INFANT AND TODDLER DATA TO SUPPORT READY LEARNERS · • 1 in 5 babies (21.9%) has experienced one adverse event • Supportive policies and services • Temporary Assistance to Needy

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019

2:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM CT / NOON MT / 11:00 AM PT

INFANT AND TODDLER DATA TO SUPPORT

READY LEARNERS

ABOUT NCSL

National bi-partisan membership organization

7,383 legislators and all legislative staff

Offices in Denver and Washington, D.C.

NCSL is committed to the success of all legislators and staff. Our mission is to:

Improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures.

Promote policy innovation and communication among state legislatures.

Ensure state legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

This webinar was made possible with funding from ZERO TO THREE as part of Think Babies™, which was developed to make the potential of every baby a national priority. Funding partners for Think Babies™ include the Perigee Fund, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which supports the public education aspects of Think Babies. Learn more at https://www.thinkbabies.org.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Working With State Legislators: A Guide for Infant-Toddler Professionals

Helping Babies and Toddlers Thrive: A Look

at Recent State Legislation

KIM KEATING

senior policy research analyst in the ZERO TO THREE Policy Center

responsible for development of the State of Babies Yearbook: 2019

a master’s degree in counseling and human development with specialization in infant/toddler mental health from George Mason University

bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Virginia.

[email protected]

Polling Question

How many neural connections per second are formed in the first few years of life?

A. 100B. 1 millionC. 1 trillionD. 10,000

Agenda

• Overview of State of Babies Yearbook: 2019• Background/Objectives• Indicators

• Summary of Findings• Findings Critical to Early Learning and School-Readiness• Implications for State Policymakers

• Applications of Data in States

• Discussion and Q&A

A baby’s brain develops faster

between ages 0 to 3 than at any later

point in life.

Critical Period of Brain Synapse Formation

State of Babies Yearbook: 2019

stateofbabies.org

Policy Framework

State Profiles

Key Findings:Good Health

Good Health & Early LearningFacilitators:• Well-child Visits

• 90.7% of infants/toddlers had a preventive medical visit in the past year.

Supportive Policies and Services• Medicaid covers Maternal and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Services

• 36 states cover maternal depression screening during well-child visits• 41 states cover social-emotional screening of young children

Challenges:• Low Birthweight

• 1 in 12 babies (8.2%) is born at low birthweight, which can jeopardize development• Nutrition/Food Insecurity

• Nearly 1 in 5 households (16.5%) with infants/toddlers experience low or very low food security• Access to Health Care

• Half (51%) of children under age 3 receive medical coverage through Medicaid (associated with better long-term health, educational, and employment outcomes)

• 5.8% of low-income infants/toddlers lack any form of health insurance

Key Findings: Strong Families

“Still Face”

Strong Families & Early Learning• Facilitators

• Family Resilience• 4 out of 5 families with an infant/toddler report a favorable level of resilience

• Challenges• Child Poverty -- Nearly 1 in 4 babies (23%) is living in poverty• Housing Instability/Crowding

• 2.5% of babies experience housing instability (3+ moves since birth)• 1 in 6 (15.6%) of babies live in crowded housing

• Adverse Childhood Experiences • 1 in 5 babies (21.9%) has experienced one adverse event

• Supportive policies and services• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) -- Received by 20.6% of families below poverty

level with babies• Home Visiting Services – Received by 1.9% of infants/toddlers who could benefit • Paid Family Leave -- 9 states provide PFML (healthy bonding/attachment)

Key Findings: Positive Early Learning Experiences

Positive Early Learning Experiences

Infants and toddlers learn through play, active exploration of their environment, and interactions with significant adults in their lives.

• The quality of babies’ early learning experiences at home and in other care settings has a lasting impact on their preparedness for lifelong learning.

• Language and literacy skills

• Fundamental to many areas of learning and later school success• Begin developing at birth and are fostered by parents and caregivers

sharing books, telling stories, singing songs, and talking with their babies.

• 38.2% of parents report reading to their baby every day• 56.4% of parents report singing songs or telling stories every day

Positive Early Learning Experiences

Developmental Screening & Early Intervention

Early identification of developmental delays and intervention are essential during the critical period of rapid growth in babies’ first 3 years.

• Babies who are screened are more likely to have delays identified, be referred for early intervention, and be determined eligible for early intervention services.

• 30% of infants and toddlers (age 9 months - 35 months) received a developmental screening in the past year.

• 3.1% of infants/toddlers received early intervention services.

Positive Early Learning Experiences

Access to high-quality, affordable early care and learning opportunities has substantial impact on babies’ development.

Early Head Start (EHS)

• A comprehensive child development and family support program for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women in families with incomes below Federal Poverty Level.

• Outcomes for children participating in Early Head Start include enhanced cognitive development, attention, and engagement.

• Their parents had decreased stress and family conflict, and were more responsive, warm, and supportive.

• Only 7% of infants and toddlers eligible for Early Head Start are reached by the program.

Positive Early Learning Experiences

Access to Affordable Quality Child Care

• Infant/toddler child care costs exceed one third of a single parent income in several states and cost more than college tuition in 28 states and the District of Columbia.

• Despite the high cost of infant care, few families receive financial assistance for it.• 12 states allow child care subsidies for families with incomes above

200 percent of FPL• Only 4.2% of infants/toddlers in low- or moderate-income families

receive subsidies

Application of the Data in States

Your feedbackEnter into the chat box

How do you think you might be able to use some of the data included in the State of Babies Yearbook?

- To inform policy change – let us know specifically how you might do this.

- To share with policymakers in my state. - Still thinking about practical applications.- Other – please describe.

West Virginia:

The State of Babies Yearbook is a great tool that helped us. Its release came just as WV lawmakers were considering expansion of Medicaid Coverage for Pregnant Moms up to 300% of FPL.

Thanks to the hard work of advocates like R.P. and others - lawmakers passed the bill!

Texas State of Babies Example

29

1.2 M Infants/Toddlers in Texas – 10% of nation’s children

50.5% are in poverty or low-income households

Nearly one quarter (22.5%) living in single

parent households

Nearly 46% of moms are not in the workforce

(self-sufficiency)

The cost of child care –on avg. 36.6% of the

income of a single parent – is critical factor

Enter Child Care Solution

State of Babies Resources

State Profile Navigator

Self-Assessment Toolkit for States

State of Babies Resources

State of Babies Yearbook: 2019 Toolkit

https://stateofbabies.org/take-action/

What’s next for State of Babies 2020 ?

• Refining indicators

• Expand focus on equity• Break out indicators by race, ethnicity, income

• Special brief on disparities in maternal and infant birth outcomes

• Improved StateofBabies.org• Deepen data presented

• Create more interactivity

DISCUSSION/Q & A

For Additional Information:

Visit stateofbabies.org

Kim Keating, Senior Policy Research AnalystZERO TO [email protected]

Questions?

CAPITOL FORUM

December 10-13 in Phoenix, Ariz.

The NCSL Capitol Forum is the meeting where NCSL Standing Committees meet to discuss policy and set the agenda for the states. The NCSL Standing Committees are composed of legislators and legislative staff who are appointed by the leadership of the legislatures. The committees are the main organizational mechanism for serving NCSL members. There are nine committees that deal with both state and state-federal issues. The jurisdictions of the standing committees are similar to those of committees in the state legislatures.

www.ncsl.org/meetings-training/forum.aspx

STAY CONNECTED RESOURCES

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ECE Legislative Tracking Database

Early Childhood Policy Overview

Quarterly Newsletters

Zero To Three

Think Babies

Alison May | Policy Associate (303) 856-1473 | [email protected]

Jennifer Palmer | Policy Associate (303) 856-1351 | [email protected]

Donna L. Wilson | Program Director(303) 856-1359 | [email protected]