Families with Children Under 3

This is the concluding chapter of a volume of papers focusing on the lives of families with very young children. The authors synthesize major themes and consider how the research findings, analysis, and interpretations presented by the contributors could inform public policies targeted at improving the lives of young children and their families. They begin by considering the family, community, and policy context of early childhood in order to frame and interpret the results. They then summarize the major findings and consider their implications for the development of specific and general policies in three distinct areas; the health care system, particularly the provision of pediatric health services; community-level efforts to support families with young children; and wider federal and state policies, including funding for family support and coordination of early childhood programs.