A countywide early childhood survey asking parents and families about their experiences raising young children in Hamilton County launches Thursday. The survey is organized by Chattanooga 2.0 action team, Early Matters, in partnership with Community Data Platforms.
Early Matters promotes that positive experiences for young children are essential for child health, learning, and overall well-being. The end goal of the survey is to gain a better understanding of the needs of young families and the barriers they face to providing positive, enriching experiences for the youngest residents in the community. The summary of survey results will help Chattanooga-Hamilton County leaders make more informed, impactful decisions, said officials.
The survey is available by visiting www.chatt2.org/survey and will be open for one month. On the website, residents can also enter to win giveaways.
“Our early childhood coalition partners recently finished a needs assessment to discover the barriers families face to accessing quality child care,” said Jennifer Andrews, director of early childhood strategies for Chattanooga 2.0. “Now we’re hoping to learn about the needs of families who do not utilize child care. Stay-at-home parents, grandparents, anyone who cares for a child during the day - What educational resources do you have access to? Are you satisfied with the services available to support young children? This information will be critical as we continue to draft the Early Matters - Bright Start TN plan for early care and education.”
To help distribute paper surveys, please visit the survey website for more information. The survey is available in English and Spanish.
“Ninety percent of brain growth happens before kindergarten,” said Celeste McKenzie, co-chair of Early Matters Chattanooga. “In order for children in Chattanooga-Hamilton County to arrive at school equipped with the skills needed to be successful, it is important that we pay particular attention to their experiences during the first five years of life. We hope the survey will shine a light on what leaders can do to help parents support the healthy development of their child.”
Findings from the survey will be made public in late February.