Native Children’s Research Exchange Network & Conference

The mission of the Native Children’s Research Exchange (NCRE) is to bring together researchers studying child and adolescent development in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities. We gather annually to share in an open exchange of information and ideas, build collaborative relationships, mentor new scholars, and disseminate knowledge about Native child and adolescent development.

NCRE was founded in 2008 with funding from the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). With SRCD support, the first conference was held in 2008 and the second in 2009. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA; R13DA029391) awarded five additional years of funding to support annual conferences from 2010 to 2014, with a specific focus on understanding Native children’s development within the context of substance use. Subsequent NIDA funding (R13DA051122) has provided support for this continued emphasis in the 2021-2023 conferences. 

From 2015 to present, NCRE has received additional support from the Tribal Early Childhood Research Center (TRC), which is funded by the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (90PH0017, 90PH0027, and 90PH0030). With TRC support, NCRE has expanded to include an additional focus on early childhood in Native communities and a broader network of participants working in/with tribal Head Start, Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting, Child Care Development Fund, and Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) programs.

Collectively, NCRE members work to address the following priorities:

• Development of scientifically and culturally grounded theories and methodologies for Native child development research prenatally through emerging adulthood.
• Critical evaluation of measurements, assessments, and diagnoses for Native youth.
• Development of culturally-adapted and culturally-based interventions effective for Native youth.
• Training and mentorship of scholars whose work focuses on Native child and adolescent development.
• Education of funders and the research community about the unique context of research in Native communities and the critical importance of community-based participatory research methods.
• Building collaboration among all scholars and practitioners interested in Native child and adolescent development.
  

NCRE 2023 Conference

2023 Conference Theme

Reflecting on Indigenous Methodologies in Native Child Development and Substance Use Research to Guide Current Practices and Lead the Way Forward

Dates

Thursday and Friday, September 14-15, 2023

*Opening reception Wednesday evening September 13

Location

The conference will be held at the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health:

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building

13055 East 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045

Registration

Thanks to support provided by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R13DA051122) and the Administration for Children and Families (90PH0030), there is no registration fee for this year’s conference.  

Registration is limited to 100 participants.

>> More information, including registration, call for submissions, and travel support

Get in touch with NCRE Network and Conference