The earliest years of a child’s life are a period of extreme vulnerability as well as tremendous growth. Young children must be nurtured and protected, but also exposed to new and exploratory experiences that take advantage of their natural curiosity. Under the guidance of warm and attentive parents, professional caregivers and teachers, young children learn to negotiate the world around them and gain the social skills and intellectual foundation necessary to become successful adults.

Building healthy minds

Over the past the decade, evidence has been steadily building on the developmental benefits of early care and education for all young children. In particular, research demonstrates that high-quality early care and education helps build the critical brain architecture children need to learn and thrive later in life.

Studies have shown that young children, particularly in vulnerable communities, who experience early care and education typically have stronger language, reading and writing skills; show improved math, cognitive and social skills; and are less likely to require special education or repeat kindergarten than other children.

But timing is critical. Young and at-risk children who enter school without this strong foundation quickly fall behind and may never catch up with their peers. The lack of quality early care and education available to low-income families has perpetuated a troubling achievement gap that grows larger as children continue through school and contributes to the cycle of poverty within families for generations.

Strengthening our economy and workforce

Dollar for dollar, there are very few social investments that yield the powerful economic benefits that have been linked to early care and education. Without access to affordable, reliable and quality early care and education options, parents often cannot work to support their families or gain the additional training necessary to find better jobs. On the other hand, parents who are assured that their children are learning and growing in quality early care education programs can focus on their jobs and are less likely to miss work.

An early investment in the early care and education of our youngest citizens also saves money in the long run. Children who have early success in school are much more likely to go on to college, find secure employment and contribute as taxpayers. In the face of personal or financial stresses, they are less likely to become dependent on public assistance or engage in criminal behavior that costs society far more.

Beyond helping parents and children realize their full potential, early care and education builds the future trained workforce that is essential to keeping our communities strong and our country competitive. Early in life, young children have the ability to develop the social skills and habits of mind that will make them capable and productive workers.

Wait-listed for success

And yet, despite what we know about the benefits of early care and education, the District faces a critical shortage of affordable, quality early care and education, particularly in low-income communities--Wards 1, 5, 7 and 8.

Wards 7 and 8 in Anacostia have the centers with the lowest total capacity of all the eight wards. Ward 8 has only enough capacity to reach 36.5 percent of resident children under five, while Ward 7 has capacity for 41.0 percent. (DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, 2009.)

The shortage is most acute for infants and toddlers. At one point, 7,042 infants and toddlers (under 24 months) were on child care waiting lists across the District, according to data compiled for the June 2008 Every Kid Counts Fact Book.

Sadly, while federal funding is available to help low-income families access quality, comprehensive early care and education, few take advantage of it. Of the low-income young children who are eligible between birth to age 3 in the District, only 4 percent receive Early Head Start services. (OSSE, 2009.)