What happens to children—especially in their early years—echoes over the long haul across a broad range of social policy areas. How children fare today will be felt in all parts of society--in schools, the economy, health, welfare and criminal justice systems.To address these concerns and help legislators support families in their communities, NCSL tracks state and federal policies and programs in three key areas: early childhood care and education, welfare and poverty and child welfare. In addition, we offer resources on child support, marriage, domestic violence and family law. The human services federal affairs staff represents state legislatures on the full range of federal human service issues in Washington, D.C.