The first years of life set the stage for individuals’ long-term experiences and well-being – and represent a key period of opportunity to provide support that can have long-term payoff. One indicator shown here is the share of infants born with low birthweight, a risk factor for later health and development challenges. The other is the number of licensed child care center spaces for infants/toddlers and preschoolers per 100 children ages 0 to 5, as high-quality child care can support children’s health and development while also supporting parents and guardians engaging in work or education.
A note about comparing county data points to each other, and to statewide data points: California’s 58 counties vary substantially in resident demographics, characteristics of local economies, tax base, community-based organization capacity, and local government administrative capacity. All of these factors can contribute to differences in outcomes across the indicators shown in the dashboard.
