The Gift of Early Childhood
Family Support Workgroup lays the groundwork for strengthening families through a more coordinated system of care
By Claire Louge, Executive Director, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona
When kids get a good start, it’s better for everyone.
This past August, I got the chance to hear Dr. Bruce Perry speak at the national conference of Prevent Child Abuse America. Dr. Perry, a renowned neuroscientist and co-author of What Happened to You? with Oprah Winfrey, focuses on how early experiences shape our brains, bodies, and behaviors. He said it best: “The great gift of early childhood is its opportunity to transform our society.”
In early childhood, the brain is remarkably malleable, and the impact of experiences during this time outweighs any other period in life. Ninety percent of a child’s brain architecture develops before kindergarten.
How do we maximize this gift? Early childhood requires intensive adult attention. Building a strong foundation means adults must be present and responsive to children’s cues. Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, and early learning is among the most critical of our lives.
Yet our social infrastructure offers little support to parents during this period—a missed opportunity that costs us all.
The United States remains the only developed nation that does not invest in paid parental leave. Dr. Perry’s research shows that what a child experiences in the first eight weeks of life—an intense and exhausting time for parents—predicts resilience in adulthood. This is precisely when parents need support. Instead, they often face reduced income and the expectation that they’ll “just figure it out.”
Families do their best to balance work and childcare. In Yavapai County, there is a gap of 2,500 childcare spots, meaning that the parents of 2,500 children are without options because childcare doesn’t exist.
The average annual cost of childcare in Arizona exceeds in-state college tuition. Many parents leave the workforce because care is unavailable or unaffordable, leading to lost income, stalled careers, and sometimes poverty. Arizona loses $4.7 billion annually from parents exiting the workforce due to childcare challenges. In Yavapai County, 61% of births are covered by AHCCCS, highlighting that many new parents are already living on limited incomes. This financial strain continues as children grow, with 33% of families with children younger than five living below 130% of the federal poverty level.
Joe Donaldson, a school psychologist and First Things First Regional Partnership Council member in Yavapai County, underscores this point:
“As a school psychologist working in public education across Arizona for over 30 years, I have firsthand experience with the impact of prioritized social supports on the well-being of infants and their caregivers, as well as the unfortunate consequences that result when these supports are not prioritized. Research suggests that when infants experience secure and responsive care, they are more likely to thrive in school, relationships, and community life (Zeanah, 2019). A deliberate investment in social infrastructure that promotes secure and responsive early childhood environments has a positive impact on school readiness, our workforce, and national well-being. Zeanah, C. H. (2019). Handbook of infant mental health (4th ed.). Guilford Press.”
Some parents choose full-time caregiving at home. They also need support: parenting knowledge, social connections, concrete resources during tough times, and opportunities for children to develop social skills. These supports can be hard to find, and even professionals like teachers or doctors may not know where to refer families.
A group called the Yavapai County Systems Change partners—including First Things First, Chicanos Por La Causa Parenting Arizona, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, and Yavapai Communities for Young Children—is tackling this challenge. One emerging idea is creating Family Resource Centers (FRCs): welcoming hubs where families can connect, access parenting support, meet tangible needs like food or utility assistance, and help their children build social skills. FRCs take a whole-family approach and have been shown to reduce isolation and stress that can lead to problems like family violence and child maltreatment.
Within this effort, a Family Support Workgroup is laying the groundwork for a more coordinated system of care. Guided by the vision “Building Connections – Strengthening Families,” the workgroup brings together community partners to align resources, improve referral pathways, and ensure families don’t have to navigate challenges alone. By listening to families and identifying gaps, the workgroup is helping design a system where support is easier to find, trust is built, and families feel seen and valued.
We can build infrastructure that supports families. It’s smart policy: for every $1 invested in early childhood, there’s a $16 return through improved health, education, and economic outcomes.
No matter your perspective, most of us agree on the value of family. If we share that value, we should invest in affordable, quality childcare; coordinate support for families in trusted, welcoming places; and call for paid parental leave so that having a child doesn’t push families into poverty. Solutions start with engaged local leaders who include early childhood in county planning, economic development, and infrastructure discussions.
Early childhood is foundational to individual lives and to the well-being and prosperity of our communities, state, and nation. The way we invest—or don’t—in early childhood shapes our collective future. Investing in kids is investing in all of us.
Interested in getting involved or learning more?
Click here or contact Shawn Soumilas, First Things First Program Coordination Specialist for the Yavapai Region: ssoumilas@firstthingsfirst.org.