Why & How Brighter Beginnings is integrating Financial Education and Early Child Development

Making the Health/Wealth Connection at Brighter

Beginnings

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Why is addressing poverty important to Early Child Development?

The number of poor children in California has grown at a faster pace than the total number of children in United States.

Poverty is the single best predictor of child abuse and neglect. Children who live in families with an annual income less than $15,000 are 22 times more likely to be abused or neglected than children living in families with an annual income of $30,000 or more.

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Brighter BeginningsWho we are today

We believe every family matters and every child deserves to have a happy, healthy future.

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Multiple Risk Factors

Poverty, Homelessness Single parent status Low birth weight Exposure to environmental

toxins Exposure to traumatic

events or violence

Special needs in the family (disability, chronic illness, mental disorders)

Low proficiency in English Prenatal damage from

exposure to alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco

Maternal depression Abuse & neglect

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Across the Life Course

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Lu MC, Halfon N. Racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes: a life-course perspective.Matern Child Health J. 2003;7:13-30.

protective factors

Families thrive when protective factors are robust in their lives and communities.

parental resilience

knowledge of parenting and child

development

social connections

concrete supports in times of need

social and emotional

competence of children

Core Strategies for Strengthening Families

home visiting, stress reduction techniques, peer support groups, mental health & health educ.

socialization activities, parenting groups, peer leadership opportunities

Parenting groups, child development, nurturing parenting, understanding discipline

Play groups, Ages & Stages, Bonding & attachment, mental health,

Integrating Financial Edaccess to Financial Tools towards self-sufficiency

Emergency needs Free diapers, baby items

Strengthening Families: Building the Health/Wealth Connection at Brighter Beginnings

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Financial Education today

Became VITA site in Richmond, Antioch and Oakland

Developed a baseline assessment for “talking about money”

Developed and trained on several financial education curriculum, delivering to CC First 5 Centers, Early Head Start, and to teen parents in Oakland

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Financial Education in the home

Budgeting (income vs out-going expenses)If income, getting BankedUnderstanding credit and predatory lendingBuilding safety-net savingsCreating financial goalsReferrals – ACCAN, and FESPother resources

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Evaluation

How do we know that our work is having an impact?

100% of clients set financial goals 100% of teen parents report feeling

competent to achieve at least 1 financial goal

78% of 96 participants attended all sessions

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Financial Education, tomorrow…Vocationalizing

Same approach, but broader….. Vocationalizing means building the skills and

expertise of agency staff and expanding agency partnerships/referral sources, so that families we serve are better prepared and have improved access to employment and career development opportunities

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For More Information

Barbara Bunn McCullough, Ph.D.Brighter Beginnings

bbmccullough@brighter-beginnings.org(510) 903-7503

www.brighter-beginnings.org