Early Childhood

When very young children don't get the love and care they need, the damage can be extensive and long-lasting. Michigan's Children believes that the key to our state's success is family, community and public investments in all children -- from the cradle to a career that can support the next generation of strong families, and help Michigan's economy rebound and thrive.

The first, and most critical, window of opportunity is during the earliest years before the age of 6. Scientists have documented that children's experiences during the earliest years of life alter the very architecture of their brains in ways that permanently affect their health, learning and development. In fact, between 80 and 90 percent of the "wiring" of the brain takes place by the time a child enters kindergarten. Children are born ready to learn and actually crave the positive stimulation that let's them do so.

Yet, despite increasing recognition of the importance of early childhood, state investments in early childhood education and family supports have been stagnant or reduced, leaving Michigan's youngest children at risk, and jeopardizing the next generation of leaders and workers.

For example:

• One of every five Michigan children under the age of six lives in poverty
• Young children are at higher risk of child abuse and neglect, and more likely to be living in foster care
• Too many of the state's children do not have access to the high quality preschool programs that have been shown to improve school success
• Thousands of Michigan children are in child care settings of unknown quality and safety

• Too many parents do not have the tools to be their children's first and best teachers

Now is the time to grow the workforce of tomorrow by ensuring our children are ready to learn!

Michigan’s Children works with policymakers, community leaders and parents to advance public policies and programs that support families with young children in Michigan. Among the early childhood issues that we work on are the following:

Specifically in 2012, we will work to:

• Provide access for at-risk families to proven family support programs including home visiting services.
• Increase access to high quality early learning programs, including child care and preschool programs for at-risk four-year-olds.
• Expand evidence-based services for children ages 0 to 3 and their families.
• Support federal and state health care reforms guaranteeing that all children are insured and have access to health care and a medical home.

1. Strengthen state and local advocacy for adequate early childhood funding.
2. Inform the Michigan Legislature and Administration on the importance of investments in early childhood.
3. Expand constituencies for public investments in early childhood.

Join the Early Childhood Action Network

Watch "Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything", a four minute video by the Ounce of Prevention

Watch this five minute video by our partner, the ECIC. This short video presents Michigan business leaders' perspectives of why early childhood investments are important for our kids and our economy

Make a donation to Michigan's Children to support our advocacy work

Read Michigan's Children's Budget Basics Report Investments in Early Learning in Michigan: A Summary.

Read the Citizen's Research Council of Michigan's report on Early Childhood Education.

Read Michigan's Children's Primer on Early Education.

Read Michigan's Children's P-20 Primer on the prenatal to age 20 educational continuum.

Read Michigan's Children's Issue piece The Youngest Victims: Why Young Children are Hardest Hit by State Budget Cuts.

Learn more...