Connecticut RAPID Survey 4:

This survey asked parents about:

• Early relational health, which refers to the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships that promote both children’s and parents’ health and well-being.

• Early literacy, which refers to children’s early experiences with books and written language, supported by parents reading to their infants and young children.

The results provide insights into how parents in Connecticut are supporting children’s early relational health and literacy, and barriers that parents face.

It is important to note that survey respondents are not representative of all families with young children across the state. Respondents were recruited through community-based organizations and tended to have lower household income than families statewide.

Early Literacy:

• Seven in ten parents read to their young children daily, and more than nine in ten do so at least a few times a week, indicating that most parents are providing their young children with a literacy-rich environment.

• However, there are substantial economic disparities in young children’s access to literacy-rich home environments, which may impact children’s language and literacy development:

  • Only 63% of low-income families read to their young children daily, compared to 78% of middle- and higher-income families.

  • Only 58% of low-income families had more than 10 children’s books in the home, compared to 74% of middle- and higher-income families.

• Nearly two in three parents overall – and nearly three in four low-income parents - said they wished it were easier to access children’s books that they can borrow or keep for free. The most-cited barriers to access were time (49%) and hours of operation of places where they could get books to borrow or keep for free (34%). Additionally, about one in four (26%) identified transportation as a barrier, and more than one in five (22%) said they did not know where to get books they could borrow or keep for free.

• Among parents who were not reading to their children daily, the primary barrier was parents’ limited time and energy (42%).

• Two in three parents who speak a language other than English at home reported difficulty accessing children's books in their home language, and 37% of all parents struggled to find books that reflect their family's identity and experiences. Latino and Black parents were significantly more likely than White parents to say it was difficult to find books that reflect their family.

Early Relational Health:

• Families with young children reported high levels of daily bonding activities with their children and shared family routines. Over 80% of parents engage in daily back-and-forth communication and play with each of their young children, and about 70% sing with and read to their children daily. The majority of families have some “family time” together each week and eat at least 5 weekly shared meals as a family.

• Lower-income families reported fewer types of daily bonding activities, less frequent family time, and fewer shared meals per week compared to higher-income families.

• Fewer than half of parents (46%) said they had enough time to play and engage with their children on most days, with work demands and household responsibilities cited as primary barriers.

• Parents reported that their pediatricians generally provide strong support for early relational health: about eight in ten said their child’s pediatrician asks about their relationship with their child and discusses the importance of reading, singing, and playing with their child.