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Early Childhood

The first five years of life are a critical period of development that sets the stage for lifelong health and learning. While these early years are a time during which young children are particularly vulnerable to scarcity and instability, they also represent a key opportunity for proactively strengthening child and family well-being. Having access to high-quality, affordable child care with wraparound supports, for instance, has been linked to long-term improvements in health, learning, and economic stability, particularly for children from low-income families. Some policies and programs have been successful in reducing child poverty over time, but broader policy decisions and long-standing underinvestment have largely failed to account for the needs of young children and their families. Systemic inequities in access to basic needs—such as housing, food, healthy environments, and financial security—disproportionately affect marginalized and low-income communities, exacerbating disparities that have lasting, intergenerational consequences.

Investing in our nation’s early childhood system represents an investment in our families, communities, and economy. Proactive, holistic policies are necessary to ensure that all children have access to healthy, safe, and supportive environments in which to grow and thrive.

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Early Childhood Policy

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Child Care Professionals Are on the Front Lines as Climate Change Risks Children’s Health and Development Report
A teacher prepares a classroom at Woodbury Village Preschool that sustained smoke damage during the Eaton fire in Altadena, California

Child Care Professionals Are on the Front Lines as Climate Change Risks Children’s Health and Development

Amid a changing climate and federal rollbacks to disaster relief and preparedness, early educators face an increasingly untenable child care landscape that will require state and local action.

Hailey Gibbs, Nadia Gronkowski, Hester Paul, 2 More Joan Lombardi, Ph.D., Nsedu Obot Witherspoon

Promising Models To Support and Expand the Early Childhood Educator Workforce Report
Young children sitting on bench

Promising Models To Support and Expand the Early Childhood Educator Workforce

Early childhood educators do critical work in educating the nation’s youngest learners. Recruiting, retaining, and expanding the workforce through investments in their compensation and benefits must be prioritized.

Erin Grant

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act Fact Sheet
A parent picks up his kids at a child care center.

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act

The Child Care for Working Families Act would make child care more accessible and affordable, promote high-quality care options, and support child care workers.

The Early Childhood Policy Team

About Extreme Heat, We Need to Prioritize Children In the News

About Extreme Heat, We Need to Prioritize Children

In an op-ed published by InsideSources, Hailey Gibbs highlights proven strategies that communities and policymakers can adopt to better mitigate the deadly effects of climate change for young children and infants.

InsideSources

Hailey Gibbs

Executive Summary: Differentiating Between Harmful Child Care Deregulation and Helpful Reform Fact Sheet
A preschooler is lying down on a cot and smiling up at the adult sitting in front of her. Three other children, napping on their respective cots, are in the background.

Executive Summary: Differentiating Between Harmful Child Care Deregulation and Helpful Reform

Instead of rolling back critical child care regulations, policymakers should streamline regulations and reduce administrative burdens that are not directly tied to child health, safety, and quality learning.

Allie Schneider, Hailey Gibbs, Lauren Hogan, 4 More Casey Peeks, Paola Andujar, Maria Estlund, Daniel Hains

A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform Report

A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform

States can and should make child care licensing reforms that ease burdens on providers and improve access—but must do so without endangering child health and safety.

Hailey Gibbs, Allie Schneider, Lauren Hogan, 4 More Casey Peeks, Paola Andujar, Maria Estlund, Daniel Hains

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Building an Economy for All
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Building an Economy for All

Economic growth must be built on the foundation of a strong and secure middle class so that all Americans benefit from growth.

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