Center for Excellence in Early Development

Nurturing Early Connections

Situated within San Diego State University, the Center for Excellence in Early Development (CEED) is a transdisciplinary, research-based, training facility with a holistic approach to supporting early childhood development, mental health, and early childhood education in San Diego county and beyond.

Our goal is to make an efficient and transformational impact in social justice, K-12 education, and reduce inequalities by providing services to communities who would not have access to them otherwise.

We also conduct applied research aimed at the identification of promising practices that can be scaled up and shared with the broader research and educational community.

Our transdisciplinary approach reflects current best practices whereby young children’s needs are considered holistically, across environments, and providers.

Community Clinic

Healthy Early Years (HEY) Clinic

The Healthy Early Years clinic (HEY) facilitates the early development and mental health of young children. It also supports caregivers in providing nurturing and responsive relationships. We seek to support children and families, from all walks of life, and to enhance social-emotional functioning so all children can develop, learn, and thrive.

Services

School-based early childhood mental health consultation
Home visitation
Developmental assessments
Interdisciplinary support of familial, social, emotional and behavioral issues for young children and their families

Teaching & Learning

Hub for Effective Teaching and Learning

Our hub for Effective Teaching and Learning (ETL) aims to design and implement systems to support early childhood providers, children, and families. In addition, it will bring evidence-based practices to the field. We strive to improve the early childhood workforce to ensure effective teaching and learning, and supportive systems for young children, administrators, caregivers, teachers, and families.

Services

Ongoing professional development to early childhood leaders and practitioners.
Strengths-based consultation services

The Importance of Early Childhood Development

Early experiences affect the development of brain architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. Adverse experiences early in life can impair brain architecture, with negative effects lasting into adulthood.

Nobel Prize winning economist, Dr. James Heckman, has identified that the highest rate of economic returns comes from the earliest investments in children, providing an eye-opening understanding that society invests too much money on later development when it is often too late to provide great value.

Our leadership consists of 3 co-directors: