Center on the Developing Child- Harvard University

This week I chose to research the website for the Center on the Developing Child- Harvard University. Fortunately, research backed by science “tells us that early experiences are built into our bodies and that early childhood is a time of great promise and considerable risk” (Center on the Developing Child).

The mission of the Center on the Developing Child “is to leverage that rapidly growing knowledge to drive science-based innovation that achieves breakthrough outcomes for children facing adversity” (Center on the Developing Child).

The Center is specifically committed to:

·      Building a unified science of health, learning, and behavior to explain the early roots of lifelong impairments;

·      Leading the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative programs and practice models that reduce preventable disparities in well-being;

·      Catalyzing the implementation of effective, science-based public policies through strategic relationships and knowledge transfer; and

·      Preparing future and current leaders to build and leverage knowledge that promotes the healthy development of children and families and brings high returns to all of society. (The Center on the Developing Child)

The Center on the Developing Child website is extremely interesting and user friendly. I was able to quickly navigate through tool bars including key concepts, activities, resources, faculty and staff, and news and events. Key concepts include articles on brain architecture, toxic stress, and innovation where the Center explains that the science of child development is a compelling but largely untapped resource for making a huge impact on the lives of young children and their families. “Attempts to improve the quality, access, and coordination of services are vitally important, but the cumulative burdens of low family income, limited parent education, and social exclusion can overwhelm even the best of programs. We can and must do a better job, and science can point the way” (Center for the Developing Child).

The Interactive Features tab presents web-based interactive slideshows that describe and explain key concepts in the science of early childhood program evaluation research. A chart titled “Five Numbers to Remember About Early Childhood Development” explains that getting things right the first time is easier and more effective than trying to fix them later. (Center for the Developing Child)

In the Activities tab, I found the Global Children’s Initiative very exciting. This global initiative is building an integrated international approach to child survival, health, and development in early childhood. “The Center’s commitment to global work represents both an acknowledgement of moral responsibility to meet the needs of all children and a critical investment in the roots of economic productivity, positive health outcomes, and strong civil society in all nations, from the poorest to the most affluent” (Center on the Developing Child).

I feel the Center on the Developing Child does an exceptional job of explaining the importance of equity and excellence in early childhood. The fact that they use science-based innovation to achieve breakthrough outcomes for children and families is promising. While the field of early childhood sometimes lacks the respect it deserves at the public policy level, science is always taken seriously. The Center on the Developing Child is getting the attention they need and deserve to create change that will benefit children and their families around the world..   

                       

References

The Center on the Developing Child, Retrieved from:

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/