The Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood (QIC-EC) was established to address the nation’s urgent need to find effective approaches for reducing the likelihood of abuse and neglect of young children from birth to age five. These young children are subject to the highest rates of maltreatment and are at the greatest risk of lifelong harm.

CSSP operates the center with its partners ZERO to THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families and the National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds.  A five-year program launched in 2008, the QIC-EC is a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau.

The mission of the program is to use the early years of life to take advantage of the greatest opportunity for reducing harm and to set the course for optimal development.

The center currently:

Funds four research and demonstration projects that are investigating and evaluating the impact of collaborative, innovative programs and strategies on promoting optimal development, strengthening families and reducing the likelihood of abuse and neglect

Conducts a rigorous cross-site evaluation of the funded projects

Disseminates information though a national Learning Network to engage a broad maltreatment prevention constituency and share lessons learned from this initiative
Funds up to four doctoral dissertation fellows who are conducting research in the field of child maltreatment prevention