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Business leaders from 35 major firms demonstrated their support of federal early childhood investments by signing a statement published in POLITICO (Sept. 17). Signatories represent firms across key economic sectors, including Procter & Gamble, Macy’s, PNC, Ecolab, UPS, American Electric Power, and Capital One. The statement says early childhood is critical to developing the workforce the nation requires to remain competitive in the global economy, stresses this is a nonpartisan issue, and calls on all parties in Congress to come together to take action. Click here to view the statement.

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Creating awareness of children of the incarcerated, the exhibit “Confliction” by local photographer Ben Easter features portraits of Iowa children whose parents are incarcerated. The photos and videos arose from a collaboration with Jolene Pfaff and Joy DeSomber who compiled stories written by the children for the book “What Did I do?” The exhibit is open Saturday, September 14^th, and Sunday, September 15^th, in the old Polk County Jail (110 6^th Ave., Des Moines). The exhibit travels to Paris next month. Click here for exhibit details.

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The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) has released a new report, Better for Babies: A Study of State Infant and Toddler ChildCare Policies, presenting data from a recent state survey of child care subsidy, licensing, and quality enhancement policies. It provides a national picture of infant-toddler child care and shows where state policy stands in relation to a set of key research-based policies on child care subsidy, licensing and quality improvement that support children’s healthy development.

CLASP is a national non-profit public policy organization that develops and advocates for federal, state and local policies to strengthen families and create pathways to education and work.

You can learn more about advocacy for strengthening children, youth and families on the  CLASP web site.

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First Focus, a bipartisan advocacy organization dedicated to making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions, recently compiled a list of budget and policy decisions that affect children. Children’s Budget 2013 found that federal investments in children have been down three years in a row. The in-depth analysis found that less than 8 percent of the United States’ federal budget is invested in children and that since 2010, total spending on children has dropped by nearly $55 billion. According to First Focus, The House’s 2014 budget is already slated to scale back on issues that greatly affect children. More here.

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