The Honorable Barbara A. Favola, Senate of Virginia
It is my pleasure as Chair of the General Assembly’s Commission on Youth to welcome you to our website. The Commission on Youth is tasked with providing a forum for review and study of youth policies and services. Whether you are a member or staff of the General Assembly, a government official, service provider, educator, parent or caregiver, or interested member of the public, you will find this website a wonderful resource on the Commission’s work on a host of issues, from child welfare to juvenile justice, or from mental health to education.

Children matter to policymakers in Virginia. Almost 2 million young people age 0-18 live in our state. This number represents almost 25% of our state’s population. Correspondingly, a significant percentage of our state budget goes directly to services for these youth and their families. Given the size of this population and the breadth of special needs associated with young people and their families, Virginia is fortunate to have the Commission on Youth to provide guidance and leadership on youth policy issues. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with our work and to let us know whenever we can be of assistance to your child, family or community.

The Virginia Commission on Youth is accepting public comment on the 2026 Draft Recommendations for:

• Review of Funding and Support for Virginia's Children's Advocacy Centers
• Study on the Powers and Duties of the Children’s Ombudsman as Related to Justice-Involved Youth

Public comment must be received by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Public comments received by the deadline will be provided to the Commission for consideration at the October 22nd, Commission meeting at 1:30 p.m. at Senate Room A in the General Assembly Building. In person public comment will be received at this meeting as well.  

• Submit comments by email to aatkinson@vcoy.virginia.gov.
• To make sure we receive your comments, add “VCOY Public Comment” to your email subject line.

2026 Commission Meetings - View Meeting handouts or visit the Meetings link.

The Virginia Commission on Youth will be holding meetings at the following dates and times:

• May 20, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.; Location: Senate Committee Room A, General Assembly Building – Full Commission on Youth Meeting
• August 18, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.; Location: Conference Room 1, Patrick Henry Building – Advisory Group:
  Study on the Powers and Duties of the Office of the Children's Ombudsman as related to Juveniles Committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice
• August 18, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.; Location: East Reading Room, Patrick Henry Building – Advisory Group: Review of Funding and Support for Virginia’s Children's Advocacy Centers
• September 22, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.; Location: Senate Committee Room A, General Assembly Building – Full Commission on Youth Meeting
• October 20, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.; Location: Senate Committee Room A, General Assembly Building – Full Commission on Youth Meeting

• 10/22/2025 Commission adopts study to improve Va.’s special education compliance system 
• 07/09/2025Report outlines challenges of Va.’s special education compliance system, recommends improvements
• 02/26/2025 Virginia’s Custody Crisis: What are we seeing here? Asking the experts.  
• 02/25/2025Virginia’s Custody Crisis: Why are parents giving up their kids and solutions to help families
• 02/21/2025Virginia’s Custody Crisis: A WSLS 10 special on parents giving up their kids  
• 11/25/2024 Out-of-school time program pitches importance to Virginia legislative committee 
• 11/19/2024More parents are giving up their kids in this part of Virginia 
• 06/26/2024 Parents express frustrations, say Virginia special education system is 'profoundly flawed'  
• 11/21/2023 State Commission on Youth recommends training academy for social service workers
• 11/20/2023 Virginia officials aim to reduce reliance on foster care
• 11/07/2023 State Commission on Youth considering recommending changes to foster care system
• 03/17/2023 Alumni Changemaker: Amy Atkinson serves the commonwealth's youth and families
• 09/07/2022 Commission on Youth members, Delegate Brewer, Tata, and Durant with Transition to Adulthood Advisory Group members Kathy and Hannah Roberts
• 07/26/2022 State panel takes closer look at juvenile detention centers
• 06/03/2022Commission Members, Senator Barbara Favola and Delegate Carrie Coyner, honored with the Virginia Promise in Action Legislative Award. Pictured left to right: Senator Todd Pillion, Delegate David Bulova,  Senator Barbara Favola, Governor Glenn Youngkin, Delegate Carrie Coyner, Delegate Roxann Robinson, Senator T. Montgomery Mason, and James Dyke. 
• 02/26/2022We can improve outcomes for children in foster care by investing in quality legal representation for their parents 
• 01/28/2022 Keys To Destination For Youth In Foster Care 
• 02/06/2020Lawmakers Want to Help Foster Care Youth Get Driver’s Licenses 
• 12/04/2019New Regulations on Restraint and Seclusion in Public Schools Headed to Governor  
• 11/04/2019 This Week in Richmond: Commission on Youth and foster care
• 05/06/2019Looking toward 2020, Virginia lawmakers double down on foster care reform  
• 12/06/2018Del. Dickie Bell elected chair of Virginia Commission on Youth  
• 10/03/2018Most teens who age out of foster care have trouble getting a driver’s license and it affects everything they do
• 09/27/2018Should abuse allegations against teachers be subject to a higher standard of proof? 
• 06/06/2018Va. Commission on Youth looks at role of school resource officers
• 02/23/2018 Va. Governor Signs 2 Teacher Child Abuse Notification Laws After I-Team Report  
• 02/23/2018 New laws aim to protect students from sex predators in school  
• 01/25/2018Va. Senate Approves House Bills on Teachers Who Abuse Kids 
• 01/06/2018 Addressing childhood adversity now will deliver a brighter future 
• 12/14/2017Va. Lawmakers Propose Shorter Appeals for Accused Teachers
• 11/09/2017Statewide Survey Aims To Improve Foster Care System  
• 09/22/2017Virginia Leaders Debate Changing Laws to Better Remove Teachers Accused of Misconduct  
• 05/24/2017Richmond Seminar Focuses on Lasting Impacts of Childhood Trauma
• 05/24/2017Experts Speak to State Commission on Preventing Childhood Trauma in Virginia
• 12/06/2016Commission on Youth Elects Chair and Vice Chair
• 08/03/2016Family Services Nonprofit Begins Pilot Program for Foster-Like Care
• 08/03/2016'Safe Families' to Help Families in Crisis
• 08/03/2016Patrick Henry Services Offering New Program
• 05/31/2016Governor's Bill Signing for Student-Athlete Concussion Legislation - Photo Gallery
• 05/03/2016VA Leaders, Groups Work to Improve Care for Foster Youth
• 04/15/2016Celebrating the Week of the Young Child
• 02/08/2016Commission on Youth Legislation to Address Student-Athlete Concussion Protocol Advances
• 12/12/2015 Virginia Awakening to Campus Drug Problems, Looking for Solutions  
• 12/08/2015 Virginia Lawmakers Hear Proposals Combating Substance Abuse
• 10/20/2015 Lawmakers Discuss Ways to Tackle Student Athlete Concussion
• 09/22/2015
  Virginia Commission Sees Progress with Student Athlete Concussions
• 05/06/2015
  State Reviews Child Mental Health Practices
• 05/05/2015Commission Meeting Focuses on Sex Trafficking and Foster Children 
• 02/15/2015 Stories of trauma prompt crackdown on seclusion rooms
• 02/10/2015 Virginia Passes Bill to Rein in Restraints of School Kids
• 02/02/2015 How Public School Administrators Endanger Special-Needs Kids
• 01/31/2015 Child Care Must Grow Safer
• 01/29/2015 Commission on Youth Announces Passage of Legislation
• 01/08/2015 Bill Might Halt Handcuffs on Kids
• 12/17/2014 A Good Move for Families Op-Ed
• 12/10/2014 Children Are Our Greatest Treasure Op-Ed
• 12/10/2014 Governor McAuliffe Announces $17.5 Million Federal Preschool Expansion Grant
• 11/20/2014 Virginia Department of Social Services' video on Virginia Adopts
• 09/08/2014 Commission on Youth's Adoption of 2014 Study Recommendations
• 08/15/2014 Commission on Youth Reviews Controversial School Disciplinary Practice
• 07/18/2014 Schools Deal with Behavior Problems
• 06/22/2014 Focus on Young Children