AERA Cosponsors “Parenting Matters” Symposium with Buffett Institute, National Academies
AERA Cosponsors “Parenting Matters” Symposium with Buffett Institute, National Academies
 
Print

June 2017

On June 6, the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, in collaboration with AERA and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, hosted a “Parenting Matters” symposium, attracting more than 200 researchers, practitioners, and advocates from across the country, along with local policy makers.

The day-long event held in Omaha, Neb., featured presentations and discussions addressing topics relevant to the recently released National Academies’ report titled Parenting Matters: Supporting Parents of Children Ages 0–8. In the report, the National Academies’ Committee on Supporting the Parents of Young Children, chaired by AERA Past President Vivian L. Gadsden, identified important aspects of parenting that make a difference for young children.

Samuel Meisels, Founding Executive Director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, also presented findings from Nebraska Parents Speak About Early Care and Education, a study of over 7,100 Nebraskans that was conducted by Gallup and the Buffett Institute.

Symposium sessions focused on poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, as they relate to findings and recommendations from the Parenting Matters report. Presentations from leading scholars with expertise in these areas served as catalysts for small-group discussions. The day concluded with a panel of state and local leaders and a lively discussion among symposium participants of the practical and policy implications of the recent reports on parenting.

“The opportunity to collaborate with the Buffett Institute and the National Academies on the Parenting Matters symposium was both exciting and exceptionally well aligned with the kind of work AERA has been doing—not only to support the advancement of research on the experiences of young children, but also to help create more opportunities to bring high-quality education research on important topics to more diverse audiences,” said Lori Diane Hill, AERA Associate Executive Director for Programs and Policy.