UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

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UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

Advancing knowledge to transform children's lives.

06/24/2026

Supporting individuals with developmental disabilities such as autism, as well as their caregivers and service providers, is central to the work of FPG.

High-quality intervention across the age range can ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families fully participate in their community in ways that are meaningful to them. FPG investigators have identified central features of high-quality intervention, such as family-focused programming, early childhood inclusion, and the use of identified evidence-based practices.

Learn more: https://go.unc.edu/b6A4R

06/23/2026

Have you been keeping up with the Impact Center Center at FPG's Action Guide series?

A team of implementation specialists at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) is behind a new and growing collection of practical, research-informed resources. The Implementation Capacity for Triple P (ICTP) Implementation Support Practice Action Guide Series, designed by the Impact Center at FPG’s ICTP projects, is intended to serve as a comprehensive set of guides and reference documents for current and future Triple P support partners in the Carolinas. Since they are built on research, practices, and experiences, they can be translated to the implementation of any other program or practice.

In this article, we cover Action Guides 4 & 5 as well as the recently released 6th installment. Use the link in the comments to learn more.

06/22/2026

Explore our areas of expertise: https://go.unc.edu/Ca4b6

Our researchers, implementation and technical assistance specialists, staff, and students work on projects related to developmental disabilities; physical, social, and emotional health; early care and education; early intervention and special education; disparities in education and learning; and more to address important issues facing children and families.

Our work spans many disciplines from education and psychology to social work and public health. We use the information gleaned from our research to enhance policy and improve practice; we are committed to sharing the information we generate with the public and to supporting professionals’ understanding and use of evidence-based practices.

06/19/2026

To help celebrate the 60th anniversary of FPG, we will be looking back at stories that highlight FPG’s history, its people, and some of the incredible work accomplished within the Institute over the past six decades.

In 1966, FPG launched a child care program designed as a foundational step for an extensive research project examining how full-day early education, health care, and social services affect disadvantaged children's lives. Graduates from this original cohort of children, all of whom are now well into adulthood, have been consistently followed by FPG researchers.

Use the link in the comments to read the story of FPG's child care program.

06/18/2026

Earlier this year, the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) announced Ximena Franco-Jenkins, PhD, senior research scientist at FPG, and Noreen Yazejian, PhD, FPG associate director for research and senior research scientist, as recipients of the 2026 Thelma Harms Early Childhood Education Award. Named for Thelma Harms, PhD, FPG director of curriculum development emerita, the award supports international work to advance the understanding and improvement of early childhood program quality.

Franco-Jenkins and Yazejian used the award to attend the 2026 International ECERS Meeting in May at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway. There, they joined researchers from around the world to share ideas, present their work, and reflect on how early childhood quality is shaped by language, culture, and community context.

Click the link in the comments to learn more.

06/15/2026

The 2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute drew more than 300 attendees from around the globe. With the goal of expanding the reach of inclusion, conference organizers built on past successes and opened up new avenues of outreach.

This year's theme was “Powerful Partnerships: Strengthening Inclusion with Families, Communities, and Change-Makers.”

Read more: https://go.unc.edu/Ce73G

06/12/2026

In her project—IDEAL PARTNERs—FPG Faculty Fellow Brianne Tomaszewski is collaborating with FPG Senior Research Scientist Ann Sam and FPG Senior Implementation Specialist Wendy Morgan to address barriers to employment through the development of advanced technology.

Learn more: https://go.unc.edu/Qj57Z

06/11/2026

The UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and so to help recognize this milestone, we will be looking back at stories that highlight FPG’s history, its people, and some of the incredible work accomplished within the Institute.

In case you missed this installment, take a look back at three news pieces that illustrate the impact our research, practice, and policy focused work has made within the field of autism research.

Learn more: https://go.unc.edu/Jq6r9

06/10/2026

Executive functions—cognitive processes that underlie goal-directed abilities and behaviors—are well-established predictors of academic and social outcomes in neurotypical children. Because it was unclear whether these same associations are true for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a research team examined the relationship between executive functions and academic and social skills in cognitively able, verbal kindergarteners with ASD, using a multimeasurement approach to executive function skills.

The findings, “Executive function predicts academic and social skills in autistic kindergartners based on a multimodal approach,” were published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Laura Kuhn, PhD, an advanced research scientist at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, is a contributing author.

Learn more using the link in the comments.

Address

105 Smith Level Road
Chapel Hill, NC
27516

Website

http://fpg.unc.edu/

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