Early Learning

• Background on Early Learning and School Readiness
• Key indicators related to school readiness
• Early Nurturing/Parenting
• Early identification/intervention with developmental issues
• Child Care Quality
• Early Literacy
• Poverty and Inequality
• Other issues that can impact early childhood development
• Best and Promising Practices Index
• Resources

Vision

Supported by their families and their communities, young children entering kindergarten in King County have the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Being ready to succeed in school involves more than academic skills—in fact, children often have more critical gaps in other kinds of skills when they come to school for the first time.

• Young children need to be nurtured physically, socially and emotionally. Ready to tackle learning and trying new things, such as second languages as well as cognitive skills.
• Feeling safe, getting enough sleep and a steady diet of proper nutrition are essential
• Research tell us babies are born learning, that the first years of a child’s life are a crucial time of brain development, and that experiences in the early years set stage for a child’s future.[1]
• Children who arrive at kindergarten prepared to succeed tend to do well throughout their school careers, whereas children who are not ready are more likely to fail or repeat grades, need special support, or drop out.[3]
• There is growing evidence that investing in early learning pays off with high returns, greatly reducing later costs for things such as remedial education, job training, special education, grade repetition, crime, and welfare dependency.[4]

The Research

Research tells us that babies are born learning that the first years of a child’s life are a crucial time of brain development, and that experiences in the early years set the stage for a child’s future. Infants and young children are developing at a greater pace than at any other time in life. The nurturing a child receives and the learning that occurs in the first few years shape that child’s continuing ability to learn, relate to others, and thrive.

“The astonishing developmental achievements of the earliest years occur naturally when parents and other caregivers talk, read, and play with young children and respond sensitively to their cues,” says the report From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Children who enter kindergarten prepared to succeed tend to do well throughout their school careers, whereas children who are not ready are more likely to fail or repeat grades, need special support, or drop out.

Strong attachment and bonds between parent and child play a critical role in early learning and development. Nurturing, cuddling and playing with a baby are activities that help lay a foundation for language and social skills. Studies show that a child who is rarely spoken to or read to may have trouble mastering language skills. Similarly, a child who is rarely played with may have difficulty with social adjustment.

While positive nurturing relationships can come naturally, parents and caregivers of young children who are equipped with supportive resources, knowledge and strategies can do an even better job of providing critical early nurturing to bolster children’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive development in the first months and years of life.

While most children enjoy stable and loving relationships with their parents and other caregivers, a significant number do not. Young children often face barriers to their early social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development due to poverty, racism, family violence or trauma, abuse or neglect, language and cultural barriers, family mental health issues, developmental disabilities or delays, or the absence of consistent or competent caregivers.

Read more background on school readiness

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Key indicators related to school readiness

• There are 146,447 children under 6 living in King County.[5]
• 18% (25,555) of children under 6 King County live in poverty.[6]
• Ranking of King County in rate of child poverty among all Washington counties is 38 of 39 (the rate is higher in all but one other county.)[7]
• Approximately 19,725 children in King County entered public kindergarten in 2011[8]
• 56% of entering kindergarteners statewide were assessed by their teachers as not prepared for school in at least one area of readiness[9]

Children gain the key skills for school readiness through day-to-day experiences that encourage their social growth and learning. Extensive research shows that the relationships children have with their parents and caregivers play a significant role in this growth, since stable and secure relationships are central to healthy human development. We know that parent/caregiver relationships that are characterized by nurturing, allow very young children to develop a strong sense of self, an ability to cooperate, an interest in exploration and learning, an awareness of being able to cause things to happen, and self-esteem.

Any number of circumstances, such as poverty, high levels of stress, poor mental or physical health, marital strife and domestic violence can diminish nurturance and interrupt early childhood development. For many parents and caregivers, having a support network of people and services they trust enables them to provide the stable and enriched care that all children need. Low-income children and children of color are disproportionately represented in many “at risk” categories, and their parents are especially in need of support. Support for teen parents is also critical. Parent support services should be culturally competent, linguistically accessible and grounded in sound principles of family support.

Population Data

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Early identification/intervention with developmental issues

Early intervention services exist for infants and toddlers, birth to three, who have a developmental disability and/or delay and their families. Research indicates that early diagnosis and access to services can reduce the intensity of service required later in a child’s life and prevent problems from developing into more serious problems that limit a child’s ability to meet their greatest developmental potential.

• There are 69,000 children birth to three years of age in King County, and it is estimated that up to 2.2% or about 1,500 annually, experience developmental disabilities.
• The average age of identification of developmental delays in King County is 1.8 years. Federal guideline for early identification is an average age of 1 year.[13]
• Consistent, quality health care is the most effective way to insure early intervention. 3.2% of children under age 18 are uninsured[14]

The Services & Early Diagnosis

Research indicates that early diagnosis and access to services can reduce the intensity of service required later in a child’s life and prevent involvement in special education for some children.
Services for children birth to three years of age diagnosed with developmental delays via the IDEA (Individual’s w/ Disabilities Education Act) are an entitlement. Currently school districts may provide services for eligible children or purchase these services through community-based organizations on a voluntary basis.

Legislation was passed in 2006, which requires all Washington school districts to partner with early intervention service providers to provide service to children birth to three by no later than fall 2009.
There are also a number of community-based settings in which children encounter health and early childhood professionals where developmental screenings can and do occur. Public Health Department efforts, such as Kids Get Care, Children with Special Health Care Needs, and the Child Health Care program, focus on the healthy development of children. They make training, education, consultation and screening services available.

Child Care Resource and Referral and the King County Developmental Disabilities Division are partnering to provide training and support services to enhance early childhood provider’s abilities to screen for developmental delays, work with parents around developmental issues, and make referrals to appropriate resources. Some early intervention service providers also provide screening and consultation services in these settings. Sufficient resources are an issue in each of these areas. An increased capacity to provide screening and related support services in numerous community based settings is critical to success.

There are 65,000 children birth to three years of age in King County, and it is estimated that up to 2.2% or nearly 2,000 annually, experience developmental disabilities. In King County, the average age of identification of developmental delays is 1.8 years. Federal funding performance guidelines for early identification say the average age should be 1 year.[1]

[1] King County Developmental Disabilities Division, 2006

Health Care

In order for problems with development and other health problems to be identified, children should have regular health care from a consistent provider or group of providers. Consistent, quality health care is the most effective way to insure early intervention . This can prevent problems from developing into more serious problems that limit a child’s ability to meet their greatest developmental potential.

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Child Care Quality

Research shows that high quality early care and education have a huge impact on children’s lives. The quality of this care is critical to promoting healthy development and preparing children for school success.

Improving the quality of child care for all children is challenging:

• Subsidy rates in Washington fall far short of the true cost of care, and programs that accept subsidies tend to limit the number they will take.
• Depending on the size of the program and the accrediting body, national accreditation can cost thousands of dollars.
• The National Association for Family Child Care offers accreditation for licensed home care programs, but few seek out the endorsement.
• Family friend and neighbor (FFN) caregivers do not typically have the same access to caregiver education as either child care and preschool professionals or parents.

The 2007 Washington State Legislature increased vendor rates to child care providers who provide care for children whose families qualify for subsidy programs. This should make greater choice available to families and help improve the quality of care in centers serving large numbers of children eligible for subsidies.

Source: NACCRRA 2010 report on cost of child care

Head Start, Early Head Start, Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)

The purpose of the Head Start Program, authorized by Congress in the Head Start Act, is “to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low income children through the provision, to low income children and their families, of health educational, nutritional, social, and other services that are determined based on family needs assessments, to be necessary.”

Children from birth to age five from low-income families are eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Children from families receiving public assistance (TANF or SSI) are eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start programs, regardless of income. Children in foster care are also eligible regardless of family income.

Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a Washington State program modeled after the federal Head Start program. ECEAP provides comprehensive early childhood programs for preschool children and their families, including early childhood educational experiences, nutrition services, health screening and follow-up, family support and parent involvement. The target population for ECEAP is four year old children whose family incomes are at or below 110% of the federal poverty level.

In 2007, a projected 27% of the children in King County eligible for Head Start and ECEAP services were served by those programs. This left 9,100 eligible children unserved. Early Head Start enrollment in King County is 354, representing 2% of the eligible population (17,052)[1] The significance of ECEAP and Head Start is that they tend to “even the playing field” for low-income children with regard to preparing those children for school. Children who participate in these programs, compared with low-income children who do not participate:

• Score higher in school readiness tests
• Have better language skills
• Are better prepared academically, especially in the areas of verbal and arithmetic skills
• Have better reading achievement score
• Retain these positive differential effects all the way through age 21.[2]

“Because children’s readiness for school is strongly predictive of future academic performance, children who enter kindergarten behind their peers are unlikely to ever catch up.” Therefore, extending high-quality early learning programs to all children, but especially to children in poverty (whether through ECEAP, Head Start, in-home parent/caregiver nurturance, or high-quality childcare), is a key strategy for closing the achievement gap.

[1] Reference: Puget Sound Educational Service District, 2007

[2] Reference: Peisner-Feinberg, (June 1999) Karoloy, L., et al. (1998) Investing in our children: what we know and don’t know about the costs and benefits of early childhood interventions. RAND. www.rand.org/publications.

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Early Literacy

Language skills and early literacy are building blocks for success in children’s ability to read, learn and communicate. These, in turn are fundamental tools for ongoing success in school and in life.
• Our most significant early learning activity over the next several years will be the continued expansion throughout King County of the Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP) a research-based home visiting program focusing on early literacy and school readiness.

The Program works with two- and three-year-olds and their parents, providing twice weekly home visits over a two-year period that are accompanied by gifts of developmentally appropriate books and toys that form the curriculum.

• Visitors are matched with families by culture and language.
• PCHP is estimated to reach 1,200 families in the next few years.

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Poverty, Inequality and School Readiness

Poverty causes a wide variety of risks for the development of young children. They may have poor nutrition, less stimulating environments, exposure to stress, less consistency in living environments and care providers, and less attention from parents who must work long hours and cope with the multiple stressors that poverty creates.

• The demographics of poverty tell us that children are currently the age group most likely to live in poverty, and the gap between the rich and poor is widening
• Increasing the financial stability of families with young children can have positive effects on children’s outcomes.

Source: WA State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction 2010-2011

Poverty causes a wide variety of risks for the development of young children. They may have poor nutrition, less stimulating environments, exposure to stress, less consistency in living environments and care providers, and less attention from parents who must work long hours and cope with the multiple stressors that poverty creates.

The demographics of poverty tell us that children are currently the age group most likely to live in poverty, and the gap between the rich and poor is widening. Increasing the financial stability of families with young children can have positive effects on children’s outcomes. One study found that “a child whose family is $10,000 wealthier over the first 5 years of its life has 2.8 times the chance of graduation from high school than the child in the baseline family.[1]

• In 2009, 31% of Washington children lived in families where no parent had full-time, year round employment.
• In 2010, 18% of children under 6 in King County lived in poverty.
• The child poverty rate has increased over the past 10 years.
• Based on 2008 data from Seattle food banks, the largest increase in food bank beneficiaries was for children 0-2, followed by other children under 18.

Source: National Research Council, Institute of Medicine[6]

[1] Duncan, G (1988). The volatility of Family Income Over the Life Course. P. Baltes, D. Feathermand & R. Learner (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (pp. 317-358). Hillsdate, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

[2] AECF 2007 Kids Count, Cliks data

[3] AECF 2007 Kids Count, Cliks data

[4] AECF 2007 Kids Count, Cliks data

[5] AECF 2007 Kids Count, Cliks data

[6] National Reserach Council, Institute of Medicine 2000. The Science of Early childhood Development: A Summary Report of From Neurons to Neighborhoods, p 11

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Equal Opportunity/Racial Equity and School Readiness

In order to have an educated population that can effectively participate in our democracy and in the workforce of tomorrow, children need to start out ready for school, then get the resources they need to succeed in school. If certain groups of children have less opportunity to succeed than others, it will not be possible to improve school readiness for all our community's children.

Barriers to equal opportunity

Embedded racial inequities produce disparities in children’s opportunities to be school ready. Some of the factors that we know contribute to these inequities are disproportional rates of poverty, segregation of neighborhoods, and disparate access to community resources. One of the key resources that can promote school readiness is quality child care. Because of economic disparities, people of color are less likely to have access to the highest quality programs and the programs they do access may pose cultural barriers to children’s learning and growth in the program.
Unequal access to resources, racial bias and discrimination and embedded inequities in income, education and housing produce dire consequences for the development of children of color.

• Late or no prenatal care rates are higher for women of color than for whites.
• The percentage of children of color who are read to every day is lower than that of white children.
• Fewer African-American and Latino children have computers in their homes than do white or Asian children.
• Head Start, which, in national studies has been shown to be highly effective with African American and Latino children, serves only 27% of those eligible in King County.
• Children of color attend kindergartens with larger class sizes, less outreach to parents, and in more dangerous neighborhoods when compared to white kindergarteners.

Results of inequality

Source: WA State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction 2010-2011

Children who do not have the resources to be adequately prepared for school show poor academic outcomes throughout their school years. African American, Latino, and Native American children have poorer early literacy and math skills as compared with white children. These disparities continue into elementary school. Nearly half of Hispanic, African-American, and Pacific Islander children fail to meet 3rd grade reading and math standards.

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Early Nurturing/Parenting^[11]

Children gain the key skills for school readiness through day-to-day experiences that encourage their social growth and learning. Extensive research shows that the relationships children have with their parents and caregivers play a significant role in this growth, since stable and secure relationships are central to healthy human development.

Nurturing is a difficult concept to measure. We know that poverty and living in an impoverished neighborhood are some of the greatest and most common threats to a family’s ability to provide optimal nurturing.

On behalf of the Early Learning Council of Washington Learns, United Way of King County convened an Ad Hoc Parent Support Advisory Group to propose strategies for addressing parent support needs. This group identified five “pillars of support" which parents need to be successful. They are:

1. Individualized and personal support
2. Informal research and self-education
3. Group and personal support
4. Formalized education
5. Readily accessible information, referral and advice

There are a number of high quality programs promoting “the pillars” in King County, including home visiting services, information and referral, family centers, early childhood education programs, and parent education classes. These occur in various community settings, and are provided by a variety of community, public and faith-based organizations, and many of them operate within the parameters of research-based best practices. It is the consensus of the community that increased resources in support of these efforts are necessary to having an effective and accessible parent support system.

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Other Issues that can impact early childhood development

A range of issues can affect a child's opportunities to develop to their greatest potential. The health of a child's mother before and after birth can have an impact, as can issues that interfere with parents' ability to care for small children.

Prenatal Care

The early years of a child’s life are a time of physical, emotional, cognitive, language, and social development. These areas of early development, in turn are critical for getting a child ready for school, subsequent academic success, the process of maturing and the transition into self-sufficient adult livelihood. Positive early childhood development begins before birth with healthy, relatively stress-free pregnancies supplemented by early interventions, if necessary.

In addition, ideal conditions for early childhood development include parents who are aware of the critical importance of early development and have the skills and resources, supplemented when necessary by supportive families, friends, neighbors and communities, to nurture their children through the early phases of life.

We know that early interventions can help mitigate the most extreme consequences of problems arising in early childhood development. An important milestone in making sure that such interventions are possible, when necessary, is to ensure that parents have appropriate prenatal care, beginning as early as possible in the pregnancy.

In addition to watching and caring for the health of mothers and their babies during pregnancy, it is equally important to have healthy and supportive parents, families, neighborhoods, and communities. These interrelated socio-economic structures can contribute to or detract from successful early childhood development. Therefore it is essential to prepare the full continuum from parent to community for the arrival, nurturing and early development of all children.

Beginning with families, research shows that family resources have a significant impact on child development outcomes. Such things as income, employment, levels of parental stress and parental beliefs about raising children all shape the quality of a child’s home environment.

Research shows that over the last 25 years more young children are growing up in single parent homes, more mothers with young children hold full-time jobs, and more children are growing up in poverty.

Health indicators for 0-6 population[1]

• In 2004, the infant mortality rate was 4.4 per 1,000 live births. This is considered a low rate. However, significant racial disparities exist and may be getting larger.
• The average 1992-2006 infant mortality rate was consistently higher for African Americans and Native Americans than that of whites.

Low birth weight is an important predictor of poor health and risk of death among infants. The low birth weight rate in King County has increased significantly. The average rate was 6.1% between 2001 & 2005. This increase is attributed to an increase in multiple births resulting from assisted reproductive technologies. The rate of low-birth-weight babies has not changed for singleton births. African American, Native American, and Asian people have higher rates of low-birth-weight babies than do White or Latina mothers.

• King County had the 11th highest rate of late or no prenatal care of 15 major metropolitan counties.
• Latinas, African Americans, Native Americans and Asian/Pacific Islanders have significantly higher rates of late or no prenatal care than whites.
• Rates of late/no prenatal care have declined over the past 10 years for all groups.

Adolescent birth rates have declined over the last 10 years. King County had the lowest rate of teen births in 2003 of 15 major metropolitan US Counties. As this trend continues downward, disparities continue, however. Latinas, African American and Native American teens have significantly higher rates than Whites and Asian/Pacific Islander.

Child Abuse and Neglect

The trauma of child abuse and neglect has a dramatic impact on early childhood development. Infants and children who are subjected or exposed to violence often have lifelong difficulties in cognitive, social and emotional functioning. Physical and emotional neglect can also cause abnormal physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Prevention of and early intervention in child abuse and neglect is much more effective in promoting school readiness and healthy child development than later intervention.

Child Protective Services (CPS) investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. Most referrals are reported from within a family. Some referrals are not accepted because they are not considered credible or serious enough to consider for investigation. “accepted referrals” are those that are investigated further by Child Protective Services workers. While this data does not represent a total number of violent acts, it does give us an indication of how many cases are being investigated.

Child Abuse and Neglect – Children’s Administration received 78,544 reports alleging possible child abuse or neglect in in 2010. Of those referrals 37,711 were screened in for investigation. As of September 2010, there were 11,625 children in the care of Children’s Administration. [2]

Foster Care

Children are placed in foster care homes or other foster care facilities when the state deems their home and family situations to be unhealthy, unsafe or when parents are no longer able to care for a child for whatever reason. While foster care can be supportive and nurturing, the living situations often lack the permanency to provide many children the full range of supportive relationships needed for healthy development. Children in the state foster care program have sometimes been abused or neglected, and/or may have special emotional needs.

Whenever possible, children are placed with relatives or close family friends. This keeps them connected with their extended families and to their family culture.

Children are removed from their parental homes only as a last resort, and ideally they are returned to their homes after a very short period of time in foster care. 82% of children are reunited with their families within 12 months.

Among those children who are returned to their homes following out-of-home placement, about 11% recycle back into the foster care system, because the return to home didn’t work.[3] If it is unlikely that children will be able to return to their biological families, efforts are made to provide permanent homes through adoption, and there has been a steady increase in the number of such adoptions over recent years.

[1]Public Health Seattle King County 2006

[2] DSHS 2010. Year in Review. Downloaded 11-15-2011 form
http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ca/year-in-review2010.pdf

[3] ibid.

Read about Prenatal care, child abuse and foster care

Best Practices

Go to the index to best and promising practices

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Best Practices

Go to the index to best and promising practices

Resources

References