Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center

10/07/2026

2026 Roadmap Big Win: State Minimum Wage 💰

In 2026, the minimum wage increased in 23 states, with increases ranging from $0.28 to $2.00 per hour.

Even small increases can add up for families. A $0.25 hourly increase for a full-time worker translates to $520 in additional annual income, equivalent to four weeks of groceries.

The 2026 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap tracks state policy choices, like state minimum wage, that can strengthen the economic security of families with infants and toddlers.

🔗 Explore state minimum wage in the 2026 Roadmap: https://pn3policy.org/pn-3-state-policy-roadmap-2026/us/state-minimum-wage/
📣 What does the state minimum wage look like where you live? Share your state in the comments.

10/06/2026

We’re hiring! Three opportunities are now open to join our Center and support our work for children and families. Check it out:

📊 Two Senior Research Data Analysts to transform complex survey and administrative data into rigorous, actionable research that informs evidence-based policymaking for children and families.

📅 One Project and Event Coordinator to support the planning and ex*****on of virtual and in-person events, coordinate external presentations, and help keep Center-hosted meetings, webinars, and events running smoothly.

If you’re interested in bringing your skills to a collaborative team, learn more about these opportunities and apply today: https://pn3policy.org/careers/

10/05/2026

Thank you to the more than 1,000 people who registered for our 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit!

Together, we looked back at a decade of state action, exploring what changed from 2016 to 2026, how states made progress, and what those experiences can teach us about the work ahead.

We’re especially grateful to our panelists, Gerry Cobb, Lynanne Gutierrez, Rachael Deane, and Riley Kitts, for sharing their perspectives and experiences, and to everyone who joined us from across the country.

One idea from the conversation has stuck with us: Lynanne’s call for “radical incrementalism,” a reminder that meaningful change can be built step by step, year after year.

The conversation may be over, but there’s more to explore. Watch the Summit recording and dig into our new 10-year report, Ten Years, Hundreds of Policies, Millions of Families: https://bit.ly/4hyLoUY

Did you miss the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit? Click here to access the full recording.

10/02/2026

Our Executive Director Cynthia Osborne is headed to San Diego for the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference & Exhibition!

On Sunday, Cynthia will join James Collins, MD, MPH, and Nat Vikitsreth, LCSW, for Parenting Under Pressure: Interdisciplinary Strategies to Strengthen Relational Roots.

Together, they’ll bring interdisciplinary perspectives to a conversation about supporting parents, strengthening caregiver-child relationships, and reducing parenting stress.

Cynthia will bring the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center’s research and policy expertise to the discussion, including how early childhood policies can shape the environments in which families raise young children.

Attending ? Join them Sunday, October 4, from 1–5 p.m. PDT.

09/29/2026

More than 250 policy changes over the past decade. What do they tell us about how states support families with young children?

Our new report, "Ten Years, Hundreds of Policies, Millions of Families", examines changes to economic and family supports from 2016 to 2026. Swipe through a preview of the findings, then join us today for the free, online 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit to hear more about the report and from leaders in four states.

🔍Read the full report: https://pn3policy.org/reports/ten-years-hundreds-of-policies-millions-of-families/
✨The Summit begins at 1:30 p.m. CT. Register: https://bit.ly/4qbclCn

09/28/2026

⏰ What could 90 minutes teach you about moving prenatal-to-3 policies forward?

Join us, tomorrow, September 29, for a look back at a decade of state progress, followed by a conversation with leaders from Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, and Virginia. Hear what changed, how these states navigated challenges, and what their experiences might suggest for your own work.

Join the free, online 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit on September 29, from 1:30–3:00 p.m. CT.

Register: https://bit.ly/4hqDcbg

09/26/2026

The Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study found that Nashville has child care slots for only 56% of children with working parents. This is one of many findings from the study that offer a fuller picture of the child care landscape across Greater Nashville.

Thank you to Julie Gwinn of Raising Readers Nashville and the United Way of Greater Nashville, Melanie Shinbaum of the Nashville Early Education Coalition, our Executive Director, Cynthia Osborne, and everyone who joined our Early Childhood Luncheon to discuss the research and its local use.

🔍 Explore the study and related resources: https://pn3policy.org/research-and-evaluation/davidson-county-landscape-study/

09/23/2026

Meet the speakers joining us for the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit: Cynthia Osborne, Ph.D. (Vanderbilt Peabody College), Gerry Cobb, Libbie Sonnier, Ph.D. (Louisiana Policy Institute for Children), Lynanne Gutierrez, Esq. (Groundwork Ohio), Rachael Deane (Voices for Virginia's Children), and Riley Kitts (Colorado Children's Campaign).

Together, they will examine how the prenatal-to-3 policy landscape changed from 2016 to 2026, and four of these speakers will share how they advanced policy change in their states, approached implementation, and navigated challenges and opportunities along the way.

Join us online September 29 to explore how their experiences can inform policy work today!

Register here ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hqDcbg

09/21/2026

What families pay for child care does not reflect what it actually costs programs to provide high-quality care. In greater Nashville, market prices are constrained by what families can afford, leaving a gap between the prices families pay and the true cost of care.

Our Senior Research Associate, Sierra Rowe, walks us through findings from the final two briefs of our Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study, which estimate the true cost of providing high-quality center-based and home-based child care in greater Nashville:

◾ The estimated monthly true cost of high-quality center-based care ranges from $2,214 for preschoolers to $3,457 for infants
◾ The estimated monthly true cost is $2,158 per child for family home-based care and $1,669 per child for group home-based care
◾ At the 75th percentile of market prices, tuition falls short of the estimated true cost by as much as $1,812 per child per month for center-based care and $1,357 for home-based care

Explore the final two briefs ➡️ https://pn3policy.org/research-and-evaluation/davidson-county-landscape-study/

With thanks to United Way of Greater Nashville, Raising Readers Nashville, and the Nashville Early Education Coalition for their partnership on this study.

09/18/2026

📣 The 2026 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap is now LIVE, providing a state-by-state look at the policy choices that shape the time, care, and financial resources available to families raising infants and toddlers. Check it out ➡️ https://pn3policy.org/pn-3-state-policy-roadmap-2026/

During the past year, states expanded paid leave, tax credits, perinatal health services, and child care assistance, and state minimum wages increased in 23 states. This progress continued even in a complex policy environment.

Explore more findings and see what changed in your state!