The Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) Center for the Advanced Study of Excellence (CASE) in Early Childhood and Family Support Practices is one of 20 National Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood. We proudly serve in the capacity of a research and training institute as well as an early childhood intervention program for children (ages birth to 5 years), families, and women who are pregnant. We are part of the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center (JIRDC) located in Morganton, North Carolina, U.S.A.
As part of our applied research institute, FIPP staff members conduct research studies to develop and implement strategies that promote practitioners' and parents' adoption and use of early childhood practices informed by research findings. Our research and practice are guided by conceptual and methodological frameworks emphasizing the enhancement and promotion of child, parent, and family competence and confidence in a manner consistent with a family-centered philosophy. In addition to dissemination through publications, FIPP staff members provide training and support to other countries, states, programs, and agencies nationally and internationally.
Our research and training efforts are designed to advance the understanding of the characteristics of early childhood and family support practices that produce optimal positive child, parent, and family benefits. Our supports and services in North Carolina directly reach over 1,000 children and families annually. FIPP works in partnership with families using family-centered practices, based on respect for families' beliefs and values, as well as their cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
FIPP provides direct support to children and their families in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and McDowell counties in western North Carolina. We provide early intervention services, Early Head Start home and center-based supports, pregnancy supports, neonatal intensive care follow-up, fatherhood initiatives, and work collaboratively with other community agencies to ensure evidence-based intervention for all young children and their families. We take pride in our long and successful history of innovative and effective program development, research, and dissemination.
Whether you are a parent needing assistance for your child and family, or a practitioner needing training or information about evidence-based practices in early childhood, please contact us. We are eager to share more about what we are doing and how we can be of support to you!
The mission of the Family, Infant and Preschool Program is to promote the growth and development of young children by supporting and strengthening families and building caring, responsive communities. Our mission is accomplished by using early childhood intervention and family support practices informed by the most current research to strengthen parent capacity to provide or mobilize supports and resources to promote child, parent, and family growth and development.
The vision of the Family, Infant and Preschool Program is demonstrating excellence and shaping the future of early childhood intervention and family support practices. Demonstrating excellence is accomplished by using evidence-based practices of known qualities supporting and strengthening child, parent and family competence that are associated with optimal positive benefits. Shaping the future of early childhood intervention and family support practices involves the use of cutting edge and promising practices for supporting and strengthening child, parent and family functioning.
The Family, Infant and Preschool Program's guiding principles are a guarantee to families that they will be treated in ways consistent with our value statements. FIPP's 10 guiding principles are:
- Families and family members are treated with dignity and respect at all times.
- Staff are sensitive and responsive to family cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity.
- Family choice and decision-making occurs at all levels of participation in the program.
- Information necessary for families to make informed choices is shared in a sensitive, complete, and unbiased manner.
- Practices are based on family-identified desires, priorities, and preferences.
- Staff provide supports, resources, and services in a flexible, responsive, and individualized manner.
- A broad range of informal, community, and formal supports and resources are used for achieving family-identified outcomes.
- Staff build on child, parent and family strengths, assets and interests as the primary way of strengthening family functioning.
- Staff-family relationships are characterized by partnerships and collaboration based on mutual trust, respect and decision-making.
- Staff use help-giving styles that support and strengthen family functioning.
The Family, Infant and Preschool Program's work is guided by research evidence about practices that are known to result in positive outcomes for children, families and communities. The linkage between research and practice has helped FIPP staff identify cutting-edge strategies to benefit children and families. FIPP is not only a regional resource in Western North Carolina, but has a long tradition of sharing knowledge by conducting training activities for parents, child care providers, early childhood professionals, and others. FIPP's research contributions have not only helped FIPP staff do an excellent job working with children and families, but have had a substantial and sustained impact on the fields of early childhood practices and family support, both nationally and internationally. Many FIPP staff members conduct research, which has resulted in hundreds of publications and presentations, as well as the publication of several books. FIPP is committed to continually learning and reflecting upon our practices to strengthen the provision of support and resources to families of young children.
Integrated Framework for Practicing and Studying Early Childhood Intervention
and Family Support
Early childhood intervention and family support are defined as the provision and mobilization of children's learning opportunities, parenting supports, and family and community resources in a family-centered manner. The intersecting and overlapping elements of the model include the contexts for children's learning opportunities (activity settings), the methods and procedures for promoting child competence (development-enhancing parenting styles and practices), and the experiences afforded parents strengthening existing and promoting new parenting competence (participatory opportunities).
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