![]() Tennessee scores in the Improving Outcomes (O) tier for Positive Early Learning Experiences. However, disparities in access to high-quality care remain across many states and communities in the United States. Equitable access to high-quality care across factors like race, ethnicity, and income, ensures all infants and toddlers have the opportunity for optimal development. High-quality early childhood care can strengthen parents’ interactions with their children in the home learning environment and support parents’ ability to go to work or attend school. The quality of babies’ early learning experiences at home and in other care settings can impact their cognitive and social-emotional development as well as early literacy. Infants and toddlers learn through interactions with the significant adults in their lives and active exploration of enriching environments. Tennessee is doing worse than the national average on indicators such as the percentage of babies experiencing food insecurity and babies who could benefit from evidence-based home visiting and are receiving those service. The state’s ranking in this domain reflects indicators on which it is performing better than the national average, such as the percentage of babies who live in families that report being resilient and babies living in unsafe neighborhoods, as reported by parents. ![]() Tennessee falls in the Reaching Forward (R) tier of states when it comes to indicators of Strong Families. ![]() Many policies can be designed to address these disparities by race, ethnicity, and income, including the provision of safe and stable housing, home visiting services, family-friendly employer policies, economic support for families with low income, and tax credits that benefit families with young children. All families may benefit from parenting supports, but families with low income and in historically marginalized communities of color face additional challenges that impact their babies’ immediate and future well-being. Young children develop in the context of their families, where stability, safety, and supportive relationships nurture their growth. The state is performing worse than national averages on indicators such as the infant mortality rate and the percentage of eligible 1-year-olds participating in WIC. Tennessee performs better than national averages on key indicators, such as the percentage of uninsured babies in families with low incomes and babies with a medical home. ![]() A state’s ranking is based on indicators of maternal and child health, including health care coverage, prenatal care, birth outcomes, and receipt of recommended preventive care as well as nutrition and mental health. Tennessee falls in the Getting Started (G) tier for the Good Health domain. Strengthening equitable access to integrated, affordable maternal, pediatric, and family health care is also essential to meeting babies’ and families’ health and developmental needs. ![]() Equitable access to good nutrition during the prenatal period and first years of life is key to ensure that babies receive the nourishment and care they need for a strong start in life. Babies’ brains grow rapidly in the first years of life, and, in these early years, the brain works with other organs and organ systems to set the stage for subsequent development and health outcomes. Supporting babies’ and mothers’ physical and mental health provides the foundation for infants’ lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |