Early childhood educators are vital to shaping the development of young children, but despite the significant responsibility of nurturing young learners, many educators earn wages that fall far below a living wage. In this brief,
The North Texas early care and education (ECE) workforce plays a vital role in supporting children, families, and the economy. This report examines demographics and experiences of the ECE workforce, as well as the supply of child care programs they support.
Did you know state policies play an important role in promoting infant and early childhood mental health? Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) describes the capacity of a child leading to healthy social and
Paid family and medical leave (PFML) is one of several evidence-based policies in our 2025 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which details states’ progress toward adopting and implementing policies that effectively improve child and family wellbeing.
POLICIES ADOPTED BY STATES DRIVE MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO FAMILIESÂ Press Contact: Sydne Lewis, 615-343-9946, sydne.lewis@vanderbilt.edu The first three years of life are critical for healthy development, yet families in some states
High-quality child care is an essential service that benefits children, families, and the economy. However, rising costs and fragmented workforce structures are contributing to an overall market failure. Many families are finding reliable care to
Research suggests that the high cost of child care can lead many parents to limit their participation in the workforce, resulting in negative repercussions for families and the economy. Though increased public investment is needed
Early educators remain among the most underpaid workers in the nation despite playing a critical role in child development and enabling workforce participation for parents. Across the country, the median wage for early educators is