Why are the Years from Birth to Age 5 so Critical?
Investing in early childhood reaps the greatest rewards.
James Heckman, a Professor of Economics at The University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics, and an expert in the economics of human development, presents his case for investing in early childhood – the Heckman Equation. The Heckman Equation offers a formula for understanding the great gains to be had by investing in children birth to age 5 or as Heckman says, “investing in the early and equal development of human potential.”
INVEST in educational and developmental resources for disadvantaged families to provide equal access to successful early human development.
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DEVELOP cognitive skills, social skills, and physical well-being in children early – from birth to age five when it matters most.
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SUSTAIN early development with effective education through adulthood.
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GAIN more capable, productive and valuable citizens that pay dividends to America for generations to come.
The Heckman Equation Web site (http://www.heckmanequation.org/) provides short videos and tools that policymakers and advocates can use to communicate effectively about the economic evidence for early investment. As an advocate for infants and toddlers, you can use the resources on this site or Heckman’s Web site to make the case for policy solutions that begin at birth.
We must champion young children in Durham County because…
In Durham County:
- Nearly half (44.5 percent) of all children birth to age 5 are living in low-income families (low income is defined as at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level)
- One in four young children (26.5 percent) lives in poverty.
- Twenty three percent of children 2 to 4 years of age are overweight, making the county ranking second to the last in North Carolina.
- In 2006, of the 4,194 births, 25.1 percent were born to mothers with less than a high school education.
- Of the children in licensed child care, 2,607 children birth to age 5 received child care subsidies in 2007 representing 24.8 percent of all children birth to age 5 living in low income families.
In 2010, Smart Start funding for Durham County’s young children is $3 million less compared to funding in 2000.
- Over the past 11 years the population of children birth to age 5 has grown from 17,000 to more than 25,000 children.
- Children’s needs for health care, quality early care, and education and family support programs have grown.
- Smart Start funding is at its lowest level in nine years. This means fewer children will have access to high-quality child care, fewer families will receive support around accessing early intervention services, and fewer teachers will be able to continue their education to build teaching competencies to support young children in the classroom.
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