This report developed by the Children’s Equity Project examines data from the 2020 and 2021 administrations of a national survey of early care and education (ECE) professionals—including center-based, home-based, and informal child care providers—about their mental, physical, and financial well-being, including racialized stress, and their awareness of and access to infant and early childhood mental health consultation. Data are disaggregated by ECE professionals’ race/ethnicity, age, income level, program type, and state. This report provides federal and state policymakers (e.g., Congress, Administration for Children and Families, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, state legislatures, and state agency leaders) with targeted recommendations emphasizing both economic and mental health-focused remedies to address the mental health needs of the ECE workforce coming out of the pandemic. It also provides examples of how some states are working to address issues relevant to the well-being and mental health of the ECE workforce.
Examining the Mental Health of Early Childhood Professionals and Children Early in the Pandemic
Links & Downloads
Related Resources
Grow Your Own ECE: Higher Education as an Essential Partner
This brief builds upon the ideas in “Grow Your Own ECE: An Introduction” and “Grow Your Own ECE: Cultivating Community Partnerships,” […]
Published 2024
Grow Your Own ECE: Cultivating Community Partnerships
This brief expands upon the design and sustainability essential elements of Grow Your Own initiatives that are centered on solid […]
Published 2024
Grow Your Own ECE: An Introduction
This brief explores the transformative potential of Grow Your Own initiatives in strengthening and sustaining the early care and education […]
Published 2024
Related Key Topics
Financial Resources
Public investment in the ECE workforce and broader ECE system
Work Environment Standards
Standards for providing safe and supportive work environments for early educators