Impact Area

Strong Families

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Young children develop in the context of their families, where stability, safety, and supportive relationships nurture their growth.

Policy Priorities

The Hidden Developmental Threat of Unstable Housing

A safe, stable, affordable home provides more than just shelter: it is the emotional and social center of family life.

State of Babies Yearbook data show a significant proportion of infants and toddlers live in housing conditions—particularly crowded housing--that pose a hidden threat to their early development that policymakers may not recognize. Housing assistance remains woefully inadequate, and only one in four families eligible for rental assistance receive this support that could help them provide the physical and psychological environment their babies need to thrive.
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The Economic Insecurity that Engulfs Many Babies

In the United States, poverty and disparities in access to resources along racial and ethnic lines are defining features of a baby’s experience. Poverty and low income not only are the most striking demographic of babies in the United States, but also the greatest indicator of risk for undermining their healthy development and the nation’s future.

Poverty is not destiny. Public investments can supply needed resources to mitigate material hardship at critical points in a baby’s development and work toward solutions to reduce stress for parents and other caregivers.
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Key Findings

households with babies are experiencing poverty.
0 in 5

The Link Between Poverty and Housing Challenges

Maintaining secure housing is often a family’s largest monthly expense, with extremely lowincome households “hyper-allocating” spending more than 50% of their income on housing.
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Babies in families with low income are more likely than their peers to experience housing instability, live in unsafe neighborhoods, and have at least one adverse childhood experience during their critical first three years.

The State of Babies

The state where a child is born and lives during their first three years makes a big difference in their chance for a strong start in life. See how your state stacks up—and view where significant disparities exist in the opportunities available for babies.

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My family and so many others deserve a chance. An extended expanded Child Tax Credit would ensure support with daycare, food, mortgage, etc., not to mention our mental health. With so much uncertainty, knowing our government recognizes that families are doing our best, but that economic security is hard to come by, makes it a whole lot better.
Pasqueal N., New Orleans, LA
We usually hover in the financial bracket just above qualifying for services, but not enough to provide basic necessities for our children. With child care costs and inadequate family leave policies, we constantly feel behind financially, especially with two children who still need child care.
Britney L., Aurora, CO
If you’ve never experienced the frustration of having to choose between keeping your job, paying for childcare, or putting food on the table, try to remember the thousands of families that are in that situation.
Allison R., Columbus, OH

State Policy Initiatives

Learn how states are improving outcomes for babies by searching ZERO TO THREE’s collection of articles highlighting innovative state policies and initiatives, searchable by issue area or state.

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Strong Families

The Strong Families domain examines indicators addressing basic needs, family resilience and the extent to which infants and toddlers experienced adverse events or maltreatment; child welfare, home visiting, and family-supportive policies.

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