UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

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. 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 our understanding of the social and physical environments that can impact a child’s well-being and school readiness.