Start Early

On Juneteenth, we honor an important chapter in our nation’s history and recognize the value of helping children learn about the experiences, contributions and stories that have shaped our communities.

These conversations can help build understanding, empathy and connection from the earliest years.

Every child deserves timely access to the services and supports they need to thrive.

Start Early is deeply concerned by yesterday’s announcement that the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will move to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Families already face significant barriers to accessing Early Intervention and special education services, which help children develop critical skills, participate in early learning and thrive within their families and communities.

As federal leaders consider changes to systems communities rely on, our youngest learners and their families cannot afford additional uncertainty or disruption.

We urge policymakers to ensure that any changes strengthen – not weaken – the programs and systems that support young children with or at-risk of disabilities.

Read our full statement:

Start Early Responds: U.S. Department of Education to Move Special Education Programs to Department of Health and Human Services Children with disabilities and their families are entitled to timely, coordinated access to services they need. Start Early urges federal leaders to ensure any infrastructural changes strengthen – not weaken – the systems they rely on.

Together, we can shape the future of home visiting.

Join a nationwide community of leaders, practitioners, advocates and supporters at the National Home Visiting Summit to share ideas, spark innovation and strengthen the support families need to thrive.

Whether you work directly with families, advance policy, invest in early childhood initiatives or simply care about helping children and families succeed, there’s a place for you in this conversation.

✨ Secure early bird pricing through July 15.

Learn more and register:

Register Now: National Home Visiting Summit The National Home Visiting Summit aims to integrate policy, practice, and research to influence systems change, with the goal of advancing inclusive and high-quality home visiting services, structures, and systems.

Affordable child care is essential for families and local economies.
A new BabyCenter analysis highlights the states that are helping more families find and afford quality child care. These states are investing in the services and supports parents rely on, helping more families access affordable, high-quality child care.
As Start Early Director of National Policy Judy Reidt-Parker notes, “The child care market is broken.”
So what are these states doing differently and what can others learn from their approach?
Read the full analysis: https://www.babycenter.com/baby/childcare/best-worst-states-childcare_41003850

Babies' experiences shape who they become. Healthy relationships with caregivers give babies and toddlers the best start in life. 💛

This Infant Mental Health Awareness Week we are highlighting secure attachment as a foundation for babies' mental health.

Secure attachment is about the emotional bond between you and your baby. It's a central connection that promotes trust and emotional safety, critical for your child’s development.

Recognizing the importance of this emotional bond, Start Early Washington works with our local partners to promote early learning experiences for all children. Learn more about how our partners at Perigee Fund prioritize infant mental health in our blog: https://startearly.org/post/perigee-fund-giving-babies-mothers-the-best-start/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=washington&utm_content=infant_mental_health

Today, we’re proud to officially welcome Celena Sarillo as president of Start Early.

Most recently serving as Executive Director of Start Early Illinois, Celena has been a trusted leader, advocate and partner – working alongside families, educators, policymakers and communities to help ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.

As she steps into this role, we remain grounded in the mission that has guided our organization for nearly 45 years: advancing quality early learning and care and creating brighter futures for children.

The challenges facing young children and families are real, but so is the power of coming together to create change. We look forward to continuing this work under Celena’s leadership and building a future where every child can reach their full potential.

Please join us in congratulating Celena on her first official day as president of Start Early!

Last week, Start Early hosted our 24th Annual Luncheon where more than 500 supporters, advocates, business leaders, policymakers and champions for children came together to celebrate the power of high-quality early learning and care. Together, we raised a record-breaking $3.3 million to support Start Early’s mission to ensure more children have the strong beginnings they deserve.

We’re grateful to our board chair, Mary Hasten; Luncheon Chairs, Helen Zell and Bruce Rauner; and speaker, Shannon Watts, for their powerful insights on the importance of investing in the earliest years.

A special thanks to our generous sponsors for making the event possible.

If you missed the event—or want to revisit the inspiring conversation—you can catch the recap of on our blog now.

https://bit.ly/4ulLcgd

Home visiting helps families thrive by supporting parents, improving child outcomes and connecting families to critical services and resources.

As the federal landscape continues to shift, coordinated advocacy is more important than ever.

The Together for Home Visiting campaign brings advocates, practitioners and partners together to align efforts across states, respond to policy changes, elevate family and workforce voices and protect and strengthen home visiting programs nationwide.

Explore our new advocacy hub for tools, key messages and actionable resources to help you champion home visiting in your community and beyond: https://bit.ly/43XcqPz

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the , hosted by Helen Zell and Bruce Rauner! We’re united by the belief that together we can transform the lives of our youngest learners for generations. Help shape brighter futures – there’s still time to support early childhood education. https://bit.ly/4o19KtD

Today, we gather to celebrate and invest in what matters most—our youngest learners. 💜 Even if you can’t join us at the , you can still support early childhood development and help us reach our goal. Every gift helps. https://bit.ly/3REXgf6