WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers have a strong and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization highlighted that the federal spending plan incorporates essential and much-needed funding for programs designed to build a solid foundation for young children and their families across the United States.
The announcement comes as advocacy groups and early childhood development specialists analyze the sweeping federal proposals laid out by the administration. For years, child development advocates have emphasized that the earliest months and years of a child’s life are critical for cognitive, emotional, and physical development. The new budget proposals reflect an acknowledgment of these developmental realities at the federal level, targeting critical areas that directly impact the daily lives of infants, toddlers, and the adults who care for them.
“If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer nation to have and raise a baby,” said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE.
Calderón pointed out that the organization has consistently urged Congress and the administration to prioritize the unique and pressing needs of babies and their families across five key areas: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security. These five pillars form the backbone of the organization’s advocacy framework, which is routinely utilized to measure the well-being of young children across every state in the country.
“In the State of the Union address, the President laid out a path toward a future where families are empowered and have choices about their baby’s future,” Calderón added. “This proposed budget expands on this vision with proposals that address all facets of young children’s development.”
The administration’s budget proposals arrive at a time when families across the country continue to navigate complex economic pressures, rising costs of quality child care, and persistent challenges within the healthcare system, particularly concerning maternal and infant mortality rates. By targeting investments toward these foundational sectors, the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget aims to alleviate some of the most significant systemic pressures facing young families.
Child development experts have long argued that supporting infants and toddlers requires a multi-faceted approach that looks beyond traditional educational settings to encompass family stability, parental mental health, safe and stable housing, and accessible healthcare. The inclusion of measures touching upon these diverse sectors in the federal budget signals a comprehensive strategy by the administration to address early childhood well-being from multiple angles.
ZERO TO THREE has noted that the health of mothers is inextricably linked to the well-being of infants, making investments in maternal health programs a critical component of any comprehensive early childhood strategy. Similarly, addressing infant and early childhood mental health acknowledges that very young children experience and express stress, trauma, and emotional needs that require specialized professional intervention and support systems.
Furthermore, the ongoing challenges within the child care sector—often described as a crisis by providers and parents alike—have placed immense strain on working families. Proposals within the federal budget aimed at stabilizing and expanding access to child care are viewed by advocates as vital steps toward ensuring that parents can participate in the workforce while knowing their children are in safe, nurturing, and developmentally enriching environments.
Economic security and housing stability round out the core areas emphasized by child development advocates. Financial instability and housing insecurity are major sources of toxic stress for families, which can directly disrupt early brain development and long-term health outcomes for infants and toddlers. By proposing federal investments that bolster family economic security and housing support, the budget addresses the root environmental factors that influence a child’s earliest developmental milestones.
Following the release of the budget blueprint, attention now shifts to Capitol Hill, where federal lawmakers will debate, modify, and ultimately vote on the spending bills that comprise the fiscal year 2025 budget. The path from a presidential budget proposal to enacted legislation involves extensive negotiations among congressional appropriators and committees, making advocacy and public engagement a crucial element of the legislative process.
“Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies,” Calderón said, emphasizing the collaborative effort required to translate policy proposals into tangible funding on the ground. “We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality.”
As the legislative process moves forward, early childhood advocates, policy experts, and family support organizations plan to continue engaging with lawmakers to ensure that the needs of the nation’s youngest residents remain a central priority in federal spending decisions. The outcome of these budget negotiations will ultimately determine whether the proposed investments in maternal health, child care, mental health, housing, and economic security are funded, shaping the landscape of early childhood support for years to come.
