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With events like National Baby Day, Provider Appreciation Day, Day Without Childcare, and of course Mother’s Day, May is commonly recognized as a month to advocate for infants, toddlers, and young children—and the people who care for them. This month, we are joining our partners like the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers to mark May All Babies Thrive month to highlight the need for additional investments in the youngest members of our society.
Funding needs for infants and toddlers span a vast range of programs and services, many of which are facing cuts due to federal policy changes and state budget constraints. That causes cascading effects that adversely impact families and communities well into the future. Our state and local fiscal maps, when filtered by age, help advocates and leaders analyze and understand the gaps in funding for young kids to identify funding solutions. Then, cost models for infant and toddler care can paint the picture of the funding needed to meet the needs of the youngest and most vulnerable members in a community.
Once local leaders know how much money currently supports infants and toddlers in their area, and how much they need to achieve their goals for babies, they can explore a variety of strategies to fill any funding gaps. For example, voters in local elections last year passed up to $300 million per year in dedicated funding to support early childhood services. Meanwhile, in recent years, states like Montana and Connecticut have established new sources of state dedicated funding to support early childhood care and education. Finally, city officials in places like Lincoln, AL; Battle Creek, MI; and Tulsa, OK, have pursued various emerging funding strategies to support child care centers and providers. With the current economic landscape, all manners of strategic public financing will be crucial to support the programs and services infants, toddlers, and their families need and deserve.
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