Report and policy agenda on early childhood development

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County is issuing a new report and policy agenda titled, "From Neurons to King County Neighborhoods: The Science and Policies of Early Childhood Development," focusing attention on what young children need from their environments for healthy development and to be ready for school.

"We are learning more about how it takes a whole community, public and private efforts alike, to create the conditions for our youngest children to reach their fullest potential," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

"This new report and policy agenda detail the needs of young children to achieve healthy development, school readiness and success," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Those who work closest to young children, such as parents, caregivers and teachers, must have a strong social, cultural and economic environment that supports doing the right things for children."

"From Neurons to King County Neighborhoods" publications are available on Public Health's website:

Policy agenda www.metrokc.gov/health/reports/neurons.pdf

Report www.metrokc.gov/health/reports/neurons-booklet.pdf

The report focuses on what children need in five environments:

Nurturing relationships: Every parent and caregiver should have the mental health and knowledge to build and sustain nurturing relationships with the children in his or her care.

Family resources: Every parent and caregiver should have the time and financial resources to provide safe, nurturing and stimulating environments for children.

Child care: Every child should have quality care.

Neighborhoods: Every neighborhood should be safe, cohesive and support families and children.

Access to interventions: Regardless of income and cultural background, every parent should have access to the support, information and effective services needed to identify and respond to the developmental needs of the child.

With child care, for example, even small improvements in caregiver-child ratios and caregiver training, and relatively modest increase in provider wages and benefits, can produce tangible improvements in the quality of child care.

The policy agenda names four broad arenas of public policy for attention and action:

Moving families out of poverty

Helping parents nurture their children

Strengthening our system of child care

Building a comprehensive system of child assessment and care

The policy agenda is the result of work done by dozens of stakeholders in the early childhood arena from the county and across the state. The project was led by Public Health's Epidemiology, Planning and Evaluation Unit.

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