Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap 2023

Rigorous scientific evidence informs our annual policy guide, which gives states actionable solutions to improve outcomes for all young children.
Did you miss the Summit? Click here to access the full recording.
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

Rigorous research finds that statewide paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies have broad beneficial impacts to children, parents and families, and the labor force. This brief provides examples of the impacts of state PFML
Nearly all workers have needed or will need time away from work. When life and family responsibilities necessitate time off, paid family and medical leave (PFML) policies serve as an important tool to support both
Outreach to Business Leaders on Paid Family Leave   March 27, 2024 Paid family leave is one of the most impactful, yet cost-effective, policies a state can adopt to support infants, toddlers, and their families. Despite
More than 100 small business owners signed a letter of support this week for a statewide family leave program that passed the House Labor and Industry Committee Tuesday Read the full article from Central Penn
A recent study revealed which states in the US are the worst places to give birth in 2024. A birth injury law firm compiled data and analysed the results to find out which states were the best places for
State lawmakers face difficult choices about how to use scarce public resources. To ensure that investments have a big impact on young children, lawmakers often want to know—which policies actually work? The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact