Social Media Toolkit

A child’s experiences during their first three years shape brain development and lay the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health. Counties play a major role in shaping early childhood systems by investing in and administering core services for infants and toddlers that help to support a thriving community and positively impacting outcomes into adulthood.

County leaders, national experts and parents are encouraged to share why prenatal-to-three matters and efforts in their county to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers. NACoRF uses the hashtag #CountiesForKids to elevate these stories and encourage counties across the country to become Counties for Kids champions.

Instructions

Use the toolkit below to join us in sharing posts on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn about the importance of counties in the prenatal-to-three space. Use the posts, graphics and tips below to share why prenatal-to-three matters and what your county is doing to support infants and toddlers. Make sure you use the hashtag #CountiesForKids and tag us to join the conversation!

You can also use NACoRF’s letter to the editor template to help you elevate your county’s PN-3 efforts and share why it is important for counties to invest in young children. Learn more.

share Your Story

We want to hear about your PN-3 story and efforts in your county that are moving the needle for young children. Tell us why you are a #CountiesForKids champion or how your county is taking action for infants and toddlers! Download the graphics below to share with your post on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. Don’t forget to use #CountiesForKids in your post!

Examples:

• I am a #CountiesForKids champion because:

  • Early experiences during the prenatal period and first three years after birth shape brain development and the development of all other systems in the body.

  • When we support them in their earliest years, infants grow into healthy kids who are confident, empathetic and ready for school and life—and our communities, workforce and economy become stronger and more productive.

• [County name] is taking action for infants and toddlers by:

  • Investing in the child care workforce.

  • Addressing maternal health disparities with culturally responsive services.

  • Creating a Help Me Grow program to connect families to resources.

To download graphics: On a desktop, click to open the image, then right-click the image and select "save image as." On mobile, press and hold until a prompt pops up and save the image on your camera roll. You can now share the image with your social media post!

Graphics for Twitter

Graphics for Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn

sHARE THE fACTS

Share the research on why early investments matter! We encourage you to share local data or your organization’s research as well. Click on the tweets below to share!

Twitter

• A child’s first 1,000 days are critical to development with more than 1 million new neural connections made per second. Counties help give children a solid foundation and a healthy start. @NACoTweets #CountiesForKids #CountiesMatter

• 80% of a child’s brain is developed in the first three years. Counties support parents by promoting and advancing strong #PrenatalToThree policies to help all children live their full potential. @NACoTweets #CountiesForKids

• .@strongnationUSA found that the nation’s infant-toddler child care crisis costs $122 billion in lost earning, productivity and revenue every year. Read more: https://www.strongnation.org/articles/2038-122-billion-the-growing-annual-cost-of-the-infant-toddler-child-care-crisis #CountiesForKids

• Counties that invest in programs that integrate health, nutrition & early learning starting from birth see better community outcomes. What is your county doing to create thriving communities across America? @NACoTweets #CountiesForKids

• One in four child care providers reports difficulty affording housing. Learn more about the challenges facing child care providers: https://rapidsurveyproject.com/our-research/child-care-providers-face-housing-challenges #CountiesForKids

• In 2022, @MarchofDimes found that 35% of counties were classified as a maternity care desert. Counties have a role to play in increasing access to maternal and perinatal health services. #CountiesForKids

Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn

• A child’s experiences during their first three years shape brain development and lay the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health. Counties play a major role in shaping early childhood systems by investing in and administering core services for infants and toddlers that help to support a thriving community and positively impacting outcomes into adulthood. Throughout the Week of the Young Child, the National Association of Counties Research Foundation (NACoRF) will be promoting its Counties for Kids Initiative. To learn more about how to get involved and share your county or organization’s efforts, visit www.countiesforkids.org/2023-woyc.

• Across the country, prenatal-to-three (PN-3) county champions are advocating for infants and toddlers, ensuring that they are centered in all policy discussions and working to bring together families, service providers and stakeholders from across sectors to create a robust, equity-driven PN-3 vision for their communities. Learn more about what counties are doing in the PN-3 space and get involved by visiting www.countiesforkids.org/2023-woyc.

To download graphics: On a desktop, click to open the image, then right-click the image and select "save image as." On mobile, press and hold until a prompt pops up and save the image on your camera roll. You can now share the image with your social media post!

Graphic for Twitter Graphic for Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn

Share resources

We encourage you to share resources from your organization that help counties learn more about the importance of prenatal-to-three and showcase best practices and strategies to improve the lives of infants and toddlers in their community. NACoRF has several resources designed for county leaders to looking to invest in and support early childhood. Click on the tweets below to promote these resources.

• The ABCs of Prenatal to Three

  • Is your county starting or expanding its prenatal-to-three efforts? This resource from @NACoTweets offers policymakers a range of ideas for prioritizing investments that set young children on a path to success. https://bit.ly/3puSM7n #CountiesForKids

  • While there is no set process for advancing a prenatal-to three agenda, @NACoTweets has learned from counties across the nation about helpful ways to get started. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3puSM7n #CountiesForKids #CountiesMatter

• Counties Getting Started

  • Informed by counties across the country, this guidebook from @NACoTweets shares methods and strategies for improving local supports for infants and toddlers. https://bit.ly/2L1OENi #CountiesForKids

  • Every county is unique, but @NACoTweets guidebook shares methods and strategies all counties can use to improve outcomes for children #PrenatalToThree. https://bit.ly/2L1OENi #CountiesForKids

  • Learn more about convening a stakeholder team, developing an action plan and measuring performance to take action for infants and toddlers in your county. Read @NACoTweets guidebook here. https://bit.ly/2L1OENi #CountiesForKids

• Prenatal-to-Three County Leader Toolkit

  • This toolkit from @NACoTweets shares resources and strategies to build awareness, demonstrate commitment and bolster supports for infants and toddlers at the county level. https://bit.ly/37Sd1FW #CountiesForKids

  • Successful county #PrenatalToThree efforts help communities create better education, health, social and economic outcomes for the whole community. Learn more about building a movement in your county: https://bit.ly/37Sd1FW #CountiesForKids

• Celebrating County Leadership in PN-3: Case Studies from the PN-3 County Leaders Academy

  • [County Name] is proud to be a #CountiesForKids champion. Learn more about how counties are investing in infants, toddlers and families in a new resource from @NACoTweets: https://countiesforkids.org/pn3-county-leaders-academy

  • A new resource from @NACoTweets shares how counties are investing COVID-19 recovery funds in prenatal-to-three. Read more: https://countiesforkids.org/pn3-county-leaders-academy #CountiesForKids

  • Learn more about how counties across the country are investing in healthy beginnings, supported families & early care and learning: https://countiesforkids.org/pn3-county-leaders-academy #CountiesForKids