Bipartisan Federal Bill Introduced to Protect Childhood Independence and Clarify Neglect Standards

Let Grow's mission is to make it "easy, normal and legal" to give kids back some independence.

The bill would help states distinguish ordinary childhood independence from neglect and support freer, healthier childhoods.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, May 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Let Grow applauds the introduction of the bipartisan Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act, federal legislation led by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT), with co-leads U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC). The legislation seeks to protect developmentally appropriate childhood independence and provide greater clarity around child neglect standards.

The legislation builds on momentum from states across the country, where bipartisan Reasonable Childhood Independence laws have already passed in 13 states with Let Grow’s support. These laws clarify that ordinary childhood activities such as playing outside, walking to a friend’s house, or staying home briefly are not neglect when parents determine their children are ready.

The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act supports state efforts to promote a freer, healthier childhood by clarifying that developmentally appropriate independent activities alone do not constitute neglect. The legislation would also support state training efforts, direct a federal study on childhood independence, and allow federal child abuse and neglect prevention grants to support child welfare staff education on developmentally appropriate independence activities.

“‘I’m not afraid of my kid getting kidnapped. I’m afraid of someone seeing my kid outside and calling Child Protective Services.’ I hear that far too often from decent, loving parents,” said Lenore Skenazy, President and Co-Founder of Let Grow. “Parents second-guess themselves even when they know their kids are ready to do some things on their own, including playing outside. Excessive overprotection has been disastrous for kids’ mental health. As independence has gone down, anxiety has gone up. We’ve helped pass Reasonable Childhood Independence laws in 13 states, and this federal effort is an important step toward giving families the clarity and confidence they need.”

“Neighborhood games, park days, errands, and bike rides with friends defined my childhood,” Rep. Moore said. “We must restore the normalcy of outdoor exploration and protect parents who want to give their children more freedom to safely play unsupervised. Parents shouldn’t be judged for doing what is best for their kids. We need to make things easier on American parents, not increasingly harder.”

The legislation arrives amid growing concern over declining childhood independence, rising screen time, and worsening youth mental health. Research increasingly points to autonomy, free play, and real-world responsibility as essential contributors to resilience, confidence, and healthy development.

“In an increasingly digital world, our kids and teenagers spend less time exploring independent play and more time online,” Rep. McClellan said. "The Promoting Childhood Independence and Resilience Act will help chart a new path forward by encouraging children to participate in reasonable independent activities, promoting time outside with in-person socialization. At a pivotal time for children’s development, we must equip our next generation with the tools to thrive in adulthood.”

“The legislation will help states draw lines between everyday childhood activities and a genuine absence of care that gives rise to a need for state intervention in family life,” said Diane Redleaf, Let Grow’s legal consultant and longtime child and family advocate. “This will help states concentrate resources on children who are victims of genuine abuse or neglect while allowing parents, who know their kids best, to make decisions about when their children are ready for some independent time.”

In a highly polarized environment, this issue has drawn support from bipartisan lawmakers, parenting advocates, equity-focused leaders, child development experts, and child welfare professionals seeking clearer and more consistent standards. These legislative efforts help bring greater clarity to systems, greater confidence to families, and greater independence and resilience to children.

Since 2018, Let Grow-supported Reasonable Childhood Independence laws have passed in Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana, and Kansas. Many passed with bipartisan or unanimous support and have been signed into law by both Republican and Democratic governors.

To learn more about Let Grow’s legislative work, contact Daniel Anthony at daniel@letgrow.org or 202.341.1175.

About Let Grow
Let Grow is a nonprofit dedicated to making it easy, normal, and legal to give kids the independence they need to grow into capable, confident, and happy adults. Through schools, families, communities, and public policy, Let Grow works to restore childhood independence and help rebuild resilience in the next generation.

Corey Sowards
Let Grow
press@letgrow.org
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