Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago has, since its inception in 1985 as a research and policy center, focused on a mission of improving the well-being of children and youth, families, and their communities.

We do this through policy research—by developing and testing new ideas, generating and analyzing information, and examining policies, programs, and practices across a wide range of service systems and organizations.

Chapin Hall takes a broad perspective, embracing an interest in policies that promote the well-being of all children and youth while devoting special attention to those facing significant problems. Our perspective also encompasses their families and their communities, recognizing that we cannot improve circumstances for children and youth in isolation. The community context in which children and youth live influences their well-being in important ways. We are interested as much in preventing problems as in ameliorating them, and this broad perspective affords us the opportunity to do both.