Brief Public Spending on Infants and Toddlers in Six Charts
Subtitle
A Kids' Share Brief
Julia B. Isaacs, Cary Lou, Heather Hahn, Eleanor Lauderback, Caleb Quakenbush
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Early childhood is a critical period of development, laying the foundation for lifelong skills, behaviors, and health outcomes. This short brief contains six charts summarizing public investments in infants and toddlers, beginning with federal spending and tax programs and then adding in state and local spending. When comparing per capita spending on infants and toddlers with that of older children, we find somewhat higher levels of federal spending, but much lower levels of state and local spending, on infants and toddlers. In other words, infant and toddler investments are strongly driven by federal policy, especially through health programs, like Medicaid, and tax provisions.

Research Areas Taxes and budgets Children and youth
Tags Federal budget and economy Kids in context Children's budget
Policy Centers Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population