OKDHS Lecture Series Continues in March with Children Right to Thrive: The Foundational Years

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL--By the time children are teenagers it can be difficult to remember the days when they were in daycare. But those early experiences may still be affecting them, according to a new study exploring the long-term impact of child care. The next installment in the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Lecture Series goes inside the results and considers what they mean for parents trying to find high-quality care for their children. “Children’s Right to Thrive: The Foundational Years,” will be held Friday, March 30, from Noon to 1 p.m. in the Chesapeake Room of the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Craig T. Ramey is Professor and Distinguished Research Scholar at Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. Dr. Ramey will discuss the consequences of low resource environments in early childhood and how these impact school readiness. Children from low resource environments who participate in quality early childhood programs are less likely to repeat grades, be in special education, experience a teen pregnancy, use drugs or smoke, or experience teen depression.

Currently Dr. Ramey is helping to launch a long-term longitudinal study of brain development known as the Roanoke Brain Study. He is the author of more than 250 publications including five books. He frequently consults with federal and state government, as well as private foundations and agencies, and the news media. Dr. Ramey has received many honors including, The Society for Research in Child Development Award for Distinguished Contributions to Public Policy for Children and he was inducted into the Hall of Honor of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for “leading the research effort to document the effectiveness of environmental enrichment as an early intervention to improve outcomes for children at risk for developmental and intellectual disabilities."

The Practice and Policy Lecture Series has been developed to provide thought-provoking presentations on Oklahoma's emerging policy issues, trends and best practices. The series is sponsored by the OKDHS Office of Planning, Research and Statistics and the University of Oklahoma Center for Public Management with the goal of providing the best educational opportunities available in a forum that offers participants an opportunity to question, share and learn from each other. Additional sponsors for this lecture are the Oklahoma Policy Institute, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and Administration for Children & Families, Region VI, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information contact the Office of Planning, Research and Statistics at (405) 521-3552 or visit the Practice and Policy Lecture Series website (Link opens in new window).

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