What We Do

Our Mission

Support the neurodevelopment of children in the Caribbean Region and Developing Tropical Regions worldwide by:

  • Building research, assessment, and intervention capacity within the CCCN
  • Developing, implementing, and assessing measures of child neurodevelopment that are valid and reliable in tropical developing regions
  • Designing, developing, implementing and assessing evidence-based intervention programs to improve child neurodevelopment in developing tropical regions
  • Assessing the impact of intervention programs on child neurodevelopment
  • Developing and disseminating inclusive, equitable best practice health, education, and social policies that support child neurodevelopment to local, national, regional, and international policymakers

Our Vision

We envision a world in which children feel safe, connected, and cognitively empowered to effectively resolve conflict within themselves and with others in a socially sustainable way.

Our Values

We value equal opportunity for all children to reach their full developmental potential.

Our Impact

Our Methodology

Child development is complex. We therefore implement the mission of the CCCN by following a multi-pillar approach. We draw upon the latest and most impactful research across numerous disciplines: Neuropsychology, Social Psychology, Neuroscience (and social neuroscience), child development, sociology, and public health (especially prevention science). We develop, revise, implement, and assess interventions that are designed to strengthen the social-emotional connection between mothers and children. We recognize that maximizing brain development in young children means maximizing health, mental health, and well-being in mothers. We also recognize that accurate measurement of child neurodevelopment is necessary to assess the impact of intervention programs. Community based efforts must be paired with changes in laws, government policies, and public health programs that support the well-being of mothers and their children.

Our Theory of Change

Healthy child neurodevelopment means building resilience to stressors across the lifespan by: (1) reducing exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); (2) forging strong and positive social emotional connections; and (3) increasing a sense of internal locus of control. Healthy child neurodevelopment depends on adult caregivers, who must model resilience and teach children the knowledge and skills needed to achieve it. The CCCN accomplishes this by implementing: (1) Home and community engagement of parents and other primary caregivers by transformational ECD coaches; (2) teacher and classroom engagement by transformational ECD coaches; (3) Evidence-based advocacy and policy development; and (4) public awareness campaigns. These transformative activities lead to improved safety, connection, and problem-solving in homes and classrooms, attuned communication, healthy conflict resolution, improved composure and increased self-regulation among the caregivers. The short-term outcomes in the children include: (1) reduced ACEs; (2) improved self-regulation; (3) increased self-efficacy; (4) stronger social emotional connections between children and adults as well as children and other children; (5) strengthened social emotional skills; (6) reduced challenging behaviours. Long-term outcomes among the children as they age into adolescence and adulthood include: (1) increased executive function; (2) reduced violence; (3) reduced incidence of mental illness; and (4) resilient adults who are empowered to effectively raise the next generation. 

Our Pillars

We design and implement programs that enhance healthy development in children by focusing on safety, relationships, and eliminating violence.

Read more here