The University of Alabama Children’s Program is part of the Child Development Research Center in the College of Human Environmental Sciences. The program is the child development center for the children of faculty, students and staff of The University of Alabama and serves children from the age of two months to five years. The goals of the Children’s Program are to promote optimum physical, emotional, cognitive and language development for young children and to provide teaching and research opportunities for University of Alabama undergraduate
and graduate students.
The UA Children’s Program has three missions: Teaching, Research, and Service
Teaching Mission:
Our primary mission and function is to serve as a laboratory school for pre-service teachers. The faculty in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies utilize the center as a teaching laboratory for students enrolled in departmental courses. Students learn about the development and education of young children through observation and interaction. Knowledge gained from these naturalistic observations is essential for understanding child development and individual differences among children.
Research Mission:
Research is an integral part of The Children’s Program. The research focus is to increase the scientific body of knowledge about children and their families. It contributes to the body of knowledge describing how children grow and develop, and it also provides valuable information for the development of effective preschool education programs. All research is carefully reviewed by The University of Alabama’s Institutional Research Board and the CDRC Research Committee. Research projects may involve interviewing, observing, videotaping parents or children, or asking parents or teachers to complete questionnaires.
Service and Outreach Mission:
As part of The Children’s Program mission, we serve the children of University of Alabama faculty, staff and students by providing the highest quality childcare program for their young children. Service and outreach represent the University’s commitment to extend its influences externally to benefit the public and to provide services that address the needs of families. The Children’s Program offers expertise in child development, aid in problem solving, and leadership for children and families in local, state, and national arenas.
Accreditation:
The Children’s Program is a nationally accredited program through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC sets the highest standards in working with children in the areas of curriculum, teaching, relationships, health and assessment of child progress as well as in the areas of teaching staff, partnerships with families and the community, physical environment, leadership and management. A leader in early care and education in the state, UA’s Children’s Program was the first in Alabama to receive the highest possible rating from Alabama Quality STARS, Alabama’s Quality R;:iting ;:inrl lmrrovement System