UPSTREAM APPROACH
Investing in the first 1,000 days means focusing on proactive measures that address the root causes of health and social issues, rather than reactively stepping in only after problems have escalated.
Informed by the lived experiences of families, the expertise of practitioners, and the wisdom of local communities, the Upstream Initiative provides a blueprint for shifting Oregon’s approach to addressing challenges like poverty, housing instability and substance use.
Through early and preventative investments that connect young children and their caregivers with nutrition, health care, and supportive social connections, we can mitigate or altogether avoid the development of downstream challenges like children being placed in the foster care system, poor educational outcomes, housing instability, substance abuse, and incarceration.
Supporting Children and Families from the Start
The nourishment and care that children receive before they are born and during their early years profoundly influence their capacity to grow and learn — but systemic racism and intergenerational poverty can prevent children from getting what they need to reach their full potential.
By supporting families during the pivotal first 1,000 days of life, we create more equitable beginnings and set all children on a path to success.
For too many families, poverty is contributing to poor nutrition and toxic stress in the lives of mothers and caregivers. These factors can harm brain development during a child’s crucial first 1,000 days of life and undermine the healthy early relationships so important to lifelong success.
We know that when parents and caregivers have the resources they need to give their child a strong start, the positive outcomes strengthen entire families and communities for generations.
Read more about the science behind the importance of the first 1,000 days at:
What’s Next?
The Collaborative will continue supporting local facilitators in participating communities as they begin operationalizing their Child Success Models. We'll also be advocating for the themes and recommendations from the Oregon Child Success Blueprint to inform state and federal policy in 2025 and beyond.