(StatePoint) Ten percent of all U.S. children did not have enough food to keep them healthy in 2022. In the same year, the infant mortality rate increased for the first time in two decades and the rate of child poverty more than doubled. At a time when children need increased support to prosper, a new analysis of government spending in 2024 indicates that funding for programs benefitting the youngest Americans – those below the age of 3 – is falling short.
“Babies in the Budget 2024” provides a comprehensive analysis of the share of spending allocated to children ages 0–3 across more than 150 government programs in the federal budget. Published by the bipartisan advocacy organization First Focus on Children, the analysis finds that for the third straight year, the share of federal spending on children ages 0-3 declined, from just 1.98% in fiscal year 2021 to 1.52% in 2024. On top of that, the small increase in dollars these programs received failed to keep up with inflation, ensuring that support for the nation’s youngest children lags behind the estimated average rise in the cost of living for families.
According to advocates with First Focus on Children and the National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers (NCIT), President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget presents an opportunity to turn the tide. The president recommends increasing total spending on babies by $36.8 billion and significantly expanding the Child Tax Credit to reach low-income children currently left behind because their parents earn too little. These changes would increase the money available for babies by almost $28 billion in fiscal year 2025 — an inflation-adjusted increase of 630%. The budget proposal would also make vital investments in child care, housing, paid family and medical leave, mental health, nutrition and other areas that impact babies, toddlers and their families.
“Building a healthy, prosperous, and equitable upbringing for our babies translates directly to a healthy, prosperous, and equitable future for our country. Funding choices are just that – choices. And Congress and the Administration have the power to choose to support the well-being of children,” says Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus on Children.
To view the full report and to learn more, visit firstfocus.org.
“Our country can and must do more to make life better for babies, toddlers and families,” said Jennifer Harris, senior health policy advocate for Alabama Arise, a member of the NCIT. “We should strengthen the Child Tax Credit and expand paid leave to help parents make ends meet. We should invest more in affordable housing and child care to ensure security and stability for our children. And we must close the Medicaid coverage gap in every state so families can afford the health care they need to thrive. Strengthening these family supports is the cornerstone to ensuring a brighter future for our children and our nation.”