EARLY CHILDHOOD

The research is clear: a child’s experiences from the time they are born to the age of five set the foundation for their rest of their lives. A baby forms thousands of new neural connections each second, a process strongly shaped by environment and interactions with parents and other caregivers. Children who have quality early learning experiences are more likely to go to college and have good health as an adult, and less likely to drop out of high school, need public assistance, or become a teen parent.

The Children’s Agenda works for the policy and funding changes that underpin a system of early childhood supports that include:

• Evidence-based home visitation
• High-Quality child care
• Comprehensive early intervention screening and services
• Universal 3 and 4 year-old pre-K, and
• High-Quality summer enrichment and learning programs