New York Zero-to-Three Infancy Policy

New York State Infancy Leadership Circles

Raising Voices for Babies

A project of New York Zero-to-Three Network, this initiative aims at shaping public policy for infants and toddlers and their families in New York State: the Infancy Leadership Circles were initiated in 2008. Building on the work of the Network's Policy and Public Education Committee, the Leadership Circles are a statewide advocacy voice specifically focused on babies and their families. Professionals from all of the disciplines that focus on children under the age of 3, including health care, education, family support, early intervention, child welfare and the judicial system, and others are part of the Infancy Leadership Circles. The goal is to create a voice for babies that is diverse and representative of all areas of the state.

WHO WE ARE

The Infancy Leadership Circles are the communication pipeline for the infancy movement in New York State. We aim to move local issues to the state level and take state issues to communities to advance better policies and comprehensive services for babies and their families. We represent a broad array of professionals from all fields who provide services to infants and toddlers and their families. We build on existing local and state efforts, strengthening the "infancy voice" within broader child advocacy initiatives. Ours is a two-generation approach that considers the child in the context of the family and community.

ROLE OF NYZTT

The New York Zero-to-Three Network (NYZTT) has more than two decades of experience in New York City as the only interdisciplinary organization focused exclusively on infants and toddlers. NYZTT members are a diverse lot, including practitioners, business executives, lawyers, academics, and people in the arts.

Since NYZTT was inaugurated, the organization has fostered cross-disciplinary dialogue and sharing the rapidly expanding scientific discoveries that confirm the importance of the first three years of life. Advocacy, networking, education, and public awareness campaigns, along with opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration, have all been part of our work.

Beginning with the first statewide Infancy Conference in 1994, NYZTT has had a statewide focus. NYZTT's report Unequal from the Start: A Check-Up on New York City's Infants and Toddlers, reveals a wealth of information on the well-being of babies and families in New York City, serving as a blueprint for advocacy in other localities.

NYZTT created the Infancy Leadership Circles based on the belief that the needs of infants and toddlers were often missing from policy development and decision-making at all levels—local, state, and national. The dramatic shift in national policy, evidenced by unprecedented support for early childhood initiatives, has spurred our goal to formalize a local and state movement around increasing investments in our youngest citizens. NYZTT's multidisciplinary framework and organizational structure uniquely qualify us to provide resources and mentoring to Infancy Leadership Circles across the state.

OUR MISSION

Through cross-disciplinary dialogue and strategic communications, the New York
State Infancy Leadership Circles promote high-quality comprehensive services for infants, toddlers, and their families in New York State.

WHAT WE DO

Reach out to interested professionals across New York State to establish Infancy Leadership Circles in local communities
Stimulate cross-disciplinary regional and statewide activities that will lead to
systems change based on local needs and priorities
Bring local agendas to state policy makers
Share research on best practices and child development
Collaboratively build on existing initiatives such as Winning Beginning NY and Home Visiting Coalition to promote the infancy agenda
Maintain a web site with local activity pages, a research database, webinar offerings, and links to advocacy tools
Facilitate communication within and across localities
Sponsor face-to-face statewide annual meeting

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2008-2009

Recognized by ZERO TO THREE in its monthly Baby Monitor as a top ten
advocacy innovation for 2008
Helped block imposition of parent fees for Early Intervention with petition drive
Advocated for funding of home visiting programs
Contributed to NYZTT Action Brief: Oppose Parent Fees for Early Intervention
Convened statewide meeting on gaps in infant/toddler services and prepared summary document
Established statewide steering committee with representatives from NYZTT, Winning Beginning NY, NYS Regional Infant-Toddler Network, and up- and down-state Infancy Leadership Circle coordinators
Created Early Intervention Task Force to pro-actively ensure a fiscally sound and high-quality EI program

GOALS FOR 2010

Create and mentor more regional Infancy Leadership Circles
Cosponsor Infancy Summits on Using Data for Advocacy
Hold collaborative regional policy and advocacy trainings
Work with existing coalitions such as Winning Beginning NY, Home Visiting Coalition, and others to put infancy policy goals on their statewide legislative agendas
Increase regular communications and opportunities for dialogue

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2010-2011

Implemented four new Infancy Leadership Circles
Engaged with four existing groups across the state
Worked with Winning Beginning New York Coalition to add specific infant/toddler issues
to its legislative agenda
Disseminated ideas from NYS's Early Childhood Advisory Council
Held statewide meeting as part of the annual Infant-Toddler Forum on April 29, 2011
at the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children Conference
Received support from the New York State Council on Children and Families with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative
Participated in panel on comprehensive services at the annual NYC Infant-Toddler Conference
on July 21, 2011
Issued Six-Month Performance Report in July 2011

GOALS FOR 2011

Create and mentor more local and regional Infancy Leadership Circles
Cosponsor more statewide opportunities for communication and dialogue
Continue to link with other local and regional groups
Continue to work with existing statewide coalitions and advisory groups

JOIN OR START AN INFANCY LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Please join us in this work. Raising our voices together we can make a difference and build better futures for babies, their families, and communities.

Contact the NYS Infancy Leadership Circle coordinators to start or
join a circle in your community:

Jackie Jones, Member, Early Care Advisory Council, Buffalo or
Carole Oshinsky, Board Member, NYZTT, Yonkers at: infancycirclenys@nyzerotothree.org

Support the work of the Infancy Leadership Circles with a donation:
Send check made out to NYZTT with Infancy Leadership Circles in the memo or make a
Paypal secure donation

Become a member of New York Zero-to-Three Network
• Individual membership is $55
• $35 for students
• Sign up your organization as a member;
for $250 all staff receive a 35% discount to NYZTT events, including the annual conference

RESOURCES