Erikson Institute

With our Continuing Education programs, participants can learn from experts in the field and benefit from Erikson’s over 50 years of pioneering work with young children and their families. Through courses, workshops, webinars, learning institutes, and customized on-site staff development, Erikson helps further then education of thousands of working professionals each year. Continuing education programs and consulting are research-based and focus on:

• Early intervention
• Teaching and learning
• Infancy (online courses)
• Social work practice

• Early Teaching and Learning Academy (ETLA):
Four years ago, the Illinois State Board of Education began requiring kindergarten teachers in Illinois public schools to observe and report on all children’s readiness to learn in three key developmental areas—language and literacy, math, and social and emotional learning—within the first 40 days of arrival. This tool, known as the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS), provides Erikson Institute with a pivotal opportunity to evolve our professional development approaches with a laser focus on the data- driven outcome of improving kindergarten and first-grade readiness by working with teachers in the earliest grades (pre-k and kindergarten). Faculty and staff from Erikson’s literacy, math, and social emotional learning teams have now collaborated to develop a shared organizational structure and systems, called the Early Teaching and Learning Academy, to respond to the emerging professional development needs of teachers, schools, and districts that best support the measures outlined in KIDS. The will draw upon 30 years of applied research, integrate expertise across learning domains (e.g., language and literacy, math, and social emotional learning), and expand capacity for program evaluation and continuous improvement. The Academy also will serve as a hub for supporting innovation in professional development, identifying effective models and interventions, and sharing best practices. One of the first strategies for promotion of the Academy’s mission was the Big Ideas in Early Learning summer institute. After its third year, the Bid Ideas summer institute has provided high-quality early childhood professional development to over 300 educators from across the nation.
Early Teaching and Learning Academy program offerings:

o Language and Literacy Partners (LLP): LLP supports teachers and administrators in adopting and refining instructional practices that cultivate young children’s literacy skills. Our Balanced Literacy Framework is specifically designed to support PreK – 3rd grade teams through an in-depth study of literacy practices that supports:
-Listening and speaking
-Reading and writing
-Home language and dialect and the academic language of school
-Skill learning and high-level thinking
-Whole group and small group instruction with individual conferring and conversation
-School and home partnerships

o Early Math Collaborative (EMC): The Early Math Collaborative at Erikson Institute expands access to math for young children by reaching child care providers, early childhood teachers, teacher educators, administrators, and other stakeholders through professional development, research, publications, conference presentations, and a robust online presence. EMC’s work is rooted in a set of foundational math concepts that called “Big Ideas.” These concepts are fundamental to a young child’s understanding of mathematics and can be incorporated into any early childhood curriculum. EMC’s work helps to reduce anxiety around the teaching of math in the early years. When educators are comfortable teaching math, they can instill a positive mindset for a lifetime of mathematical learning and thinking.

o Social Emotional Learning Initiative (SELI): Through the guiding philosophy of ‘love causes learning’, the SELI at Erikson Institute provides professional development for teachers and school staff, direct service with children and parents, and conducts research to help schools become more compassionate and productive places, from top to bottom. SELI specializes in using whole-child development principles, brain science, and culturally-responsive and trauma-sensitive lenses to infuse social emotional learning and mindfulness strategies as a natural part of the school day rather than an “add-on.”

• Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN): Erikson trains and consults with organizations that want to learn our approach to building better relationships with parents. This approach is called Facilitating Attuned Interactions. FAN’s ultimate goal is strengthening the provider-parent relationship, resulting in parents who are attuned to their children and ready to try new ways of relating to them. Although created for Erikson’s Fussy Baby Network, FAN can be applied beyond issues of infancy and can be thought of as both a conceptual framework and a practical tool for building relationships in a wide range of settings.

• Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center: Erikson Institute’s innovative TEC Center is a trusted source for digital-age educators and parents seeking information about the intersection of child development, early learning, and children’s media for children up to age 8. Through carefully selected resources and real-world examples, the TEC Center strengthen educators’ digital literacy and their ability to intentionally select, use, integrate, and evaluate technology in the classroom and other early childhood settings. TEC’s thought leadership augments our mission, with expertise in social-emotional learning, early literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education, family engagement, media mentorship, and teacher preparation.

Beyond our groundbreaking education and professional development programs, we deepen our impact by providing service and support to children and families on our campus, in homes, and in community-based settings. All of our services are rooted in the latest scientific research and our staff’s extensive knowledge of how children grow and develop within a family, community, and culture, ensuring that all the families we serve benefit from Erikson’s expertise.

Erikson’s Clinical and Community Services:

Center for Children and Families (CCF)
At Erikson Institute’s Center for Children and Families, our team of psychologists, social workers, developmental and behavioral pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and other licensed mental health professionals offer emotional and behavioral treatment options and are deeply dedicated to helping parents and important caregivers better understand their child’s struggles. At our main clinic site in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, as well as our satellite sites in Little Village, Austin, and Humboldt Park, CCF’s team works with families to find positive ways to support his or her lasting growth.

CCF service offerings:
• Pediatric Mental Health Services
CCF provides pediatric mental health services for families with young children, with an exclusive focus on pre-natal to 5 years old and their parents.
• Neurodevelopmental Diagnostic Services from an Interdisciplinary Team
CCF offers neurodevelopmental diagnostic evaluations for children from age 3 through age 8. This time in a child’s life is one of unparalleled physical, social, and emotional development — it is the foundation for long-term well-being and success.
• Interdisciplinary Assessments
Our team will evaluate your child’s development in all domains: physical, social-emotional, cognitive, and sensory/motor. This distinctive, interdisciplinary approach is at the heart of what we do at the Center for Children and Families. It is what separates us from other behavioral and mental health clinical services in the Chicago area. We provide:
-Child-Parent Psychotherapy with parent and developmental guidance
-Comprehensive assessments
-Neurodevelopmental diagnostic evaluations
-Early intervention medical diagnostic services for 0-3 year olds

Fussy Baby Network (FBN)
While infant crying is a part of normal infant development, around 20% of infants cry excessively. Excessive and persistent crying which lasts past 5 months places infants at risk for abusive head trauma, parent/child relationship distress, and behavioral and learning problems. Mothers and fathers are also at greater risk for depression, anxiety, and lower self-confidence as parents. FBN was founded in 2003 as a child abuse prevention program to reduce stress and risk around infant crying and promote infant and family well-being. FBN provides telephone assistance to families through the "Warmline", available Monday-Friday, in both English and Spanish. Home visiting is offered within a week of initial Warmline in person or virtually. Furthermore, FBN has expanded services beyond FBN families by offering virtual parent groups to any family in need of support. A weekly drop-in group, Caregiver Corner is conducted via Facebook and offers informal time for families to gather and offer mutual support to one another.

Early Childhood Project
Our Early Childhood Project, a collaboration with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, provides clinical assessments, consultations, and other services to vulnerable young children involved with the child welfare system. In Illinois, most of the children served by DCFS are younger than 5 and have experienced abuse and neglect. Our work focuses on offering children and their parents support by interrupting patterns of abuse to create positive outcomes for children and families. Our developmental specialists are experts who understand the needs of young children who have experienced significant trauma and support DCFS in making critical decisions that affect the lives of young children and their families.

Erikson’s research focuses on many different areas of the early childhood field, including early childhood care, early childhood education, and family support. Specifically, our community initiatives with children and families or the professionals who work with them are a key element of our research. We partner with schools, social service agencies, hospitals, and more to generate new knowledge, invigorate our academic courses, and improve life for children and families in Chicago and throughout the nation.

• Herr Research Center
The Herr Research Center at Erikson Institute helps bring our research projects to fruition by fostering collaboration among our expert faculty and staff; identifying funding sources; and assisting with research design, data analysis, and the sharing of results. Our faculty and researchers have extensive experience in applied research, which seeks practical solutions to issues that affect young children and families. The Herr Research Center also helps share the results of our research with individuals who influence early childhood policy and create programs for children and families, including government officials, program administrators, advocates, and grant foundation officers.

Our studies have led to new community initiatives, such as a satellite clinic of Erikson’s Center for Children and Families on Chicago’s West Side, and we have provided guidance to public agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Education, our partner in our Birth to 3 Prevention Initiative Monitoring project.

Erikson Institute’s Policy and Leadership Lab aims to ensure all children receive equitable opportunities to achieve their full potential. As an accredited institution of higher education, Erikson is home to faculty and staff with vast knowledge in the fields of child development, social work, and early childhood education. Their expertise informs Erikson’s advocacy efforts, and they are considered credible sources for the education and medical fields, government, research organizations, and professionals who work with young children.

How we drive change:

• Early Childhood Leadership Academy
Our Early Childhood Leadership Academy (ECLA) provides leaders with dynamic and collective learning experiences to enhance their capacity to influence early childhood policy leading to positive outcomes for young children and their families.

We offer unique programs that equip decision-makers and influencers with the resources, skills, and deep knowledge about early childhood development that will support their efforts to make lasting change. Participants include leaders from the field of early childhood as well as elected officials, judges, heads of state agencies, members of law enforcement, board members, and community leaders. Our three leadership initiatives include:

1. Barbara Bowman Leadership Fellows
Through this program, named after one of Erikson’s founders, we provide professionals, influencers, and service providers with evidence-based information, tools, and networking opportunities to enhance their ability to influence policy. This program builds a pipeline for future policy leaders from a pool of diverse practitioners who look like the people in the communities they serve, so that policy decisions are informed from the ground up and not made in silos or from positions of privilege.

2. McCormick Foundation Executive Fellows
This program is designed to provide highly influential leaders from multiple sectors with a credible, up-to-date, and research-based understanding of child development. Equipped with this information, leaders can make the most informed decisions about policy setting and resource allocation in their respective fields. Our Executive Fellows include: Local and State Officials, Judges, Senior Leaders of State Agencies, High-ranking Law Enforcement Officials, Civic and Business Leaders, Faith Leaders, and Superintendents and School Board Members

• Early Development Instrument (EDI)
The Early Development Instrument (EDI) Project is a neighborhood-level population measure that gauges the development of young children within the context of their community. This project, the first of its kind in Illinois, extends our commitment to improving the lives of young children by illuminating opportunities for community-driven policy recommendations.

Data derived from the EDI can be used to look back on how programs, services, and systems can be better coordinated based on strengths and needs. The data can also be used to identify trends and plan for children moving through the elementary school years. Erikson has completed the pilot phase and this groundbreaking tool is now available for communities.

EDI Locations:

Year I:
Greater East St. Louis, Illinois
City of Kankakee
Village of Bradley
Village of Bourbonnais

Year 2:
Village of Oak Park

Year 3:
Central Skokie/Morton Grove Neighborhoods
City of Rockford

• Risk and Reach Report
The Illinois Risk and Reach Report developed by Erikson is a set of data tools that includes a comprehensive early childhood focused report and interactive website compiling an analysis of child well-being indicators in relation to state investments in three domains: Family Stability, Health, and Early Care and Education. The Report informs governmental and nongovernmental early childhood stakeholders who make policy and funding decisions. Data are visualized through tables and maps in three categories:

RISK — An analysis of 15 indicators representing risk factors that affect child well-being and development;
REACH — An assessment of the availability and distribution of 17 publicly funded programs and services by geography;
FISCAL SCAN — An analysis of public investments for families with young children comparing the most recent fiscal years