July 07--Illinois ranks 20th in the nation for the well-being of its youth, with 43 percent of the state's children under age 3 living at or near poverty, according to a new report on the state of the nation's babies.
"The clearest way to envision what the future holds is to take a look at the babies," states the report, prepared by Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. "A baby's early experiences shape the brain's architecture into a strong -- or fragile -- foundation for learning, health and success in the workplace."
There are 476,156 children under age 3 in Illinois, according to the report, 10 percent of whom live in families with parents who are unemployed and 33 percent of whom live with an unmarried parent.
Nationally, 48 percent of kids under 3 live at or near the federal poverty level, 11 percent live with parents who are unemployed and 34 percent live with an unmarried parent.
Massachusetts ranks No. 1 in the nation for kids' well-being, with 68 percent of its 220,878 children under 3 living above federal poverty level.
In Illinois, 50 percent of children age 5 and younger are read to each day by a parent or family member, according to the report, compared with a national rate of 48 percent. Fifty-four percent of Illinois children age 5 and under have parents or family members who tell stories and sing to them each day; a slightly higher 59 percent of children nationally enjoy the same.
"Gaps between children of different income levels in the amount of talk, vocabulary growth and style of interaction appear early and widen long before a child enters school," the report states. "Relationships with parents, early childhood professionals and caregivers are critical as the brain forms the complex web of visual, language, motor and social-emotional connections essential for later learning."
The report is intended to shed light on what life is like for the nation's youngest, most vulnerable residents, but also as a call to action for those who see the statistics and believe we can do better.
A tool kit within the report offers ways to agitate for change, including contact information for state and national representatives in Congress and suggestions for policy changes that would benefit children, such as expanded Head Start programs and increased federal funding for high-quality child care.
hstevens@tribpub.com
