It’s official: beginning March 12, households nationwide will begin receiving invitations to participate in the 2020 Decennial Census. With the count now underway in all 50 states, find out what you can do to help ensure children age 4 and under are properly counted in this month’s edition of our Census Series:
Census News & Updates
- The Census Bureau formally releases the list of thousands of local partners participating in states. Check out the full list here.
- On March 25, the Federation of Pediatric Organizations will have Every Child Counts Day. The pediatric community will encourage the adults they interact with to count every child living in their homes in the 2020 Census.
- March 26 – April 3, reminder postcards will be delivered to households that have not yet responded. Only one form is to be completed per household.
- March 30 – April 1, the Census Bureau will count homeless people, in part by going to shelters, soup kitchens, tent encampments and the streets.
One Thing You Must Do: Encourage Online or Phone Participation
This Census marks the first to be primarily online. While this is an opportunity for families to participate in a convenient manner, the deadline for online participation is July 31. This gives households just over four-months to complete online if they want to.
Mailed invitations will include instructions for responding online, as well as a toll-free phone number people can call if they need help or would like to respond by phone. This year, households can choose from 13 languages when responding over the phone.
Can child care providers help parents complete their Census? Absolutely. Just make sure you tell them you are not Census employees, and help them enter their census information directly into the Census Bureau website— do not collect their data to enter it later. The Census Bureau has a resource available to help guide you.
What else can child care providers do? Use the resources included in this blog to:
- display posters or exhibits;
- spread the word about participation on social media and in newsletters;
- send flyers, brochures, and other materials home with families;
- provide computers and Internet access for adults to complete their Census questionnaire online in waiting rooms or other common areas.
Additional Census Resources
- For kids: Sesame Street’s 2020 Census kit includes printed materials and videos and is available in English and in Spanish.
- Read and share: Count All Kids has a new messaging and outreach kit for young children.
- For social media: Use the Census Bureau’s customizable outreach materials to spread the word about the multiple ways that families can participate.
- Learn more: Tips on avoiding fraudulent Census activity and scams.
Are you feeling prepared for the Census? Let us know what steps you're taking to ensure participation in your community in the comments below.
