Early Childhood Disaster Risk Index Pinpoints Vulnerable Early Childhood Sectors in 11 States

SEPT. 19, 2007 | An estimated 1.5 million young children are at heightened risk in 11 states because of natural disaster risks and inadequate emergency preparedness for child care, according to a new report.

The Mississippi State University (MSU) Early Childhood Institute today released the first edition of the Early Childhood Disaster Risk Index, a chartbook that identifies risk factors for early childhood services and scores counties by the disaster preparedness of their early childhood sectors.

The index is a tool for state and federal child care and emergency management agencies and for nongovernmental organizations concerned with disaster response. It contains tables of risk factors for 11 states at high risk for hurricanes, earthquakes, or both. It also contains tables with details of child care capacity in counties found to have highly vulnerable early childhood service sectors. The chartbook contains maps of the 11 states, showing natural disaster risk areas.

“We are pleased to be able to release the first edition of the Early Childhood Disaster Risk Index during National Preparedness Month,” Cathy Grace, Ed.D., professor and director of the institute, said. “Our experience in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina taught us that there is much the early childhood sector, including government and nongovernmental agencies, can do to reduce the risks for young children in congregate care.

“Because of the need to reduce the disaster risks for young children, the MSU Early Childhood Institute launched the Early Childhood Emergency Preparedness Initiative. That initiative involves collaborations with Save the Children, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and other agencies and organizations, as well as the index project,” Grace said.

The first edition of the index covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Among other findings, the index shows that:

• Early childhood services in 691 counties in the 11 states are highly vulnerable to disasters.
• In those counties, approximately 33,194 child care facilities are highly vulnerable to disasters.
• An estimated 1,536,256 young children in the 11 states spend their days in highly vulnerable child care facilities.
• The proportion of known child care slots in the 11 states that are highly vulnerable to disasters varies from 17.44 percent in Missouri to 100 percent in South Carolina.

The authors of the index are Elizabeth F. Shores, M.A.P.H., Erin Barbaro, M.A., Michael C. Barbaro, M.A., Michelle Flenner, M.S., and Grace. Lynn Bell of the MSU Early Childhood Institute designed and produced the chartbook.

Financial support for the MSU Early Childhood Institute from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Day Foundation of Memphis made the index possible.

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