At the IDeA centre, researchers from various disciplines investigate the individual learning and development processes in children of pre-school and primary school age. IDeA stands for “Individual Development and Adaptive Education”. Empirical studies focus primarily on children who, because of various – (neuro-) cognitive and/or social – factors, are seen to be at greater risk of underachieving at school. IDeA investigates the developmental pathways of children in those age groups as the first step to finding out how learning environments can best be designed to provide support for the individual child in heterogeneous groups. IDeA research also takes account of educators and teachers, whose skills and attitudes are seen as immediately relevant for learning success. IDeA was the first LOEWE research centre to be given a long-term presence. Since July 2014 the coordination services and laboratory infrastructure has become a permanent pillar of the German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF) in Frankfurt.