Through the Eyes of a Child: What Our Youngest Children Need Right Now

By: Lynanne Gutierrez, President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio

January invites reflection, but more importantly, it demands focus on what young children need right now.

As the parent of three young children, I’m reminded daily how closely children watch the world around them. Their questions are simple and direct, often beginning with “but why?” Over time, I’ve come to see that question as a test of our decisions. When we can’t answer it with clarity and confidence, it’s usually a signal to pause and refocus on what truly matters.

At Groundwork Ohio, that focus has always been the same: Ohio’s youngest children and the adults who care for them. From pregnancy through age five, children are building the foundation for their health, learning, and sense of safety. In these early years, stability, routine, and trusted relationships matter most — something we see reflected clearly in our 2025 Early Childhood Dashboard.

Babies and young children feel stress even when they don’t have the words to name it. Changes in routine, caregiver anxiety, or the sudden absence of a trusted adult can disrupt a child’s sense of safety in lasting ways. Decades of research show that prolonged or unbuffered stress can shape development for years to come.

What we know about early childhood is clear and it matters most in moments like these.

The turmoil we are experiencing is not a distraction from the work.

It IS the work.

Babies do not have the luxury of waiting for calmer times. Families need systems that hold steady even when the environment feels uncertain. Every child should feel safe going to child care and school, visiting their doctor, playing with friends, and participating fully in their community. That is not political. It is foundational.

For families raising young children, their needs are constant and practical: stable income, affordable child care, healthy pregnancies and children, and systems that work when families need them most. Working families don’t benefit from constant policy shifts, and babies don’t have time for delay. What they need is follow-through on commitments already made and solutions already proven.

Across Ohio, families, providers, early childhood professionals, and local leaders show up every day to meet those needs. Groundwork Ohio remains committed to working alongside policymakers and partners at every level to strengthen the stability children depend on and to elevate what’s working for families.

This isn’t theoretical. Policy decisions unfolding right now directly shape whether children feel safe and secure in their daily lives. As Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants is set to end, tens of thousands of Ohio residents — many of them parents and young children — could face new uncertainty. In moments like these, we will be watching closely to ensure that state and federal actions account for children’s safety, stability, and well-being.

As we move through 2026, we are asking three simple questions:

• Are leaders making decisions with young children and working families at the center — not as an afterthought?

• Are state and federal policies working together to create the stability families can count on?

• Are families and professionals equipped with the tools and voice they need to engage decision-makers and hold systems accountable?

Our role is to lead with clarity, elevate what’s working, challenge what isn’t, and keep the experiences of young children at the center of every decision that affects them. Progress isn’t always loud. More often, it looks like steady leadership, strong partnerships, and the discipline to stay focused on what helps children thrive.

Groundwork Ohio remains committed to ensuring that babies and young children are not harmed by circumstances beyond their control. By centering early development and trauma-informed approaches, we can help families and communities build resilience and opportunity for the next generation.

Thank you for standing with us — not only in moments of urgency, but in the steady, focused work of carrying what matters forward with intention and care.

With care and resolve,

Lynanne Gutierrez

President & CEO

Groundwork Ohio