Building the Future
Policy Wins
Appropriations for babies moved up the growth chart.
We secured significant federal funding increases for crucial programs for babies and toddlers, including the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start and Early Head Start, Preschool Development Grants, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Infant-Toddler Court Program, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grants, funding for early child development specialists in pediatric settings and supports for basic needs programs like nutrition and housing.
Advocates showed up big for babies.
Think Babies™ advocates put a spotlight on the unique needs of families with infants and toddlers by sharing their stories with members of Congress and Administration officials, as well as with media from local newspapers to The New York Times.
Families and early childhood professionals took center stage.
There is a movement across states and nationally to shift power to those most impacted by policies. To promote equity and center the lived experiences of parents with infants and toddlers, family participation and leadership in policy and advocacy is a priority. State teams participating in ZERO TO THREE’s Building Strong Foundations for Families project share why centering parents in their work to identify infant-toddler policy priorities is so essential.
During our annual Strolling Thunder™ event on Capitol Hill, advocates made it clear that families from all across the country are crying out for change, providing Congress with a real-time way to check in on the future via a life-size “baby monitor” that cruised around the nation’s capital.
