Cabrera highlights risks of Maryland's childcare shortage
In a troubling trend affecting families across Maryland and the nation, Katelynn Winebrenner and Laura Shaughnessy report on the consequences of a childcare shortage that are highlighted by Faculty Associate Natasha Cabrera.
Cabrera stressed the very important role of early childhood experiences in brain development.
“The first five years of life [and] the first year of life is critically important for brain development,” she told the authors. “Children are like sponges. Their brains are ready, and they’re wired to learn, but they need the cognitive stimulation from the environment.”
The child care shortage could have negative consequences for children across Maryland, such as decreased trust, lowered academic success or increased risk for developing a mental illness, she added.
Read more at Maryland Reporter
"Child care is scarce in Maryland and the nation - and the pandemic made matters worse," Capital News Service, Katelynn Winebrenner and Laura Shaughnessy, June 25, 2024