This book examines the state of child and family policy in the United States. It assesses the influence of federal policy on families; reasons for the failures in child-care legislation; and the possibilities and limitations of the social sciences as they relate to the formation of the policies.

This unusual and stimulating collection of essays examines the state of child and family policy in the United States today. Drawing upon the diverse disciplines of the social and behavioral sciences, history, philosophy, and law, the authors assess the influence of federal policy on families; reasons for the failures in national child-care legislat