The Week of the Young Child takes place from April 22 through 28 and is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which works to promote excellence in early childhood education. A motto of this organization is “Children's opportunities: Our responsibilities.”
Working families need child care and supportive employer policies to be able to meet the needs of their young children throughout the day. In the United States, the majority of mothers with children under age 18 work, including 59 percent of those with infants and 74 percent of those with school-aged children.
Approximately 13 million infants, toddlers and preschool children are regularly in non-parental care in the United States, including 45 percent of children younger than 1.
The Census Bureau reports that approximately 50 percent of working families rely on child care providers to help them care for their children while they work; 25 percent rely on relatives for child care; and nearly 25 percent arrange work schedules so that no child care is needed.
Children, especially those from low-income families, need better access to high-quality early childhood programs. Research shows that high-quality early childhood programs help children - especially those from families with low-incomes - develop the skills they need to succeed in school. However, most programs in the United States are rated mediocre, and fewer than 10 percent meet national accreditation standards. Across the nation, child care fees average $4,000 to $10,000 per year, exceeding the cost of public universities in most states. Yet, nationally only one in seven children who are financially eligible for child care subsidies is being served, and only 41 percent of 3- and 4-year-old children living in poverty are enrolled in preschool, compared to 58 percent of those whose families have higher incomes.
At Neighborhood House, annual fees range between $6,760 for pre-schoolers and $8,320 for infants. Roughly half of our families receive a partial subsidy from the city or county to help with the cost. We work hard to provide just the kind of high quality learning environment that will prepare children to be highly successful learners in school.
Communities are becoming increasingly diverse and in order for early childhood educators to be effective they must be sensitive and responsive to children's cultural and linguistic backgrounds. If current population trends continue, by the year 2010, 55 percent of America's children will be white, 22 percent will be Hispanic, 16 percent will be black and 6 percent will be Asian or Pacific Islander.
Too many children in the United States live in poverty, without good nutrition and health care. In the United States, 18 percent of children under age 18 and 24 percent of children under age 6 live in poverty. It is estimated that 12 million children do not have enough food to meet their basic needs and approximately 3.2 million are suffering from hunger.
In the United States, 15 percent of children under age 18 - and 24 percent of those living in poverty - are not covered by health insurance.
Approximately one-third of children and nearly one-half of black children born in the United States have at least one health risk at birth. More than 20 percent of 2-year-olds in the United States are not fully immunized.
What can be done?
Federal, state and local government, communities, parents and the private sector must share in the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of children and families. We can and must do more to create opportunities that help all children. We can invest now in our children and families and enjoy long-term savings, with a more vibrant nation of healthy, achieving children and more stable families. Or we can fail to make the investment and pay the price: increased delinquency, greater educational failures, lowered productivity, less economic competitiveness and fewer adults prepared to be effective, loving parents to the next generation.
The Week of the Young Child is an opportunity for programs, NAEYC Affiliates, related organizations, communities and states to focus on the needs of young children and their families.
At Neighborhood House, we work hard all year to provide a great learning environment for the infants, toddlers and pre-school children in our care. The Week of the Young Child reminds us of both the challenge and the importance of our work. We are open every weekday (except for 10 holidays and three staff training days) of the year from 6:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. so that parents can go to work or attend school, secure in the knowledge that their children are in good hands in a secure and supportive learning environment.
As we celebrate the Week of the Young Child, we remember that at Neighborhood House young children are at the center of everything we do and the reason our agency exists.
The facts in this article are from the NAEYC Web site. To learn more, visit naeyc.org.
Susan Jones is executive director for the Neighborhood House in Auburn
Approximately 13 million infants, toddlers and preschool children are regularly in non-parental care in the United States, including 45 percent of children younger than 1.
The Census Bureau reports that approximately 50 percent of working families rely on child care providers to help them care for their children while they work; 25 percent rely on relatives for child care; and nearly 25 percent arrange work schedules so that no child care is needed.
Children, especially those from low-income families, need better access to high-quality early childhood programs. Research shows that high-quality early childhood programs help children - especially those from families with low-incomes - develop the skills they need to succeed in school. However, most programs in the United States are rated mediocre, and fewer than 10 percent meet national accreditation standards. Across the nation, child care fees average $4,000 to $10,000 per year, exceeding the cost of public universities in most states. Yet, nationally only one in seven children who are financially eligible for child care subsidies is being served, and only 41 percent of 3- and 4-year-old children living in poverty are enrolled in preschool, compared to 58 percent of those whose families have higher incomes.
At Neighborhood House, annual fees range between $6,760 for pre-schoolers and $8,320 for infants. Roughly half of our families receive a partial subsidy from the city or county to help with the cost. We work hard to provide just the kind of high quality learning environment that will prepare children to be highly successful learners in school.
Communities are becoming increasingly diverse and in order for early childhood educators to be effective they must be sensitive and responsive to children's cultural and linguistic backgrounds. If current population trends continue, by the year 2010, 55 percent of America's children will be white, 22 percent will be Hispanic, 16 percent will be black and 6 percent will be Asian or Pacific Islander.
Too many children in the United States live in poverty, without good nutrition and health care. In the United States, 18 percent of children under age 18 and 24 percent of children under age 6 live in poverty. It is estimated that 12 million children do not have enough food to meet their basic needs and approximately 3.2 million are suffering from hunger.
In the United States, 15 percent of children under age 18 - and 24 percent of those living in poverty - are not covered by health insurance.
Approximately one-third of children and nearly one-half of black children born in the United States have at least one health risk at birth. More than 20 percent of 2-year-olds in the United States are not fully immunized.
What can be done?
Federal, state and local government, communities, parents and the private sector must share in the responsibility of ensuring the well-being of children and families. We can and must do more to create opportunities that help all children. We can invest now in our children and families and enjoy long-term savings, with a more vibrant nation of healthy, achieving children and more stable families. Or we can fail to make the investment and pay the price: increased delinquency, greater educational failures, lowered productivity, less economic competitiveness and fewer adults prepared to be effective, loving parents to the next generation.
The Week of the Young Child is an opportunity for programs, NAEYC Affiliates, related organizations, communities and states to focus on the needs of young children and their families.
At Neighborhood House, we work hard all year to provide a great learning environment for the infants, toddlers and pre-school children in our care. The Week of the Young Child reminds us of both the challenge and the importance of our work. We are open every weekday (except for 10 holidays and three staff training days) of the year from 6:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. so that parents can go to work or attend school, secure in the knowledge that their children are in good hands in a secure and supportive learning environment.
As we celebrate the Week of the Young Child, we remember that at Neighborhood House young children are at the center of everything we do and the reason our agency exists.
The facts in this article are from the NAEYC Web site. To learn more, visit naeyc.org.
Susan Jones is executive director for the Neighborhood House in Auburn
