Empower teachers | Support innovation | Shape the future of a child
Denver’s Early Childhood Council believes all children deserve access to high-quality early care and learning. Your support helps ensure Denver's youngest children have a strong local system that supports healthy development, school readiness, and family well-being and stability.
Why does early childhood matter? Early childhood experiences from birth to age 5 affect the development of the brain’s architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. A strong foundation helps children develop the skills they need to become well-functioning adults.
In particular, early childhood is a period of rapid brain development when billions of connections between individual neurons are established. Mechanisms and interventions to support that development must be available beginning at birth.
The experiences children have early in life play a crucial role in the development of the brain. Exposure to positive factors, especially stable and responsive relationships with parents and caregivers in safe and supportive environments, promotes positive development.
Are positive outcomes tangible?
When brain development in infants and young children is fully supported, they are more likely to reach milestones critical to future individual and community success. These include:
- Third-grade reading proficiency
- High school graduation and postsecondary education
- Gainful employment
- Lifetime physical and mental health and well-being
- Avoidance of substance use disorder and crime
How can you help ensure higher-quality experiences for young children? The research is clear: the quality of the early learning environment is directly tied to the training, knowledge, and capacity of teachers and caregivers. Denver's Early Childhood Council is at the forefront of providing tools, skills, and resources to early learning professionals so that children can thrive.
Your donation will go directly to addressing systemic challenges faced by early childhood professionals and care sites, improving Denver's early learning environments for kids.