University of Memphis

Through language-enhanced parent education, we hope to enhance the knowledge you already have of child development, particularly in language and social-emotional development through LENA Research coupled with Nurturing Parenting and Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness group sessions. Parent/caregiver groups are conducted once per week at a community location near you. This is a program that helps parents/caregivers understand the importance of talking with their children, early brain development, and literacy for early care through back-and-forth conversational turns. Participants are provided childcare, refreshments, 10 books for the child, and a weekly gift card for participating.

The Coordinated Effort to Enhance Development (CEED) project is a multi-disciplinary approach to enhancing social and emotional development in young children with a coordinated effort with early care and learning professionals (ex. childcare directors, childcare teachers, families participating in childcare services). The CEED will target zip codes with the densest population of children under age 4 as well as the highest percentage of households at or below the poverty level. Early care and learning professionals and parents of young children will receive training in an effort to enhance knowledge and skills in social, emotional, and language development which are necessary skills for kindergarten readiness and ultimately for 3rd grade reading. Our efforts have been in the 38128, 38127, 38118, 38116, 38114, 38111 and 38109 zip codes.