Special Edition on Government Spending

Government at all levels plays an invaluable role in creating, implementing, and funding a wide array of programs and services for young children and their families. Without government funding and infrastructure, much of the work we do on behalf of infants, toddlers, and families would not be possible. As Gene Steuerle, an Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute described, "government can provide the catalyst, leverage, and backstop to support investments in getting children off to the best start in life."

To help policymakers make wise choices about spending on infants, toddlers, and their families, it's critical to reflect on how past decisions have been made. Not only is this information important for us as professionals providing the services, but we can use it to guide us in advocating for even more effective government investments in the early years. This edition of The Baby Monitor looks at how federal and state governments made decisions about funding services for young children over the last several years, so that we can be Big Voices for Little Kids in the budgeting process.

Check out the following resources on government investment in young children:

• A recent Urban Institute and Brookings Institution fact sheet, Public Expenditures on Children through 2008, shows that 77% of public spending on children birth to age 2 came from the federal government and only 23% from states and localities in 2004. As state budgets tightened and the federal government stimulated the economy with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the reliance on federal funding for infant-toddler services likely increased even further. The fact sheet also identifies the ten largest federal programs for infants and toddlers, and the total invested in those programs in 2008. For more information about federal expenditures on children through 2008, also see Kids' Share.
• Federal Expenditures on Infants and Toddlers in 2007, also from The Urban Institute and The Brookings Institution, looks at more than 100 programs funded by the federal government and calculates the amount spent on children under age 3. The report helps policymakers and advocates assess whether current investments match our knowledge about development in the early years and helps guide our thinking about reinvestment.
• The federal budget process shapes the decisions that are made by Congress and the President about how to allocate federal funds. As advocates, you can contribute to how policymakers think about prioritizing government spending. For information about how the federal budget process works and the ways you can get involved, download ZERO TO THREE's Babies and the Budget advocacy tool.
• When states cut their budgets, investments in infants and toddlers are often among the first cuts to be made. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies recently published State Budget Cuts: America's Kids Pay the Price, which shows the impact of recent state budget cuts on children's programs. The report appendix outlines particular cuts to children's programs for each state and the District of Columbia.

Download February's Advocacy Developmental Milestone Calendar!
Spreading the word about government investment in young children is your advocacy challenge this month! In February's Advocacy Developmental Milestone Calendar, we challenge you to help your colleagues understand the budgeting process and government spending by passing along these resources to 5 people who are interested in infant-toddler advocacy. Download February's calendar now!

What Changes Do You Want to See for Infants and Toddlers in 2010?

This month, Baby Babble is all about looking ahead in 2010. What changes do you want to see for very young children in your community this year? In your state? In the country? How do you think we can get there? Sign onto Facebook and let us know!

For more information on how to use Facebook's discussion feature, read our Frequently Asked Questions document.

Federal Policy Update

With their return to Washington last week, federal policymakers expected to quickly resume action on health care reform in order to meet their goal of sending a final bill to the president by the January 27th State of the Union address. However, last week's election of Scott Brown to fill the Massachusetts Senate seat left vacant by Senator Kennedy's death may derail that schedule. Mr. Brown campaigned on a promise to vote against the health reform bill, which would give opponents of the bill the 41 votes necessary to filibuster the legislation. At this time, it is uncertain whether other procedural processes will be invoked to continue moving health reform forward.

In other news, the president is expected to release his FY11 budget request next Monday. ZERO TO THREE will provide a complete analysis of early childhood budget details in the next edition of The Baby Monitor.

State Policy Update
Idaho Uses Economic Stimulus Funds to Promote Infant Mental Health

The Idaho Secure Beginnings workgroup recently took an important step in helping the state's early childhood workforce build core knowledge and skills about the social-emotional health of very young children. In fall 2009, using IDEA Part C funds allocated as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), they purchased a license to use the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health's competencies and endorsement process. Adopting the Michigan endorsement process will allow Idaho to use this system to support professionals in promoting infant and early childhood mental health principles and practices and verify that they have the core knowledge needed to work with very young children and their families.

Idaho Secure Beginnings has leveraged a contract with the Idaho Child Welfare Training Center at Eastern Washington University to initially staff and develop the endorsement system. Over the next twenty months, they will develop coursework content and promote the process within the higher education system. Staff at the Idaho Child Welfare Training Center is currently recruiting for the first cohort to enter the endorsement process and expect training to start by the summer. Once the endorsement system is fully developed, the Idaho Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health will take over the management of the process.

Read the full state policy update now!

Publications & Resources

The Cost of Cutting Effective Early Childhood Programs
The Partnership for America's Economic Success recently released a new report, The Costs of Disinvestment: Why States Can't Afford to Cut Smart Early Childhood Programs, which explains how wise investments in early childhood programs benefit states. The report states that research-based programs that demonstrate economic and societal benefits can save money in the short term and also generate substantial returns in the future.

Healthy Development: A Summit on Children's Mental Health
Last April, The Society for Research in Child Development was the lead sponsor, along with twenty other sponsoring groups, of an interdisciplinary summit on children's mental health, held at the University of Denver. The summit highlighted the importance of children's mental health for optimal development and encouraged collaboration amongst experts in order to inform public attitudes and policy. Click here to learn more about the summit.

QRIS National Learning Network
BUILD has created a partnership with the Smart Start National Technical Assistance Center and other state and national leaders to launch a new QRIS National Learning Network (QRIS NLN). The website will be available soon and will offer a collection of QRIS resources. In the meantime, if your state has developed QRIS resource materials that you would like to contribute, or if you would like to learn more about QRIS NLN opportunities, please contact Diana Schaack.

New Charting Progress for Babies Website
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) recently launched the newly redesigned website for the Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project. The website features new pages for each of the project's 15 recommendations to support the healthy development of infants and toddlers in child care settings, including research, policy ideas, state examples, and a technical assistance tool.