·	We believe that effective scholarship, programs and policies must reflect the complexity of children's lives within their families, communities and environment.
·	We believe that applying rigorous scholarship and the highest standards of intellectual inquiry will bring practical change and a real difference to children's lives. We refer to this concept as applied science.
·	We believe that better solutions are achieved when a diverse team of professionals with knowledge and experience in a variety of disciplines work together for children.
·	We are committed to involving leaders from the eight schools of the University to find solutions that work in the complex environments affecting children and youth.
·	We believe that partnering with community organizations, public agencies and advocacy organizations promotes an applied agenda and creates positive change at the individual, organizational and system levels.
·	We believe that educating students about the needs of children is an integral part of our advocacy and serves the Tufts educational mission by teaching policy analysis and practical application of science.
·	We recognize that providing venues for faculty doing cutting edge research to share their work and perspectives promotes the University's scholarly agenda and fosters innovative and collaborative solutions for children.