Santa Cruz County Families & Children Articles

States across the United States are banning the practice of billing kids for the cost of their foster care. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar effort in California, citing costs to the state.

More workers are filing claims with the state alleging employers are retaliating against them for engaging in legally protected activities, such as seeking overtime pay or reporting wage theft or discrimination.

Under a system that has long prioritized local control for school districts. state officials now are fighting some recent board decisions regarding LGBTQ students.

Renter protections and eviction bans put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic have expired. By keeping them in place, California could slow the spread of homelessness. But that's not happening.

California grants school boards much local control, but recent events have pushed the state to take steps to stop local school board meetings from turning into potentially dangerous culture war battlegrounds.

Community Bridges seeks to dispel myths surrounding food assistance in Santa Cruz County

Barbie is the most famous California-born toy. But there are other iconic playthings that were created or brought to market here.

Here's how the iconic Barbie doll and its manufacturer, toy giant Mattel, built an industry in Southern California that pours billions into the state’s economy.

On Wednesday, the United Way of Santa Cruz County said it had teamed up with the County Office of Education for a school supply collection drive. The campaign, called “Stuff the Bus,” seeks to provide less fortunate children with the …

Capitola latest city in Santa Cruz County with plans to make its park universally accessible, accommodating children of all abilities

You have to be 18 to get divorced in California, but there’s no minimum age to get married. Child marriage survivors protested at the state Capitol, but the Legislature likely won’t act until next year.

More than $4.4 million has been contributed this year by members of Elks Lodges throughout California and Hawaii to be used in treating children with disabilities. Warren Anderson, Exalted Ruler of Watsonville Lodge No. 1300 of the Benevolent and Protective …

State lawmakers want to loosen CalWORKs job requirements so people keep cash benefits. Congress’ debt limit deal could curb that.

As part of National Library Week, California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom visited the Felton Branch Library to promote local libraries and read a book at a special outdoor story time.

As pandemic rules expire, safety-net gaps widen.

Officials aim to provide mental health services ‘hub’ in every high school in the county

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—A Pacific Collegiate School student and her friends are fighting for changes in the law after their friend and her brother were violently removed from their grandmother’s Santa Cruz home in October and taken to an undisclosed site …

WATSONVILLE—The United States Department of Agriculture is asking for community input as it updates its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program for the first time since 2014. The changes include offering more nutritious food geared to meet a larger variety …

A boy whose death spurred a series of changes in Scotts Valley—with educators placing a renewed focus on combating bullying—was honored Feb. 3 in a lunchtime ceremony at Scotts Valley High School. Mateo Deihl, a freshman who died by suicide …

An update on the $100 million allotted to California schools to provide healthier meals