Sharing Web Resources

Zero to Three, 2016

The website I have chosen to explore is Zero to Three.  The link to their website is http://www.zerotothree.org/.  They are a national nonprofit organization committed to providing parents, professionals, and policymakers the knowledge and the expertise to nurture early development.  Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life.  I am interested in this organization because it will support my work with infants and their families.

I did subscribe to the organization’s e-newsletter “Baby to Big Kid,” which is a resource for parents that offers science-based information on how children learn and grow each month from birth to age three.  The monthly e-newsletters include the following:

·         Age-based information about child development

·         In-depth articles on common child-rearing issues and challenges

·         Parent-child play activities that promote bonding and learning

·         Frequently asked questions

·         Research on child development and what it means for parents

I will be receiving the newsletter in about two weeks.  Until then, I will explore various aspects of the website sharing information and ideas learned.  This week I have chosen to explore the organizations public policy center.  I am sharing information gained from the State of America's Babies in 2015 PowerPoint presentation.  The issues relate to diversity, poverty, and health.

I found the statistics somewhat surprising and some of the facts are distressing.  There are more than 12 million infants and toddlers (children under age 3) in the United States.  They represent 16% of the total child population under age 18 and they are particularly vulnerable because they are disproportionately in low-income and poor families.  Nationally, almost half (48%) of children under age 3 live in low-income families with an income less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), including 25% that live in families in poverty with an income less than 100% of the FPL .Overall, about 2.3 million infants and toddlers have at least one parent who works full-time year round, whose wages still can't pull the family above the low-income level.  Research shows that poverty at an early age can be especially harmful, affecting later achievement and employment.  Our babies reflect the growing diversity of our nation.  In 2011, for the first time, more than half (50.4%) of our nation’s population under age one were minorities, up from 49.5% the previous year.  Black and Hispanic infants and toddlers are much more likely than White infants and toddlers to live in poverty, placing them at greater developmental risk.  Furthermore, 23% of children under age 3 experience residential mobility, 21% of households with children under age 6 are food insecure, 12% of children under age 3 have parents with no high school degree, and 27% of child maltreatment victims are under age 3.

Good health is the foundation from which young children grow and develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially.  Quality medical care and adequate nutrition are key building blocks for this healthy development.  Yet, 12% of babies are born preterm, 8.2% of babies have low birthweight, only 75% of 2-year-olds are fully immunized, 8.3% of children under age 6 do not have health insurance coverage, and 26.4% of children under age 5 are at moderate or high risk for developmental or behavioral delays.  This distressing facts show the widespread lack of adequate resources needed for the healthy development of all infants and toddlers.  While there are state and federal programs in place, federal funding for children’s programs declined overall from 2010 to 2011 and is expected to continue on a downward trajectory over the next 10 years.  Children are falling through the cracks of our system and our nation’s prosperity is jeopardized when the future of young children is compromised.

Young children in America lag behind those in other developed nations.  The condition of children in the United States is reflected in our standing among other nations.  Our country ranks last for relative child poverty among 20 economically advanced countries and 38 countries performed better than the United States on their under age five mortality rate, a critical indicator of the well-being of children.  Among 34 countries, the United States ranks 31st for infant mortality.  In addition to these issues, these conditions create for children in our nation; our ability to compete in a global economy is undermined when our children fare so poorly.

Across our country, too many babies are growing up in families under great economic stress without the resources to provide what is necessary for healthy development.  Each of these supports whether it’s adequate health care, ample food, housing security, or positive early learning opportunities play a crucial role in nurturing a young child’s development and helping all children realize their potential.  When essential programs that buffer young children against multiple hardships fail to reach all of those in need, not only are their individual opportunities to reach their full potential jeopardized, so is our nation’s ability to build the strong, competitive workforce it will need in the future.

The state of America’s children is very sad and distressing.  The implications for early childhood professionals and the field are many and we are in prime position to make a difference in children’s lives through providing positive learning experiences for children in our programs, parent-education programs, and through reaching out to policy makers and advocating for funding, high quality care, and more.

References

Zero to Three. (2012). National baby facts: Infants, toddlers, and their families in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/pdf/national-baby-facts.pdf

Zero to Three. (2015). State of America’s Babies: 2015. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/state-community-policy/baby-facts/related-docs/state-of-america-s-babies-4-15-final.pdf