Rigorous scientific evidence informs our annual policy guide, which gives states actionable solutions to improve outcomes for all young children.
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How do you know if a state policy truly improves outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families? We reviewed thousands of research studies for you.
We conduct original research—including program evaluation, policy analyses, benefit-cost analyses, and mixed methods studies—to build the evidence.
To support lawmakers and advocates, we offer research and evaluation, data and analyses, presentations, testimony, agenda development, and more.
We empower states with rigorous evidence to implement effective and equitable policies that ensure all children thrive from the start.
Who We Are
We are a nonpartisan research center at Vanderbilt University. We focus on the rigorous evidence connecting brain science with state policies and programs.
What We Do
We inform lawmakers, agencies, advocates, and academics about policies to help families thrive–while growing states’ health, safety, and prosperity.
Why prenatal to 3?
The first three years of life have a powerful impact on the future wellbeing of every person. Families can benefit from a strong early childhood system of care.
The Latest
Cynthia Osborne discusses the work of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, which focuses on building the evidence base for effective state policies to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families. Read the full article
Vanderbilt University’s Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center (PN-3) just issued its annual State Policy Roadmap, exploring ways that the states (and D.C.) can improve conditions so infants and toddlers can thrive. The Roadmap focuses on 12 solutions shown
Paid family leave is one of 12 evidence-based policies in our 2023 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which details states’ progress toward adopting and implementing policies that effectively improve child and family wellbeing . As of
The 2023 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap identifies child care subsidies as one of the most effective policies at improving child and family well-being and the health of the workforce and economy. The Roadmap tracks state
The Roadmap is best known for its 12 evidence-based policy solutions, but did you know we track all 50 states and the District of Columbia on 20 measures of child and family health and wellbeing?
This year, the Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap—a guide for state leaders on the most effective investments to ensure all children thrive from the start, based on the most rigorous evidence available—has expanded. The Roadmap policies
