COF 2026-93 · Agenda item attachment · Jun 22 2026

To: Cambridge City Council CC: Nancy Tauber, Executive Director, Family Policy Council From: Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor Date: June 17, 2026 Subject: Family Policy Council 2025-2026 Year in Review OFFICE OF THE MAYOR Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor (2020-21, 2022-23, 2026-27) To the Honorable, the City Council: I write to provide a summary of the 2025-2026 work of the Family Policy Council, officially known as the Coordinating Council for Children, Youth and Families. The Council is dedicated to developing policy and program recommendations aimed at ensuring all children, youth, and their families have access to what they need to be successful, engaged residents prepared for life in our community and in the world. As Mayor, I have the honor of chairing this Council, and it is a body I have been deeply committed to as a long-term member. This Year's Focus The Family Policy Council continued its work on youth wellness and prevention, and also took up the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) as a new area of focus. The Council's overarching vision, adopted through recommendations voted on last year, holds that when every young person is connected to a caring adult, every adult is equipped to support youth, and every young person is empowered to lead, Cambridge becomes a city where all our young people thrive. This year's work was organized around three goals that flow from that vision. Every Youth Connected The first goal is ensuring that every young person in Cambridge has a consistent, caring adult outside of their family who builds trust, checks in regularly, and helps them access academic, emotional, and social support and opportunities. This year, the Council completed the Cambridge Caring Adult 101 Guide, which will be shared with city departments, schools, and community partners. Every Adult Equipped The second goal is ensuring that every adult who works with youth is ready to build strong relationships, respond to mental health needs, and connect young people to support and resources. In support of this

goal, the Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time program is developing a training to accompany the Cambridge Caring Adult 101 Guide, helping to extend its reach and impact across the youth-serving community. Every Youth Engaged and Empowered to Lead The third goal is ensuring that youth are not only heard but actively shaping the programs, policies, and decisions that affect their lives. Progress on this front was particularly visible at the Council's May meeting, described further below. Meeting Highlights The Council met six times throughout the year. In September, Superintendent Murphy joined to discuss plans for hiring a Family and Community Engagement Director and the future of the 158 Spring Street building, and solicited feedback from the group. In October, Council members presented findings from research into UNICEF's Child Friendly Cities Initiative, and the Council voted to support the readiness process to apply for CFCI. Since that vote, the district and city have established a cross-sector planning team with representatives from city departments, Cambridge Public Schools, and community organizations. This planning team met monthly from December through June, interviewed more than 40 people who work with Cambridge youth and families, partnered with Cortico to conduct youth focus groups, and begun piloting new approaches to youth engagement with the Community Development Department. The December meeting featured a retrospective on the Council's work from 2012 through 2025, with representatives from the Community Engagement Team, Find It Cambridge, Math Matters for Equity, and Language Justice sharing updates. In January, the Council voted to approve the final draft of the Cambridge Caring Adult 101 Guide and brainstormed strategies for incorporating it into the broader community. In March, Commissioner Elow and colleagues from the Cambridge Police Department shared how the department supports children and teens, and the Council also voted to approve a postcard designed to inspire and motivate adults to download and engage with the Caring Adult 101 Guide. The final meeting of the year happened in May. This meeting is traditionally led by the Cambridge Youth Council (CYC), and this year was no exception. The CYC shared highlights from a full and impressive year of work, and the Cambridge Public Health Department's Youth Engagement Interns also presented their work. The CFCI Planning Team provided a progress update as well.

Cambridge Youth Council The Cambridge Youth Council's accomplishments this year included the following: • Two retreats focused on team building, leadership, and group norm-setting • Career Readiness Workshop in collaboration with the Office of Workforce Development • Teen Takeover Block Party at Hoyt Field • Numerous community events throughout the year, including the City Council Candidates Night, CRLS Incoming Freshman Night, Ribfest, a Galentine's Day event for CPS middle school girls, and the Sparkshare Youth Summit • CYC’s sixth annual fundraiser raised $12,725, with funds directed to the Cambridge Basketball Lab, Shade, MPower, and Youth on Fire Find It Cambridge Find It Cambridge continues to serve as a vital resource for residents and the organizations that support them. Staff work closely with providers to keep content current, offer support by phone, text, and email, attend community events, and conduct workshops to help residents navigate the many resources available. Find It Cambridge also maintains an active social media presence and partners broadly across the community to extend its reach. I am proud of the work the Family Policy Council has accomplished this year and look forward to continuing to advance these priorities in the year ahead. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or requests for additional information. Sincerely, Sumbul Siddiqui Mayor of Cambridge (2020-21, 2022-23, 2026-27)