Vermont § 4701 - Legislative findings and purpose

§ 4701. Legislative findings and purpose

• (a) The General Assembly finds that early intervention and family support services offers
  the chance for children at risk of school failure to enter school better prepared
  to learn. Children who succeed in school are more likely to fulfill their potential
  as adults. An early investment in a child’s learning potential may lessen the need
  for remedial services. The role of parents as their child’s first teachers should
  be strengthened through a community-based system of early childhood services that
  provide the earliest opportunity to identify and serve children at risk of school
  failure. The State shall provide, or assist parents in the provision of such aid through
  community-based public or private early childhood development services for as long
  as the parents are eligible and continue to desire such services for themselves and
  their children. However, parents may refuse aid or services or may discontinue these
  services at any time without incurring any record or presumption of neglect or abuse
  based solely on their decision to reject these services. (b) The General Assembly finds that early education contributes to the health of our society
  just as importantly as does good nutrition and proper immunization. Children’s healthy
  intellectual development is greatly enhanced by their early and consistent exposure
  to books and other educational materials and experiences. The General Assembly also
  finds that opportunity for school success may be enhanced for children at risk of
  school failure by providing parents of such children with information on a variety
  of approaches to child development. (c) The General Assembly finds that currently available early child development services
  are provided by many State departments and community agencies, but they are not uniformly
  available or coordinated or sufficiently well known by parents. (d) Therefore, it is the policy of the State of Vermont and this chapter to offer all
  families assistance in the preparation of their children for school, from the time
  of birth onward, through a community-based education and human services system with
  the capability to identify preschool children at risk of school failure and to reduce
  this number through health, education, and family support programs. It is the goal
  of this chapter that few children enter school at risk of school failure, and that
  those who do have been previously identified where possible and have received appropriate
  early education, child care, and health care services on a voluntary basis. A goal
  of this chapter is to widely disseminate public information about State laws related
  to child abuse and neglect. (Added 1989, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1993, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)