The Price We All Pay
The need to promote the well-being of children is widely accepted as a moral imperative.
It is equally important however on a practical level.
Failure to protect and promote the well-being of children is associated
with increased risk across a wide range of later-life outcomes.
$$$ Hard Dollar Costs $$$
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$700 Billion is exacted annually from the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care - Dept. of Health & Human Services, CDC, National Drug Intelligence Center
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Only 30% of U.S. workers are engaged in their work - Gallup Poll
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One of out every five U.S. adults takes drugs to treat some type of mental health condition - Medco Health Solutions Survey
The rate of return for investment in quality early childhood education is 7-10% per annum through better outcomes in education, health, sociability, economic productivity and reduced crime.
Early childhood investments pay dividends for the life of the child. Each dollar invested returns
60-300 dollars over the lifetime of the child. These programs pay out immediately and over the life of the child through a reduced burden on the schools in remediation, through a reduced burden on the criminal justice system and through enhanced college attendance and workforce productivity.
-James Heckman
Nobel Prize Winning Economics Professor
University of Chicago
Health & Well-Being of Our Nation
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) is the first large-scale study to empirically demonstrate that various types of family dysfunction in childhood significantly increase the risk of chronic disease, social and emotional problems in adulthood.
The study concluded that:
Adverse childhood experiences
are the leading determinant of what happens
to the health and social well-being
of a nation's population.
Most had an ACE score of at least one. One in five had an ACE score of 3 or more.
Study findings demonstrate that the likely percent of the following problems in our population are attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences:
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65% of alcoholism
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50% of drug use
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78% of IV drug use
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48% of depression leading to suicide attempts
The Biggest Price of All
We all lose when the character and potential of each and every child isn't nurtured.
When children aren't raised by parents who understand how to foster their self-esteem, integrity, empathy, resilience, and courage, those children aren't as likely to reach their full potential as adults. When children don't reach their full potential as adults, we all lose.
There have been countless children born, raised and died that had the potential to make great contributions to our world but never did so.
Children who as future adults had the potential to:
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Become great teachers, encouraging and inspiring the next generation of learners.
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Become scientists or entrepreneurs who develop a cure for cancer, stem the
tide of global warming, or develop the "next" technology that will change the
shape of the world. -
Become great athletes, write beautiful music, or wonderful books.
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Become great parents who encourage and inspire the next generation.
But never did so because:
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They may have lacked self-esteem and the true courage needed to follow their dreams.
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They, perhaps, weren't resilient enough to take risks and get up when they failed.
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Perhaps limited integrity and empathy precluded their ability to develop the essential mentoring and supportive relationships required to succeed.
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They may have lacked the work ethic and determination to stay the course through difficult times.
WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LEAVE PARENTING SKILLS TO CHANCE.
THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH.
“Supporting healthy brain development from the beginning is more cost effective and leads to better outcomes than trying to fix problems later.”
-Jack Shonkoff, Harvard Center on the Developing Child