If you plan to attend Children's Day as a group, we suggest that you recruit 3 or more co-workers, friends, family members, or a small group of youth. Be sure to register your group as soon as registration becomes available, and remind everyone to bring their picture ID for Capitol security. Feel free to bring your children. If the number of people you are bringing changes from the time you register, please update your online registration.  If you need overnight accommodations, visit http://www.visitfrankfort.com

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BEFORE attending we suggest the following:

 

• Attend the Step Up for Kids Regional Conference. Advocates, policymakers, community leaders, and others who care about children will gather for the Step Up for Kids Regional Conferences to discuss the issues currently facing Kentucky’s kids and families, to learn about the solutions presented in the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children Agenda, and find out how to raise their voices at Children's Advocacy Day in order to make positive changes. Register to attend a regional conference here.

 

• Make group or individual appointments with your senator and representative. It is very important to do this as early as possible! Legislators generally enjoy meeting with their constituents. Prepare a brief description about the issue you are concerned with, including your contact information to leave with your legislator. You can make appointments with 2 or 3 people together. To find out who your legislators are, their contact information, or more information about legislation, please visit www.lrc.ky.gov.  

• Begin building a relationship with your legislators now. Invite them to your organization to see what children’s services are available in their community or meet them for coffee to discuss children’s issues. Starting that process is more difficult once the session starts as they have hundreds of issues to think about and hundreds of people to meet.

• Encourage your legislator to attend the Children’s Advocacy Day morning rally in the Capitol Rotunda. If your legislator is interested in attending, please let Whitney Neal know and she can assist you in getting all the information you need.

• Contact the media in your community about the event and send them a link to the press release.  Contact Patricia Tennen and we can help you in getting it to your local newsletter or paper.

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DURING the event plan for the following:

• Start at the Capitol Rotunda for the rally. From there you (with guidance from event day planners) you can attend committee meeting(s), attend meetings with your legislators, eat lunch in the cafeteria, or find a place to each your sack lunch, and watch the House or Senate while in session.

• Don't hesitate to ask for help. There will be many people spread across both the Capitol and the Annex to give everyone support, encouragement, and directions. All participants will be wearing "Children's Advocacy Day" name-tags. Also, help and information will be available from 10:30am - 2:00pm in Room 113 of the Capitol Annex.

• If the meeting with your legislator gets cancelled:  This is normal. February is a very busy time at the Capitol. Be proactive and leave Step Up for Kids Notes and any materials on your issue with your legislators. You can also leave Step Up for Kids Notes for the Governor, other committee chairs, or leadership.

• Make sure you sign-in at the registration table in the morning. Registration will be on the 2nd floor Mezzanine in the Capitol Rotunda.

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AFTER the event, group leaders should do the following:

• Send a thank you card to your legislators to thank them for meeting with you. If your legislator had a bigger role in Children’s Day at the Capitol, be sure to thank them for helping us pull off this special event.

• Track your legislators’ votes on children’s bills by using a bill tracker like those offered on the Kentucky Youth Advocates website. You can also see how your legislator voted by using the Legislative Research Commission’s website at www.lrc.ky.gov.