Early Learning and Development
Promise
Every baby and toddler is nurtured with pre-natal care, early
attachment to mom, a continuum of high-quality, early learning opportunities so they are ready for kindergarten.
Problem
The earliest years of a child’s life are the time of greatest brain
development and opportunity. In 2021, there were only 8.7 million slots in licensed childcare centers and family care programs for 12.3 million children. Center-based child care for an infant costs more than public college tuition in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from complications surrounding pregnancy and childbirth than White women.
Policy Path
In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to:
(1) Maternal health and wellness, (2) Family Leave, (3) Home visitation, and (4) Quality early learning and development.
Moonshot Generational Commitment
Universal, public, quality pre-K for all young people beginning at three years old.
Learn MoreRelated Updates
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Child Health
Medicaid Turns 60: Celebrate Coverage, Not Cuts
For six decades, Medicaid has served as a lifeline, protecting children’s health and strengthening communities. Now, as Medicaid marks this milestone, that promise has been broken.…
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CDF Cares: Resource Assistance for Central Texas Flooding
Whether you’re seeking support or looking for ways to help, we’ve compiled a list of trusted resources and partners responding to this crisis across Central Texas. …
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Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom. A Commitment to Justice.
On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people.…
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Keeping the Charge
On June 6, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) celebrates Founder’s Day. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of our founder and president emerita, Marian Wright Edelman.…