Therapy Dogs Visit, Come Say “Hello!”
What better way to kick off the first week of classes than a little sweetness and a lot of puppy love?
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.
Recent News
Child Care Deserts in North Carolina
August 3, 2026
CCFP News
Two newly released policy briefs, Expanding Child Care Options in North Carolina, describe the value of Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care providers to working parents in North Carolina and policy considerations for expanding child care options statewide.
read more about Child Care Deserts in North CarolinaITTI Care 2.0: How Supporting Child Care Providers Can Transform Outcomes for Young Children
June 12, 2026
CCFP News
In February 2026, the Center for Child and Family Policy received a transformative gift of $10.5 million from Bukhman Philanthropies to support five new research projects on some of the most pressing issues facing children and families today. The following is the first of a five-part blog series to introduce and share more about each…
read more about ITTI Care 2.0: How Supporting Child Care Providers Can Transform Outcomes for Young ChildrenSchool Research Partnership Event 2026 Recap
May 14, 2026
CCFP News
On April 16, the Center for Child and Family Policy (CCFP) hosted the School Research Partnership‘s annual spring event, featuring student poster presentations followed by a dinner and expert panel on Community-Engaged STEM for Belonging and Identity: Insights from our L.I.F.T (Learning Innovation and Future Technology) Lab. Moderated by Leslie Babinski, director of the School…
read more about School Research Partnership Event 2026 RecapTransformative grant empowers Duke to launch statewide maternal and child health initiative
April 30, 2026
Made for This: The Duke Campaign
Duke University has received a $30 million, 10-year grant from the Pritzker Children’s Initiative to improve maternal and early childhood health across North Carolina
read more about Transformative grant empowers Duke to launch statewide maternal and child health initiative
Featured Projects
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 Study
Research Project
Building Bridges through Stories
Building Bridges through Stories is an innovative digital storytelling project that harnesses the power of family narratives to connect multilingual learners (MLs), their teachers, and their peers.
learn more about Building Bridges through Stories
Research Project
Understanding How Interpersonal Relationships and Social Support During War Promote Resilience and Recovery
This study focuses on understanding how Ukrainian youth and young adults are navigating the challenges of war not only regarding their coping strategies and individual adjustment, but also in how they are developing meaningful relationships with peers, partners, and parents, and the ways in which they are seeking and receiving support.
learn more about Understanding How Interpersonal Relationships and Social Support During War Promote Resilience and Recovery
Research Project
ITTI Care
The Infant-Toddler Trauma-Informed Care (ITTI Care) Project leverages the existing early childhood education workforce support system to expand and strengthen trauma-informed knowledge and practice within the communities they serve.
learn more about ITTI CareFor 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.