Baby University (“Baby U”) is a 16-week program for Cambridge families which aims to close the achievement gap by educating parents on positive ways to interact with their young children. The program involves 10 weeks of classes, six weeks of playgroups and regular home visits and is intended for parents of children ages birth to 3. Baby University is a public/private partnership involving 14 Cambridge organizations, and is modeled on the Harlem Children’s Zone project in New York. ICH has served as the evaluator of Baby U since its beginning in 2009, helping to assess both program implementation and the impacts the program has on its participants.
Baby U project partners:
- Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative
- Phillip Brooks House Association, Harvard University
- Families First
- Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs
- Child Care Resource Center
- Center for Families
- Cambridge Public Schools
- Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House
- Cambridge Public Library
- Cambridge Public Health Department
- Riverside Community Cares
- Community Learning Center
- Cambridge Housing Authority
- Cambridge Community Partnership for Children
Photos courtesy of Baby University Program.