To celebrate the Week of the Young Child, NLC looks toward the example set by Cleveland, OH. The city continues to be a leader in prioritizing the needs and well-being of young children and families, and has made great strides in advancing the welfare of these populations. Cleveland has joined multiple technical assistance cohorts focused on early childhood issues since 2017 and continues to center this population in ongoing policy efforts.
Prenatal-To-Three Agenda
In 2024, Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced the launch of Cleveland’s first Prenatal-To-Three agenda to improve the overall quality of life of families with children prenatal to three years old. The agenda was developed utilizing input from families, community members, an advisory committee and city stakeholders and sets specific goals for the prenatal to three population in three critical areas: Economic Mobility, Environmental Justice and Housing.
“In a community where the rates of child poverty, lead poisoning and infant mortality has consistently trended negatively, we are optimistic this agenda will help improve overall conditions for prenatal to three families,” said Sonya Pryor-Jones, Chief of Youth and Family Success for the City of Cleveland.
In March 2025, Mayor Bibb also signed an executive order establishing the Municipal Cabinet for Children and Youth, an event that members of NLC’s Early Childhood Success team had the opportunity to attend.
The Cabinet, which is composed of City leadership across departments, aims to advance the welfare of children and youth across Cleveland and break down silos across municipal departments. It also establishes four working committees to guide its work in the key areas of: prenatal to early childhood, educational outcomes, out-of-school time, college and career readiness and overall well-being.
During the signing, Mayor Bibb declared “We are making a commitment that every single department at city hall will be focused on ‘How do we improve the conditions of children in our city?’ From public safety to public works to public health to building houses, every single leader in this administration will now be focused on improving the outcomes of young people.”
The signing event at Cleveland City Hall was a joyous gathering of council members, community and youth leaders, educators and advocates.
Putting Children First
Geoffrey Canada, the founder and president of Harlem Children’s Zone, was a keynote speaker at the event. In his address, he spoke to the urgency of this moment, cautioning that this is not only the most difficult time in his professional career for children but also that we are in a state of emergency: one that requires a new approach to working with young people. He made a call to those in attendance about the need to put our children first before any other interest.
“I applaud Mayor Bibb and his administration on the creation of the Municipal Cabinet for Children and Youth, which will mobilize resources around the city’s priorities for children and facilitate a holistic approach to serving children to drive outcomes,” Canada said in the release. “Cleveland’s children cannot afford to wait.”
NLC’s Early Childhood Success team applauds Mayor Bibb and his team in the creation of the Municipal Cabinet for Children and Youth and was honored to be in attendance at the event. The strategic shift that this Cabinet will bring about in terms of how Cleveland operates to center children and youth will undoubtedly make a difference in the lives of young people across the City of Cleveland. It can also serve as a model to policymakers, city officials and anyone interested in improving outcomes for children and families in municipalities across the United States.
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