Government Spending on Babies is Falling Short, Say Advocates

(StatePoint) Ten percent of all U.S. children did not have enough food to keep them healthy in 2022. In the same year, the infant mortality rate increased for the first time in two decades and the rate of child poverty more than doubled. At a time when children need increased support to prosper, a new analysis of government spending in 2024 indicates that funding for programs benefitting the youngest Americans – those below the age of 3 – is falling short.

“Babies in the Budget 2024” provides a comprehensive analysis of the share of spending allocated to children ages 0–3 across more than 150 government programs in the federal budget. Published by the bipartisan advocacy organization First Focus on Children, the analysis finds that for the third straight year, the share of federal spending on children ages 0-3 declined, from just 1.98% in fiscal year 2021 to 1.52% in 2024. On top of that, the small increase in dollars these programs received failed to keep up with inflation, ensuring that support for the nation’s youngest children lags behind the estimated average rise in the cost of living for families.