By Caitlyn Sanders
Advocacy is storytelling.
When we at GEEARS introduce ourselves to our state’s newest elected officials, we’ll tell the story of Georgia’s little ones, ages birth though five, with data, anecdotes, images, and lived experiences. We’ll show these leaders how policies and systems that center young children and their families can shape our state’s workforce and society.
When we make the case for employers to support working parents through paid leave, child care assistance, and other family-focused policies, we tell the story of invested capital and remarkable returns.
And when we discuss with local leaders the boon that investments in young children can bring to their economies, we can point to other communities that are thriving because their families are supported.
How do we do all this? With research. Some of our facts, figures, quotes, and statistics are produced in collaboration with outside sources, but many are generated by our own team of staffers and partners through thoughtful engagement with Georgia’s families, likely voters, and child-serving professionals. It’s an enterprise that takes a tremendous amount of work and quite a few grant-funded dollars. But we think investing in research is a non-negotiable; a chance to tell exactly the stories that will galvanize action on behalf of our youngest Georgians.
Recently, GEEARS has released some compelling reports. We’re also about to begin some exciting research projects. And our evergreen resources continue to be invaluable to policymakers, philanthropists, community leaders, academics, families, and other partners in our commitment to help make Georgia the best place to raise a young child.
Here is a brief guide to some of our fascinating findings.
HOT OFF THE PRESSES. . .
Georgians’ Views on Policies for Families with Young Children
What is it? A bipartisan survey of more than 600 likely voters from across the state, conducted just before the 2026 general election.
How does this research serve Georgia children and families? Since GEEARS’ 2010 inception, we’ve conducted polling to provide candidates and the general public with data-driven insights into Georgians’ concerns and priorities for families with young children. Our 2026 poll yielded especially remarkable indicators that a majority of Georgians, across political viewpoints, value state investment in early childhood essentials like quality, affordable child care. As one of our pollsters remarked, voters see this support as “not just a family issue, but an economic issue.”
Where can you access this research? Click here!
Examining Child Care in the Rural South: Perspectives for Policy and Practice
What is it? With our research partners in Mississippi and Missouri, and in coordination with the Southern Education Foundation, GEEARS conducted focus groups, interviews, and surveys to shine a light on the realities of early care and education in the rural South. The resulting report includes practical recommendations to help policymakers, employers, and others strengthen child care access across the South and beyond.
How does this research serve Georgia children and families? This study elevates the voices and needs of rural child care providers, early educators, families, and the business community, ensuring that their experiences and priorities are heard by decisionmakers. The report enables advocates to bring local perspectives to policy discussions, help leaders understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing rural communities, and inform solutions that support young children and families.
Where can you access this research? Click here!
AN EVERGREEN RESOURCE. . .
The Readiness Radar
What is it? GEEARS and Get Georgia Reading partnered to create a one-stop early childhood data shop, a suite that includes an interactive mapping tool, profiles, and customizable datasets. User-friendly to both deep-diving professionals and average Googlers, the Readiness Radar houses a range of education, health, housing, economic, and demographic data across neighborhood, county, and state levels, helping to answer questions related to family and child well-being throughout Georgia.
How does this research serve Georgia children and families? The suite’s Early Childhood Profiles provide a snapshot of child well-being at the community and district levels, offering data on key indicators that help stakeholders understand how young children and families are faring across the state. They’re a particularly invaluable tool for legislators, who can use them to understand trends and needs among their youngest constituents. Our partners are also frequent users of Readiness Radar data in their own studies, grant applications and reports, community needs assessments, and more.
Together, these tools provide a comprehensive view of both outcomes and opportunities, supporting informed decision-making and strategic action on behalf of the youngest Georgians.
Where can you access this research? Click here!
A COMMITMENT TO ELEVATING FAMILY VOICE. . .
Voices from the Field
What is it? At GEEARS, we constantly strive to incorporate the experiences, needs, and policy ideas of families and child-serving professionals into our advocacy. We also believe that the best expression of those stories come from families themselves. So, we maintain an ongoing commitment to collect these “Voices from the Field,” our initiative to capture and amplify these insights through surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Our latest installment
In addition to our own original and commissioned research focused on family voice, GEEARS was recently selected to participate in the RAPID Survey Project through Stanford’s Center on Early Childhood. The latest extension and recognition of our research efforts, the RAPID surveys will provide timely, actionable insights through a high-frequency approach that helps connect families’ realities with decision-making. GEEARS will use RAPID data to deepen its understanding of Georgia families’ experiences with material hardship, including their ability to afford basic needs such as food, housing, child care, and health care.
How will this research serve Georgia children and families? Family voices can help advocates bridge the gap between lived experience and policy development. Just as GEEARS supports Georgia’s youngest children and their families with this research, your support can help us continue this important work. As a trusted source of early childhood data and stories, we are helping to shape policy in Georgia’s legislation, workplaces, and communities. To contribute to GEEARS’ research, click here.
This is sponsored content.
