Families with Young Children in California: Findings from the California Health Interview Survey, 2011-2014, by Geography and Home Language

In 1998, California passed the California Children and Families Act to improve development for children from the prenatal stage to five years of age. One goal of this ongoing commitment is to expand understanding of the social and physical environments that can impact a child's well-being and school readiness.

Using data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) for the years 2011-2014, this report presents findings on families with children ages 0-5 years. It breaks down differences between urban, suburban, and rural families, and it highlights the characteristics of families who speak a language other than English in the home. As more than half of families with young children in California speak a language other than English in the home, the characteristics of dual language households are highlighted.

• Sue Holtby, MPH
• Nicole Lordi, MSc
• Royce Park
• Ninez A. Ponce, PhD, MPP