Managing Editor

The primary purpose of The Future of Children is to disseminate timely informationon major issues related to children’s well-being, with special emphasis on providing objective analysis and evaluation, translating existing knowledge into effective programs and policies, and promoting constructive institutional change. In attempting to achieve these objectives, we are targeting a multidisciplinary audience of national leaders, including policymakers, practitioners, legislators, executives, and professionals in the public and private sectors. This publication is intended to complement, not duplicate, the kind of technical analysis found in academic journals and the general coverage of children’s issues by the popular press and special interest groups. Home visiting in various forms has been proposed as an important component in delivering health, welfare, and education services to children and families. Information and misinformation about home visiting spans a number of disciplines and, therefore, it seemed a particularly appropriate subject for this journal. Our hope is that by providing a multidisciplinary perspective on home visiting as well as a critical analysis of what is known about its effectiveness and how best to design such programs, public policies incorporating this approach will have a better chance of improving the well-being of children. We invite your comments and suggestions as you read this issue of The Future of Children. Our intention is to encourage informed debate about this strategy for delivering services to children and families. To this end we invite correspondence to the Editor. We would also appreciate your comments about the approach we have taken in presenting the focus topic and welcome your suggestions for future topics