Similar to the way a wobbly table may not function well if the floor is uneven, the legs are not aligned, or the tabletop is not level, the destabilizing consequences of problems in mental health can be caused by many interdependent factors. Sound mental health provides an essential foundation of stability that supports all other aspects of human development-from the formation of friendships and the ability to cope with adversity to the achievement of success in school, work, and community life.

For society, many costly problems, ranging from the failure to complete high school to incarceration to homelessness, could be dramatically reduced if attention were paid to improving children’s environments of relationships and experiences early in life.

Disruptions in this developmental process can impair a child’s capacities for learning and relating to others, with lifelong implications.

The science of child development shows that the foundation for sound mental health is built early in life, as early experiences-which include children’s relationships with parents, caregivers, relatives, teachers, and peers-shape the architecture of the developing brain.