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OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
FILES OF SHIRLEY S. SAGAWA - Deputy Chief of Staff to the First Lady and Deputy
Assistant to the President
BOX 1 OF 4
January 16, 2001
Youth/Childcare/Hispanic Box
Youth -- Hispanic convening
Youth -- Hispanic convening follow-up
Youth -- Background on Hispanic convening
Youth -- Hispanic convening
Youth -- Hispanic roundtable
Youth -- Hispanic education
Youth -- Youth summit
Youth -- Youth conference
Child care
Youth -- Urban Improv
Youth -- Youth Council
Child care conference
Child care conference
Child care conference
Early childhood development -- Early childhood conference
Early childhood development - Brain conference
in # 23242 19625
Bram conf.
HRC / POTUS
remarks
WHITE WPD
Page 3
PROCEEDINGS
MRS. CLINTON: Please be seated. Welcome to the
White House and to this very special White House
Conference on Early Childhood Development and Learning.
We are delighted that you can join us today not only here
in the East Room, but I want to give a special welcome to
the thousands of people who are joining this conference
via satellite from universities, hospitals and schools
around the country. There are nearly 100 sites in 37
states.
Now, at first glance, it may seem odd to hold a
conference here at the White House devoted to talking
about baby talk. But that discussion has never been more
important, because science, as we will hear from the
experts who are with us today, has now confirmed what many
parents have instinctively known all along, that the song
a father sings to his child in the morning, or a story
that a mother reads to her child before bed help lay the
foundation for a child's life, and in turn, for our
nation's future.
So the President has convened this conference with a
clear mission: to give the leading experts in the field
of early childhood development, the scientists and
WHITE WPD
Page 4
pediatricians, the researchers and all of the others, the
opportunity to explain their discoveries and to put this
invaluable body of knowledge at the service of America's
families.
But this is not just for America's families. This
information is crucial for anyone in the position of
leaving an impression on a young child's growing mind
day-care workers, teachers, doctors and nurses, television
writers and producers, business leaders, government
policy-makers, all of us.
It is astonishing what we now know about the young
brain and about how children develop. Just how far we
have come is chronicled in a report being issued today by
the Families and Work Institute, entitled, "Rethinking the
Brain. Fifteen years ago, we thought that a baby's brain
structure was virtually complete at birth. Now, we
understand that it is a work in progress, and that
everything we do with a child has some kind of potential
physical influence on that rapidly-forming brain.
A child's earliest experiences, their relationships
with parents and care-givers, the sights and sounds and
smells and feelings they encounter, the challenges they
meet determine how their brains are wired. And that brain
WHITE WPD
Page 5
shapes itself through repeated experiences. The more
something is repeated, the stronger the neuro-circuitry
becomes, and those connections, in turn, can be permanent.
In this way, the seemingly trivial events of our earliest
months that we cannot even later recall -- hearing a song,
getting a hug after falling down, knowing when to expect a
smile - - those are anything but trivial.
And as we now know, for the first three years of
their life, so much is happening in the baby's brain.
They will learn to soothe themselves when they're upset,
to empathize to get along. These experiences can
determine whether children will grow up to be peaceful or
violent citizens, focused or undisciplined workers,
attentive or detached parents themselves.
We now have reached the point of understanding that a
child's mind and a child's body must be nourished. During
the first part of the 20th century, science built a strong
foundation for the physical health of our children -
clean water and safe food, vaccines for preventable
diseases, a knowledge of nutrition, a score of other
remarkable other lifesaving achievements. The last years
of this century are yielding similar breakthroughs for the
brain. We are completing the job of primary prevention,
WHITE WPD
Page 6
and coming closer to the day when we should be able to
ensure the well-being of children in every domain --
physical, social, intellectual, and emotional.
I have very high hopes not only for this conference,
but for what I hope will come from it. But there are,
however, two things I hope this conference will not do.
The first is I hope this information will not burden or
overwhelm parents. Parenting is the hardest job in the
world, and the information we offer today is meant to help
parents, not to make them anxious or imprison them in a
set or rules. If you forget to read to your child one
night, please, that's okay. (Laughter.)
Think of this conference as a map. And like any good
map, it shows you a lot of different ways to get where you
need to go. Many American parents have been asking for
just such a map. A new survey, "From Zero to Three, " the
National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families shows a
real hunger on the part of parents for knowledge on how
they can play a positive role in their child's early
development. And I hope this conference in one of the
ways we answer that call.
The second thing I hope does not happen is to create
the impression that once a child's third birthday rolls
WHITE.WPD
Page 7
around, the important work is over. The early years are
not the only years. The brain is the last organ to become
fully mature anatomically. Neurological circuitry for
many emotions isn't completed until a child reaches 15.
So there is always room for appropriate stimulation,
loving and nurturing care by adults who are invested in a
child. There's always something that concerned adults can
do. And that has special relevance for adoption.
Adoptive parents can make an enormous difference for a
child at any time, and especially for older children.
That said, here is what I hope the conference will
accomplish. I hope it will get across the revolutionary
idea that the activities that are the easiest, cheapest
and most fun to do with your child are also the best for
his or her development - - singing, playing games, reading,
story-telling, just talking and listening. Some of my
best memories are reading to our daughter, even if I fell
asleep in the nine hundredth reading of "Goodnight, Moon. If
But reading to her when she was young was a joy for Bill
and me, and we think also a joy for her. But we had no
idea 15, 16, 17 years ago that what we were doing was
literally turning on the power in her brain, firing up the
connections that would enable her to speak and read at as
WHITE WPD
Page 8
high a level as she possibly could reach.
I hope that the science presented in this conference
will drive home a simple message, one supported in great
detail by a report being issued today by the President's
Council of Economic Advisors. If we, as a nation, commit
ourselves now to modest investments in the sound
development of our children, including especially our very
youngest children, we will lay the groundwork for an
American future with increased prosperity, better health,
fewer social ills and ever greater opportunities for our
citizens to lead fulfilling lives in a strong country in
the next century.
There's a quote I particularly like from the Chilean
poet, Gabriella Mistral, that reminds us, "Many things we
need can wait; the child cannot. Now is the time his
bones are being formed,
his blood being made, his mind being developed. To him,
we cannot say, tomorrow. His name is today. II We have
known this instinctively, even poetically; now we know it
scientifically.
And I'm pleased to introduce someone who has been
saying this and practicing it for a long time -- maybe not
in poetry, but certainly in the countless stories and
WHITE WPD
Page 9
books and songs that he has shared not only with our
daughter, but with our nephews and, really, any small
child who ever crosses his path. As the President of the
United States and as a father, he has acted on these
beliefs, putting the well-being of children at the very
center of national policy. So it pleases me greatly to
introduce my fellow reader of "Good Night, Moon, " the
President, Bill Clinton. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much, and welcome to the White House. I
was relieved to hear Hillary say that the brain is the
last organ to fully develop. It may yet not be too late
for me to learn how to walk down steps. (Laughter.) Or
maybe I was thinking it was because I was always hugged
when I fell down as a child, I did this subconsciously on
purpose. (Laughter.)
Let me begin by thanking the members of the Cabinet
who are here. I see Secretary Riley and Secretary
Glickman. I thank Governor Romer and Governor Chiles for
being here. I think Governor Miller is coming. There are
many others who are here. Congresswoman De Lauro is
either here or coming. Thank you, Governor Miller. I see
I was looking to the left there. (Laughter.) He's from
WHITE WPD
Page 10
Nevada - - he just went up five points in the polls when I
said that. (Laughter.)
Let me say, first of all, the first time I met
Hillary, she was not only a law student, she was working
with the Yale Child Study Center, and she began my
education in these issues. And for that, I am profoundly
grateful. And I thank her for bringing the scientists,
the doctors, the sociologists, the others whose work is
the basis for our discussion today here. And I, too, want
to thank the thousands of others who are joining us by
satellite.
This unique conference is a part of our constant
effort to give our children the opportunity to make the
most of their God-given potential and to help their
parents lead the way, and to remind everyone in America
that this must always be part of the public's business
because we all have a common interest in our children's
future.
We have begun the job here over the last four years
by making education our top domestic priority, by passing
the Family Leave act and now trying to expand it and enact
a form of flex time which will give parents more options
in how they take their overtime in pay or in time with
WHITE.WPD
Page 11
their children, by the work we have done to expand the
Family and Medical Leave Act and by the work we've tried
to do to give parents more tools with the v-chip and the
television rating system, and the work we are still
carrying on to try to stop the advertising and marketing
and distribution of tobacco to our children, and other
work we've done in juvenile justice and trying to keep our
kids away from the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
All these are designed to help our parents succeed in
doing their most important job. Now it seems to me maybe
the most important thing we can actually do is to share
with every parent in America the absolutely stunning
things we are learning from new scientific research about
how very young children learn and develop. In that
regard, I'd like to thank Rob Reiner and others who are
committed to distributing this information, and I'd like
to thank the media here in our Nation's Capital and
throughout the country for the genuine interest that they
have shown in this conference.
I think there is an instinctive understanding here
that this is a very, very big issue that embraces all of
us as Americans, and that if we learn our lessons well and
if we're patient in carrying them out, as Hillary said,
WHITE WPD
Page 12
knowing that there is no perfect way to raise a child, we
are likely to have a very positive and profound impact on
future generations in this country. So I want to thank,
again, all of you for that.
Let me say there are some public programs that bear
directly on early childhood development - - the Head Start
program, which we've expanded by 43 percent over the last
four years; the WIC
program, which we've expanded by nearly 2 million
participants. I have to say that I was a little
disappointed -- or a lot disappointed to see a
congressional committee yesterday vote to underfund the
WIC program. I hope that if nothing else happens out of
this conference, the results of the conference will reach
the members of that congressional committee and we can
reverse that before the budget finally comes to my desk.
I would also like to remind all of you that this
conference is literally just a start. We have to look at
the practical implications of this research for parents,
for care-givers, for policy-makers, but we also know that
we're looking at years and years of work in order to make
the findings of this conference real and positive in the
lives of all of our children. But this is a very exciting
WHITE WPD
Page 13
and enormous undertaking.
This research has opened a new frontier. Great
exploration is, of course, not new to this country. We
have gone across the land, we have gone across the globe,
we have gone into the skies, and now we are going deep
into ourselves and into our children. In some ways, this
may be the most exiting and important exploration of all.
I'm proud of the role that federally-funded research
has played in these findings in discovering that the
earliest years of life are critical for developing
intellectual, emotional and social potential. We all know
that every child needs proper nutrition and access to
health care, a safe home and an environment; and we know
every child needs teaching and touching, reading and
playing, singing and talking.
It is true that Chelsea is about to go off to
college, but Hillary and I have been blessed by having two
young nephews now one is about two and one is about
three -- and we're learning things all over again that, I
must say, corroborate what the scientists are telling us.
We are going to continue to work on this, and I know
that you will help us, too. Let me just mention two or
three things that we want to work on that we think are
WHITE WPD
Page 14
important. We've got to do a lot more to improve the
quality, the availability and the affordability of child
care. Many experts consider our military's child care
system to be the best in our country. I'm very proud of
that, and not surprised.
The man responsible for administering the Navy's
child care system, Rear Admiral Larry Marsh, is here with
us today. He leads a system that has high standards,
including a high percentage of accredited centers, a
strong enforcement system with unannounced inspections,
parents have a toll-free number to call and report
whatever concerns they may have, training is mandatory and
wages and benefits are good, so, staff tends to stay on.
I am proud that the military places such importance
on helping the families of the men and women who serve our
country in uniform. But it's really rather elementary to
know that they're going to do a lot better on the ships,
in the skies, in faraway lands if they're not worried
about how their children are faring while they're at work
serving America.
To extend that kind of quality beyond the military, I
am issuing today an executive memorandum asking the
Department of Defense to share its success. I want the
WHITE,WPD
Page 15
military to partner with civilian child care centers to
help them improve quality, to help them become accredited,
to provide training to civilian child care providers, to
share information on how to operate successfully, and to
work with state and local governments to give on-the-job
training and child care to people moving from welfare to
work.
I think this is especially important. Let me say in
the welfare reform bill, we put another $4 billion in for
child care. In addition to that, because the states are
getting money for welfare reform based on the peak case
load in welfare in 1994, and we've reduced the welfare
rolls by 2.8 million since then, most states, for a period
of time until an extra session comes along, will have some
extra funds that the can put into more child care. This
gives states the opportunity they have never had before to
train more child care workers, to use funds to help even
more people move from welfare to work and perhaps even to
provide more discounts to low-income workers to make child
care affordable for them.
This welfare reform effort, if focused on child care,
can train lots of people on welfare to be accredited child
care workers and expand the availability of welfare in
WHITE WPD
Page 16
most of the states of the country. It's not true for
every state, because some of them have had smaller drops
in the case load and three have had no drops. But, by and
large, the welfare reform bill, because of the way it's
structured, gives all of you who care about child care
about a year or two to make strenuous efforts, state by
state, to create a more comprehensive quality system of
child care than we have ever had before. And I certainly
hope that what we can do here, plus the support of the
military, we'll see dramatic advances in that regard.
I'd like to thank the people here who have done that
work. And I'd like to say that we are going to hold a
second conference, this one devoted exclusively to the
child care issue here at the White House in Washington
this fall. And I hope all of you who care about that will
come back.
The second thing we want to do is to extend health
care coverage to uncovered children. The budget I have
submitted will extend coverage to as many as 5 million
children by the year 2000 with the children's health
initiative in the budget proposal -- to strengthen
Medicaid for poor children and children with disabilities,
to provide coverage for working families through
WHITE WPD
Page 17
innovative state programs, to continue health care
coverage for children of workers who are between jobs.
There is an enormous amount of interest in this issue in
both parties, I'm happy to say, in the Congress in this
session. And I quite confident that if we'll all work
together, we can get an impressive expansion in health
care coverage for children in this congressional session.
I'm pleased that Dr. Jordan Cohen, the President and
CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges is
with us today to lend his association's strong support to
these efforts. With the support of leaders in medicine,
again I say, I am convinced we'll have a bipartisan
consensus that will extend coverage to millions more
uninsured children.
The third thing we want to do is this: Because we
know the great importance of early education, we're going
to expand Early Head Start enrollment by at least
one-third next year. Early Head Start was created in
1994. It's been a great success in bringing the
nutritional, educational and other services of Head Start
to children aged three and younger and to pregnant women.
It has been a real success and we need to expand it.
Today we are requesting new applications for early
WHITE WPD
Page 18
Head Start programs to accomplish the expansion. And to
help parents to teach the very young, we developed a tool
kit called, "Ready, Set, Read, part of our America Reads
challenge, designed to make sure that every child can read
independently by the 3rd grade. This kit gives tips on
activities for young children. It's going out to early
childhood programs all across the country along with a
hotline number for anyone else who wants the kit.
The fourth thing we're going to do is to protect the
safety of our children more. In particular, we have to
help young children more who are exposed to abuse and
violence. Let me tell you, as you might imagine, I get
letters all the time from very young children. And my
staff provides a significant number of them for me to
read. The Secretary of Education not very long ago gave
me a set of letters from children who were quite young, a
couple of years ago gave me a set of letters from children
who were in the 3rd grade. But sometimes I get them from
kindergarten children and 1st grade children, talking
about what they want America to look like.
And it
is appalling the number of letters I get from five- and
six-year-olds who simply want me to make their lives safe;
who don't want to worry about being shot; who don't want
WHITE WPD
Page 19
anymore violence in their homes; who want their schools
and the streets they walk on to be free of terror.
So, today the Department of Justice is establishing a
new initiative called "Safe Start," based on efforts in
New Haven, Connecticut, which you will hear about this
afternoon. The program will train police officers,
prosecutors, probation and parole officers in child
development so that they' 11 actually be equipped to handle
situations involving young children. And I believe if we
can put this initiative into effect all across America, it
will make our children safer. And I'm glad we're
announcing it today during Victims of Crime Week. We all
know that it's going to take a partnership across America
to help our children reach their full potential. But the
toughest job will always belong to our parents -- first
teachers, main nurturers. Being a parent is a joy and a
challenge. But it's not a job you can walk away from,
take a vacation from, or even apply for family leave from.
(Laughter.) The world moves too fast, and today, parents
have more worries than ever. Work does compete with
family demands, and finding a balance is more difficult
than before. That's why this must always be part of the
public's business.
WHITE WPD
Page 20
Let me come now to the bottom line. The more we
focus on early years, the more important they become. We
know that these investments of time and money will yield
us the highest return in healthier children, stronger
families and better communities.
Now, let me say, finally, I know that none of us who
are in politics, none of us who are just parents, will
ever know as much as the experts we're about to hear from
today. But what they're going to tell us is the most
encouraging thing of all, which is, they have found out
that we can all do the job. No matter how young, a child
does understand a gentle touch or a smile or a loving
voice. Babies understand more than we have understood
about them. Now we can begin to close the gap and to make
sure that all children in this country do have that chance
to live up to the fullest of their God-given potential.
Again, I thank you all for being here. I thank our
experts, I thank the First Lady. And I'd like to ask Dr.
David Hamburg to come up and sit there and take over the
program.
David?
Thank you. (Applause.)
MRS. CLINTON: I wanted to add to the President's
WHITE WPD
Page 21
introduction. Dr. Hamburg brings to this position a
lifetime of commitment, improving the quality of life of
Americans and people around the world; and in his latest
incarnation as the President of the Carnegie Corporation,
has overseen the production of a series of reports about
our children. And the one that is most relevant for today
is a report called "Starting Points," that really was, in
many of our eyes, the seminal report on early childhood
development, and out of which has sprung much of the
public attention over the past three years to the issues
we're going to discuss today.
Dr. Hamburg.
DR. HAMBURG: Thank you very much, indeed. I know I
speak for everyone in thanking the President and the First
Lady for outstanding leadership on this vital issue, which
is simply the fundamental building blocks of every human
life. That's what this is about. This month is a
historic one in the annals of disease prevention. Do you
remember infantile paralysis, we used to call it? In
April, 1995 -- in April, the Salk Polio Vaccine first
became available.
It SO happens that the late Jonas Salk was a member
of the task force that prepared Starting Points, and he
The Seven Lessons of Early
Childhood Public Engagement
Starting Points
Meeting the Needs of Our Youngest Children
CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK | FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
Starting Points
The Seven Lessons of Early
Childhood Public Engagement
BY NINA SAZER O'DONNELL AND ELLEN GALINSKY, FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
IN 1994, THE PUBLICATION OF STARTING POINTS
efforts to improve the lives of young children and
by the Carnegie Corporation of New York heralded a
their families.
"quiet crisis" for our nation's youngest children. The
This brief describes recent early childhood public
report documented the nation's lack of community-
engagement efforts and outlines lessons for public
based supports for families with young children,
engagement leaders. Part 1 defines public engagement
accessible pre-natal and well-baby care and quality
and describes how national, state and local leaders
child care, and "an epidemic of inadvertent neglect."
have engaged the public in early childhood issues.
These findings were juxtaposed with research that
Part 2 outlines seven key lessons that informed these
underscores the importance of positive early child-
efforts. Part 3 offers concrete tips for how a wide
hood development for later school and life success.
variety of community members-from architects to
youth-can take action to promote the healthy
development of our nation's youngest children.
1. Introduction
WHAT IS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT?
Public: relating to or concerning all the people of
a country or community; a group of people with a
common interest; of, concerning, or affecting the
community or the people: the public good.
Today. the "crisis" is no longer SO quiet. The
Engagement: something that serves to engage;
media have significantly expanded their coverage of
the condition of being in gear.¹
early childhood issues. More individuals and organi-
zations have gotten involved. More elected officials
Public engagement is more than public awareness,
and community leaders have taken a stand on the
although convincing people that there is a public
importance of the early years. New funding has been
problem is necessary for engagement. It is more than
directed to early childhood. and new programs are
public education, although informing the public
emerging across the nation.
about how to solve the problem is equally necessary.
Why is this happening? Why now? The answers
Public engagement entails taking action, addressing
rest in part on deliberate efforts at the national, state
problems, and creating solutions that lead to a public
and local levels to increase public engagement in
|2|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
good. Lori Dorfman, Ph.D., Director of the Berkeley
Media Studies Group. defines public engagement as
"salience," noting that "it is not only that people
know about something, but that they care about it as
well. If they are really engaged. they will take the
next step and do something about it. The best
campaigns help people understand what they should
do and help them take that action."
Effective early childhood public engagement:
increases public understanding of the importance
national meeting in 1996. This meeting brought
of the early years of life;
together leaders of successful public awareness and
demonstrates why it is in the public interest to
engagement efforts, such as child abuse prevention,
invest in the positive development of young
environmental protection, smoking cessation, drug
children: and
abuse prevention and other health and public educa-
engages diverse stakeholders or publics in action
tion campaigns with leading communications, media
that achieves results.
and research experts to provide advice and share
lessons learned. These lessons provided a framework
WHAT ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PUBLIC
for successful national, state and local early childhood
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES?
public engagement efforts under the banner of the
This was the question confronting early childhood
I Am Your Child Campaign.
leaders who wanted to respond to the call-to-action
issued by Starting Points, which documented the
THE NATIONAL / AM YOUR
serious conditions affecting many very young chil-
CHILD CAMPAIGN
dren and proposed action. But action cannot occur
In 1997, FWI collaborated with the Reiner
without a change in the public will. The public must
Foundation's I Am Your Child Campaign, chaired
understand how these problems affect the public good.
by producer, director and actor Rob Reiner.
The public must realize that solutions involve families,
Representing a unique partnership among the media,
employers, states and communities. The public must
funders and national organizations, the campaign
also see that change is beneficial and possible.
created a national media presence, materials for the
All too often, early childhood leaders have said.
general public, parents and caregivers of young
"There have been shifts in the public will about
children, along with campaign tools and materials for
smoking. about drugs, about the environment. about
state and local public engagement leaders.'
child abuse, and about seat belts. Why can't aware-
National media developed for the campaign
ness of the importance of the early years of life
captured public attention, bringing early childhood
change on the same scale?"
issues to the fore. This included: a prime time ABC
Based on the premise that leaders of other
television special, created by Rob Reiner; a Newsweek
successful campaigns had knowledge and experience
Magazine special edition: a week-long series on the
that might apply to the problems outlined by Starting
Today Show and Good Morning America; a video for
Points, Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the
parents- The First Years Last Forever; a CD-ROM
Carnegie Corporation of New York convened a
for parents and caregivers titled I Am Your Child; a
131
Starting Points
significantly increased public awareness about the
importance of the early years, and increased action to
improve young children's positive development.
As campaign partners, national organizations used
their communications' vehicles-conferences. jour-
nals, newsletters and web sites-to share information
about the importance of the early years. They also
encouraged members to get involved locally. Some
launched special projects, such as the American
Academy of Pediatrics' efforts to promote early liter-
acy, ZERO TO THREE's national parent survey, the
Child Welfare League of America's Prudential
Positive Parenting Program and the American
Association of Family and Consumer Sciences'
middle and high school curricula that teach child
development and neuroscience information.
In addition. FWI published four books for public
engagement leaders: Rethinking the Brain: New
Insights into Early Development; Community
Mobilization: Strategies to Support Young Children
and Their Families; Early Childhood Action Tips; and
Measuring Progress and Results in Early Childhood
toll-free number; brochures and action tips for
System Development.
parents and community leaders; and a web site.
These media and materials were widely distributed
STATE AND LOCAL CAMPAIGNS
throughout the country and used to stimulate state
The / Am Your Child Campaign was designed to
and local public engagement efforts.
engage the public at the national, state and local
Campaign organizers developed a public policy
levels, for maximum effect. Existing organizations
agenda based on the recommendations of the
and new coalitions adapted I Am Your Child campaign
Carnegie Corporation of New York's report, Starting
media and materials for their own states and commu-
Points. FWI created the Early Childhood Public
nities. States and communities also created their own
Engagement Network (EC-PEN) to support the
media, materials and public engagement strategies.
campaign's outreach efforts. This network links 250
Throughout the country, state and local coalitions
national organization partners and more than 100
shared information, called parents, employers and
state and local coalitions representing families, child
policy makers to action, mobilized the media and
health, early learning, parenting support, faith com-
created public-private partnerships to address early
munities, business, law enforcement, media and other
childhood challenges.
stakeholders who share a determination to improve
Leading the way were the Starting Points Projects.
early childhood outcomes in this country. The
Funded initially in 1996 by Carnegie Corporation of
EC-PEN continues to disseminate information to the
New York, these projects created state and communi-
media, families and policy leaders. resulting in
ty initiatives to put the Starting Points recommenda-
|4|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
tions into action. Public engagement campaigns and
strategies were an integral part of larger early child-
Staging Campaigns
hood system improvement and expansion efforts for
many of these projects. (See Appendix A: Starting
Pittsburgh Starting Points created a multi-year,
Points Projects Contact Information.)
multi-stage campaign to promote early literacy. It
Examples from these projects illustrate the seven
began with a public opinion poll to get baseline
lessons that continue to guide successful national,
information about parent knowledge and behav-
state and local early childhood public engagement
ior and to identify the most effective messages.
campaigns.
This led to a media and action campaign that
encouraged ten minutes a day of reading to all
2. Seven Lessons of
children by saying, "reading is fun for you and
Public Engagement
your child and it stimulates your child's intellectu-
al development." The campaign used TV, radio,
LESSON 1: SEE A CAMPAIGN IN
and billboard ads to raise public awareness. It
STAGES-FROM CHANGING PUBLIC
also sponsored neighborhood and community-
AWARENESS TO CHANGING BEHAVIOR,
wide events, such as reading rallies with public
TO ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN ACTION
celebrities reading stories and distributing books
Social change takes time and requires multiple
and reading lists to 13,000 first-through-third
opportunities to learn new information and change
graders. The campaign mobilized community-
behavior. Repetition is essential for learning and each
wide interest in early literacy.
stage of a campaign-from changing awareness to
As the campaign progressed, 18 school dis-
stimulating action-requires targeting effective mes-
tricts and 18 pediatric practices partnered to
sages to key audiences over time. Understanding that
establish 87 places where, during well-baby visits,
successful campaigns progress from public awareness
doctors give parents information, books and help
to increased knowledge and to private and public
on how to read with their children. Then
action makes it easier to develop the right strategies
Pittsburgh Magazine joined in. They published a
for each stage. "Be prepared to spend seven to ten
special supplement, Twenty Everyday Ways to
years on your effort," advised the group of public
Advance the Reading Skills of Very Young Children,
engagement experts convened at Carnegie in 1996.
prominently featuring Pittsburgh Starting Points,
along with its funders and sponsors.
The campaign then moved to a stage in which
key players created partnerships and structures to
sustain early literacy activities over time, such as a
citywide literacy task force, higher education
involvement and efforts to engage practitioners.
Pittsburgh Starting Points is also: working to
include early literacy knowledge in pre-service
and ongoing teacher training; recruiting and
training parent champions to advocate
Continued on page 6
|5|
Starting Points
Staging Campaigns, continued from page 5
for more early literacy resources; encouraging school districts to create early literacy programs; and expand-
ing early literacy activities in the city's twenty-seven family support centers.
Rhode Island Starting Points partnered with Rhode Island Kids Count (RI Kids Count), weaving together
an effort to engage key stakeholders with a media campaign letting the public know about the status of
children and what can be done to improve early childhood outcomes.
Every year, RI Kids Count invites 300 of the state's most important leaders, including the Governor, the
U.S. Senators, other elected officials, doctors, ministers, elected officials, business leaders, families, policy-
makers and others to a high profile event to release its annual Factbook on the status of children. Over
time, invitations to this event have become coveted. The occasion is now known as the time and place
where state leaders assess where they've been and commit to solutions in a very public way. In addition, RI
Kids Count leaders personally deliver the book to the state's key policy leaders, from the legislators to city
and town council chairs. RI Starting Points and RI Kids Count have learned that stakeholders pay more
attention when the media consistently covers early childhood issues. Therefore, RI Kids Count used the same
strategy of hosting a high-profile event when it released its first Special Report, Building an Early Care and
Education System in Rhode Island. This event led to extensive coverage by print and broadcast media.
Florida Starting Points took another approach to developing a staged campaign. This initiative began by
designing a "train the trainer" model that taught 3,000 volunteers from all walks of life to present informa-
tion on early brain development to policymakers and elected officials.
Using these presentations to mobilize community members, the volunteers reached more than 58,000
Floridians, from the Governor to legislators and senior citizen voters. This grass-roots effort led to school
readiness legislation which now funds diverse community-based efforts to assess local early learning needs
and create effective school readiness programs throughout the state. This strategy also led to funding for
Healthy Families Florida, a primary child abuse prevention program.
Boston Starting Points Connecting the Dots for Tots Project (Dots) created a staged campaign with the
Boston Mayor's Office and other community partners. In 1997, Mayor Menino created a municipal Office for
Children and Families. This office invited Dots and it's many partners to help organize Boston's first
Children's Week. Children's Week was a way to focus community attention on the needs of young children
and their families and to educate, engage and motivate parents. The effort began with a high profile dinner
that featured the national / Am Your Child television special produced by Rob Reiner. The following year,
Children's Week expanded its focus and activities to a month-long Focus on Children and Youth. This larger
effort aimed to: spotlight existing programs and resources; provide families and other stakeholders with
tools that helped them to advocate for needed changes; and celebrate and honor volunteers and profes-
sionals who work for and with young people. In 1999, Children's Week partners created the Boston Family
Guide: Resources for Raising Our Children, a 32-page resource book for families. Dots sees these efforts to
engage families and the public as key to improving family access to services, increasing broad stakeholder
support for early childhood resources and creating a culture that values the work of families and early
childhood professionals and volunteers.
|6|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
LESSON 2: KNOW HOW PEOPLE SEE
YOUR ISSUE BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Before attempting to affect public awareness, knowl-
edge and action, it is essential to know how the public
sees your issues. Many national organizations, such as
ZERO TO THREE, the Ad Council, Child Care
Action Campaign. Child Trends, Fight Crime. Invest
in Kids, the National Center for Children in Poverty,
Public Agenda and others, conduct and publish
research on how various publics see various early
childhood issues. Many of these organizations also
maintain web sites that make this and other research
in Vermont Business Magazine of family-friendly
available electronically.
businesses in Vermont with descriptions of their
While these national data are invaluable, it is also
practices, to suggest ways that other employers could
essential to explore public opinion closer to home.
address child care and to raise awareness about the
Ideally this process should use a combination of
business impact of child care.
existing state and local data sources, such as census,
Research has also provided surprises at the
Kids Count or United Way data, as well as more
national level. Reflecting a long-term commitment to
specific data from focus groups, public forums,
children's issues, The Advertising (Ad) Council
interviews and other conversations with the publics
worked with The Public Agenda Foundation
you hope to engage.
to investigate how the public feels about children.
Sometimes this kind of research leads to surprises.
Guided by the feedback obtained from a series of
For example, early childhood leaders in Vermont
focus group interviews, The Ad Council concluded
decided to hold focus groups with employers before
that the traditional approach used by most children's
creating the now thriving Child Care Fund of
advocates to encourage public action was backfiring.
Vermont (CCFF) and a campaign to get employers to
Depicting the plight of young children as a series of
contribute." Before the focus groups, early childhood
crises-children born into poverty or exposed to vio-
leaders thought that employers would contribute to a
lence, infants born prematurely or to mothers who are
statewide fund to address their employee child care
substance abusers, and so forth-produced feelings of
needs. The focus groups revealed that employers
hopelessness and apathy. Participants tended to distance
weren't enthusiastic about contributing to a statewide
themselves from the situation, often ultimately blaming,
fund but would contribute to benefit their own region
even demonizing those "bad" parents who would
or community. They also learned that most Vermont
permit such terrible things to happen to their children.
employers did not know how child care affects their
The Ad Council learned that the public reacts differ-
bottom line. and fewer knew what to do about it.
ently when parents are included in the message and
This knowledge led leaders to structure the Fund to
depicted as trying hard. It also learned that positive,
include regional business consortia that allow
"here's how to make things better" messages are more
employers to help increase and improve child care in
effective at engaging various publics in community
their own communities. The focus group results also
problem-solving and at generating public support for
led CCFF leaders to create the Child Care Counts
problem-solving programs.
Honor Roll for Vermont employers, an annual listing
171
Starting Points
Finding Out What People Think
Baltimore Starting Points partnered with the citywide Safe and Sound Campaign, which promotes support
for families with young children, in a broad, participatory effort to learn what citizens thought the cam-
paign focus should be. Selected as one of eight cities to participate in a two-year Robert Wood Johnson
(RWJ) Foundation Urban Health Initiative, Baltimore's campaign spent two years soliciting community input,
through neighborhood speak-outs, meetings with parents, youth and other stakeholders and an annual
summit/family picnic. Co-sponsored by the Safe and Sound Campaign and Baltimore Healthy Start/Starting
Points, more than 7,000 families-mothers, fathers and children-attended. In order to reach the picnic area,
participants had to vote on the campaign's top five goals. Based on this extensive community research and
engagement strategy, Baltimore was one of the five cities chosen by RWJ for support to implement the
Urban Health Initiative, which improves child health and safety by bringing together youth, parents and
other leaders in distressed urban communities.
San Francisco Starting Points is working in partnership with San Francisco's Children and Families First
Commission to obtain the broadest possible public input in the creation of the county's plan for services for
children from birth to five. San Francisco is one of eight counties participating in this foundation-funded project.
The process aims to stimulate public awareness and solicit broad public input on how best to allocate funds
made available to counties for early childhood programs and services through Proposition 10.⁵
The first stage of the project included focus groups in multiple languages with parents who are often
left out of formal public hearings or meetings. A parent survey in English, Spanish and Cantonese was wide-
ly distributed through child care programs, family resource centers, and other settings where parents gather.
An eight-county telephone survey established baseline of information on the views of county residents
about early childhood issues, knowledge of early childhood brain development and Proposition 10. An
active Civic Engagement Advisory Committee, representing organizations working directly with parents, has
been key to getting this project off the ground.
A series of community conversations about the Commission's proposed strategic plan are the next steps.
Parents, service providers, and interested members of the public will be invited to create a shared perspec-
tive on priorities for young children and their families. Input from these community dialogues will help
shape the Commission's strategic plan. Once that plan is adopted, a new round of community conversations
will lead to the strategies to be supported with Proposition 10 funding.
The project will continue to use public forums, neighborhood discussions, workshops, training and other
strategies to engage citizens and seek common ground for early childhood development plans and priori-
ties. The goal of the project is to establish broad civic engagement as early childhood programs and services
are implemented and evaluated over time.
181
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
LESSON 3: TARGET THE PEOPLE
public engagement campaigns. Business leaders are
WHO HAVE THE POWER TO
often effective influencers of elected officials and are
BRING ABOUT CHANGE
increasingly influence early childhood policy (see page
It is important to organize a campaign on multiple lev-
11: Engaging Business).
els. mobilizing effective change agents at each level. It is
Early childhood initiatives are also engaging health
essential to define and target both the decision-makers
champions, educators, elected officials, librari-
who can make change happen and those who influence
ans, government, faith communities, law
them. Campaigns must also answer the question.
enforcement, early childhood service
"What do you want me to do?" for each of these
providers, unions, youth, elders, architects,
groups (see Section 3, Early Childhood Action Tips).
universities, researchers, funders and others as
Effective campaigns typically target at least three
effective influencers of elected officials at both the state
groups that have the greatest potential for
and local levels. Each of these groups bring new
creating change:
resources to the table and influence decision-making in
media;
our personal and public lives. For example, health lead-
ers are improving services and promoting health access
key stakeholders, including employers, health, faith
for all children, law enforcement leaders are advocating
communities, youth, grandparents, law enforce-
for expanding and improving early childhood programs
ment, civic groups and others; and
and libraries are promoting early literacy.
families.
It is important to find the right "win-win" for
The media play a powerful role in focusing public
involving these diverse groups. That is, people must
attention on issues. Successful public engagement
understand why it is in their mutual interest to work
requires effective media strategies and alliances. Because
together.
the media also influence decision-making in both our
Families, including parents. grandparents, sib-
public and private lives, it is important to work with all
lings, aunts, uncles and others, are essential to effective
media-radio, television, newspapers, magazines,
early childhood public engagement campaigns. In some
newsletters, journals and the Internet-to raise public
communities, campaigns are making special efforts to
awareness, educate the public and encourage positive
include both mothers and fathers, consciously bringing
action. Many media producers are anxious to cover
men to the parenting table, along with women. This
issues with broad audience appeal and some journalists
strategy broadens opportunities for engaging parents,
are also interested in doing a better job of covering
both within their families and in their professional and
early childhood and other children's issues (see page 12:
volunteer lives. Campaigns aimed at changing family
Engaging Media).
behavior, such as parenting practices or child care
choices, must consider who within families makes deci-
Some groups. such as the Boston ! Am Your Child
sions and how best to influence them. This varies
Coalition, work effectively with media by establishing
media task forces to advise them. Several local. state
among different cultures and public engagement leaders
and national organizations offer training on how to
must be both strategic and culturally appropriate when
work with media, such as the Benton Foundation
seeking to influence family decision-making and
Connect for Kids campaign. the Communications
engagement.
Consortium Media Center, United Ways and other
At every level, the more strategic a campaign can be
in terms of who is targeted and what they are asked to
groups (see Appendix B: Media Resource List).
Key stakeholders are also essential for effective
do, the greater the chances are that the campaign will
succeed (see page 10: Engaging Families).
191
Starting Points
Stakeholder Engagement Planning Matrix
Many states and communities have learned to carefully analyze who has a stake in improving and expand-
ing early childhood systems, why each group of stakeholders needs to be involved and roles they can play in
sophisticated and creative ways. Different publics require different communications and engagement strate-
gies. Public engagement campaigns must therefore be multi-lingual, able to communicate with and engage
diverse groups, from parents to policymakers. This sample matrix format can help groups consider who to
involve, what their interest in the issue is, what they can bring to the table and how best to engage them:
Individual or
Why Would They
Resources or
How They Should
Orientation and
Organization
Be Interested
Skills They Bring
Be Recruited
Information
Name
Needs
Engaging Families
Hawaii Starting Points, housed at the Hawaii Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA), engages families through Play
and Learn Groups and a Parent/Community Leaders Program. This program invites children from birth to age
five and their families to come to a weekly playgroup. Led by trained facilitators, many of whom are parents,
these groups provide an environment where parents and caregivers learn through play about early childhood
health and development. Playgroup staff also provide resource and referral information and practical ideas to
use at home, as they model developmentally appropriate practices. Topics and content for the playgroups are
determined by the parents.
Parents are also invited to help with group activities, including designing or participating in training that pre-
pares them to lead other play groups and/or to become advocates for young children and their families at the
local and state levels. As a result, families are not only improving their own parenting skills and knowledge, but
are also emerging as a powerful new voice in the community for children.
West Virginia Starting Points created local Family Resource Networks (FRNs) to engage families in expanding
and improving early childhood resources close to home. FRNs bring together all community stakeholders with
an interest in services for children and families, including families. They serve as forums for all interested parties,
assessing community needs, developing local action plans, and focusing on system change.
West Virginia Starting Points leaders created a collection of tools to help the FRNs, from newsletter articles
and tips for families to strategies for encouraging family-friendly business practices. This catalogue of materials
offers strategies to raise awareness, increase knowledge and inspire local West Virginians to action that
promotes young children's positive development.
|10|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Engaging Business
Florida's One Hour a Week for Kids is an effort to bring together the elite of Florida's lobbying corps on
behalf of children. Lobbyists work for companies involved in the Florida Child Care Executive Partnership, a
coalition of business leaders who match state child care subsidies for qualifying employees, and others.
Aware of the need to improve early childhood resources, the lobbyists decided to donate one hour each
week of their time to advocate for child care and other legislation to improve Florida's education and econ-
omy. Currently, some of the capital's best business lobbyists give one hour a week to early childhood issues
throughout legislative sessions. Each lobbyist works with three representatives and one senator. The lobby-
ists also contribute two hours per week for pre-session briefings on legislative and appropriations issues,
about one hour per week of advocacy on issues, and time to report back to the statewide child advocacy
forum.
Lobbyists involved in the effort in the 1999 legislative session included forty-four men
and women from the:
Asphalt Contractors Association
Retail Federation
Association of Counties
Transportation Builders Association
Association of Realtors
United Business Association
Chamber of Commerce
Federation of Independent Business
Insurance Council
NationsBank
Petroleum Council
United Services Automobile Association
As a result of these efforts, the Florida Legislature increased child care subsidies by $37 million, including
an allocation to pay the full market rate to providers who have achieved state-designated indicators of high-
er quality, such as more protective staff-child ratios and better trained and educated staff. This lobbying also
led to a new requirement for a state credential for child care facility directors and an increase in training
requirements for family child care providers and child care center personnel to thirty and forty clock hours
per year, respectively.
Boston business leaders campaigned at the state legislature as part of the United Way's Success by Six
Initiative. They succeeded in lobbying for legislation that established universal health coverage for voung
children, an increase in child care reimbursement rates and a commemorative license plate, with proceeds
going to a child care quality improvement fund.
A Colorado bi-partisan Business Commission, convened by the Governor to determine how to better finance
early childhood programs, successfully lobbied for state employer and family child care tax credits and a vol-
untary tax check off that allows taxpayers to contribute a portion of their state tax refund to a child care
quality improvement fund. These business leaders went on to organize EDUCARE-a statewide early child-
hood system-building initiative.
|11|
Starting Points
Engaging Media
In 1999, David Lawrence, Jr., former publisher of the Miami Daily Herald, spoke to newspaper publish-
ers and editors in a special session at the annual meeting of the National Society of Newspaper Editors
about the importance of early childhood and the need to cover this area better. Newspaper editors respond-
ed enthusiastically and requested training for their staffs. With Cathy Trost of the University of Maryland's
Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families, Matthew Melmed of ZERO TO THREE and Ellen Galinsky
of FWI, Lawrence presented a model newsroom training seminar in Dallas and New Orleans to encourage
more consistent, balanced, comprehensive and ongoing reporting of early childhood issues.
In 1998, Lifetime Television joined with leading nonprofit organizations, parents, advocates and experts on
a campaign to serve as a voice for millions of families who want to take action on child care, an issue
important to many Lifetime TV viewers. This campaign uses a web site to enable working parents to: adopt
a politician; sign online petitions; get involved in improving and expanding quality child care in their
communities; find quality child care; and connect with others concerned about child care. The campaign
has gathered thousands of e-mail messages from families around the country that detail their trials and
triumphs in finding safe, affordable, high-quality child care. Lifetime TV is taking these stories to elected
officials to demonstrate the need for action on this issue⁷
In North Carolina, CBS affiliate owner, Jim Goodman, former chair of the North Carolina Partnership for
Children, decided to donate airtime for all the state's gubernatorial candidates to make a statement on
three key issues. One of those issues is the future of Smart Start. These statements are being aired regularly
and posted as text and live video on the station's web site during the 2000 primary election season.
RI Kids Count attracts media attention to its annual fact book by giving an embargoed copy to state and
local reporters a week in advance so they have time to develop state and local stories. Because reporters
appreciate this professional "heads up" they tend to cover the issues well. RI Kids Count leaders have also
generated media attention by using attractive and appealing backdrops for public and televised events, such
as blown-up photos of young children.
|12|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
LESSON 4: SPELL OUT THE COSTS OF
NOT TAKING ACTION AS WELL AS THE
Articulating the Costs and
BENEFITS OF CHANGE
Benefits of Change
People do not change their opinions or act to bring
about change unless it is clear that the benefits of
Vermont Success By 6 leaders used public con-
change outweigh the costs of staying the same.
cern about health, prison and child abuse costs to
Similarly, businesses, states and communities will not
gain support for more early childhood programs.
consider or undergo change unless there is a com-
pelling reason to do so. Without such a business case,
Rhode Island Starting Points focused public
the costs of doing business as usual are seen as less
attention on the state's increasing income dispar-
then the costs of change. In recent years, many con-
ity, publicizing the fact that over 64 percent of
vincing arguments have been made to present both
the state's poorest kids have a parent who lacks
the costs of inaction and the benefits of improving
a high school diploma. This case goes on to
early childhood outcomes.
assert that lack of a high school diploma leads to
poverty and because the state wants a better
The Costs of Inaction
educated workforce and healthy future economy,
Many compelling cases document the costs of poor
early childhood spending is a wise investment.
long- and short-term educational and economic out-
Pittsburgh Starting Points leaders commis-
comes. Americans in all sectors and all political parties
sioned a 1996 study by Dr. Charles Bruner of the
want America's children to be well-educated in this
lowa Child and Family Policy Center that com-
time of global and technological expansion. In addition,
pares community costs to repair the results of
employers, policy makers, states and communities are
inadequate early childhood development to the
concerned about attracting and sustaining well-quali-
cost savings of early childhood investments. This
fied current and future workforces. Lack of qualified
report estimated that failure is costing Pittsburgh
workers not only affects the profitability of businesses,
$563,000,000 in 52 high-risk neighborhoods.
but can also reduce tax revenues that support public
Initiative leaders recommend:
services, such as education.
A strong case can be made to many parents. poli-
using business language (e.g. "cost-benefit")
cy makers and employers that the generally poor
for such studies;
quality of child care in our country can have negative
communicating findings in simple, clear
effects on the child development outcomes that are
language and visuals;
necessary for school and life success." Many of these
getting business leaders to sponsor and
stakeholders also understand that it costs more to
publicize such work; and
treat a problem later on than to prevent it in the first
place. In some states and communities, researchers,
designing cost-benefit studies so that they can
kindergarten teachers, elementary school principals,
be easily repeated over time.
superintendents and others are assessing youngsters'
skills when they get to school to document the need
for preschool programs.
|13|
Starting Points
The Benefits of Quality Early
Childhood Programs
Changing the Frame
There IS more research available than ever before that
documents the benefits of improving early childhood
Significant, sustained public support for North
outcomes. Recent studies such as the Abecedarian
Carolina's statewide Smart Start initiative has
Project and the 1998 RAND Report confirm the
grown, in large part, because the initiative offers
efficacy of quality early childhood programs."
benefits to all families in all counties of the
There is also a growing body of research docu-
state-from parenting information and commu-
menting the positive effects of supportive communi-
nity play groups to child care, health and dental
ties For example, longitudinal research being con-
care and other services for young children.
ducted by Felton Earls and Maya Carlson of the
Because everyone benefits and because Smart
Harvard University School of Public Health in sever-
Start has done a good job of communicating
al Chicago neighborhoods shows that when commu-
these broad benefits to a wide variety of publics,
nities are involved with and supportive of their chil-
from families to employers, bi-partisan public
dren, there are likely to be fewer violent crimes.¹¹
support for Smart Start is strong. Not only has
This kind of research helps make a case for why there
the state budget for the program grown each
is a public stake in supporting children, rather that
year since its inception, but some legislators have
viewing children and families as a purely private
been voted out of office because of their lack of
domain.
support for the program.
Sometimes it is necessary to expand who benefits
to build support for change. Because most publicly
ing a continuum of care-from parents, to the fami-
funded early childhood services have only been avail-
lies, friends and other caregivers-avoids placing par-
able for low-income or otherwise at-risk children and
ents and out-of-home caregivers in opposing roles.
families, many Americans balk at the notion of
This strategy positions non-parental care as one of
greater public support of these services. When the
the many settings in which young children need care
frame is changed, however, and an initiative or set of
and nurturing. Including everyone who cares for
campaign goals clearly benefits everyone, public
young children in a wide range of settings can help
opinion can change (see this page: Changing the
prevent needless divisiveness and can stimulate
Frame).
broader public engagement.
A current strategic challenge facing public
Ultimately. an effective public engagement cam-
engagement strategists is that many "publics" don't
paign must be able to articulate the rationale for each
really know what comprehensive early childhood pro-
group it aims to involve. Although there is a growing
grams. services and systems look like. Most
literature that documents these cases,¹ the best way
Americans can clearly visualize what school looks
to identify the most compelling business case for each
like, based on their own experiences. Too few of us
audience is to consult with the groups you hope to
have equally vivid mental images of preschool pro-
engage.
grams and services. Effective campaigns use pictures,
words, videos, web sites. site visits and other strate-
gies to address this challenge.
Many states and communities find that emphasiz-
|14|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public
gagement
LESSON 5: CREATE DIFFERENT
and which messengers they consider credible. The
MESSAGES FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS
answers to these and other questions may lead you to
Because there are many audiences for every cam-
develop multiple messages and materials for diverse
paign, it is important to craft specific messages and
groups of Latino families.
materials for each group. Research is the best way to
Messages must be repeated and extended over
determine the right messages. Effective campaigns
time for maximum impact and must be delivered in
use consultation, focus groups and other strategies to
different ways to reach different audiences. For exam-
know which messages and materials will work best
ple, many non-English speaking families listen to
with each group.
radio stations that broadcast programs in their native
This research should address cultural, economic
tongues. Some public engagement leaders have used
and other differences and concerns of diverse groups.
this opportunity to produce and air foreign language
For example, it isn't enough to know that there are
radio PSAs and child development programming.
many Latino families in your target group. To craft
It is equally important to take literacy levels and
the right messages, you must also know whether they
communication styles of target audiences into
are first or tenth generation Americans. what coun-
account. Many campaigns have designed materials
tries they came from. what languages they speak,
with no words for low-literacy families, prepared
what their literacy levels are. who influences decision-
issue briefs or brochures for business or policy leaders
making in their families, how they get information
and produced short videos for community groups.
Targeting Messages
Baltimore Starting Points wanted to reach youth-future parents-with compelling information about
healthy early development and knew that the arts could be a powerful communications tool. Project leaders
decided to create a play to deliver information about early brain development to teens in a way that grabs
and keeps their attention. The project hired a script writer who wrote a play called Connections that teaches
youth about early brain development through the voices of three unborn babies talking to their pregnant
mothers. The play starts with unlit lamps of all shapes and sizes spread over a dark stage. Three pregnant
moms sit on stools in the center. As the play progresses and information about how the brain develops and
how parents can facilitate optimal development is revealed, the lamps turn on, one by one (connections are
made). By the end of the play, all the lamps are lit and the stage is bright. Baltimore Starting Points is now
working with a professional theatre company and plans to share the script with schools, youth groups and
other theatre associations.
Colorado Starting Points, housed at Colorado Bright Beginnings (CBB), is developing several new initiatives
to match messages and messengers with specific audiences. In order to reach the general public-from
youth to seniors-with information that encourages early language development, CBB will work with
Colorado museums to train docents on how to talk with young children. The tour guides will model appro-
priate language stimulation for families and actively engage children who visit the museums. The goal is to
help families interact with their infants in public spaces.
Continued on page 16
|15|
Starting Points
Targeting Messages, continued from page 15
CBB is also developing a new volunteer "Play Partner" program that recruits parents and grandparents to
model language-rich "learning games" at public events with their babies. This initiative is part of CBB's cam-
paign to promote talking to babies in all settings as the community norm.
CBB is targeting four-to-twelve weeks of life as a crucial time to introduce language development con-
cepts and infant games to parents and is inviting new parents to become members of a three-year language
development initiative with their own babies. CBB is also partnering with the American Academy of
Pediatrics, Colorado Chapter and Healthy Child Care Colorado to supplement language development activi-
ties in child care settings. This entire language development initiative is promoted statewide through tele-
vised, cause-related marketing ads that urge families to "talk with and encourage" their babies.
LESSON 6: TIMING IS CRUCIAL
Public engagement leaders must always look for
Good Timing
ways to capture and sustain public attention, to pro-
vide new information, and to continually make con-
San Francisco Starting Points used the welfare
nections between early childhood and other public
reform process as an opportunity to increase high
concerns, such as education, crime prevention or
quality child care for low income children. When
economic development.
Welfare Reform was enacted, Mayor Brown turned
Some public engagement leaders have linked
to the Early Childhood Interagency Council (ECIC)-
crime prevention with early childhood in response
an interdisciplinary collaborative of early childhood
to incidents of school and community violence.¹¹
stakeholders created by Starting Points-to serve as
the Child Care Subcommittee of his Welfare Reform
They understood that when the public is concerned
about violence it is also more open to hearing about
Task Force. Starting Points staff conducted extensive
solutions, such as preventive quality early childhood
research about the funding for and availability of
programs. Others include the voices of youth on
subsidized child care, and worked with the
timely topics as a way of providing new information
Subcommittee to develop recommendations for local
and gaining public attention. Recent public interest
implementation of federal welfare reform legislation.
in early literacy is one of the newest opportunities
The Board of Supervisors relied on these recommen-
to frame a compelling and timely case for early
dations and information prepared for the Welfare
childhood programs and services.
Reform Child Care Task Force for budget decisions.
To take advantage of both planned and
As a result, the Board allocated an additional $2 mil-
unplanned opportunities to build upon and extend
lion in City funds for child care subsidies and child
public interest and engagement in early childhood
care facilities development. Since that time, Starting
issues. it is helpful to create and sustain effective
Points staff has provided child care expertise to inter-
relationships with the media at all levels, from
nal welfare reform planning at the city's Department
major newspapers to foreign language radio to
of Human Services, resulting in an additional $2 mil-
neighborhood newsletters.
lion for quality enhancements, such as mental health
consultation, to local child care programs.
Continued on page 17
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The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Good Timing, continued from page 16
Rhode Island leaders took advantage of federal Welfare Reform legislation and the confluence of the key
champions in state government, the legislature and the private sector in 1996 to create the nation's first ini-
tiative to provide state health benefits to licensed family child care providers and their minor children, along
with an entitlement to child care for low-income families. In 1998, coverage was expanded to include cen-
ter-based providers under Starting Right, a comprehensive early care and education law that aims to ensure
the availability of high quality child care. This significant advance was possible in large part because of pub-
lic and private sector champions and leaders who were able to see Welfare Reform as an opportunity to
improve state policies and programs; a strong state economy; and an advocacy community that make a
strong case for equity in child care pay and benefits at a time when state leaders were able to respond.
Hawaii's Starting Points, as part of the Hawaii Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA), was able to take advan-
tage of an opportunity to create the collaborative Boost 4 Kids early childhood nutrition initiative by realiz-
ing that the timing was right for many of the initiative's partners. The National Partnership for Reinventing
Government announced Boost 4 Kids just as GBA was working to encourage collaboration among state
agencies (health education and human services), business, foundations and early childhood family support,
health, education and child care leaders. All of these partners asked GBA to apply for the program on behalf
of the state. The application was successful and GBA and its partners are now increasing the number of
young children in the state who start each day with a nutritious breakfast. Efforts are also underway to
encourage markets and other retailers to participate by offering breakfast items on sale to help families who
serve breakfast at home. American Savings Bank, the major corporate sponsor of the breakfast program, is
assisting with a statewide marketing campaign to promote the importance of a nutritious breakfast for chil-
dren and is recruiting other corporate sponsors. Boost 4 Kids is helping more children get good breakfasts,
and the success of the effort has encouraged partners to increase their collaborative efforts to help young chil-
dren and their families. New Boost 4 Kids partnerships are now emerging to focus on child health access and
school readiness.
|17|
Starting Points
LESSON 7: UNEXPECTED
able to get the attention of governors and parents
MESSENGERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
alike and his leadership led to California's new early
Hearing messages from expected messengers, such as
childhood funding (Proposition 10, which taxes ciga-
teachers talking about the importance of education. is
rettes and devotes proceeds to statewide early child-
predictable and easy to dismiss as self-interest.
hood programs and services).
Hearing messages from unexpected messengers cre-
Some messengers are more credible than others to
ates increased interest and excitement. Unexpected
particular audiences. For example. ZERO TO
messengers have stopping power-they cause us to
THREE found in a nationwide survey of parents, that
take in information we might have missed precisely
a family's most trusted messenger on child development
because they are unexpected-and therefore get our
is its pediatrician." For some families and communities,
attention.
faith leaders are powerful messengers. In other places,
Many new early childhood messengers are step-
sports celebrities, entertainers or business leaders have
ping up to the plate, from health, business, media and
the most influence. And throughout the country, law
family champions to faith leaders, sports figures,
enforcement officials are credible and often unexpected
entertainment celebrities, police and attorneys general
early childhood messengers.
and leaders with diverse political views. When film
The key is to decide who the most effective messen-
producer, director and actor Rob Reiner decided to
gers might be in your state or community and to
lead a national campaign on the importance of early
involve them in your campaign.
childhood, people stopped and noticed. Reiner was
Unexpected Messengers
Baltimore Starting Points asked faith leaders to teach about positive early development. The process began
with a focus group with several local ministers to talk about the Starting Points project and enlist their help.
The ministers were enthusiastic and the focus group led to a dinner to recruit 25 more ministers to focus on
child development and effective parenting in their ministries. Starting Points provided: sample sermons on
early childhood; a church bulletin insert with simple, research-based messages, such as "read to kids,"
"don't shake the baby," and others; and scriptures that relate to children and families. Many participating
ministers used the materials in their church bulletins and gave sermons on early childhood following the
dinner. During this process, Starting Points leaders learned that most of the city's numerous churches are
small and lack staff. Ministers therefore appreciate simple, easy-to-use guidance for addressing early child-
hood issues with their congregations.
Colorado Bright Beginnings and key partners are developing a campaign that features public leaders, such
as police chiefs, faith leaders, firemen, politicians and other unexpected messengers speaking out on the
importance of early language development.
Continued on page 19
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The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Unexpected Messengers, continued from page 19
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is a national anti-crime organization led by more than five hundred police chiefs,
sheriffs, police association presidents, prosecutors, and survivors of violent crime.¹⁵ The group conducts polls and
publishes reports that link early childhood and school age programs with juvenile crime, document the crime
prevention impact of various investments in children and youth and publish data on law enforcement support
for such investments. The organization's diverse members often serve as powerful unlikely messengers on early
childhood issues.
Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national initiative that uses pediatricians as messengers who promote early
literacy as part of primary pediatric health care.¹⁶ Participating pediatricians help parents understand the
importance of reading aloud to their children from infancy. In participating pediatric practices and clinics:
pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud and offer age-appropriate tips and encouragement; every
child between the ages of six months and five years receives a new, developmentally appropriate children's
book to take home and keep; and volunteer readers in waiting rooms read aloud to children, modeling for
parents and children the pleasures and techniques of looking at books together. Through this program,
every participating child begins school with a home library of at least ten books. The national center, located
at Boston Medical Center, provides ROR start-up grants, training and technical assistance programs through-
out the country.
|19|
Starting Points
3. Early Childhood Action Tips
How to Use the Tips
It's not enough to make various stakeholders aware of
an issue and what their stake is Public engagement
strategists must also be prepared to suggest how each
These tips can be used in a variety of ways. They
can be localized, to include names and contacts
stakeholder can help make things better. They must
be able to answer the question, "What do you want
of specific local programs or resources, and they
me to do?" In states and communities throughout the
can be shared in a variety of formats. For exam-
country, public engagement leaders stress the impor-
ple, you may want to:
tance of providing concrete direction for how people
Reprint some or all of the tips in newspapers,
in all walks of life can help improve and expand early
magazines, newsletters, professional journals,
childhood programs and services. Often, a first action
in conference materials and on product and
step leads to more action steps and more engagement.
service ads and packaging.
As people learn more about early childhood issues
Share the tips in a variety of formats, such as
through their involvement. they typically come up with
radio or TV public service announcements, as
more ideas for how they can help. It IS through this
bookmarks, cards, mail inserts, magnets, flyers,
process of active engagement that change happens.
posters, or as "ads" on bus and subway signs
or on milk carton and shopping bag panels.
This Section Includes Early
Use the tips as overheads or handouts, or as
Childhood Action Tips For:
part of targeted mailings to various audiences
on the importance of early childhood issues.
Architects, Developers and The Building Trades
Use them to spark discussion at community
Businesses and Other Employers
meetings, or in response to the question,
Civic, Community and Professional
"What can I do to help young children and
Organizations
their families?"
Colleges and Universities
Provide the tips to local media to use as side-
Faith Communities
bars for early childhood stories.
Hospitals and Health Care Professionals
Law Enforcement
Challenge community groups to develop addi-
Libraries
tional action ideas.
Local Government
Media
To help leaders encourage effective public engage-
Parents and Families
ment, FWI published a set of suggested actions for a
Philanthropy
wide variety of stakeholders that strengthen commu-
Schools
nities. These action tips are included in this volume
Seniors and Retirees
in the hope that they will inspire positive action on
Service Providers in a wide range of fields
behalf of young children and their families.
Unions and Worker Associations
Some of these action tips are simple and practical.
Youth
They are geared to get immediate results and can be
acted on right away. Others are broader in scope and
|20|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
require more sustained effort. They seek change over
BUSINESSES AND OTHER EMPLOYERS CAN:
the long haul. Any of these suggestions can be adopt-
Work with media to publicize local programs that
ed or adapted to spark creative thinking about how to
offer parent education. family support, early care
improve early childhood programs and services in
and education and health services.
your state or community
Inform employees about the importance of the
ARCHITECTS, DEVELOPERS AND THE
first years of life and provide parenting informa-
BUILDING TRADES (CONTRACTORS,
tion using a wide variety of communication vehi-
CARPENTERS, ELECTRICIANS, PAINTERS,
cles, such as bulletin boards. in-house newsletters.
PLUMBERS, ETC.) CAN:
electronic networks, or literature in paycheck
Assess the condition of playgrounds and facilities
envelopes.
currently used for early childhood programs
Provide employees with family insurance coverage
according to the Consumer Product Safety
that provides such health services as prenatal and
Commission's National Standards for Playground
maternity care, well child and mental health care
Safety.
and immunizations.
Volunteer to repair or renovate early childhood
Learn about best practices in the work/family
playgrounds and facilities.
arena.
Design and build low-cost early care and educa-
tion and family center facilities.
Use non-toxic building materials.
Encourage clients in public spaces to include
rooms for parent classes and meetings, areas for
mothers to nurse their infants and early care and
education facilities in workplaces, parks, housing
and commercial developments, and other public
places.
Include instruction about early childhood facility
design and construction in architecture schools
and building trades training and apprenticeship
programs.
Publish articles in professional journals about the
importance of the early years and how a wide
range of individuals and groups in the building
trades can make a difference.
|21|
Starting Points
Conduct surveys or focus groups to learn about
Provide in-kind support, such as copying, faxing,
employee needs.
mailing or printing to local early childhood health,
Create an internal task force to study needs.
education and care, and family support programs.
Underwrite some employee child care costs.
Communicate concern about the importance of
the early years to policymakers.
Review policies and practices to consider how to
become more supportive to families, and whenever
Work with other community partners (United
possible. offer flexible work schedules and telecom-
Way, service providers, government, media, phi-
muting options.
lanthropy, faith communities, schools. libraries,
unions, etc.) to expand and improve health servic-
Inform the public about the importance of the early
es, early care and education, and family
years on company ads, promotions and products.
support/parent education programs for families
Sponsor community parenting seminars or family
with young children.
support groups at the workplace.
Invite local speakers to offer parenting seminars at
CIVIC, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS CAN:
work sites.
Educate members and the public about the
Honor and reward employees who volunteer to
importance of the first years of life.
provide or improve early childhood programs
and services.
Collect and publish information about state and
local early childhood needs and resources.
Offer employees access to online parenting informa-
tion and resources at work.
Organize referral services and/or help lines for
families with young children.
Serve on community planning and improvement
committees.
Host or co-sponsor community forums on early
childhood topics, such as early childhood brain
Share expertise (such as accounting skills, man-
development. parenting programs that work,
agement training, public relations, etc.) with early
improving the quality of child care, or expanding
care and education programs and health and fami-
access to health care
ly support programs and volunteer to serve on
their boards.
Help local service providers design services that
are sensitive to the cultural and linguistic needs
and preferences of their communities. Help
providers recognize and eliminate obstacles that
may prevent segments of the community from
using their services.
Organize volunteers to build or refurbish neighbor-
hood playgrounds or improve child care facilities.
Organize volunteers to work in early childhood
programs. mentor young children, or read stories
to children in libraries, early education settings,
and hospitals.
|22|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Celebrate and honor state and community leaders
and organizations that are making a difference for
young children and their families.
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES CAN:
Create campus parenting and child care programs
for students and staff, and ensure that their facili-
ties are safe and inviting for young children and
their parents and caregivers.
Establish curricula that encourage family-centered
and collaborative practice among educators, health
and family education and support professionals.
Gather faculty and students across various disci-
plines and departments to share resources and
research, and develop interdisciplinary programs
and courses related to early childhood.
Encourage faculty to make early childhood a focus
of their research.
Take active part in efforts-local, regional. and
national-to raise the qualifications of individuals
providing services for young children and their
families.
Include parenting books in the congregation's
Provide courses and education programs for child
library.
care providers and other early childhood service
Celebrate families raising young children.
providers at convenient times and places.
Sponsor or donate space for parenting, family
Help evaluate the quality of local and regional
support, health care, and early care and education
early childhood services.
programs.
Learn how other colleges and universities are
Adopt a local early childhood program, offering
supporting the healthy development of young
financial support and other resources, the use of
children and replicate promising practices.
facilities, and/or volunteers from your congregation.
Encourage and support students, faculty and staff
Include information about healthy early childhood
to perform volunteer service in early childhood
development in professional training and educa-
health, education and care, and family
tion programs for clergy and lay leaders, hospital
support/parent education programs.
chaplains, and seminary students.
FAITH COMMUNITIES CAN:
Mobilize retired and senior congregation members
to volunteer in hospitals, early care and education
Share information about the importance of the
programs, at libraries and at family centers.
first years of life.
|23|
Starting Points
Organize parenting classes and provide child care
GOVERNMENT (AT ALL LEVELS) CAN:
to parents who attend.
Increase investments in young children and their
Encourage older members to "adopt" or "mentor"
families, tying new investments to research on
young families.
effective policies and practices.
Establish community-wide interfaith councils of
Create incentives for other organizations, in the
child and family ministries that focus on the needs
public and private sectors, to expand and improve
of new and expectant parents. If this kind of
services to families with young children.
council exists in your area, become an active
Require ongoing collaboration and coordination
participant.
among agencies that administer early childhood
Assure that family and community representatives
programs and services.
are involved in designing any services developed
Collect and share data about the needs of young
to serve them.
children and their families.
Inform the public about the importance of the
Document and share information on the cost and
early years and about local resources available to
effectiveness of programs serving young children
assist families with young children.
and their families. Benchmark the results of these
efforts.
Convene groups of citizens to address early
childhood issues.
Convene a group of business leaders to investigate
how to finance early childhood programs and
services.
Institute appropriate quality-control mechanisms
to assure the safety and healthy development of
young children in early childhood programs, and
provide technical assistance to those who need to
improve quality.
Provide low- or no-interest loans to early child-
hood programs that have plans to improve quality
or undertake facility construction and renovation.
Establish tax advantages for family-friendly
businesses.
Support research that holds promise for improving
results for young children and their families.
1241
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE
PROFESSIONALS CAN:
Educate families, patients and staff about the
importance of the first years of life, early brain
development. and the importance of every child
having a primary health care provider or "medical
home."
Work with community-based organizations. the
media and early childhood professional organiza-
tions to promote and provide immunizations and
health exams for young children.
Develop a vision of law enforcement that regards
Provide expectant and new parents with informa-
family support and parent education, voluntary
tion about maternal health, including mental health.
home visits, and other services to families with
young children as crime prevention strategies; share
Provide facilities and materials for prenatal and par-
this vision with the public.
enting classes, early care and education programs,
and other services that support healthy early child-
Promote public policies and legislation designed to
hood development.
assist families with young children and prevent
child abuse.
Collaborate with other community partners to
expand and improve locally available health, parent-
Collaborate with other community partners (such
ing and family support and early care and education
as schools, health care providers, early care and
programs.
education programs, and family support/parent
education programs) to expand and improve serv-
Inform policymakers about the importance of the
ices to families with young children.
first years of life, and support laws and policies that
increase and improve health, parenting, family sup-
Include information about relevant issues in early
port and early care and education programs.
child development, as well as child abuse preven-
tion and intervention, in training programs for all
Volunteer as telephone or on-site consultants to
law enforcement professionals. Train police offi-
early childhood programs on health and safety
cers to work collaboratively with social workers,
issues.
health care providers, and other professionals who
Use professional journals, conferences and meet-
interact with young children and their families.
ings to inform peers about key issues in early
child development. including new research on
LIBRARIES CAN:
brain development.
Publicize the importance of the first years of life.
Become an information source about all commu-
LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN:
nity, child and family activities and initiatives.
Inform other members of the law enforcement
community, and the public at large, about the
Publicize the availability of special collections of
importance of the first years of life and the wisdom
parenting materials as well as resources and books
of prevention.
for young children.
|25|
Starting Points
Provide meeting space to community groups
working to improve the quality and availability of
programs and services that support families with
young children.
Sponsor or host parenting and family literacy
classes.
Offer family literacy programs in early care and
education and family resource centers and other
community settings.
Encourage families to read to their children begin-
ning at birth and throughout childhood.
Establish family reading rooms for other commu-
nity groups.
Hold story times for the youngest children and
their caregivers.
Help parents gain access to on-line resources
about parenting and child development.
Share on-line library services with early childhood
programs.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN:
Develop legislation, public policies, budgets,
Develop model programs.
taxes, and financing mechanisms that assist fami-
Advocate for young children and their families
lies with young children.
with county, state, and federal governments.
Include programs and facilities for young children
Encourage the education of the people who pro-
and their families in parks and in recreation and
vide services for young children, through scholar-
senior services departments.
ship funds and other strategies.
Use planning and zoning data about children and
Work with county, state, and federal regulators so
families to create appropriate regulations and
that municipal regulations on fire, safety, and
facilities (parks. sidewalks, child care centers, fam-
buildings are the same and/or complementary
ily child care homes, housing, etc.).
when applied to facilities for young children.
Link economic development and job creation with
Link maternal and child health, immunizations,
initiatives that meet the needs of young children
and other child health and development resources
and their families.
with other programs and services for young chil-
dren and their families.
Collaborate with community partners such as
other local governments, schools, and non-profit
organizations to expand and improve programs
and services for young children and their families.
|26|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
MEDIA CAN:
Talk with legislators and elected officials. call
Create and broadcast programming that informs
radio talk shows and write letters to the editor
the public about the importance of the early years.
about early childhood needs and issues.
Create an early childhood "beat."
Support and mentor other families.
Report on state or local efforts to expand and
Attend courses and read parenting education
improve programs and services that assist families
materials.
with young children.
Ask for help when needed.
Organize and/or participate in state or local early
PHILANTHROPY CAN:
childhood community efforts to improve the lives
of young children and their families.
Provide long-term support for early childhood
system development efforts.
Document positive aspects of the lives of families
with young children.
Fund, sponsor and convene community mobiliza-
tion efforts to expand and improve the quality of
Publicize local resources available to families with
programs and services available to young children
young children.
and their families.
Report on state and community early childhood
Initiate and participate in partnerships with other
champions-individuals, organizations and busi-
sectors that improve and expand programs and
nesses who are improving programs and services
services for young children and their families.
for young children and their families.
Fund projects that demonstrate or replicate suc-
PARENTS AND FAMILIES CAN:
cessful early childhood projects.
Acquire the skills and tools they need to become
Fund public awareness efforts.
forceful advocates for their children.
Provide low or no-interest loans for quality-
Learn more about early childhood development,
improvement efforts by early childhood programs.
including early brain development.
including renovation of facilities.
Join and form parent support organizations.
Inform policymakers about the importance of the
Speak out to the media and at public hearings
first years of life, and about local needs and con-
about the needs of children and families.
ditions as well as ways to improve the quality and
coordination of services for young children and
their families.
Form funding partnerships with peers to leverage
or generate new resources for early childhood pro-
grams and services.
Use funding programs creatively to meet a wide
spectrum of needs experienced by families with
young children.
|27|
Starting Points
SCHOOLS CAN:
Inform all school personnel and parents about the
importance of the first years of life. Make this
information available. to the greatest extent possi-
ble. to parents who are not fluent in English.
Build partnerships with neighborhood carly child-
hood programs and create effective transition pro-
grams from early childhood programs to schools.
Incorporate information about parenting and child
development, including new insights into early
brain development, into the curricula of various
Use their language skills to help recent
content areas at all grade levels.
immigrants gain access to services for their
young children.
Offer voluntary parent education programs, such
as Parents as Teachers, HIPPY and family literacy
Serve on the boards of non-profit organizations
programs.
that provide programs and services for young
children and their families.
Provide programs that help teen parents finish
school and learn parenting skills.
Learn and share information about early child-
hood development, including brain development.
Collaborate with other community partners to
expand and improve services that assist families
Talk with legislators and elected officials, call
with young children.
radio talk shows, and write letters to the editor
about early childhood needs and issues.
Include information on early childhood develop-
ment in school libraries
SERVICE PROVIDERS IN A WIDE RANGE OF
Include early care and education and family center
FIELDS (HEALTH CARE, FAMILY SUPPORT/
facilities in new school construction projects and
PARENT EDUCATION, EARLY CARE AND
EDUCATION, CHILD WELFARE, ETC.) CAN:
reallocate vacant classrooms for such programs,
when available.
Educate families, staff and the public about the
importance of the first years of life. Make a con-
Offer indoor and outdoor space to early childhood
certed effort to reach those who are not fluent in
program facilities.
English or are isolated from the community by
geographic, cultural, social, or economic factors.
SENIORS AND RETIREES CAN:
Involve a wide range of families and community
Volunteer to read to young children at libraries,
members in designing and evaluating programs
hospitals, schools, early care and education pro-
and services.
grams and family resource centers.
Collaborate with other service providers and com-
Volunteer to assist community organizations,
munity partners on an ongoing basis to expand,
agencies, and programs serving young children
coordinate, and improve early childhood programs
and their families.
and services. Share newsletters, sponsor shared
"Adopt" or mentor young families.
staff training or develop new projects together.
|28|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Make facilities safe and inviting for young children
Survey or conduct focus groups to assess member-
and their parents and caregivers.
ship child care needs.
Enhance the quality of the early childhood services
Consult with local child care agencies or special-
through staff development, national accreditation.
ists for help in developing a survey that gets
and ongoing evaluation and improvement efforts.
results.
Participate in community efforts to define and
Present results at union meetings and develop an
improve the quality of services for young children
agenda for supporting parents with young chil-
and their families.
dren. Discuss the agenda at labor/management
Establish or contribute to "one-stop" resource
meetings.
centers to link families with appropriate services.
Honor and reward members who volunteer to
Make collaborative efforts to help parents identify
provide or improve early childhood programs and
services.
and seek early assistance for young children with
disabilities.
Use the talent and skill of members to assist
neighborhood child care, family support, child
UNIONS AND WORKER
health and parenting programs with construction,
ASSOCIATIONS CAN:
maintenance, health care. technology, etc.
Inform union members about the importance of the
early years, through Union magazines or newslet-
ters.
Sponsor local speakers to offer parenting and child
development seminars at work sites.
Examine union contracts with member's family
needs in mind, particularly those who are really
struggling to manage work and family life. Look for
contract provisions that address work and family
concerns: flex-time. telecommuting, child care assis-
tance, resource and referral services, paid leave, and
other supports for families with young children.
Draft contract proposals that address child care and
family issues. Pay particular attention to flex-time
language and insure that it both protects workers
and supports the industry.
Negotiate for family insurance coverage that pro-
vides such health services as prenatal and maternity
care, well child and mental health care and immu-
nizations.
|29|
Starting Points
Work with other community partners (United
Way, service providers, government. media, phi-
lanthropy, faith communities. schools. libraries,
employers, etc.) to expand and improve health
services, early care and education. and family sup-
port/parent education programs for families with
young children.
Address child care, child health and parenting
support issues as part of the union's political
agenda.
YOUTH CAN:
Take seriously the vital contribution they can
make as role models for their younger brothers
and sisters and other young children in their
neighborhoods.
Volunteer to read to younger children at
preschools, in family child care homes, in libraries,
at church, school. family centers or in hospitals.
Work through youth service groups (Girl Scouts,
Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls and Boys Clubs, 4H
Youth Development Groups, Kiwanis, settlement
houses, etc.) to volunteer at area early care and
education. health and parenting, and family sup-
port programs.
Photograph, draw, paint or sculpt young children
and their families for community awareness
exhibits and activities.
Learn about early childhood development.
|30|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Early Childhood Action Tips
Lynn Davis, Tucson Child and Family Resources
Acknowledgements
Anne Durham, Mountainside Media, West Virginia
Governors' Cabinet on Children and Families
Early Childhood Action Tips was originally part of
Margaret Elson, Montana State University
a series of tools and materials published by the
Patricia Estill. Connecticut Commission on Children
Families and Work Institute to support the I Am
Beverly Farquar, National Association of School Nurses
Your Child Early Childhood Public Engagement
Tammy Freclin, ParentLink, University of Missouri
Campaign. That campaign was funded by:
Dana Friedman, Bright Horizons Family Solutions
AT&T Foundation
Scott Groginsky, National Conference of
California Wellness Foundation
State Legislatures
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Jane Honikman. Postpartum Support, International
The Commonwealth Fund
Susan Jones, Hawai'i Community Foundation
The Charles A. Dana Foundation. Inc.
Carol Y. Joyner, 1199/Employer Child Care Fund
Freddie Mac Foundation
Sarah Knab, Partnership for Prevention
The Harris Foundation
John Kyle, National League of Cities
The Teresa & H. John Heinz III Foundation
Jane Massey, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
IBM Corporation
Mark O'Donnell, North Carolina Child and Adolescent
Johnson & Johnson
Mental Health Services
Kaiser Permanente
Rob Quinan, National Association of States'
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Attorneys General
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Jessica Reich, Children Now
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Susan Roman, American Library Association
A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc.
Barbara Rosenfeld. U.S. Consumer Product
Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation
Safety Commission
The Travelers Foundation
Judith Renehan Rouse, Success By 6/United
The action tips were created. collected and reviewed
Way of Mass Bay
with the generous assistance of many local. state, and
Jay Smink. National Dropout Prevention Center
national early childhood public engagement leaders.
Joyce Taylor. Missouri Association of Family and
The Families and Work Institute thanks the follow-
Consumer Sciences
ing individuals and organizations for their thoughtful
Kimberly Veraas, WV Governors' Cabinet on
contributions:
Children & Families
Barbara Willer, National Association for the Education
Lawrence / Aber, National Center for Children in Poverty
of Young Children
Laura Aird. American Academy of Pediatrics
Lynson Moore Beaulieu, The Mid-Atlantic Center
Robert Bunty. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
Joan Campbell. Canadian Institute of Child Health
Mary Jane Cannon, Parents as Teachers, Hugo Schools
Carol Crocket. Arizona Governor's Division
for Children
|31|
Starting Points
Appendix A: Starting Points
Appendix B:
Projects Contact Information
Media Resource List
General Information:
ORGANIZATIONS
http://www.carnegie.org/starting_points
Ad Council
The Ad Council uses the power of advertising to
San Francisco, CA:
stimulate action against the problems confronting
[email protected]
Americans today, creating timely and compelling public
service messages Americans need to hear. For more
Colorado:
information. contact http://www.adcouncil.org.
http://www.brightbeginnings.org
Benton Foundation
Florida:
The Benton Foundation has worked to realize the
http://www.chilescenter.org
social benefits made possible by the public interest
use of communications. Through its projects, the
Hawaii:
foundation seeks to shape the emerging communica-
http://www.goodbeginnings.org
tions environment in the public interest. Bridging the
worlds of philanthropy, public policy and community
Boston, MA:
action, Benton demonstrates and promotes the use of
[email protected]
digital media to engage, equip and connect people to
solve social problems. For more information. contact
Baltimore, MD:
http://www.benton.org.
[email protected]
Child Care Action Campaign
North Carolina:
Child Care Action Campaign: communicates innova-
http://www.ncsmartstart.org
tive ideas for improving child care to inspire parents,
community leaders and the public to take action, with
Pittsburgh, PA:
special emphasis on literacy and universal prekinder-
http://www.pitt.edu/~ocdweb
garten; stimulates investment in child care by
employers, state and local governments, schools and
Rhode Island:
community organizations; encourages partnerships
http://www.rikidscount.org
among communities, schools and business leaders to
improve child care and early education and to make it
Vermont:
affordable to all working families; and advocates pub-
http://www.ahs.state.vt.us
lic policies that support families. For more informa-
tion, contact http://www.childcareaction.org.
West Virginia:
http://www.citynet.net/wvfamilies
|32|
The Seven Lessons of Early Childhood Public Engagement
Communication Consortium Media Center
National Black Child Development Institute
The Communications Consortium Media Center
The National Black Child Development Institute
helps nonprofit organizations use media and new
advances a multi-faceted agenda to promote and pro-
telecommunications technologies as tools for public
tect the well-being of all African-American children.
education and policy change. They have worked with
NBCDI's programs assist children and families who
scores of nonprofits around the U.S. and around the
are experiencing challenges in the areas of early care
globe on an array of issues, from children and fami-
and education, health, parenting, education, and child
lies to global population to learning disabilities to
welfare. NBCDI also serves as a resource to people
diversity in media. For more information, contact
who are professionally and personally committed to
http://www.ccmc.org
children and families. For more information. contact
http://www.nbcdi.org
I Am Your Child
PUBLICATIONS
I Am Your Child is a national public awareness and
engagement campaign to make early childhood devel-
Andreasen, A.R. Marketing Social Change: Changing
opment a top priority for our nation. I Am Your Child
Behavior to Promote Health, Social Development, and
has educated millions of parents and professionals
the Environment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
about breakthrough new discoveries in the process of
brain development. Through mass media, community
Benton Foundation. Benton Foundation Guides: Media
mobilization, public education and policy outreach,
in the Public Interest. Washington. DC. See especially
parents and caregivers across the U.S. and around the
"Talk Radio," Feb. 1990; "Using Video," Mar. 1990;
world are learning how to make a difference in the
"Cable Access," Apr. 1990.
lives of young children. For more information, con-
tact http://www.iamyourchild.org.
Communications Consortium Media Center. Strategic
Communication for Nonprofits. San Francisco: Jossey-
National Latino Children's Institute
Bass, 1999.
The National Latino Children's Institute (NLCI) is
the only national Latino organization that focuses
Montgomery. K.C. Target: Prime Time. New York:
exclusively on children. NLCI's mission. to serve as
Oxford Universal Press, 1990.
the voice for valuing young Latinos, is fulfilled by
promoting and implementing the National Latino
Salzman, J. Making the News: A Guide for Nonprofits
Children's Agenda. Their web site offers information
and Activists. Boulder, CO: Wesview Press, 1998.
regarding research on policies and programs affecting
Latino children, community based programs, and
Scitel, F.P. The Practice of Public Relations.
public education campaigns that create awareness
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 1998.
regarding early childhood development and the needs
of Latino children. For more information, contact
Wilcox, D.L. and Nolte, L.W. Public Relations
http://www.nlci.org
Writing and Media Techniques. New York:
HarperCollins, 1995.
|33|
Starting Points
1. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Third Edition
Houghton Mifflin Company. 1996. http://www.allwords.com
2. Starting Points recommendations included: promoting responsible par-
Acknowledgements
enthood, guaranteeing quality child care choices ensuring good health
The authors would like to thank the many col-
and protection, and mobilizing communities to support young children
and their families.
leagues and public engagement leaders who
3
Campaign founders included Hollywood talent. spearheaded by Rob
Reiner. foundations business media, and early childhood organizations
contributed to this brief: John Boose, Erin
This work was supported by the AT&T Foundation California
Brownfield, Mary Bryant, Elizabeth Burke Bryant,
Wellness Foundation. Carnegie Corporation of New York
Commonwealth Fund. Charles A Dana Foundation Inc. Freddie Mac
Julie Cadwallader-Staub, Elisabeth Chun, Elise
Foundation The Harris Foundation Teresa & H John Heinz 111
Foundation. IBM Corporation, Johnson & Johnson. Kaiser Permanente.
DeWinter, Lori Dorfman, Christine Ferguson,
W.K. Kellogg Foundation John D and Catherine T MacArthur
Susan Geissler, Cheryl Hayes, Judith Jones, Jane
Foundation A.L Mailman Family Foundation Inc., The Robert R
McCormick Tribune Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson
Knitzer, Michael Levine, Marta López, Carter
Foundation. and The Travelers Foundation.
4. To join the EC-PEN, e-mail a request including all contact information
McJunkin, Cheryl Mitchell, Renu Nanda, Robert
to: [email protected]
Nelkin, Karen Ponder, Rima Shore, Susan Smith,
5. Proposition 10 was enacted by California voters in 1999 to allocate rev.
cnuc from a fifty cent per pack cigarette tax to counties to improve early
Phil Sparks, Barbara Squires, Carol Stevenson and
childhood outcomes
6. The Child Care Fund of Vermont was founded in 1995 by the Vermont
Kim Veraas. Design and illustration by Rings
Community Foundation to build a long-term sustainable base of finan-
Leighton Design Group.
cial and moral support to improve child care in Vermont. The Fund
supports quality improvement and public awareness efforts For more
information contact the Child Care Fund of Vermont, 802 863 4188 or
julie(@,cefv.vermontcf.org
7.
For more information on Lifetime TV's Caring for Kids Campaign. visit
http://www.lifetimetv.com
S
West Virginia Governor's Cabinet on Children and Families West
Virginia's Early Childhood Promotional Products
http://www.citynet net/wvfamilies.
''
Cost. Quality & Child Outcome Study Team Cost Quality and Child
Outcomes " Child Can Centers. Public Report. 2nd edition. Denver
CO: Economics Department, University of Colorado at Denver. 1995
10. F.A. Campbell and CT. Ramev. "Effects of Early Intervention on
Intellectual and Academic Achievement: A Follow-up study of
Children from Low-Income Families," Child Development 65 (1994)
684-698; F.A. Campbell and C.T Ramey. "Cognitive and School
Outcomes for High-Kisk African American Students at Middle
Adolescence Positive Effects of Early Intervention." American
Educational Research lournal 32 no 4 743-772: Frank Porter Graham
Child Development Center, Executive Summary to Early Learning,
Later Success: The Abccedarian Study-Early Childhood Educational
Intervention for Poor Children (Chapel Hill University of North
Carolina, 1999)
11 R J. Sampson. S.W Raudenbush and r Earls. "Neighborhoods and vio-
lent crime A multilevel study for collective efficacy.' Science. 277
(1997). 918-924 R.J. Sampson, J Morenoff and F Earls. "Beyond
social capital. Spatial dynamics of collective efficacy for children
American Sociological Review. 64 (1999). 633-660
12 The Child Care Partnership Project Innovative Approaches Engaging
Diverse Partners. 1999. http://necie org/ccpartnerships/facts/fs3.htm
Families and Work Institute. Reframing the Business Case New York.
1998: Child Care Partnership Project Engaging Business Partners An
Employer Toolbit Template 1999 http://necie.org/ccpartnerships/toolk
it/toolkit.htm: Benton Foundation. Effective Language for Discussing
Early Childhood Education and Policy Washington, DC. 1998.
13 Fight Crime. Invest in Kids conducts polls and publishes research doc.
umenting links between early childhood development and crime and
engages law enforcement leaders as early childhood champions. For
more information contact http://www.fighterime.org
14 For more information. contact http://www.zerotothree.org
15. For more information. contact http://www.fighterime.org
16 For more information contact: http://www.reachoutandread.org
©
Copyright 2000 Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Finance Project.
|34|
Starting Points
This brief was created as part of Carnegie Corporation of New
York's Starting Points State and Community Partnerships for
Young Children. Starting Points was established to plan and imple-
ment the reforms described in the Corporation's task force report,
Starting Points: Meeting the Needs of Our Youngest Children. The
four goals of the initiative are promoting responsible parenthood,
ensuring high quality child care, providing children with good health
and protection, and mobilizing the public to support young children
and families. Starting Points sites are Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh,
San Francisco, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina, Rhode
Island, Vermont and West Virginia. National partners include The
Finance Project (www.financeproject.org). Columbia University
School of Public Health (www.columbia.edu), the National Center
for Children in Poverty (www.nccp.org). and the Families and
Work Institute (www.familiesandwork.org). More information
about Carnegie Corporation can be found at www.carnegie.org.
Families and Work Institute
Families and Work Institute (FWI) is a non-profit center for
research that provides data to inform decision-making on the chang-
ing workplace. changing family and changing community. Founded
in 1989, FWI is known for ahead of the curve, non-partisan research
into emerging work-life issues; for solutions-oriented studies
addressing topics of vital importance to all sectors of society; and for
fostering connections among workplaces, families, and communities.
FWI's rigorous data are highly respected. Its research, which has
influenced decisions across the nation, is sought out by business and
community leaders. policy-makers, individual families, educators
and the media. For more information. please see our Web site at
www.familiesandwork.org.
Families and Work Institute
330 Seventh Avenue, 14th Floor
ISBN 1-888324-29-5
51000
New York, NY 10001
(212) 465-2044 phone
(212) 465-8637 fax
www.familiesandwork.org
9781888324297