Children, families and change: International perspectives

This special issue draws from several disciplines, including early childhood care and education, social and family policy, and economics to examine global trends affecting children and their families in rapidly changing environments. Authors’ and guest editors’ experiences and data drawn from ten countries help frame issues of importance to early childhood researchers, educators, policy-makers, and advocates. As the end of the century approaches, such cross-national perspectives on issues affecting the lives of children and families become increasingly relevant to our field. The introduction provides several contextual and theoretical frameworks through which to make connections between the articles in this special issue.