Infants, Toddlers, and Families in Poverty: Research Implications for Early Child Care

Samuel L. Odom, PhD, is Director of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and Professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has published over 100 journal articles and seven books on early childhood intervention and developmental disabilities. Dr. Odom's research interests include preschool prevention and school readiness, effectiveness of programs for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders, and early intervention for infants and toddlers with or at risk for disability. He is a recipient of the Special Education Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.Elizabeth P. Pungello, PhD, is a Scientist at FPG, a Research Associate Professor in the Developmental Psychology Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Mentor Faculty member at the Center for Developmental Science. Her research focuses on closing the achievement gap between at-risk and other children. She helps lead the FPG Infant/Toddler Child Care Initiative in the development and evaluation of a model of high-quality center care for infants and toddlers raised in poverty.Nicole Gardner-Neblett, PhD, is an Investigator at FPG at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her main focus is the FPG Infant/Toddler Child Care Initiative, where she works to design and implement a model for infant/toddler care to promote the early learning, development, and health of children living in poverty. Her principal research interests are the effects of parenting practices and the classroom context on children's language and literacy development.