New 0-5 Five Report from Voices

2/26/2008

Download "Compounding Interest" here.

Voices for Georgia’s Children today introduced a report detailing public policy and investment strategies aimed at very young children that can benefit the state while enhancing long-term health and academic achievement. 

The report, “Compounding Interest – Why 0-5 is an Investment Worth Making,” defines a framework with three main components; family supports, good health and early care and learning.  With an overall emphasis on the importance of early development to Georgia’s economic interests, Voices suggests five public commitments to improving the well being of this age group as the basis for a comprehensive agenda: 

• Public policy and investment that recognizes the importance of early development to the economic interests of our state as well as the individual interests of children
• A commitment to “quality” in implementation
• Family services and supports for economic viability and for effective parenting
• Health services, both physical and mental, integrated with other services to families
• Early care and education programs that will enhance the impact of our later investments in education and training

Voices executive director Pat Willis explained that as the organization assessed policy and opportunities to achieve better outcomes for the state’s children, it was apparent that focusing on the very young held the most potential for later success.  “What was theory 15 years ago is now fact that the first five years of children’s lives are pivotal in their ability to achieve their full potential.  Ninety percent of the brain’s development occurs through age three and family and social environments shape that development in ways that are hard, if not impossible, to alter later.”

Findings and recommendations from the report will shape a comprehensive agenda by Voices to help steer public priority toward this age group.  Two examples would be health coverage and early learning, areas in which Georgia already does well.

Copies of the report will be circulated to policy makers statewide and are also downloadable here.