Research Topic

Early Care and Education

Children’s early care and learning experiences set the foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. CCFP researchers study young children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs and how early care and education providers can best meet those needs. Our teams develop, implement, and evaluate innovative programs and strategies to foster optimal development in early care and education settings.

Latest Research

Journal Articles

Developmental Monitoring and Promotion in Home Visiting: a Qualitative Study of Parents and Providers

Evidence-based home visiting programs are one avenue for developmental monitoring and promotion. In this study, parents and providers from three home visiting programs were interviewed to understand the ways in which home visiting engages in developmental monitoring and promotion.

learn more about Developmental Monitoring and Promotion in Home Visiting: a Qualitative Study of Parents and Providers
Policy Briefs

Family Child Care Homes’ Challenges Participating in Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program: Voices from the Field

This brief synthesizes what researchers learned from family child care home providers and other key system stakeholders regarding the challenges associated with child care subsidies and the downstream impacts on child care slots within the state.

learn more about Family Child Care Homes’ Challenges Participating in Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program: Voices from the Field
Policy Briefs

Regulatory Challenges Faced in Opening and Operating Family Child Care Homes: Voices from the Field

This brief synthesizes what researchers learned from family child care home providers and other key system stakeholders regarding the regulatory challenges associated with opening and operating family child care homes.

learn more about Regulatory Challenges Faced in Opening and Operating Family Child Care Homes: Voices from the Field
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Katie Rosanbalm

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Kenneth Dodge

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Elizabeth Snyder-Fickler

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Nicole Lawrence

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Preschool Development Grant: Child Care Deserts & Family Care Providers

Project Description Family child care homes (FCCHs) are an important part of the early care and education system in North Carolina. While they make up only about a quarter of licensed care providers, they provide a critical service especially to families that work non-traditional hours, reside in rural communities or speak primary languages other than…

learn more about Preschool Development Grant: Child Care Deserts & Family Care Providers
learn more about Preschool Development Grant: Child Care Deserts & Family Care Providers

North Carolina Infant Toddler Cost Feasibility Study – Parent and Provider Panels

Together with the Child Trends, researchers from CCFP are gathering feedback from parents and providers on what they think makes a high quality early care and education environment for infants and toddlers.

learn more about North Carolina Infant Toddler Cost Feasibility Study – Parent and Provider Panels
learn more about North Carolina Infant Toddler Cost Feasibility Study – Parent and Provider Panels

Families & Communities Rising Evaluation

CCFP researchers are working with Families and Communities Rising to select, implement, and evaluate a school readiness assessment at their Head Start sites across Durham and Orange Counties.

learn more about Families & Communities Rising Evaluation
learn more about Families & Communities Rising Evaluation

Preschool Development Grant, Birth Through Five – Needs Assessment

Together with the Hunt Institute, researchers from CCFP are implementing a collaborative partnership to support NC DHHS’ Division of Child Development and Early Education in completing updates to North Carolina’s Preschool Development (Birth Through Five) Needs Assessment, including information on the impact of COVID-19 on the child care and early education experiences of children and families.

learn more about Preschool Development Grant, Birth Through Five – Needs Assessment
learn more about Preschool Development Grant, Birth Through Five – Needs Assessment
December 7, 2024
Journal Articles

Universal Teacher-Child Interaction Training in Early Childhood Special Education: Identifying Mechanisms of Action that Explain Why it Works

Using a cluster randomized control trial in a sample of 410 racially- and ethnically-diverse children taught by 102 teachers from 38 classrooms in eight schools, we attempted to identify these mechanisms of action. Results identified two mechanisms of action by which Teacher-Child Interaction Training-Universal worked to benefit children in this sample.

learn more about Universal Teacher-Child Interaction Training in Early Childhood Special Education: Identifying Mechanisms of Action that Explain Why it Works
October 18, 2024
Working Papers

The Long-Term Effect of North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten is Larger in School Districts with Lower Rates of Growth in Academic Achievement

This study examined whether the effect of NC Pre-K funding exposure is moderated by the educational environments children subsequently experience during elementary and middle school. The NC Pre-K effect on
student reading and math achievement in eighth grade was found to be larger in school districts with lower rates of growth in academic achievement.

learn more about The Long-Term Effect of North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten is Larger in School Districts with Lower Rates of Growth in Academic Achievement
August 20, 2024
Journal Articles

Pre-K Enrollments and Teaching Environments in North Carolina Elementary Schools

This study examines one of the mechanisms through which North Carolina’s statewide pre-K program (NC Pre-K) may generate such benefits: improvements in the teaching environments of the elementary schools in which NC Pre-K graduates enroll.

learn more about Pre-K Enrollments and Teaching Environments in North Carolina Elementary Schools