Early relationships are foundational for lifelong health, learning, and well-being. Mutual, meaningful, and affirming moments of connection in the youngest relationships support brain development, resilience, and social-emotional growth. These experiences, known as early relational health (ERH), can also buffer the impacts of adversity and help create pathways toward thriving children, families, and communities.
Early Relational Health: Building Foundations for Child, Family, and Community Well-Being provides evidence-based opportunities for advancing ERH. Developed by a committee of experts, this report highlights opportunities for practice, policy, and research to strengthen supportive relationships. It emphasizes asset-based approaches, family and community leadership, workforce supports, and cross-sector collaboration to promote ERH across health care, education, and social systems.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Early Relational Health: Building Foundations for Child, Family, and Community Well-Being. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
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