Despite the continually growing body of research that emphasizes the importance of primary prevention and early intervention, less than one percent of young children with emotional behavioral problems are identified (Conroy, 2004).   This statistic is heartbreaking, knowing the unneeded suffering that this creates for the children, families and caregivers impacted by the lack of access to primary prevention and early intervention services.  It is also mind boggling to me, knowing that our nation continues to invest in more costly responses to the problem—like building prisons--- rather than investing in the healthy development of our nation’s most valuable resource, our children.  

The vision of Devereux’s Early Childhood Initiative (DECI) is to change the way this nation prioritizes children’s social and emotional health.  As the director of Devereux’s Early Childhood Initiative, it is my charge to advocate, educate and help people better understand that this is a crisis for our nation—and that we can do better! 

 

I truly believe that quality early childhood education is key to changing the way that this nation addresses children’s social and emotional health.  Having worked in the early childhood field for more than 35 years, I have seen the lives changed by caregivers working with families to ensure that young children received the services that they need.   

I appreciate this forum to communicate about this important topic and will be using it to share information about research, policy, service delivery successes and resources that can support the DECI vision.  A wonderful new policy brief is available from the National Center for Children in Poverty called Social-emotional Development in Early Childhood—What Every Policymaker Should Know.  http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_882.html

I encourage you to download this free resource and use the information to inform not only your policymakers, but your family and friends and anyone who will listen.  If we are to change the way that this nation prioritizes children’s social and emotional health, we need to make sure that we are not just “preaching to the choir” but sharing this important information with those who are not aware of the magnitude of this problem. 

Article contributed by Linda K. Likins, National Project Director for the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative (DECI). Linda has been a zealot regarding the need for high quality services for children and families throughout her entire career. She began as a teacher, moved on to direct a large multi-county Head Start Program in Western Kentucky and later built on her grassroots experience to become the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Head Start Association. In this position, and later as Director of Policy for the National Center for Family Literacy advocated for early childhood and other issues that impacted the lives of young children and their families. She has provided consultation services for the National Head Start Bureau, the U.S. Department of Education, Proliteracy Worldwide as well as being active on many state and national boards including PBS Ready to Learn, National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and Region IV Head Start. Linda joined the Devereux Early Childhood Initiative in 1997. As National Director, Linda has provided leadership to this national Initiative to create working partnerships among early childhood educators, families and behavioral health professionals to optimize the social and emotional development of young children.