States and localities must keep children at the top of their agendas, confident that over time, their investments will strengthen the fabric of their communities, while increasing workplace productivity and containing social spending. Researchers Decades of research have led to breathtaking discoveries about early child development and learning, but much remains to be known. The insights reported at the White House Conference resulted from decades of systematic inquiry. They emerged from the questions pursued by scientists and other scholars. But they also derived from the experiences of parents and other people who have spent their days working with children and families.
Scientific inquiry requires independent thought, but no researcher is an island.
Researchers can make a vital contribution by taking into account, at every stage of their work, the implications of their findings for policy and practice. After all, the purpose of their investigations is not simply to accumulate knowledge, but to reach a deep understanding of how children grow, and how families and communities, and the nation as a whole, can contribute to the next generation s healthy development and learning. We need to build bridges between research and practice. And we need ways to understand how the many findings that spring from research connect to each other.