The first three years of a child’s life are the most critical for brain development, yet Mississippi has done too little to support this cognitive evolution. The state needs to improve its policies to ensure children are in good health, have stable homes and have access to early learning opportunities.

Those are the findings of a new report, the State of Babies Yearbook 2019, released by the nonprofits Zero to Three and ChildTrends. The authors of the report analyzed state policies and various indicators related to infants, toddlers and families, including data related to health, families, and positive early learning experiences, to determine how states are doing when it comes to giving young children opportunities to thrive.

Several states, including Colorado, Maine, Washington and Vermont, were identified as leading the nation with policies that support healthy infants and toddlers. Mississippi was ranked in the bottom of four tiers, along with several other states including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois and Texas. Nationwide, the report found 45 percent of infants and toddlers live in households with incomes that are less than twice the federal poverty level and 21 percent live with a single parent. Nearly 10 percent live in a household led by a grandparent.

[For more on this story by JACKIE MADER, go to https://hechingerreport.org/mi...abies-and-toddlers/?]