Presidential Address: Forging a developmental science mission to improve population outcomes and eliminate disparities for young children

Abstract

Child development science has not fully realized its mission to improve population outcomes for children and eliminate disparities across race and income groups. One domain with great need but also great potential is the challenge parents face in raising a young child. A system of universal primary psychosocial care is proposed, with three components: a comprehensive infrastructure of community resources, such as North Carolina's Smart Start; financial supports for specific interventions, such as pre-kindergarten; and a way to help families identify and address family-specific needs, such as Family Connects. Empirical studies demonstrate the promise of each component for population impact and disparity elimination but also the need for continued improvement. Developmental scientists are called upon to fulfill their mission.