Public policy strategies to promote the well-being of families with young children

Abstract

Public policy is most successful at meeting the needs of children when it is created and implemented to also support their parents and caregivers. This is particularly important for young children who are almost entirely reliant on their parents for nurturing and support. There are a number of policies aimed at meeting the needs of young children and their families-ranging from the provision of basic needs to supporting healthy parent-child bonds. These investments are critical; however, research suggests that there are strategies that can be used in combination with these public investments to positively impact the well-being of young children and their parents as well as to address currently unmet needs.