The 2020 Census continues to ask Arizona families to complete their census forms online, by phone or mail. With community concerns surrounding the coronavirus and social distancing in place, it is more important than ever to respond from home.
Visit 2020Census.gov to complete the census online or call (844) 330-2020 to talk to a live Census employee who can help you fill out your form over the phone.
Families should have received a notice about the 2020 Census, and First Things First is reminding them to remember to include all children – even newborns – in the household count.
In the 2010 Census, about 5% of babies, toddlers and preschoolers nationally were missed, the highest of any single age group.
Many early childhood organizations that rely on accurate counts of all young children – including FTF, Arizona’s early childhood agency – are joining efforts to spread the word about this once-a-decade opportunity to Arizona families.
Counting children is important because these numbers help inform planning and determine how billions of dollars get spent each year on things like hospitals, schools and other neighborhood services. Kids left off the census form can miss out on a whole childhood of community support.
The census is easy, secure and, most important, completely private. In just 10 minutes, adults can complete the census by calling or going online.
Young children who are missed in the census tend to live with large, extended families or with multiple families living under one roof. Here are some simple steps to make sure children are counted in the right place:
- Count children in the home where they live and sleep most of the time, even if their parents don’t live there.
- If a child’s time is divided between more than one home, count them where they stay most often. If their time is evenly divided, or you don’t know where they stay most often, count them where they are staying on Census Day – April 1, 2020.
- If a child’s family or guardian is moving during March or April 2020, count them at the address where they are living on April 1, 2020.
- Count children in your home if they don’t have a permanent place to live and are staying in your home on April 1, 2020, even if they are only staying with you temporarily.
- Count newborn babies at the home where they will live and sleep most of the time, even if they are still in the hospital on April 1, 2020.
For more information about Arizona’s efforts to ensure a complete count, visit azcensus2020.gov.
