SRCD27 Policy Sessions
Event
SRCD 2027 Biennial Meeting
The SRCD Policy Committee and Team are excited to be bringing a suite of policy-focused sessions to SRCD 2027 Biennial Meeting.
Policymakers – including agency officials, advocates, intermediaries, and more – from a variety of levels and branches of government will share how they work with researchers to promote high-quality, evidence-based child and family policy. Attendees across the continuum of experience will walk away with the tools and connections they need to increase the relevance and impact of their work through policy channels.
These policy sessions are intended for attendees across the spectrum of expertise and experience. Learn how to share your research with a policy audience, build partnerships across research and policy organizations, use evidence to respond to pressing issues affecting marginalized children and families, and more.
SRCD27 Policy Sessions
Thursday, April 8, 2027
- 10:20 AM - 11:50 AM | Relationship-Driven Policy Change
- This interactive workshop introduces a relationship-driven model for policy change, focusing on the honest brokerage approach from the Research-to-Policy Collaboration model for policy engagement. Participants will explore how to build and sustain trusted, nonpartisan relationships with policymakers and advocacy organizations while effectively communicating research in clear, accessible, and policy-relevant ways. Through guided discussion and role-playing, attendees will gain practical tools for navigating the policy landscape at the local, state, and federal levels, applying a relationship-driven model for policy change, and identifying opportunities to engage as either an advocate or an honest broker.
- 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Child Policy Hub Reception (Pre-Registration Required)
- All policy-oriented Biennial attendees are invited to an SRCD Child Policy Hub Reception and Celebration. We will take time to celebrate the past two years of policy work of SRCD members, partners and SRCD's Child Policy Hub; build connections for future partnerships; and invite new members into the Hub community. This registration-required reception will include food, drink and brief remarks from SRCD's Policy Committee Co-Chairs and Director of Policy
Friday, April 9, 2027
- 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM | Meeting the Moment – a Conversation with the SRCD Policy Team on the Current Policy Context
- This session will focus on the current federal policy climate, what it means for SRCD members and the communities we serve, and how SRCD is responding to federal actions.
- 12:10 PM - 1:40 PM | SRCD U.S. Policy Fellowship 2.0
- This session will unveil the future for SRCD’s U.S. Policy Fellowship, highlighting key recommendations from the Fellowship Task Force’s year-long strategic effort. Building on the Fellowship’s nearly five decades of impact, the session will outline a path forward that strengthens the program’s relevance, impact, and long-term sustainability. Attendees will gain insight into the Fellowship’s evolution, its role in today’s policy landscape, and what the future direction means for the SRCD community and the broader research-to-policy field.
Saturday, April 10, 2027
- 10:20 AM - 11:50 AM | Future of Child Development Research Work in the 2028 Political Landscape
- This interactive Mini Summit session will convene SRCD members for forward-looking, roundtable discussions on the future of research's role in the 2028 political landscape. Representatives from various SRCD Committees and Caucuses will join participants in small-group conversations focused on how child development research can inform policy priorities and decision-making in the years ahead. Tables will be organized by key topic areas, with guiding questions to facilitate discussion and reflection. This session is designed to foster cross-network dialogue, surface diverse perspectives, and generate actionable ideas to strengthen the role of research in shaping child and family policy.
