WHY IT MATTERS
The Community Needs
All parents know raising children is not easy, and we all need support from time to time. First Steps is providing that support to young children and their families all over Kent County.
Children deserve to grow up in a loving, nurturing home and have the opportunity to develop socially, emotionally and intellectually. But even in this generous community, far too many of our children are missing out on that opportunity.
There are more than 46,000 children in Kent County under the age of five. One in five is living in poverty1 —that’s nearly 10,000 of our youngest children. For children of color, the numbers are even more alarming. 60% of African-American children and 45% of Hispanic children live below the poverty line.
Growing numbers of our children are already one or two years behind on the first day of kindergarten. In fact, 14% of Kent County students have to repeat kindergarten.2
Building Healthy Brains
Children are born ready to learn. What they learn as babies and toddlers directly affects what they’re able to achieve when they are older.
The brain is not fully developed at birth, and the first few years are critical. Children learn more by their 3rd birthday than during any other time in their life. This is when they learn how to think, solve problems, cope with stress, be creative and communicate.
Much has been learned in recent years about how the architecture of a child’s brain is formed. Science tells us brains are built from the bottom up, with simple circuits and skills providing the scaffolding for more advanced circuits and skills over time. Genes provide the architectural blueprint for the brain, but early relationships and experiences guide how the brain is built.
Prolonged and persistent stress harms the developing brain architecture, jeopardizing a child’s future success. That stress can come from tension in the home, economic hardship for the family, neglect and abuse.
We can help build healthy brains by providing young children with nurturing, stimulating experiences.
Source: Newsweek Special Edition, 1997
Return On Investment
“Invest in the very young.”
That’s the advice of Nobel Prize winning economist James Heckman.
Early childhood development is economic development. An investment in a child’s early years can lead to better success in school, higher graduation rates, a better-trained workforce and higher earnings.
When communities devote their resources to young children they can save money in the long run: fewer people go to prison or depend on welfare; special education costs decline; and there’s a decrease in teen pregnancy.
A recent study by the RAND Corporation concluded, “early childhood programs can translate into dollar benefits for the government, participants and other members of society.” The study found the economic returns to the community vary based on the type of program—anywhere from $1.26 to $17.07 for every $1 invested.
Join First Steps as we spread the message about the importance of the early years, advocate for public policy that supports young children, and mobilize our community’s resources to sustain a network of early childhood services in Kent County.
1 2005 U.S Census
2 Kent Intermediate School District