Developmental Perspectives on Child and Family Policy

This course is designed to provide an overview of current policy issues involving children and families, and will emphasize the scientific perspective of developmental psychology. The following topics will be addressed: family structure and child development, the role of the father in childrens lives, poverty and family processes, maternal employment and child care, adolescent parenthood, neighborhood influences on families, and welfare reform. Theoretical perspectives and measurements, (e.g., the tools of the science), regarding how children develop from infancy to adulthood, will be stressed.