In this episode, hosts Bruce Lesley and Messellech Looby chat with Dr. Cynthia Osborne, founder and executive director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, about the importance in investing in our youngest: infants and toddlers. Bruce and Selley also highlight the recent vote on the child tax credit and their disappointment with the bill failing, despite the credit previously cutting child poverty in half.

Cynthia shares that the earlier we invest in children, the better the impact is for both our children and society as a whole. This includes efforts like child care, home visiting programs, and paid family leave. In fact, she found that every dollar invested in a paid family medical leave program has an $18 benefit back to the community. Throughout the episode, Cynthia emphasizes that economic stability is the crux for the well-being of families.

Learn more about the importance of investing in our youngest:

Resource: Babies in The Budget 2024, by First Focus on Children

Report: Early Investment, a Lifetime of Returns: Articulating the Value of Early Childhood Investments in Virginia, By Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center

Resource: Community-Based Home Visiting: Fidelity to Families, Commitment to Outcomes by Averi Pakulis and Nadia Gronkowski

Blog: Babies in the Budget: The Case for Investing Toward a Brighter Future by Bruce Lesley

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