The Center on the Developing Child has identified three principles based in the science of early childhood development and adult capabilities that can be applied to program, policy, and service design:
- Support responsive relationships for children and adults.
- Strengthen core life skills.
- Reduce sources of stress in the lives of children and families.
By using these design principles as a lens for envisioning new programs and policies—and for evaluating and improving existing ones—leaders, organizations, and service providers from a range of sectors can begin to drive real change for children and families. But how?
Putting the Three Principles Into Practice
The Center on the Developing Child is committed to helping leaders and teams not only understand the science of early childhood development, but also use it to transform the way they work.
To do that, the Center has developed a set of Science X Design training and support options. These options are offered at varying levels of intensity and incorporate the three science-based design principles, along with powerful ideas from human-centered design, leadership theory, and systems thinking. The Center will work with you to select the level of support that (1) best meets your needs, context, and budget and (2) results in practical changes and next steps. The current options are:
Option #1: Workshop
Through an interactive presentation and hands-on activity, your team will:
- Learn the three principles and the science they are based upon
- Understand how the three principles work individually and together to improve child and family outcomes
- See how the three principles can inform your work—your decisions, your approach, and more
Option #2: Workshop and Technical Assistance
In addition to the workshop benefits from Option #1, technical assistance will enable your team to:
- Identify a specific aspect of your work that can be improved by applying the design principles
- Generate innovative, new solutions that are grounded in science
- Receive individualized support during the change process
Option #3: Intensive Engagement
This option is for those who want to prototype, test, and evaluate new solutions, requiring more intensive technical assistance and longer-term guidance along the way.
Other organizations and leaders are using Science X Design to:
- Develop common ECD terminology across city/county agencies and departments
- Rethink on-the-ground child welfare practices to support children’s development
- Shift business as usual to prioritize child development and focus on outcomes, not outputs
- Re-examine an organizational theory of change for service delivery
- Source new ideas and partnerships
Contact the Center to Get Started!
Are you ready to start applying the science of ECD to your work so you can innovate and improve outcomes for children and families? Submit the form below, and we’ll be in touch to determine the best option for you and your team.
