August 2012Vol. 13, No. 7QIC-EC Learning Network Update
In 2010, Children's Bureau Express featured an article on the newly formed Quality Improvement Center for Early Childhood (QIC-EC). The QIC-EC is a partnership of three national organizations—the Center for the Study of Social Policy, ZERO TO THREE, and the National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds—in a cooperative agreement with the Children's Bureau.
Over the past 3 years, the QIC-EC's Learning Network has made great strides in information sharing among multidisciplinary organizations and individuals committed to child maltreatment prevention. Children's Bureau Express asked Charlyn Harper Browne, Project Director, and Nancy Seibel and Betty Johnson of ZERO TO THREE about the Learning Network's growth.
What is the goal of the Learning Network; what does the QIC-EC hope it will accomplish?
The goal of the Learning Network is to engage a broad and diverse group of professionals in dialogue and information exchange on key issues related to the prevention of child maltreatment. Participants have helped in shaping the Learning Network topics and by providing data via survey during the QIC-EC's early years. Through the Learning Network, the QIC-EC disseminates cutting-edge information on policy, research, and practice, which influences and informs the work of the Learning Network members and their colleagues.
How has the Learning Network grown since 2010?
Anyone is welcome to join. Since early 2010, the Learning Network has more than doubled from 147 to 319 members. Members are affiliated with for-profit organizations; State government offices; local, State, and national nonprofit organizations; higher education institutions; the QIC-EC National Advisory Committee, Federal Government offices; the Children’s Bureau's Training and Technical Assistance Network; Children's Trust Funds; foundations; and others.
What resources does the Learning Network provide?
The Learning Network provides webinars on topics related to the prevention of maltreatment among very young children, an e-newsletter, and in-person discussion groups and workshops at QIC-EC partners' national conferences, including the Center for the Study of Social Policy's Strengthening Families Summit and ZERO TO THREE's National Training Institute.
Are there any next steps or future development plans for the Learning Network?
We will continue to provide webinars, e-newsletters, and meetings or workshops at national conferences through the final year of the QIC-EC, which concludes in September 2013. The principle investigators of the QIC-EC's research and development (R&D) projects will present their research findings via Learning Network webinars. We will disseminate written products as well, including the R&D projects' implementation manuals. A special issue of the ZERO TO THREE Journal focused on the QIC-EC's work will be published in early 2014, and Learning Network members will be notified of its availability.
Post-webinar surveys show that Learning Network members have found our webinars to be valuable. About half of each webinar's attendees have participated in previous webinars. They report finding them interesting, valuable, informative, and pertinent to their work. Most feel engaged by the presentations and find the information immediately applicable to their work. Participants report planning discussions of the content with colleagues, teaching, or training on the topic discussed, and otherwise incorporating the information into their work.
For more information on the QIC-EC, visit its website:
http://www.qic-ec.org/
The Learning Network is available here:
http://www.qic-ec.org/network
Webinars, archived e-newsletter issues, and other materials from the Learning Network are available on the Resources page:
http://www.qic-ec.org/network/resources
More information on ZERO TO THREE is available on the organization's website:
http://www.zerotothree.org/
