New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network

History and Principles
 

The New Hampshire Child Advocacy Network (NH CAN) is a network of partner organizations working to improve the health and wellbeing of New Hampshire's children by driving governmental policy, changing budget priorities, and inspiring community action.

NH CAN was founded by the Children's Alliance of New Hampshire in 1999 as a response to concerns from policymakers who felt the lack of a unified voice hampered legislation for children and families. The Children's Alliance continues to staff NH CAN and fund its endeavors through grants, donors, and the annual membership dues.

Since its inception, NH CAN has grown from 50 partners and advisors to nearly 100. Each year, NH CAN develops a collective set of Priorities for New Hampshire's Children in four areas: child safety and protection, economic security, education, and health. This is a child-centered plan for action for the legislature, state leaders, state agencies, social service providers, schools, communities and families. NH CAN partners work year-round to achieve the goals set in the annual Priorities for New Hampshire's Children.

NH CAN offers support to the network and to the leaders of the Priorities through regular online updates, an online Legislative Action Center, professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and technical advice and assistance.

We urge our partners to identify themselves as members of NH CAN, and to refer to us other organizations who might benefit from our partnership. NH CAN's strength is in the expertise and commitment of its member organizations, as well as in the breadth of our collective experience. The more visible and effective our network becomes, the more valuable our work on behalf of New Hampshire's children and families.

Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments about NH CAN, or suggestions for how we could continue to improve our efforts. You may reach Public Policy Consultant, Bill Przylucki at BPrzylucki@ChildrenNH.org or President Ellen Fineberg at EFineberg@childrennh.org, or at 225-2264

NH CAN Core Principles

 • Every child in New Hampshire should have a meaningful opportunity to develop to his or her full potential.

 • Parents, families, communities, all levels of government, and the business sector have a shared
   obligation to assure this meaningful opportunity for all children.

 • Supporting children means supporting families.

 • Prevention is the most effective intervention.

 • Any and all interventions must respect diverse racial, cultural, and economic differences.