Since the inception of Whole Child Leon in 2004, research has exploded demonstrating the importance of the first five years of life (including the 9 months in utero) to the development of the child’s ability to reach his or her full potential. These critical years are when the child’s brain is building the connections (wiring) required for interacting positively with others, curiosity, reading, problem solving and creativity. The research has demonstrated that optimum development is directly related to a healthy birth outcome, a safe and nurturing environment, economic security, quality early childhood learning experiences, and access to quality physical and mental health care.

While most children in Leon County have a positive early childhood experience, a review of the local data demonstrates that far too many do not. The rates of infant mortality, low birth weight babies, childhood abuse and neglect, childhood obesity and children not ready for kindergarten are unacceptably high. These negative rates are particularly high for children who are black and living in low-income census tracts.

One of the services that Whole Child Leon provides is a triennial community report on the status of young children in Leon county. Our most recent report not only identifies the areas of need for our community but also provides examples of local success where Whole Child Leon has convened the right partners to fill gaps in our service system by providing needed services to our most vulnerable children.

Access to the three most recent reports are available to view below/to the right. Access to our master data file (updated June 2019) is available by clicking here.

If you are interested in viewing this data and require it in a different format for accessibility purposes, please let us know by calling 850.692.3134.

Download the full report instead of using the viewer above.

Download the full report instead of using the viewer above.