“Currently, there are nearly 5,000 children in Texas waiting for a forever home,” State Rep. Gene Wu said. “Many of these children have been waiting for years. I hope that people will come see how much these kids add to the families that adopt them.”

The curriculum — designed by the state’s public education agency — would allow teachings from the Bible such as the Golden Rule and lessons from books such as Genesis into classrooms. Under the plan, it would be optional for schools to adopt the curriculum though they would receive additional funding if they did so.

An Amber Alert has been issued for three missing children in Austin.

“A former non-teaching staff member of HISD who was once assigned to YWPCA was recently charged with a crime," the school's principal said in a letter to parents. "Please rest assured that this individual is no longer working at our campus and has not been assigned to our campus for over a year."

“I feel like there’s so many, so many steps that they could have went in and, you know, stopped it from escalating to the point where my son was kicked,” Alejandra Arechiga said.

The law Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE) was passed last year and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. The SCOPE Act limits online access for minors. It takes effect on September 1 and requires age verification for “harmful material.”

A Houston ISD elementary school was forced to close its doors Wednesday due to what the district called an “HVAC system outage.” The school has since reopened, but it’s one of several HISD campuses KPRC 2 has been covering that have had A/C-related issues.

In an effort to offer support and protection to parents facing challenges of caring for their newborns, the Baby Moses law, also known as the Safe Haven law, provides a vital lifeline.

Studies show that sports can make kids physically healthier and improve mental health, especially for children in underserved communities. But the cost has increased dramatically over the years. One organization is working to change that.

A new proposal from the Texas School Nursing Organization (TSNO) could make it mandatory for students to have a doctor’s note for over-the-counter medications like Benadryl, Tylenol, and even items like petroleum jelly and rash cream. The Texas Board of Nursing will review this proposal next week.

How to prevent heat exhaustion on your journey to and from school.

As we go back to school a lot of focus turns to children’s wellbeing and mental health. According to the CDC, anxiety and depression affect almost 10% of kids 3 to 17 years old.

Investigators are trying to figure out where the 17-year-old got the gun.

A big concern for many families in the Houston area is how to find affordable healthcare. Back-to-school time is often a busy time for parents looking for affordable care. KPRC 2′s Bill Spencer is looking for ways to help families save money on everything from dental visits to regular check-ups.

Keep yourSummer heat is battering Texas as we kick off August. A heat advisory is in effect through the weekend, as temperatures are forecasted to exceed 100 degrees. The heat poses dangers like heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and hot car deaths. kids safe this summer as August heat sets in

As the 10th anniversary of the Islamic State group's atrocities against Iraq's Yazidis approaches, a traumatized community is still in many ways convulsed by the legacy of the militants' onslaught.

Are you ready for your little one to head back to school? If so, check out one of these back-to-school events offering supplies and MORE!

The children’s ages ranged from 7 months - 11 years old. Deputies brought the children food and arrested their mother, Elizabeth Martinez, and a man, Enterio Coronado.

The Coast Guard rescued two children and two adults from the water off Galveston on Fourth of July.

During the investigation, authorities learned (via conversations with the woman) that Scott Jacob Baldwin "detailed his sexual interest in children and recounted previous sexual contact he's had with other victims in the Tarrant County area."

A surrogacy scheme is affecting people desperate to be parents across the United States and it’s all tied to Houston-based Surrogacy Escrow Account Management, LLC, or SEAM, which a Harris County lawsuit accuses of stealing more than $10 million.

The kiddos in one Spring Valley neighborhood are making the most of their time off from school as Houston area districts work to clean up the damage and reopen after last week storms.

An organization that works with children and teens by helping them to transform their lives through education and workforce development is speaking to KPRC 2 about five children who stole car and lead police on a chase.

Authorities say the child was found walking by himself on Cypresswood Dr. and Cypresswood Heights early Tuesday morning.

The struggles you don't see

Struggling to find affordable childcare in Houston? The YMCA is here to help! They're taking action to combat childcare deserts in the area, offering programs for kids of all ages. From early childcare centers to summer camps, they've got you covered. Learn more and get involved: #ChildcareDeserts #CommunitySupport #YMCAHouston

📢 Check out this eye-opening article on the childcare desert crisis in Houston. 🏢👶 It sheds light on the limited availability of quality childcare services in many areas, leaving parents with few options. 😢 Let's work together to address this pressing issue and ensure every child gets the care they deserve! 💪💙 [link] #ChildcareDeserts #Houston #Parenting #CommunityAction

A Houston mother appeared in court Monday after being arrested for reportedly leaving her two young children unattended for several days to go on a cruise.

Family violence incidents are being reported at an alarming rate in the Houston area.

Refrigerators without food, and filthy hotels. These are both conditions local activists say some children across the state are being subjected to while in custody of Child Protective Services. Now, those activists who say the CPS system is overwhelmed are taking matters into their own hands and are asking the public to help them in their mission.

An AMBER Alert has been issued for two children, a boy and girl, who were possibly abducted by a woman in Wilmer.

Authorities say his mother may have taken him to Kansas City where she has family.

SWAT officers escorted children from Lakewood Church to a local school to reunite with their families.

Frontover deaths of children have grown significantly over the past decade as vehicle designs have changed and large trucks and SUVs have grown in popularity, according to one organization.

Several officers with the Houston Police Department will accompany dozens of children on a pre-Christmas shopping spree at a Target store on Tuesday.

Family violence incidents are being reported at an alarming rate in the Houston area.

November is National Adoption Month and on Friday, 21 children officially joined their new “forever families” to commemorate Harris County Adoption Day.

As a mom of two, I want to hear what works - and doesn’t work - for your family when it comes to helping your kids cope with stress. We’ll compare notes on what we’ve learned, and together, identify the best ways to help our children thrive.

Their annual Harvest Luncheon is coming up on November 13th, and Beth Harp, CEO of Kids Meals Houston has details on how just two dollars can help provide a full meal.

Several trick-or-treaters are in the Bellaire area for Halloween.

To keep our children safe after the Uvalde and Sante Fe school shootings, campus police have to be ready for the unthinkable in order to protect our kids.

For some children, even a routine school safety drill can cause anxiety.

More than 60 children from Houston’s Fifth Ward community enjoyed the wonders of Minute Maid Park as Sister 2 Sistah, Union Pacific Railroad and District B joined forces to help bring a “grand slam” finish to their summer vacation.

A viral prank in which parents film themselves cracking an egg on their toddlers’ heads is taking over TikTok. But some medical experts say the laughs may not be worth the potential harmful effects the stunt could have on kids.

Here is some advice if you want your child to get into a workout regimen of lifting weights, according to Children’s Health.

Last year, BEAR’s School Supply Drive provided backpacks full of supplies to more than 11,000 children around Houston. Find out how you can do your part to help this year.

A good Samaritan jumped into action after seeing two small children locked inside a hot car.

A 5-year-old was found unresponsive in a pool in Spring Tuesday, Harris County Precinct 4 Mark Herman’s Office said.

The Missouri City Police Department discontinued an Amber Alert for two children who were abducted from Fresno, Texas.

The world is wondering how the children ages 13, 9 and 4, caring for their baby sibling, conquered terrain so notoriously imposing it strikes fear into the hearts of most adults.

The new program aims to support parents who work or attend school.

The Boppy Newborn Lounger, a popular infant pillow recalled nearly two years ago, has now been linked to at least 10 babies’ deaths since 2015, federal regulators said Tuesday.

Jill Biden hopes a temporary art exhibit at the White House helps educate visitors about the lives of military children.

A study out of the University of Houston showed screen time for toddlers under 3 years old watching age-appropriate apps, along with parents’ engagement, can promote creativity, learning, and problem solving.

Looking to buy a new car seat for your little one? Target’s car seat trade-in event returns this Saturday at Houston-area Target locations.

Germany’s justice minister has launched plans to relax the country’s strict restrictions on family names — for example, allowing couples to take double-barreled surnames and pass them on to their children.

Authorities in Fort Worth, Texas, say six people, five of them children, are in critical condition after being exposed to carbon monoxide, apparently from a running vehicle.

It’s a nightmare for so many parents. Losing your child in a sea of thousands of people.

Despite a record low infant mortality rate in 2020, a new study finds an unexpected jump in unexplained deaths in Black infants during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.

A father who has been reunited with his two missing children after nearly a year said his ex-wife, who is accused of kidnapping, kept them out of school and limited whom they interacted with so they wouldn’t be found.

The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its recommendations on childhood obesity for the first time in 15 years.

Toddlers with runny noses are a common sight.

A man is still on the run after being accused of sexually assaulting two children for over a year in Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

Some new home-schoolers disagree with how race and sex are taught at schools. Others cite safety concerns after the Uvalde shooting and poor academic outcomes.

The Spencer Solves It team is looking for five families who have had a horrible year and are now facing the fact they will not have enough money to provide their children with presents or any kind of Christmas celebration. Then Bill will gift those families with 2,500 dollars to buy gifts and also with brand new bicycles for all of their children.

After a series of tragedies this year involving youth and guns, Houston police officers are making sure parents know what needs to be done to keep firearms out of their hands.

Each year, many kids get hit and die when their parents can’t see them in their vehicles’ front blind zones. A U.S. senator wants to pass a law requiring safety features to prevent these accidents.

Church members in Zimbabwe are getting their children vaccinated against measles in secret amid a deadly outbreak.

Faris Foundation funds critical research at Texas Children’s Hospital

A daycare that specializes in medically dependent children is closing its doors.

Some kids have some of the best ideas and come up with great inventions. But most of the time, they need to wait until adulthood for their chance to get their inventions on store shelves.

A Kindergarten student at Alief ISD was dropped off at the wrong bus stop on Tuesday, according to the family.

Have your children ever said or done something that makes your skin crawl? Let us know and we could feature your story on-air or online.

An AMBER ALERT has been issued for three children who were reported missing after they were last seen in central Texas.

Although temperatures might not hit below 100 this week, doctors warn children can experience a heat stroke faster than adults.

As we know, a great way to beat the heat is by jumping into a pool, lake, or even the bay. Sadly, it’s during the summertime that drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children younger than five.

Our team is always on the lookout for ways you can save money. We rounded up a few places where kids can eat for free. Most of these free meals only come with the purchase of an adult meal.

A mother, father and their nine children who live near Dayton lost everything in a house fire Wednesday.

Several children were assessed by a school nurse after the air conditioner refrigerant line began leaking inside their school bus on Friday.

Everyone needs a fun, safe spot to play outside right? Of course they do!

Help make learning fun by introducing your children to Homer.

Looking to buy a new car seat for your little one? Target’s car seat trade-in event returns this Saturday at Houston-area Target locations.

The search is on for a missing 7-year-old who family members believe is with his teenage sister.

The parents of four children have been charged after Harris County sheriff’s deputies said three of them were found standing in a roadway Thursday night during a welfare check in Spring.

To study the best way to administer the seizure medication, midazolam, so that fewer children arrive at emergency departments with an ongoing seizure: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Houston Fire Department Emergency Services, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and UT Health are forming a study called PediDOSE to determine the best way to stop them.

A Katy fourth-grader and his mother have started auctioning off toys he’s outgrown in effort to raise money for people in Ukraine.

For any parent, learning that their newborn has a heart defect would be a major shock.

In recent months, you’re not the only person who has seen a tragic refrain repeated in Houston-area news: child shot.

There is nothing cuter than little-kid artwork, is there?

We’ve reached the Omicron peak in the Houston area. The hope is we will move past it soon.

An Amber Alert has been issued for three children who were reportedly abducted Monday afternoon.

Critical Race Theory is not taught in schools. College professors say it is an overarching theory researched in college-level courses.

Wednesday is the first anniversary of COVID-19 vaccines in our community.

Attention, parents: You know what it’s like to ask your child, “How was your day?” For some, the response sometimes can be, “Fine.” Of course, many of you ask, “What did you do?” Their reply may be, “Nothing.”

Kingwood mom, Elisa Lange, said her six and nine-year-old were thrilled to get their COVID-19 vaccine the first day it was available.

Houston Newsmakers: Abandoned children live for months with body of brother -- How can they get past trauma?