The Picard Center

Here at The Cecil J. Picard Center, we focus on research that affects children and their capacity for learning.

Our research focuses on five areas: education, health, longitudinal, quality of life, and workforce.

Learn More

The Picard Center for Child Development

The Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development is a research center comprised of a multidisciplinary group of evaluation and research professionals who focus on science-based innovation in practice and policy with the goal of producing substantially larger impacts on the learning capacity, health, and economic and social mobility of young children. Our research is focused on the following areas of early childhood study: education, development, health and mental health, assessment and evaluation, and early intervention and prevention programs. Our overall goal is to ensure a prosperous and healthy future for children and families in Louisiana.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update & Resources

The Picard Center is dedicated to serving Louisiana's children and families and has provided a number of resources for parents, professionals, and caregivers. Please visit our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Children, Families, and Childcare Professionals page for more information.

On Sunday, March 22, 2020, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide order that requires residents to stay in their homes except when going out for essentials. The order will take effect at 5 p.m. Monday, March 23. At that time, UL Lafayette and the Picard Center operations will transition to remote functions. We anticipate that transition will be completed by Wednesday, March 25. While the University and the Picard Center does not anticipate interruption of services during this period, we ask for patience as we work to re-establish our workspaces and business functions from our homes. Thank you for your patience as we continue critical University operations. All updates will be posted to a dedicated webpage (https://louisiana.edu/covid19-updates) and on the University’s social media accounts, including Facebook and Twitter.

All Picard Center vendors and partners can expect to continue working with our staff as usual. If you have any questions, please contact picardcenter@louisiana.edu. 

We lead interdisciplinary research initiatives to increase our understanding of children's learning and development within diverse sociocultural contexts. The Picard Center provides a number of resources to all community members and encourages frequent collaboration to overcome the gap between research, policy, and practice. The Picard Center’s unique event spaces can be rented for professional learning, meetings, seminars, and conferences. Simple pricing, ample parking, and easy catering options make booking your event at the Picard Center an obvious choice.