From birth through age 5, children undergo rapid physical, cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and social growth, laying the foundation for their future health and well-being. Ideally, connections to resources and services for young children and their families during this crucial period would be accessible, comprehensive, and interconnected.

Yet, in Massachusetts, which has 340,000 children under the age of 5, families with young children face a complex maze when seeking early childhood services. The state’s lack of a comprehensive, coordinated early childhood system leaves many families with unmet needs.

A team from the Urban Institute, in collaboration with Kimberly Lucas from Northeastern University, conducted a year-long project to develop recommendations to address this issue. The project was guided by a steering committee composed of representatives from state agencies, community-based organizations, early childhood service providers, and others with a vested interest in early childhood services.

The research team:

• engaged with over 100 individuals through focus groups, interviews, and surveys to document their experiences;
• synthesized these insights, incorporating input from the steering committee; and
• conducted a landscape review of existing initiatives to identify common approaches and areas for improvement.

The project aims to inform the creation and implementation of an early childhood system that meets the needs of families in each community in Massachusetts. It underscores the need for both state and local support to establish a coordinated system that connects families with needed early childhood services.