All Work
Early Childhood Education
Empowering Parents with Tech: How SC Revolutionized Access to Early Childhood Services (with Georgia Mjartan)
Georgia Mjartan explains how First 5 South Carolina’s innovative new technology streamlines access to early childhood services, cutting red tape and empowering parents to better support their children.
Responses to “Questions for the Record” Following My Senate Finance Committee Testimony
Following her testimony at the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on “Examining the State of Child Care,” Katharine Stevens answered Senators’ questions on four key childcare policy topics.
The Critical Role of Family in Early Childhood Development
Katharine joins the Tammy Peterson Podcast to discuss the vital role of family in early childhood development and the need for better policy to support parents and children.
Testimony before the Senate Finance Committee: The Federal Role in Childcare
Federal policy must target the lower-income families who need access to good childcare the most — aiming to empower parental choice, ensure better use of current federal funds, and promote a much-increased state role in funding childcare.
Promoting Family and Child Well-Being through Federal Childcare Policy
Federal policymakers should aim to: 1) Boost choice for low-income parents. 2) Shore up family childcare. 3) Break down bureaucratic silos to amplify impact of current funding. 4) Leverage a broader range of federal funds. 5) Promote state leadership in early care and education.
Why We Need A “GI Bill for Homemakers” (with Ivana Greco)
Ivana Greco explains why America needs a “GI Bill for Homemakers” to recognize and support parents who spend time on the “home front,” dedicating themselves to the crucial work of family and community.
Child Care: What Parents Want — What Children Need (with Jenet Erickson)
Family researcher Jenet Erickson sheds new light on the role of work and childcare in child, maternal, and family well-being, and the care preferences of women with young children.
The Miracle of Language: How Parents Build Babies' Brains (with Dana Suskind)
Dr. Dana Suskind explains the power of nurturing language environments in children's development, and the vital role parents play as architects of their children’s brains.
A Common-Ground New Child Care Agenda That Includes Parents
Katharine Stevens joins a panel at a Senate event to discuss a new, cross-partisan report proposing common-ground policy solutions for families with young children.
Why Homemakers Matter (with Ivana Greco)
Katharine talks with Ivana Greco about her unusual path from Harvard-educated attorney to full-time "stay-at-home mom," caring for her toddler and homeschooling her two young sons.
The Crucial Role of Nurturing Care in Early Childhood (with Phil Fisher)
Dr. Phil Fisher joins the podcast to discuss his pioneering work on the effects of early stressful experiences on young children’s development.
“The Brain Development Revolution”: Early Childhood and Public Policy (with Ross Thompson)
Ross Thompson joins the podcast to discuss current knowledge in developmental science, and how brain science has been used to shape public policy in early childhood.
How Family Policy Debates Sometimes Ignore the Family Itself
Dr. Katharine Stevens joins host Nic Dunn of the Sutherland Institute to help recenter true pro-family policy at the core of public debates and offer policymakers and voters a framework for a better approach.
Capita’s Approach to Advancing Child and Family Flourishing (with Joe Waters)
Katharine Stevens is joined by Joe Waters, co-founder and CEO of Capita, to discuss Capita's origins and work to improve the lives of children and families.
Why Marriage Matters for Family and Child Well-Being (with Brad Wilcox)
Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology and director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, discusses the decline in marriage among lower-income adults and explains its role in family strength and well-being.
Building a Roadmap for Prenatal-to-3 State Policy (with Cynthia Osborne)
Cynthia Osborne discusses the work of the Prenatal-to-Three Policy Impact Center and describes the state-level policies and strategies highlighted in the Center’s recently-released 2023 State Policy Roadmap.
“Build Back Better”: A Flawed Agenda or the Right Plan for Early Care and Education Policy?
An expert panel joins CCFP and the Niskanen Center to discuss Katharine Stevens’s new report on the strengths and weaknesses of Build Back Better’s early care and education legislation, and the best path forward for federal policy.
Empowering Parents and Scaling Preschool Success (with Art Rolnick)
Katharine Stevens interviews economist Art Rolnick about his nationally recognized work with the Minnesota Early Learning Scholarships program, a parent-choice-driven model providing scholarships to parents with children from ages prenatal to five.
How Early Childhood is the Foundation of Social Capital (with Chris Bullivant)
Katharine Stevens interviews Chris Bullivant about why social capital matters to a thriving society, and how the foundation of social capital is formed through children’s secure attachment established in the birth-to-three period.
Parenting Is the Key to Early Development and Social Mobility – Part 2 (with James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia)
In the second part of this two-part conversation, Katharine Stevens continues her discussion with economists James Heckman and Jorge Luis Garcia about their pioneering research on how improving parenting is the essential mechanism of effective early childhood programs.