Van-Kim Lin is the program area director for Early Childhood Development at Child Trends.
Van-Kim, can you briefly tell us about the research activities you conduct and your responsibilities?
I currently serve as the program area director and a senior research scientist for our Early Childhood Development department. Our work focuses on supporting children from the prenatal stage through age 8. We take a whole-child approach, meaning we don’t focus on children in isolation—instead, we also consider their families, communities, and the broader systems that shape their healthy development. Right now, I’m the principal investigator for a series of evaluations with South Carolina First Steps that examine how programs and services offered at the county level support school readiness for children under age 5.
I’m also an expert on the Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) team, where I help states build out their early childhood data systems. The ECDC’s SHINE initiative was an effort to integrate home visiting data with other early childhood data; I specifically supported efforts in Oklahoma and Minnesota (with other experts supporting additional states). Also with ECDC, I supported the launch of a data governance entity in South Carolina to link the state’s early learning data with K-12 data. In addition to many resources supporting the use of administrative data in early childhood research, I’m also part of the team working on the STEP Forward with Data framework, designed to help early childhood systems use data more effectively.
Can you tell us more about your primary research interest(s)?
Broadly, I’m interested in how we can help children and families access high-quality services that support their development. Over the years, I’ve evaluated a range of programs, like child care subsidies, home visiting, quality rating and improvement systems, and other family support services. A lot of my work has involved using administrative data to answer these questions, and that’s led me to a deeper interest in how we can better support early childhood systems through strong, coordinated data systems. Ultimately, I want to help build systems that are better aligned and responsive to families' actual experiences and needs.
What sparked your interest in early childhood?
My studies of how life stress affects children’s school readiness opened my eyes to how critical the early years are. From there, I started analyzing specific programs: While each had its own strengths, I realized that families don’t engage with services one at a time—they move through an entire system.
That insight led me to focus more on systems-level improvements. I became really interested in how administrative data that agencies already collect can be better leveraged to inform evidence-based decisions.
What books or journal articles have most influenced you?
Not books so much—I'm more of a podcast person. I love true crime podcasts in general, but one I return to often for work inspiration is MindShift. It helps me stay connected to what’s really happening on the ground with kids and families and keeps my work rooted in real-world experiences.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of research?
My dream day off would probably include an iced coffee and browsing at a thrift store. I also love spending time with my kids, ages 5 and 7. And I’m usually working on some kind of DIY or home improvement project. Fixing things around the house has become a go-to hobby.
To wrap up, can you tell us a fun or interesting fact about yourself or your family?
I’m a Vietnamese American and the child of two Vietnamese refugees, which has deeply shaped who I am and the work I care about. I grew up in Sugar Land, Texas, but I now call Baltimore my home. After more than a decade of working in research, I recently decided to go back to school and pursue a PhD in public policy while continuing to work at Child Trends. It’s been a busy—but really fulfilling—chapter of life!