Hillary Clinton Starts Child Welfare Group

It takes a village and all that

Hillary Rodham Clinton launched a new early childhood initiative Friday aimed at improving the lives of young children, her first venture since joining the foundation created by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The former secretary of state announced a partnership called ''Too Small to Fail'' on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative America conference in Chicago. Clinton will partner with Next Generation, a nonpartisan group that promotes scientific research about early childhood development.

''Our country's future depends on healthy kids and loving families. They're the building blocks of a strong and prosperous society,'' Clinton says in a 4-minute video describing the initiative.