Healthy Development

The first weeks, months, and years of every child’s life lay the foundation for success in school. Factors such as poverty, poor nutrition, lack of preventive health care, substance abuse, maternal depression, and family violence put young children at risk. Children who experience several of these risk factors are often far behind their more advantaged peers from the start.

States can help by establishing policies that promote medical leave, ensure that families have access to insurance for health and mental health, and provide work supports to parents. At the community level, cities and counties are developing comprehensive programs that meet the needs of parents with infants and toddlers, some targeting higher-risk babies like those in foster care.

Low-income children are disproportionately at risk for risk factors that threaten healthy development. It is in the public interest to promote policies, services, and supports that can help change a negative development course to a positive one.

Publications

• Coaching and Quality Assistance in Quality Rating Improvement Systems
  Approaches Used by TA Providers to Improve Quality in Early Care and Education Programs and Home-based Settings
  Report, January 2012
• Pediatric Medical Homes
  Laying the Foundation of a Promising Model of Care
  Report, October 2011
• Racial Gaps in Early Childhood
  Socio-emotional Health, Developmental, and Educational Outcomes Among African-American Boys
  Report, May 2011
• Who Are America’s Poor Children?
  Examining Health Disparities Among Children in the United States
  Report, January 2011
• Environmental Health in Early Childhood Systems Building
  Opportunities for States
  Brief, December 2010