The centre was established in November, 1972, as a joint project of UNICEF and the University of the West Indies.  The Unit was established to promote early childhood development through training programmes, curriculum development, research and advocacy. 

Originally established as the Regional Preschool Child Development Centre, the Centre evolved into Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC) in 1985.

CCDC is a specialist unit within the School of Continuing Studies, University of the West Indies.

The School of Continuing Studies is an outreach arm of the UWI on its three campuses  (Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados) and in eleven other non-campus countries within the English-speaking Caribbean.  CCDC has a mandate to work not only in Jamaica where the unit is based, but with the wider Caribbean.

CCDC is located at the Mona Campus, University of the West Indies Jamaica. The University is a regional body covering 14 English-speaking countries and CCDC works throughout the member countries. The remit of CCDC extends further to include the countries of CARICOM, and those in which CCDC partners with UNICEF and other programmes. Some of the Centre’s regional work therefore includes programmes in Suriname, Guyana, Belize and Bahamas and cooperation with the Dutch Antilles and the wider region.

CCDC's Home Page

CCDC's Databases