National Institute for Children’s Health Quality: Insights
“Millions of children, like DeAndre, start out on unequal footing because their families don’t get the support they need. We can change that by taking a multi-generational approach to systems change, one that acknowledges that the health of children, especially during early childhood, often depends on the health and wellbeing of their caregivers. We need a system that supports parents, grandparents and all caregivers, a system that understands that health largely depends on access to transportation, housing, mental health and substance use support—any of the social determinants that can adversely affect the health of families.”
The first few years of life, when children’s brains are developing at a rapid rate, is when children are at their most vulnerable. David Armstrong, whose grandson DeAndre was born into a neighborhood where drug use, poverty, and gang violence were prevalent, is working to promote comprehensive and coordinated services in early childhood.
