The University of Minnesota Child Development Center is a model demonstration and training site for early development with research opportunities to further the knowledge of early development, education, and quality care for young children. It provides a “fee-for-service” childcare and child development program for University of Minnesota affiliated staff, faculty, and students.

Research

At UMCDC, research is conducted by faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and Ph.D. students from ICD and Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD). Faculty researchers have piloted tools at the Center for assessing program quality, and these tools have been deployed in schools in the region. The Director and Curriculum Coordinator are active participants in the Human Capital Research Collaborative seminar series, facilitating the transformation of research findings into practice.

Teaching

75% of Early Childhood Education majors do their practicum hours at the UMCDC. In the past 15 years, 495 pediatric and combined pediatric-internal medicine residents have received foundational training in early childhood development through an educational partnership with the staff at the UMCDC.

Outreach

The Center’s Director and Education Coordinator actively work with the community to share and model environments and practices. UMCDC conducts a high volume of tours and meetings each year with other centers and government entities, including Minnesota Department of Human Services (MNDHS), Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), and the Governor’s Office.

The director has served on several state committees with DHS and MDE, including ECIPS (Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, e.g. infant/toddler social-emotional development.).

UMCDC serves as a model child development center for the community and early childhood educators, while translating research to practice.

Teaching Staff

Teachers are highly knowledgeable and experienced in child development, early childhood education, and working with young children in a classroom setting. All employees (including part-time employees and 85 student child care workers) must pass the MN Department of Human Services-Licensing Background Check. Staff also participate in pediatric first aid, CPR, HIPPA, mandated reporting, Shaken Baby Syndrome education, and OSHA training. UMCDC requires all Infant teachers to be trained in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and topics relevant to early childhood development, research, and practice.

Area coordinators and teacher supervisors must have at least 3 years of experience teaching young children and supervisory experience.

Full-time teaching staff are educated and/or experienced in early childhood education or early development. Full-time staff and most part-time employees hold degrees and teaching certificates/licenses.

Human Resources requires UMCDC to post positions for the minimum qualifications. However, UMCDC strives for the preferred qualifications.

Biographical information for all teaching staff is available at the front desk for parents’ reference.

UMCDC hires University of Minnesota students as childcare workers (CCWs) to assist teaching staff in the classroom.

Highlights: How Does UMN Use the UMCDC?

CPSY 5241 (formerly 4993) has sent ~30 students each semester for the past 7 years. These students are at the center weekly, observing all ages. They each spend a minimum of 32 hours per semester at UMCDC, 8 of which are with infants.

PT 6340 (Human Growth & Development) sends ~50 each fall semester. Their students do observations and orientation with toddlers and pre-k (totaling 1.5 hours of observation per student).

MUED 5350 sends ~20 students in spring semester to observe toddlers and pre-k (5 observations per student of 1 hour each time).

CLA Theatre Arts & Dance sends ~20 students spring semester to observe toddlers for 1.5 hours per student.

UMN Pediatric Residency Program has sent a combined 495 pediatric and combined pediatric-internal medicine residents to UMCDC over the past 15 years. They received foundational training in early childhood development through an educational partnership with UMCDC staff.

Recent research includes research on math, communicative repair, visual perception, and autism.

Tours are given to ~900 people per year, including parents, study tours, private/public schools, and agencies.