Early Matters

About Early Matters

Early Matters is the podcast of the Center on Child and Family Policy, exploring the science and policy of early childhood. Hosted by Dr. Katharine Stevens, the show features engaging, in-depth conversations with a diverse range of leading researchers, practitioners, and policy experts on what matters most to help young children and their families thrive. The Center on Child and Family Policy (CCFP) is a non-partisan think tank based in Washington DC, dedicated to advancing science-driven policy that gives every child the strongest start possible. Visit our website at www.ccfp.org (http://www.ccfp.org) and join the conversation on Twitter: @_CCFP and @kbstevens. Please support Early Matters by subscribing, rating, and writing a review! RSSVERIFY

Publisher

Center on Child and Family Policy

Category

education · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Aug 2023

Latest episode

24 Oct 2024

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Oct 2024

   Empowering Parents with Tech: How SC Revolutionized Access to Early Childhood Services (with Georgia Mjartan)

   Georgia Mjartan joined Early Matters to highlight First Five SC, a pioneering, tech-driven solution transforming how parents in South Carolina access essential services for children under five. Developed by South Carolina First Steps under Georgia's leadership, First Five SC streamlines access to publicly funded services like healthcare, childcare, and nutritional support through an innovative, user-friendly website. Before First Five SC, parents had to navigate a confusing and frustrati...

2. 

   5 Jun 2024

   Why We Need A “GI Bill for Homemakers” (with Ivana Greco)

   Ivana Greco explains why America needs a “GI Bill for Homemakers” to recognize and support parents who spend time on the “home front,” dedicating themselves to the crucial work of family and community. About the Guest After graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2011, Ivana Greco spent a decade working as a successful attorney, specializing in qualified retirement-plan advising and healthcare litigation. A couple of years ago, she left her paid employment to work as a full-time mother of her three children, caring for a toddler and homeschooling her two young sons. She is also a writer, publishing regularly on family policy and other issues that impact stay-at-home parents, and serves on the Center on Child and Family Policy’s advisory council. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

3. 

   9 May 2024

   Child Care: What Parents Want — What Children Need (with Jenet Erickson)

   Leading family researcher Jenet Erickson joined Early Matters to discuss the complex role of childcare in child, maternal, and family well-being. Erickson describes the evolving landscape of work and family life, with important shifts in both women’s and men’s roles within the home and the workforce. She expresses concern about growing policy momentum towards universal childcare, emphasizing the importance of aligning childcare policies with the preferences and needs of families.  Finally, she highlights the paramount importance of strong parent-child relationships for the healthy development of young children. She argues that policy should be driven by recognizing and prioritizing those core relationships. A “work-ist” rather than “family-ist” orientation fails to fulfill the essential human need for deep, bonded connection with other people. READ MORE HERE: Child Care: What Parents Want — What Children Need (https://www.ccfp.org/ccfp/child-care-what-parents-want-what-children-need-with-jenet-erickson) (https://www.ccfp.org/ccfp/child-care-what-parents-want-what-children-need-with-jenet-erickson) About the Guest Jenet Erickson is a leading family policy researcher focusing on maternal and child well-being in the context of work and family life, and on the distinct contributions of mothers and fathers in children's development. She is a research fellow at the Institute for Family Studies and at the Wheatley Institution, an associate professor in at Brigham Young University, and has been a columnist on family issues for the Deseret News since 2013. Her work has been featured in in the New York Times, Slate Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, Wall Street Journal, and the Today Show, among others. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

4. 

   1 Mar 2024

   The Miracle of Language: How Parents Build Babies' Brains (with Dana Suskind)

   Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon and early childhood expert, discusses the transformative power of nurturing language environments in children's development and the vital role parents play as architects of their children’s brains. Highlights of the conversation include: Starting at birth, the back-and-forth exchanges between parents and young children, both verbal and nonverbal, form the building blocks of brain development. Through nurturing talk and interaction, parents shape children's capacity in a broad range of areas, including literacy, math, spatial reasoning, behavior regulation, ability to cope with stress, perseverance, and even moral development. Pediatricians should play a much larger role in helping parents understand their powerful influence on their child's development, starting at birth. A public health approach to early childhood that integrates perinatal care and pediatric practice could greatly improve early development outcomes. Artificial-intelligence "assistants" will soon have the capacity to provide responsive, back-and-forth interaction in both home and childcare settings. Yet, we must proceed with caution in using AI with young children. Scientists do not fully understand the underlying processes of foundational brain development, and this kind of new technology could potentially change the architecture of children's rapidly-forming human brains. Relevant Work Parent Nation: Unlocking Every Child's Potential, Fulfilling Society's Promise (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09B9DXY3Z/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1) Thirty Million Words: Building a Child's Brain (https://www.amazon.com/Thirty-Million-Words-Building-Childs/dp/0525954872) About the Guest Dr. Dana Suskind is a pediatric surgeon at the University of Chicago Medical Center who specializes in hearing loss and cochlear implantation. She is also a social scientist and nationally-recognized thought leader in children's early language development. Dr. Suskind directs the University of Chicago Medical Center's Pediatric Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implant program. She is the founder and co-director of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health (https://tmwcenter.uchicago.edu/), which aims to create a population-level shift in the knowledge and behavior of parents to better support their children's foundational brain development from birth to age three, especially those born into poverty. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

5. 

   1 Feb 2024

   Why Homemakers Matter (with Ivana Greco)

   Summary Katharine talks with Ivana Greco about her unusual path from successful, Harvard-educated attorney to full-time "stay-at-home mom," caring for her toddler and homeschooling her two young sons. Their conversation illuminates the often-overlooked societal importance and personal fulfillment of full-time parenting. Key points include: Why Ivana dislikes the term "stay-at-home mom" and thinks "homemaker" better characterizes that essential role. The limitations of GDP in capturing the value of individual production and the false dichotomy between pro-GDP and pro-family positions. Historical significance of the "housewife," and the critical role homemakers have long played in the economic and social fabric of a thriving society. The technological and cultural forces that led to devaluation of work at home. Policy solutions to better support homemakers, including reforms to Social Security and providing on-ramps back into the workforce. Relevant Work The Job for Which All Others Exist: Let’s Bring Back the Term “Homemaker" (https://hearthandfield.com/the-job-for-which-all-others-exist-lets-bring-back-the-term-homemaker/) When Moms Lean Out, Government Should Lean In (https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2023/07/88769/) Valuing Homemaking: Against GDP Growth Fundamentalism (https://thehomefront.substack.com/p/valuing-homemaking?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) Jobs for Homemaker Parents: Exploring "Serial Careers (https://thehomefront.substack.com/p/jobs-for-homemaker-parents?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) Dual-Income Families' Time Crunch: Why Support Families that Want a Stay-at-Home Parent? (https://thehomefront.substack.com/p/dual-income-families-time-crunch) About the Guest After graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2011, Ivana Greco (https://substack.com/@thehomefront) spent a decade working as a successful attorney, specializing in qualified retirement-plan advising and healthcare litigation. A couple of years ago, she left her paid employment to work as a full-time mother of her three children, caring for a toddler and homeschooling her two young sons. She is also a writer, publishing regularly on family policy and other issues that impact stay-at-home parents. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

6. 

   10 Jan 2024

   The Crucial Role of Nurturing Care in Early Childhood (with Phil Fisher)

   Dr. Phil Fisher discusses his pioneering work on the effects of early stressful experiences on young children’s development. He explains the importance of responsive and sensitive care in early childhood, and how an absence of nurturing care can have long-lasting negative effects on children’s neurobiological and psychological development. He also discusses why the well-being of parents is essential to the well-being of their young children and highlights the negative impact of unpredictability along with inadequate material conditions on parental well-being and, thus, on child development. Finally, Dr. Fisher describes findings from two projects he runs: the RAPID survey, which has gathered information on parent and child well-being since 2020, and the Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) program, which uses video coaching to help parents increase positive, responsive interactions with their young children. Relevant Work RAPID Survey Project (https://rapidsurveyproject.com/aboutus) Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) (https://www.thefindprogram.org/thefindprogram) About the Guest Dr. Phil Fisher (https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/philf) is an early childhood researcher, widely recognized for his work on the effects of early stressful experiences on children's neurobiological and psychological development. His pioneering work focuses on developing and evaluating scalable early childhood interventions for socially and economically marginalized communities, and on translating scientific knowledge on mitigating the effects of prenatal and early life stress on children’s development for use in social policy and programs. He recently founded the Stanford Center on Early Childhood (https://earlychildhood.stanford.edu/), based at Stanford University, which is a new interdisciplinary hub bringing together experts from a broad range of fields to advance research and strategies to support young children’s learning and development. Subscribe to Early Matters on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan), and all other major podcast platforms. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

7. 

   13 Dec 2023

   “The Brain Development Revolution”: Early Childhood and Public Policy (with Ross Thompson)

   Ross Thompson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Davis joins Early Matters to discuss his decades of research in early development, and his new book, The Brain Development Revolution: Science, the Media, and Public Policy. Professor Thompson explains current scientific understanding of developmental neuroscience and the insights it provides into early childhood brain development. He also describes findings from decades of behavioral research on children’s thinking, learning, reasoning, language, memory, and emotional development, and explains why integrating the science of brain and of mind is important to advancing understanding of early development. He recounts his new book's fascinating exploration of how ongoing, highly-coordinated public messaging campaigns led to the dominance of brain science in  early childhood policy debates over the past few decades, and highlights the distinction between science and values in shaping public policy. Finally, he emphasizes our moral obligation to support children’s well-being, calling for a focus on children as individuals rather than as future contributors to the economy. Key Takeaways Neuroscience and behavioral psychology provide complementary but distinct bodies of knowledge about early development. Integrating these two fields — the science of brain and of mind — is crucial to advancing understanding of early development. Ongoing, sophisticated public messaging campaigns led to the current dominance of brain science in early childhood policy debates. Although less well-known, decades of research from behavioral psychology have also yielded a wealth of crucial knowledge about children’s thinking, learning, reasoning, language, memory, and emotional development, actually predating the "brain development revolution." We often fail to make a critical distinction between science and values in debating early childhood policy. Adults have a moral obligation to children to promote their well-being, not because of children’s future contribution to economic productivity, but as an end in itself. Relevant Work The Brain Development Revolution: Science, the Media, and Public Policy (https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Development-Revolution-Ross-Thompson/dp/1009304240) The Brain Development Revolution provides a fascinating, insightful account of how brain science came to dominate --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

8. 

   22 Nov 2023

   Capita’s Approach to Advancing Child and Family Flourishing (with Joe Waters)

   Katharine Stevens is joined by Joe Waters, co-founder and CEO of Capita, to discuss Capita's origins and work to improve the lives of children and families. Waters emphasized the need for a holistic approach to early childhood policy that takes into account the cultural and social transformations impacting young children and their families. He argued that we should pursue a whole-of-government policy approach to child development and human flourishing, rather than a narrow focus on specific programs. Drawing on his background in Catholic social teaching, he also highlighted the importance of creating a more humane economy that prioritizes the well-being of children and families — one “that exists for the person, not the other way around.” KEY TAKEAWAYS *Capita is a think tank focused on exploring how cultural and social transformations impact young children and their families and to fostering new ideas and policies to build a future in which all children and families flourish. *Joe Waters, Capita's CEO, emphasizes the importance of taking a holistic approach to early childhood policy and considering the broader context in which children and families live. *He advocates for a whole-of-government policy that prioritizes the flourishing and well-being of young children and their families. *Finally, he argues that rebuilding a more humane economy is crucial to enabling children, families, and communities to flourish. ABOUT THE GUEST Joe Waters (https://www.capita.org/joe-waters) is the co-founder and CEO of Capita, a think tank dedicated to exploring how the cultural and social transformations of our day affect young children and their families, and to fostering new ideas and policies to build a future in which all children and families flourish. ----------- --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

9. 

   9 Nov 2023

   Why Marriage Matters for Family and Child Well-Being (with Brad Wilcox)

   Katharine Stevens is joined by Brad Wilcox, a leading family policy expert, to discuss the role of marriage in family strength and wellbeing.  Professor Wilcox argues that children growing up with married parents are more likely to flourish because marriage provides stability, financial resources, and emotional support for parents, leading to better parenting outcomes. He describes the steep decline in marriage rates over the past century, and the growing marriage divide between higher and lower socioeconomic groups. Finally, he explains how current government policies disincentivize marriage for lower-income couples, and discusses how both government and civil society could better promote marriage. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Marriage provides stability, financial resources, and a sense of commitment that positively impacts both adults and their children. * Marriage rates have fallen by about 65 percent since 1970; experts project that less than half of adults today will ever be married. * The “marriage divide” is growing as more affluent and educated people are now much more likely to be stably married than those from lower-income communities. *Government policies should eliminate existing marriage penalties and instead promote marriage by strengthening the financial foundations of family life for lower income working families. RELATED WORK Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (https://www.amazon.com/Get-Married-Americans-Families-Civilization/dp/B0B3S6G7XH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=wilcox+%22get+married%22&qid=1699369427&sr=8-1) (https://www.amazon.com/Get-Married-Americans-Families-Civilization/dp/B0B3S6G7XH) ABOUT THE GUEST Brad Wilcox (https://sociology.as.virginia.edu/people/w-bradford-wilcox#:~:text=Bradford%20Wilcox%20is%20Director%20of,at%20the%20American%20Enterprise%20Institute.) is Professor of Sociology and Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, and  Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. His research focuses on marriage, fatherhood, and cohabitation, especially on the ways that family structure, civil society, and culture influence the quality and stability of family life.  He also focuses on exploring the contribution that families make to the economic welfare of both individuals and societies. ----------- --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

10. 

    25 Oct 2023

    Building a Roadmap for Prenatal-to-3 State Policy (with Cynthia Osborne)

    Dr. Cynthia Osborne discusses the work of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, which focuses on building the evidence base for effective state policies to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families. Dr. Osborne explains the importance of the prenatal-to-three period in shaping children's development, and describes the rigorous process the Center uses to identify effective policies and strategies. She also discusses the just-released 2023 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap, which lays out the most recent research on the best public investments states can make to impact child outcomes, and shows where each state is on the most effective policies and strategies. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center focuses on identifying effective state policies to improve the wellbeing of young children and their families. The Center's eight policy goals address essential conditions for young children to flourish, including the emotional and physical wellbeing of both children and their parents, and families' financial stability. The Center uses a rigorous process to evaluate the evidence for policies and strategies: considering the theory of change, the strength of the research, and the causal link between the policy and outcomes. The Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap guides state leaders on the most effective investments to ensure all children can thrive from the start. LINKS TO THE PRENATAL-TO-3 CENTER'S WORK Why Do We Focus on the Prenatal-to-3 Age Period?: Understanding the Importance of the Earliest Years (https://pn3policy.org/resources/why-do-we-focus-on-the-prenatal-to-3-age-period-understanding-the-importance-of-the-earliest-years/) 2023 State Policy Roadmap (https://pn3policy.org/pn-3-state-policy-roadmap-2023) ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Cynthia Osborne (https://pn3policy.org/our-team/cynthia-osborne/) is a professor at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and a nationally renowned researcher and expert on child and family policy.  She is also the founder and executive director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, based at Vanderbilt: an academic research center that focuses on building the evidence base on the most effective state policies to improve the wellbeing of young children and their families. ---------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

11. 

    28 Sept 2023

    Empowering Parents and Scaling Preschool Success (with Art Rolnick)

    Katharine Stevens interviews economist Arthur Rolnick, former senior vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve of Minneapolis, about his longstanding work with the Minnesota Early Learning Scholarships (MELS) program. Launched 20 years ago, the MELS program now provides scholarships to parents with children from ages prenatal to five throughout Minnesota. Dr. Rolnick explains MELS’s core principles: 1) Target the most at-risk children, 2) Empower parents, and 3) Start prenatally. He also highlights the exceptional scalability of the MELS approach to expanding early education, which uses market forces to drive the expansion of high-quality programs. Finally, he calls for federal support and incentives to adopt this model nationwide. KEY TAKEAWAYS Investing in early childhood development is a more effective economic development strategy than many conventional approaches. Targeting the most at-risk children and empowering parental choice is essential to obtaining a significant return on investment. The MELS approach utilizes market forces to drive the availability of quality programs and is easily scalable. Federal support and incentives are needed to adopt this model on a larger scale across the US. ABOUT THE GUEST Art Rolnick (https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/bio/arthur-j-rolnick) is an economist, who's been on the faculty at the University of Minnesota since 2010 He previously served as Co-Director of the Human Capital Research Collaborative at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and, before that, worked for 40 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis as a senior vice president and director of research. Art’s main expertise is in pre-Civil War banking, but he is well-known for his decades of work in early childhood and especially the Minnesota Early Learning Scholarships program, which he launched 20 years ago in Minneapolis. His work on early childhood development has garnered numerous awards, including those from the George Lucas Educational Foundation and the Minnesota Department of Health, both in 2007; he was also named 2005 Minnesotan of the Year by Minnesota Monthly magazine. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

12. 

    8 Sept 2023

    How Early Childhood is the Foundation of Social Capital (with Chris Bullivant)

    Katharine Stevens interviews Chris Bullivant about the importance of social capital to a thriving society and his fascinating new report, The Early Years. The report emphasizes the crucial role of early nurturing care in building social capital, arguing that the foundation of social capital is formed through children’s secure attachment established in the birth-to-three period. Bullivant explains the need to rebuild social capital to address the widespread breakdown of trust in society, and highlights challenges the U.S. faces in promoting social capital, including financial instability and isolation of parents with young children. He emphasizes the importance of public investment in the early years, calling for federal policies that can help parents build secure attachment with their young children through initiatives like paid family leave, the creation of family hubs, and boosting community organizations that can support parents. Finally, Bullivant highlights the need for promoting better public understanding of attachment theory and the profound role of parents’ nurturing care in infant and toddler development. KEY TAKEAWAYS Social capital refers to the rich network of relationships between individuals, including family, friends, and community organizations. Secure attachment developed in the early years forms the basic building block of social capital and is crucial for positive mental health, educational attainment, economic success, and the ability to form caring, loving relationships. Policy ideas such as paid family leave, family hubs, and support for community organizations can help build social capital and support parents in the early years. A public education campaign is needed to promote better understanding of attachment theory and the importance of early nurturing care for infants and toddlers. ABOUT THE GUEST Chris Bullivant (https://www.chrisbullivant.com/about) is the director of the Social Capital Campaign, (https://www.socialcapitalcampaign.com) founded in 2021 to promote social capital and the institutions that create it. Prior to this work, Chris helped launch UnHerd, a British news and opinion website and two think tanks: U.K. 2020, which focused on improving environmental policy and global food security and the Center for Social Justice, a London-based think tank promoting government policies that tackle the root causes of poverty. Chris has written for USA Toda --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

13. 

    24 Aug 2023

    Parenting Is the Key to Early Development and Social Mobility — PART 2 (with James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia)

    In the second part of this two-part discussion, Katharine Stevens continues her conversation with economists James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia about their pioneering research on how improving parenting is the essential mechanism of effective early childhood programs, and their new paper, "Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations." They discuss why policies aiming to support young children's development must focus on families, the importance of considering incentives in making policy, how we need to broaden the concept of "investment" in early childhood beyond public spending, and the promise of home visiting as the lowest-cost, most scalable approach to supporting young children's development. KEY TAKEAWAYS Parenting is the crucial driver of healthy early development. Public spending should be targeted at the socially and economically disadvantaged families who need help the most. Early childhood policy should focus on evidence-based approaches that improve parent-child interactions and support families in providing a loving, nurturing environment for their young children. Research should aim to understand the mechanisms of effective programs and emphasize replicability of evidence. ABOUT THE GUESTS James Heckman (https://economics.uchicago.edu/directory/james-j-heckman) is a Nobel-prize winning economist, a longtime professor at the University of Chicago, and director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development. He has devoted his professional life to understanding the origins of major social and economic problems as well as the economics of human flourishing. Learn more about Professor Heckman's work at bit.ly/3YToVs0. Jorge Luis Garcia (https://www.clemson.edu/business/about/profiles/jlgarci) is a professor of applied micro-economics at Clemson University. His research focuses on the intersection of labor and development economics, aiming to design and evaluate social policies that help develop the economic conditions of countries and people. Learn more about Professor Garcia's work at bit.ly/44ruLlD. RELATED WORK Read their new paper: "Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations (https://www.nber.org/papers/w30610)" at https://www.nber.org/papers/w30610. Listen to Part 1 of the conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148289/episodes/13389213#. ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

14. 

    11 Aug 2023

    Parenting Is the Key to Early Development and Social Mobility — PART 1 (with James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia)

    In this inaugural episode of the Center on Child and Family Policy's new podcast, Katharine Stevens interviews renowned economists James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia about their collaborative research on the transformational power of early childhood interventions to build human capital, and their new paper, "Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations." They discuss what's essential to conducting rigorous research in social science; why identifying the key mechanisms of effective programs is critical; how to evaluate the social efficiency of public spending; the promise of home visiting programs to improve child outcomes; and why we need to put families at the center of early childhood policy. KEY TAKEAWAYS Parenting plays the crucial role in promoting early childhood development and social mobility. Effective early childhood programs improve interactions between parents and their young children, with long-lasting effects on both children and families. Home visiting programs are a cost-effective way to advance early childhood development. Public spending on social programs should prioritize interventions that engage and empower families. ABOUT THE GUESTS James Heckman is a Nobel-prize winning economist, a longtime professor at the University of Chicago, and director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development. He has devoted his professional life to understanding the origins of major social and economic problems as well as the economics of human flourishing. Learn more about Professor Heckman's work at: bit.ly/3YToVs0. Jorge Luis Garcia is a professor of applied micro-economics at Clemson University. His research focuses on the intersection of labor and development economics, aiming to design and evaluate social policies that help develop the economic conditions of countries and people. Learn more about Professor Garcia's work at: bit.ly/44ruLlD. RELATED WORK Read their new paper: "Parenting Promotes Social Mobility Within and Across Generations (https://www.nber.org/papers/w30610)" at https://www.nber.org/papers/w30610. Listen to Part 2 of the conversation here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148289/episodes/13417302#. --------------------------------------- Subscribe to Early Matters: Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3EgluC8 (https://open.spotify.com/show/3bvpvB9rbWJar0FYJqTlan) Apple: https://apple.co/3qIp7Ol (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/early-matters/id1702255084) iHeart: https://ihr.fm/44oFE7R (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-early-matters-121652528/) Follow Us on Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CCFP (https://twitter.com/_CCFP) and https://twitter.com/kbstevens (https://twitter.com/kbstevens) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/center-on-child-and-family-policy/about/?viewAsMember=true) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy (https://www.facebook.com/centeronchildandfamilypolicy) See the Center on Child and Family Policy's Work: www.ccfp.org (https://www.ccfp.org/) Sign Up for Updates: https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates (https://www.ccfp.org/sign-up-for-ccfp-updates) Email the Show: EarlyMatters@ccfp.org (mailto:EarlyMatters@ccfp.org). ------------------------------------

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