Early Learning Center overview

4:12 p.m., June 22, 2005--The Early Learning Center is unique as a university-based child-care facility given the range of services and breadth of objectives included in the program.

It is housed in a 30,000-square-foot building with 22 classrooms--five for infants, six for toddlers, six for preschoolers, one kindergarten classroom and four for school-age children.

The goals of the center are to provide the best services possible to children and their families through year-round, full-day early care and education, as well as family services and support programs, and to conduct research in prevention, intervention and education in early childhood development.

The center’s mission is to offer year-round, full-day early care and education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, in spaces specifically designed for children, including a full-day kindergarten program, before and after school care and summer camp for children 5 to 12.

Support services for families include education and a link to community resources.

The center serves 227 children, including 60 children of UD faculty and staff:

162 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years;
65 children ages 5 to 12;
40 percent of children served live in poverty;
20 percent of children served have a diagnosed disability;
10 percent of children served live in foster care at some point.

UD departments currently involved in center service learning include:

Agriculture;
Center for Disabilities Studies;
Cooperative Extension;
Education;
Foreign Languages;
Health and Exercise Sciences;
Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management;
Individual and Family Studies;
Music;
Nursing;
Nutrition;
Physical Therapy; and
Psychology.

The center partners with several community-based groups, including Child Development Watch, the Christina School District (including ECAP), Delaware Department of Education (including 21st Century Community Partnership) and New Directions Early Head Start.

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