Social Policy Report
Social Policy Report is a quarterly publication of the Society for Research in Child Development that provides a forum for scholarly reviews and discussions of developmental research and its implications for policies affecting children. Topics are drawn from a variety of disciplines and cover a wide range of issues that affect child and family development through the lens of social policy, such as health care, parenting practices, and education policies. SRCD recognizes that few policy issues are noncontroversial and that authors may well have a “point of view,” but the SPR is not intended to be a vehicle for authors to advocate particular positions on policies. Presentations should be balanced, accurate, and inclusive. The publication nonetheless includes the disclaimer that the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of SRCD or the editors.
Statement on Anti-racism, Equity, and Inclusion in SRCD Publications
As our highly regarded journals are perhaps the most public-facing element and explicitly gatekeeping mechanism of the SRCD enterprise, we must critically examine the extent to which our journals, Editors and Editorial Boards, reviewers and review standards, and Publications Committee activities implement practices and policies grounded in inclusive and anti-racist principles. Read the full statement.
Social Policy Report Editorial Board
Lead Editor, Ellen Wartella, and her Editorial Board are charged with inviting experts in certain fields as well as accepting topic ideas for future Social Policy Reports.
Browse recent Social Policy Reports
Volume 30 (2016) - Volume 33 (2020)
The Social Policy Report Briefs can be found below their corresponding Reports, as well as on the Social Policy Report Brief page. Social Policy Reports published before 2016 can be found in the Social Policy Report Archives. Several Reports are available in PDF format to view and download, while other listings are for reference only.
2020
Foster Care: How We Can, and Should, Do More for Maltreated Children
Volume 33, Issue 3
Sarah A. Font and Elizabeth T. Gershoff
Children and Violence: Nurturing Social‐Emotional Development to Promote Mental Health
Volume 33, Issue 2
Tina Malti
What Policies Advance Infants and Toddlers? Evidence to Inform State and Federal Options
Volume 33, Issue 1
Bruce Fuller, Margaret Bridges, and Austin Land
2019
Leveraging Research on Informal Learning to Inform Policy on Promoting Early STEM
Volume 32, Issue 3
Michelle A. Hurst, Naomi Polinsky, Catherine A. Haden, Susan C. Levine, and David H. Uttal
Strengthening Social Programs to Promote Economic Stability during Childhood
Volume 32, Issue 2
Bradley Hardy, Heather D. Hill, and Jennie Romich
Digital Games as a Context for Children's Cognitive Development: Research Recommendations and Policy Considerations
Volume 32, Issue 1
Fran C. Blumberg, Kirby Deater‐Deckard, Sandra L. Calvert, Rachel M. Flynn, C. Shawn Green, David Arnold, and Patricia J. Brooks
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Disparities in the Quality of Pediatric Dental Care: New Research and Needed Changes
Volume 31, Issue 4
Stephanie M. Reich, Kristin S. Hoeft, Guadalupe Díaz, Wendy Ochoa, and Amy Gaona
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief - English Social Policy Report Brief - Español
2018
Applying a Community Violence Framework to Understand the Impact of Immigration Enforcement Threat on Latino Children
Volume 31, Issue 3
R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez, Cecilia Ayón, and Franco Torres
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Changing Demographics of Dual Language Learners and English Learners: Implications for School Success
Volume 31, Issue 2
Harriet D. Romo, Kevin J. A. Thomas, and Eugene E. García
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Toward High-Quality Early Childhood Development Programs and Policies at National Scale: Directions for Research in Global Contexts
Volume 31, Issue 1
Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Alice J. Wuermli, Abbie Raikes, Sharon Kim, and Sarah B. Kabay
2017
Supporting Parents: How Six Decades of Parenting Research Can Inform Policy and Best Practice
Volume 30, Issue 5
Douglas M. Teti, Pamela M. Cole, Natasha Cabrera, Sherryl H. Goodman, and Vonnie C. McLoyd
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Research-Practice Partnerships: Building Two-Way Streets of Engagement
Volume 30, Issue 4
Vivian Tseng, John Q. Easton, and Lauren H. Supplee
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Children, Youth and Developmental Science in the 2015-2030 Global Sustainable Development Goals
Volume 30, Issue 3
Abbie Raikes, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Pia Rebello Britto, and Iheoma Iruka
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
PK-3: What Does It Mean For Instruction?
Volume 30, Issue 2
Deborah Stipek, Doug Clements, Cynthia Coburn, Megan Franke and Dale Farran
2016
Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: Prevalence, Disparities in Use, and Status in State and Federal Policy
Volume 30, Issue 1
Elizabeth T. Gershoff and Sarah A. Font
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
The Influence of Health Care Policies on Children's Health and Development
Volume 29, Issue 4
James M. Perrin, Thomas F. Boat, and Kelly J. Kelleher
Read full Report Social Policy Report Brief
Development of Boys and Young Men of Color: Implications of Developmental Science for My Brother's Keeper Initiative
Volume 29, Issue 3
Oscar A. Barbarin, Velma McBride Murry, Patrick Tolan, Sandra Graham, and the Boys of Color Research Collaborative