Although the United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it does not rank among the top countries on any measure of children's health and well-being. In this discussion we will examine how cultural values, special interests, and economic conditions are reflected in public policies for children.

As you create your discussion post, consider the following:

What can your state do to improve its public policy for children's health and well-being during these economic times?

By the end of this discussion, you will be able to:

Identify the cultural values, special interests, and economic conditions reflected in public policies for children.

Complete the following: Visit the website sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund: www.childrensdefense.org. Click on U.S. State Child Data, and find your state's ranking on several leading social indicators of children's well-being.

Using information from the website, answer the following questions:

How are cultural values, special interests, and economic conditions reflected in public policies for children?

Do you think that these policies reflect current research in the field of child development?

How large is the gap between what we know and its application to public policy?

Be sure to include in your response information from the textbook or other psychology-specific sources.

Initial Discussion Post

We ask that your initial post should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings from the module with proper APA style formatting. You may use additional sources and materials as long as they are relevant to the discussion and cited properly with APA style citations.