are handled with "restorative justice".
Media highlights violence.	Media highlights well-being of children and families.
Voices of young people rarely heard in shaping youth policy.	Young people communicate their needs and desire in shaping policy

To accomplish our goals and systems change, the Children's Cabinet and its constituent Departments have developed an impressive array of initiatives for the benefit of children and their families by actively collaborating to create and promote coordinated policies and service delivery systems.

We are also keenly aware of continuing challenges, which will engage us through the balance of the King Administration, and which will certainly be of interest to any future administrations dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in Maine.

Given the events of September 11, 2001, we rededicate ourselves to the proposition of partnering with Maine’s children, families, and communities to make a world which is safe, healthy, and productive by respecting children and youth, revitalizing families, rallying communities, and regenerating government.

To this end, this document outlines accomplishments to which the King Administration may point with pride, and outlines a work plan for 2002 and the continuing challenges that will face the next administration.