Friday, 14 January 2005 - 10:00 AM

This presentation is part of: Evaluating a Large-Scale Community Initiative on Early Childhood

The scope and reach of the ECI: Coverage and connections among programs

Purpose: The system of caring for young children is more than just services but includes the connections among families and organizations. This study addresses the question of the scope and reach of a system (Early Childhood Initiative) by tracking birth cohorts to determine the degree to which they participated in the multiple service components. It also examines the use of other public services and the geographic spread of programs across a county.

Methods: The study tracked participation in ECI programs and other public services by the population of children in Cuyahoga County who were under 6 years of age at any time between July 1999 and December 2001. Birth certificate records and computerized individual records from ECI programs and public agencies served as the data sources for these analyses.

Results: The scale of ECI programs grew rapidly after the Initiative’s launch in July 1999. As intended, the reach is both broad and focused. In its first 2.5 years, the ECI reached nearly 83,000 Cuyahoga County children prenatal to six years of age. Approximately 68% of children born since July 1999 received one or more ECI services. Among the most recent birth cohort, 63% had contact with at least one ECI service before 3 months of age. Families in poor neighborhoods are involved with several components of the ECI along with other public programs.

Implications: That ECI has built a system that combines such breadth and depth is a message that should be articulated to the public so that new parents know that their community values very young children and stands ready to assist them during this vital stage of development. This pattern of service is consistent with a model system that is universal and intensive for challenged families and vulnerable children.

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