Erikson Institute

Programs: Erikson institute: through our master's degree, doctoral degree, and graduate certificate programs, erikson institute prepares leaders in child development, social work, and early childhood education. We offer the most comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of children and families through classes on campus and online. More than 300 students are enrolled across all of our graduate education programs. In 2017, more than 60 students graduated with master's degrees and 1 graduated with a doctoral degree. We also offer programs to help professionals who work with children and families hone their skills, learn new techniques, and earn credits to maintain their professional licenses. Each year, we help further the education of more than 2,000 working professionals through our continuing education courses, workshops, webinars, and customized on-site staff development.

the early childhood project (dcfs): the early childhood project, a collaborative effort between erikson institute and the department of children and family services, was implemented to serve and meet the needs of young children who are in foster care or are being closely monitored by the child welfare system. 22 developmental specialists based at erikson work statewide to determine what services are needed to address the developmental concerns of children ages birth through five, who have had adverse experiences and are at greater risk for developmental delays. Additionally, erikson faculty provides expertise and counsel to the project as well as opportunities for our students through their practicums. Through this project, erikson staff administers developmental screenings, provides consults, referrals, trainings and resources to families involved with the child welfare system. During fiscal year 2017, erikson served approximately 6,500 children and their families.

our early math collaborative provides in-depth training in foundational mathematics to hundreds of professionals each year, including teachers, administrators, and facilitators serving infants through fifth-graders. Collaborative staff also conduct research to generate new knowledge and approaches to teacher education and development. Fiscal year 2017 saw several new professional development initiatives, including promising math (a biennial conference) and math in libraries, a pilot program helping librarians identify math in young children's literature and create math-focused activities. Other initiatives include collaborative math, a project for head start teachers and administrators in chicago; math all around me, a project to advance knowledge about early math thinking in children from birth to age 3; and professional development programs in hawaii and abroad, including in china and singapore.

erikson also provides mental health services through our center for children and families, and support for parents of fussy infants through our fussy baby network. Additional professional development initiatives include language and literacy partners, formerly known as new schools project, which works with chicago public schools to help strengthen oral language and literacy development. Our policy and leadership department's programs aim to ensure all children receive equitable opportunities to achieve their full potential by shaping the laws and policies that impact them. Many of our faculty and staff members are involved in applied research that generates new knowledge, invigorates our academic courses, and improves the lives of children and families in chicago, the nation and world.