BATON ROUGE — Last week, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced the launch of her Cradle to K initiative. A program she says is part of her ongoing commitment to education at all stages of life. 

The program focuses on early childhood development and school readiness for children up to the age of five. The peer-oriented program consisting of expecting and current mothers will serve as a platform for parents to share ideas and advice.

“We now know that the first four to five years are the most important years of a child’s life,” Broome said. “This is why we are creating the Cradle to K parent community here. This is a space where parents can share the ideas and parenting practices that work for them. This is a community for parents in Baton Rouge created by parents in Baton Rouge.”

Cradle to K is a community for all parents in Baton Rouge, but it may prove especially valuable for parents of the 27 percent of children who are born into poverty and the 48 percent of children who are born into single parent homes.

Currently, 52 percent of children in the East Baton Rouge School System start kindergarten already behind in their literacy skills. By creating a strong community amongst parents that is rooted in positive parenting practices, and then connecting that community with a variety of resources and opportunities in the parish, Cradle to K works to help parents create the stable and enriched environments their children need to be prepared for success in Kindergarten.

 For more information about Cradle to K services and collaboration opportunities, email C2KBR@brgov.com or visit the program's Facebook page.