Our Mission
The Center for Child and Family Policy is dedicated to improving the well-being of children and families through research, education, and engagement. We study factors that influence child outcomes, develop and test promising interventions, and advance evidence-based practices and policies that can inform change and unlock opportunities for all children and their families.
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annual report
Recent News
When Policy Becomes Personal
July 20, 2023
EdNC
Teachers love full circle moments — those situations where our influence is broader than we imagined, as years later we encounter students from long ago in places we didn’t expect.
read more about When Policy Becomes PersonalStudy Finds Positive Results for Disadvantaged Children in Fifth Grade from Public Pre-K Programs
July 17, 2023
The Journal
A recent study showed marked positive outcomes for Black and Hispanic disadvantaged children in the fifth grade who had attended pre-K programs. Ken Dodge expanded on research done in 2014, when North Carolina’s public pre-K program, NC Pre-K, was begun.
read more about Study Finds Positive Results for Disadvantaged Children in Fifth Grade from Public Pre-K ProgramsStatewide project helps early childhood workforce be ‘seen, heard, and held’
June 26, 2023
EdNC
ITTI Care is a research project based out of Duke University and funded by North Carolina’s Division of Child Development and Early Education. The mission of the project is to support the wellness of the early childhood workforce, ensuring they feel “seen, heard, and held” in their workplaces.
read more about Statewide project helps early childhood workforce be ‘seen, heard, and held’As funding cliff looms, NC has opportunity to improve child care access, advocates say
June 21, 2023
NC Health News
In North Carolina, federal pandemic funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, which went into effect in March 2021, helped childcare providers boost pay and benefits and subsidized the cost of child care for many families.
read more about As funding cliff looms, NC has opportunity to improve child care access, advocates say
Featured Projects
Research Project
Developing and Evaluating Progressive Prosecution in Durham, NC
The purpose of this project is to support the development and evaluation of new evidence-based plea bargaining policies and practices in the Durham District Attorney’s Office.
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Research Project
STEPS: Study of Teen Experiences that Promote Success
This project aims to advance research on the relationship between economic well-being, wealth, adolescent functioning and mental health.
learn more about STEPS: Study of Teen Experiences that Promote Success
Research Project
Race, Gesture, Learning and Teaching Effectiveness
This project has been examining how race and nonverbal communication, such as gesture and affect, impact children’s learning. The team is now working to replicate their research in the lab and pilot a gesture intervention in first and second grade classrooms in local elementary schools.
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Research Project
Durham Navigation Study
The Durham Navigation Study is a randomized control trial to evaluate the impact of Community Navigation on outcomes for young children and their families.
learn more about Durham Navigation StudyFor Students
The Center offers a variety of ways for Duke students at every level to learn about child and family policy and become involved in original research.