42 U.S.C. § 12301 — Findings

This section is Congress's findings, not a rule with legal duties -- it's a statement of goals behind the programs that follow. Congress finds that: (1) children and youth are the country's most valuable resource; (2) their welfare, protection, healthy development, and role in society matter to the whole country; (3) they deserve love, respect, and guidance, plus good health, shelter, food, education, job opportunities, and preparation to take part in community life; (4) they have growing chances to take part in decisions that affect their own lives; (5) families are the main caregivers and source of social learning, and need support and strengthening; (6) when a family can't meet a child's or youth's basic needs, society is responsible for helping that family; and (7) the federal government, each state, and each state's local governments share joint responsibility for helping children and youth get, as much as practically possible, equal access to: (A) the best possible physical and mental health; (B) safe, adequate shelter; (C) a high level of educational opportunity; (D) effective training, apprenticeships, community service opportunities, and productive employment, plus a say in decisions affecting their lives; (E) a wide range of civic, cultural, and recreational activities that treat young Americans as valuable and build their self-esteem and stake in their communities; and (F) efficient, coordinated, available community services that involve young people's families.