Reach Up and Learn: Providing nurturing care for caregivers
The International Rescue Committee has adapted the 'Reach Up and Learn' program, drawing on the Nurturing Care Framework, to train refugee and host community workers on how to promote opportunities for early learning and responsive caregiving during visits to caregivers in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Two short videos bring the program to life:• A 1 minute video looking at the work of a refugee home visitor and his own family in nothern Jordan and;
• A 4 minute video in which the same man speaks with families about their impressions of the program, and how he applies his ECD skills at home.
Find out more about the program here.
Brazil - Criança Feliz (Happy Child) Program
Brazil's Programa Crianca Feliz (Happy Child Program) was one of the winners of the WISE Awards in 2019. It has been described as the world’s biggest ECD experiment, aiming to prove that teaching poor parents how to love and nurture their infants will dramatically influence the kind of adults they become. The program uses the WHO/UNICEF Care for Child Development package. Since October 2016 home visitors have reached nearly 500,000 children, and the plan is to reach two million by 2023. more. There is a short video introducing the program here and a more detailed discussion here.
BRAIN MATTERS
Why is it that some children thrive and others do not? Carlota Nelson answers this question in a 72 minute documentary commissioned by the Genesis Foundation Colombia. Through interviews with cutting edge researchers, scientists, economists, families and educators, BRAIN MATTERS explores the so called "miracle years" and how everyday situations such as play, relationships, language and nutrition in the first few years can provide every child with the opportunity to thrive. Read Ammara Mushtaq's and Farooq Kazi's reflections on the documentary in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health here. Watch the trailer here. Purchase the full documentary on iTunes, Amazon and VOD.
The big touch of little heros
This video tells the story of identical twins, Lena and Mionka, who were born two months early in Serbia. At the Intensive Care and Therapy Unit, their parents were taught skin to skin contact. Both mother and father take every opportunity to touch and hold their little girls. The video tells their story and describes other initiatives underway at the health facility to ensure pre-term babies get the best possible care right from the start. Watch the video here. Read Lena and Mionka's story here.
The first touch is crucial
This video tells the story of little Elena Stojic who was born two months early in Kragujevac, Serbia. With support from UNICEF Serbia, the facility where she was born is employing kangaroo care with pre-term newborns. In the video her mother, Mirjana, describes how skin to skin contact helped her bond with Elena and resulted in immediate benefits for Elena's health and development. Watch the video here and read Mirjana and Elena's story here.
The beginning of life
This is a documentary about the importance of loving relationships in early childhood development. It includes interviews with experts and footage with parents from across nine countries and four continents. The Bernard van Leer Foundation provides a selection of short clips from the documentary, grouped by theme, here. Excerpts transcribed in Portuguese and other languages can be accessed here.
What do children need to thrive?
This short animated video explains why children need nurturing care to thrive and how this can help South Africa achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The video was made by The Children's Institute, University of Cape Town, in collaboration with RX Radio and UNICEF. A print publication, called the Child Friendly Summary 2017 (available here) accompanies the video. You can access the video here and learn more about the South African Child Gauge here.
Nurturing care: integrating early childhood development into health systems
PATH has put together two short films – a 14-minute version and a 4-minute version – to help policymakers, donors, and governmental and non-governmental partners understand how early childhood development and nurturing care can be integrated into health service delivery. Produced with input from UNICEF and the Aga Khan Foundation, both films can be accessed here.
Key early childhood development elements for nurturing care
UNICEF Bulgaria has produced a very simple and short (ie 1 minute 35) introduction to the Nurturing Care Framework. It is available on YouTube here.
Nurturing Care Framework – Health and Education Nexus
In May 2020 the Society for International Development held a virtual panel discussion with representatives from USAID, International Rescue Committee and PATH to explore how these organizations are using the Nurturing Care Framework in humanitarian settings, nutrition programs, and within the health sector – before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. more.
Advancing country efforts for early childhood workforce development: Home visitors needs assessment tool
ISSA and R4D introduce a needs assessment tool to support policymakers responsible for policy planning and personnel management of ECD programs around the early childhood workforce (18 October 2019). more.
USAID advancing nutrition webinar
On 11th September 2019, USAID hosted a webinar on the science behind the first 1,000 days, brain development and nurturing care. Watch the video recording and download the presentations here.
