| Support Reach Out and Read in Washington |
Reach Out and Read programs!
|
|
|
"In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children, so many children without an education."
-Pope Francis
Back-to-school time has been very different in our household this year. Our daughter entered high school about a week late due to the Seattle teacher's strike. Last weekend we took our son to college, moving him into his new dorm room home in time to start classes on Monday. These have been simultaneously stressful and exciting transitions for our family, and we appreciate how fortunate our children have been in their educations to date. We are also acutely aware that not all children have had the opportunity that ours have had. And that is not okay with any of us.
At the same time, we are fascinated by the visit of the Pope to the U.S. this week. Regardless of faith background, Pope Francis is catching the attention of people young and old across this country and the world. Part of his appeal to many is his focus on poverty, and on education as a means out of poverty. In some ways his approach is very straight forward--we should treat others as we want to be treated, and do our best to provide opportunity for all. And, quite simply, we aren't doing our best for our youngest children and their families, especially for those impacted by inequities related to poverty and race.
And the evidence is absolutely clear--what happens in early childhood is a critical foundation for a positive future. Today we'll highlight a new study about disparities and opportunity--which demonstrates why families need large-scale interventions like Reach Out and Read.
I am so grateful that we've had the opportunity to raise two avid readers. We can see how it has helped them succeed in school. Our son has now chosen a university where he can simultaneously receive a degree in engineering, while focusing on social justice and equity. It is so exciting to see a generation of young adults motivated to address equity and energized to get involved with the political process! With their help--and yours--we can take the steps needed as a society to support parents, optimize child development, and truly provide opportunity for every child.
Jill Sells, MD and the Reach Out and Read Washington Team
|
|
PARENTING PRACTICES WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS
| |
New study of children from infancy through age 3 demonstrates significant opportunity to reduce disparities. In August, the journal Pediatrics published "Positive parenting practices, health disparities, and developmental progress." Researchers used phone survey data from 12,642 families with children 4-36 months in The National Survey of Children's Health. They found that "caregivers with the lowest income versus highest income reported lower participation in reading (33% vs 64%; P< .0001), singing or telling stories (52% vs.
77%, P< .0001), and taking their child on an outing (13% vs 22%,
P< .0001)." Half as much reading together--the differences are not subtle. These findings are consistent with the intensive Hart and Risley study of the home language environment of families in 1995, which has become famous for calculating the "30 million word gap" between what children in lower- vs. higher-income families hear by age 3. The current study goes on to show that "less frequent participation in these interactive activities was associated with increased risk of developmental delay" among low-income families. In short, this very large sample size demonstrates that children living in low-income families are much less likely to be read to, AND more likely to experience developmental delay.
The authors conclude that there are "significant disparities in parenting practices that promote early child development between economically advantaged and disadvantaged parents. Innovative population-level strategies that enrich parenting practices for vulnerable children in early childhood are needed." The good news is there are proven programs that support parents and increase parenting practices like reading together that in turn support child development. Reach Out and Read is one of the best examples: 26 years of history, 15 published studies, and more than 5,000 medical clinics participating. It's scalable, affordable, feasible, and it works.
In a commentary on this study, Positive Parenting Practices: What We Know and What We are Doing, Dr. Robert Needleman highlights how Reach Out and Read is addressing this issue effectively, and has demonstrated the capacity to scale to a large population. As he points out, " That these two disparate approaches (the research studies) reached the same conclusion is reassuring. That the underlying reality has remained unchanged for 20 years, viz. the propagation of social and developmental disadvantage, is not." In other words we have not made progress in 20 years--on average, children in lower-income families are not benefiting from many of the parenting practices known to support their development, and this sets the stage for inequities that last a life time. But study after study, and the daily experiences of more than 1,500 Reach Out and Read providers in Washington State so far, demonstrate that families across cultures and income levels are eager to support their children's development. When given children's books, encouragement, and support, parents act on this advice from their children's doctors, and they change what happens at home. We know what to do--we just need to do it! It is past time to make sure that every child and family has what they need from the start.
Watch this video with Dr. Woodruff and families to see how it all works.
|
|
|
REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE ON FACEBOOK
| | |
Follow Reach Out and Read Washington State on Facebook for early literacy news, reading tips, and brain research information. Please LIKE us and suggest our Facebook page to your friends to help us spread our message about early literacy. Thanks!
|
|
ABOUT REACH OUT AND READ WASHINGTON STATE
| | |
Reach Out and Read helps prepare children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Our evidence-based proven program leverages the influence of children's doctors and makes literacy a standard part of well-child checkups from birth through 5 years. Reach Out and Read supports parents as their child's first teacher and helps children be ready for kindergarten.
Through 183 programs in 31 counties, 1,500 medical providers serve an estimated 100,000 children and their families across Washington. Reach Out and Read Washington State is a Regional Office of Reach Out and Read, Inc., a national not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Email - washington@reachoutandread.org
Telephone - 206-524-3579
Fax - 206-524-4768
Address - 155 NE 100th Street - Suite 301, Seattle WA 98125
|
|
|
