Our History
About CCDC


During the fall and winter of 1977-78, a number of staff members within the Westport public school system began discussing the feasibility of developing an early childhood center for their young children. They planned “…a quality daycare center involving a high degree of parent participation…. With consistent loving care from a small number of constant caregivers, an environment designed to allow maximum freedom to explore and experience within the child’s developmental abilities, and discipline aimed at creating responsible, self-respecting, self-motivating children who respect and cooperate with others, daycare can serve as an extended family offering enrichment and support that can be beneficial for parent and child alike.”

The parent group came together with the Child Care Council, a non-profit agency, interested in expanding quality childcare. Through this association, the Westport Infant Toddler Center was established to meet the needs of working families in Westport and surrounding areas. The program opened on January 29, 1979 with five children and two teachers.

We believe that quality early care and education is the right of every child. To work towards the vision that the availability of care would someday match the need, our founders came together with other organizations serving children and their families to form the Parent Child Center in the Hillspoint School. The additional space in the new building enabled the Westport Infant Toddler Center to expand its program to serve younger infants and preschoolers. To reflect the broader scope of the services, the name was changed to the Children's Community Daycare Center. The high standards for quality early care and education in an intimate environment remained as constants in this transition. In 2004, the name was changed to the Children's Community Development Center and a tag line -- "Where Learning Begins" -- was added.

In 1988, the CCDC was granted accreditation from the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, among the first early childhood programs in the nation to achieve this status. CCDC is committed to maintaining accreditation.

CCDC’s Mission is “to provide a consistent high quality, accredited early childhood care and education program that enriches children through a developmentally appropriate curriculum, that is responsive to the needs of family and staff and that maintains a high level of parent-staff interaction and involvement in the management and direction of the program.” (By-laws, Article I, paragraph 4.)

CCDC embraces a philosophy of full inclusion regarding the participation of children and families with diverse needs, abilities and life circumstances.

Financial assistance is available to qualified applicants through the support of the United Way of Westport-Weston and the CCDC Suzanne Rubenstein Scholarship Fund.