Investing in Human Potential From the Beginning of Life: Key to Maximizing Human Capital

Economic analysis of human capital–the abilities and skills a person
brings to community and work force–suggests that investing in early childhood
programs is much more cost-effective than dollars spent intervening later in life. Even
with increasing knowledge of the importance of early intervention programs, there still
appears to be a mental divide separating the prenatal and birth period and infancy.
Programs that begin during infancy or later may not address the fundamental origins
of the increasing issues we face regarding our children. The key to reverse this cascade
of poor outcomes and to dramatically improve human capital and human potential is to
bring innovative and comprehensive efforts to support families during the primary
period of human development–pre-conception through baby’s first postnatal year. This
paper introduces 12 guiding principles to align the re-visioning and strategic planning
for funding, policy-making, research, professional education and training, and
parenting practices. First action steps to maximize human potential and human capital
from a prenatal and perinatal psychology perspective are addressed.
KEY WORDS: prenatal and perinatal psychology, human potential, human capital,
infancy, early development, economics of early childhood, maternal stress, toxicity,
chronic disease, early trauma