A strong future for Florida begins with babies and families | Opinion

Those who have witnessed the birth of calves marvel at how they can walk, stand and even run within hours. Newborn calves are born with physically mature brains and the instincts to survive and run from predators.

But human babies need much more from parents early on. They need constant protection, affection and nourishment. Their brains instinctively search for it.

The most rapid period of brain development happens during the first three years, children’s first 1,000 days of life, when the brain grows from about a quarter of its adult size at birth to nearly 85% by age 3.

This incredible growth happens through loving, back-and-forth interactions with caring adults. That is: through relationships, babies build the foundation for language, learning, emotional regulation and movement.

Professionals who work in maternal health and early childhood mental health often quote British pediatrician D. W. Winnicott, who said, “There is no such thing as a baby. There is a baby and someone.”

Florida families — babies and their caregivers — need a someone, too. The Children’s Movement is honored to be that someone and lead our state in championing the policies and investments that help Florida’s youngest children and their families have a strong start.

A strong start means we don’t choose one thing from a menu of prenatal care, economic stability, health access, early learning and robust services for mental health or other challenges. All are needed. When we get it right, children are more likely to enter school ready to learn, to read on grade level by third grade, to graduate high school and to grow into good citizens and taxpayers.

The challenges facing Florida families do not exist in silos, nor do the solutions.

A mother navigating postpartum depression, a family searching for affordable child care so they can get to work and put food on the table or a father seeking services because of delays in how his baby hears, sees, talks or walks — all these experiences are interconnected, and our communities must also be interconnected in how they respond.

In 2014, visionary leaders including Dr. Neil Boris, Carol Brady and Dr. Mimi Graham formed First 1,000 Days Florida: a collaboration to help elevate the importance of the prenatal-to-3 years at a time when few public conversations focused on this critical stage of development. Through statewide convenings, cross-sector collaboration and policy conversations, the initiative created space for researchers, practitioners, advocates and policymakers to work together on a shared goal: helping Florida’s youngest children thrive.

Key leaders in the work have come from Florida’s colleges and universities, Healthy Start Coalitions, Early Learning Coalitions, Children’s Services Councils, United Ways, the Florida Association of Infant Mental Health (FAIMH), the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and many more.

Recently, we launched the next chapter of this work, announcing that First 1,000 Days Florida is now housed and led by The Children’s Movement.

This collaboration is deeply aligned with our mission, and we’re excited to build upon the foundation that’s been laid, creating new opportunities for collaboration across silos, elevating promising practices and ensuring these issues remain a priority in policy conversations across Florida.

This transition comes at an important moment for our state. Across Florida, leaders are increasingly recognizing that supporting young children and families is not only a moral imperative, but an economic one. Health leaders are focused on prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes and maximize our investments. Employers are struggling with child care challenges affecting workforce participation. Communities are working to improve kindergarten readiness and early literacy outcomes to remain competitive.

No single organization can tackle this work. It will take all of us. Researchers, pediatricians, hospitals, home visitors, early educators, business leaders, funders, advocates, policymakers, the faith community and parents must work together to create a Florida where every child has the opportunity for a strong start.

Florida’s future depends on it.

Madeleine K. Thakur is president and CEO of The Children’s Movement of Florida. Learn more at first1000daysFL.org.