Choose Children 2026

Choose Children is working to ensure California’s next governor prioritizes young children and their families, making them a core investment for the state’s future.

Choose Children is a statewide coalition of child advocates, community-based organizations, First 5 commissions and foundations committed to early childhood investment. The Children’s Partnership serves as a member of the Choose Children steering committee.

Choose Children’s polling data highlights the most pressing issue facing California’s children and families:

• Affordability, without a doubt, remains the No. 1 issue for California voters.

• 1 in 5 California parents are making the hard choice to skip medical care because they simply cannot afford it.

• A third of California parents feel that child care is a “significant financial strain” on their family finances and causes them to either skip work or make other household sacrifices.

• 83% of likely voters believe that California’s next Governor should prioritize policies that make California a place where families with young children can live and thrive.

A key part of this campaign is a policy platform that makes clear what families need to thrive.

The policy platform is built on guiding principles of racial and economic justice, community-centered solutions, and culturally responsive services — aiming to create a California where every child, regardless of background, identity, or family circumstance, is embraced, valued, and provided the opportunity to thrive.

Here’s what that bold vision for California means in concrete terms:

• Families will have access to navigation and peer support — culturally relevant supports that guide them to the economic, social-emotional and developmental services they need.

• Every family with expectant parents and infants gets access to culturally responsive prenatal, birthing, postpartum and early-childhood supports. We will strengthen maternal and infant care so that every child’s early days are healthy, supported and hopeful.

• Young children will have access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care, regardless of immigration status, income, or zip code.

• Early care and learning — from infancy through toddlerhood — will be reliable, affordable, and culturally affirming, laying the foundation for long-term success in school and in life. And early childhood care providers are fairly compensated, well supported, and trained to offer culturally and linguistically affirming care in settings that reflect the diversity of California families.

These are not pie-in-the-sky ideas. This policy platform is practical. It is tested. It is impactful.

We know this approach works — because it centers on real families, real challenges, real hopes. It is a “whole child” and “whole family” agenda. It is not about picking winners or special interests. It is about building the future — for our children, our communities and our state.

We are calling on our next Governor to commit to this platform. To choose children. To choose families. To choose a future where every baby, every young child who calls California home has the opportunity to thrive — healthy, supported and ready to succeed.

Because when we invest in our children — when we support families, nurture young minds, protect hard-working households — we invest in California’s future.