Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative (ECAP)

The Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative is located at the Children's Research Center in a setting conducive to interdisciplinary research, teaching, and public service, these projects share their expertise and experience, a library, and common meeting spaces.

The structure provided by the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative enables participating projects to clarify and enhance the cooperative relationships that exist between them, and to strengthen their national visibility.

A major benefit of bringing these projects together is that they have a tremendous collective capacity for public outreach, networking, and service among the U.S. and international early childhood and parenting-support communities.

Established in early 2003, the Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative has a broad vision for its future. The projects under its umbrella are committed to ensuring that the Collaborative:

-Builds a national reputation for high-quality research, teaching, and service to young children and families

-Influences state and national policy through relevant research

-Provides a context for interdisciplinary training of students, direct service providers, technical assistance providers, and others whose work relates to young children and their families

-Actively fosters the links between research and practice

-Uses innovative, high-quality practices for disseminating and sharing information

• Eastern Illinois
• Central Illinois

• Program
• Service

University of Illinois

Chicago Campus - Springfield Campus - Urbana-Champaign Campus