ZERO TO THREE’s State of Babies Yearbook: 2023 provides policymakers with the information they need to advance state policies to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Telling the story of America’s babies is more important now than ever before. Share the State of Babies Yearbook: 2023 with your state and local policymakers and encourage them to learn more about how your state measures up on 90 data points essential to ensuring babies, families, and early childhood professionals have what they need to thrive.
Dear [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR],
As your constituent, I’m writing to share new information about how babies are faring in [STATE] and urge you to Think BabiesTM and invest in our future.
The State of Babies Yearbook: 2023 shows that public policies have been slow to catch up to the science of early development and do not address disparities created by systemic racism, economic inequality, and geography. [State]’s policies do not reflect what we know families need to nurture their babies and help them reach their full potential. The 2023 findings highlight the challenges faced by families with young children related to income inequality, housing, child care, physical health, and mental health. We must enact comprehensive family- and equity-centered policies that address the needs of babies and toddlers.
According to the Yearbook, [INSERT STATE DATA] percent of babies in [STATE] are living in poverty Exploring the numbers by race and ethnicity presents a clearer picture, revealing that as many as [INSERT STATE DATA] percent of Black babies and [INSERT STATE DATA] percent of Hispanic babies in our state were already living in poverty compared to [INSERT STATE DATA] on average. The data are clear: by nearly every measure, children living in families with low income and children of color face the biggest obstacles, created in large part by structural racism and inadequate wages. Babies of color and babies in families with low income are more likely to have experiences that produce chronic stress, which can undermine development. The effects of this stress can last a lifetime.
The need to make the potential of every baby our priority has never been more urgent. A baby’s brain develops faster between ages 0 to 3 than at any later point in life, forming more than one million new neural connections every second. Every baby deserves to reach their full potential. Where you’re born, the color of your skin, or your family’s income should not make a difference in your chances for a strong start in life.
We must Think Babies and make the potential of every baby our state’s priority.
To comprehensively meet babies’ needs beyond the temporary supports brought about by the public health emergency and build stronger systems for the future, we need to support policies related to [ADAPT PRIORITIES AS APPROPRIATE BASED ON YOUR STATE CONTEXT]:
- Maternal health
- Infant and early childhood mental health
- Child care
- Housing
- Economic security
I hope that you will find the State of Babies Yearbook: 2023 (https://stateofbabies.org/) a helpful resource as you shape policies that will impact our state’s babies, families, and future. I would be happy to discuss this further with you. [INSERT CONTACT INFORMATION]
Sincerely,
[SIGNATURE]