Early care and education for many children in the U.S. is in crisis. The period between birth and kindergarten is a critical time for child development, and socioeconomic disparities that begin early in children's lives contribute to starkly different long-term outcomes for adults. Yet, compared to other advanced economies, high-quality child care…

In this article, Ajay Chaudry and Heather Sandstrom review research on child care and early education for children under age three. They describe the array of early care and education arrangements families use for infants and toddlers; how these patterns have changed in recent decades; and differences by family socioeconomic status, race, and…

Researchers, advocates, and community agencies are beginning to question the impact of U.S. immigration enforcement strategies on very young children. In particular, immigration raids may suddenly and sometimes violently separate children from their parents, place them in unstable living environments, and create barriers to accessing needed…