First 5 Policy Briefs
Policy Agenda
This shared policy agenda identifies key policy goals, objectives and potential strategies that support children ages 0-5, their families, and service providers.
Policy Brief: Developmental Screening
Developmental screening is the process of identifying children who may need further assessment to confirm a developmental problem. Screening may also identify children who are at risk for future problems.
Policy Brief: Family Economic Stability
Parents with higher incomes can provide better living conditions, books and toys, adequate food, and high quality child care. These resources can improve their children’s cognitive ability and school achievement and reduce behavioral problems.
Policy Brief: Freeing Young Children from the Lasting Effects of Violence and Trauma
Children are exposed to stress from infancy. Learning to cope with typical stresses helps children develop a sense of mastery over their world.
Policy Brief: Investing in Early Care and Education Pays Significant Dividends
High quality early care and education is one of the best public investments for a strong future. On the basis of economic, social and educational gains, economists now consider early childhood development programs to be the investment that will result in a motivated, qualified and available workforce in the decades to come.
Policy Brief: Families and Caregivers are Supported to Provide Loving and Learning Environments for Their Children
There is evidence that “parent education” programs do benefit parents and children by providing information about child development and parenting strategies. Many communities provide parent information,support services and school readiness activities by establishing community-based family resource centers.








