ECCD Begins at Home: Caring for Children in a Nurturing and ...

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ECCD Begins at Home: Caring for Children in a Nurturing and Stimulating Environment

The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC)4 The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) 1

Acknowledgements

ARNEC wishes to express its profound gratitude to ICF International, New Delhi, India for the foundational work on this booklet. Special thanks are due also to Dr. Chemba Raghavan, Dr. Kathy Cologon, Ms. Junko Miyahara and Ms. Kanitha Kongrukgreatiyos for their help in drafting and editing the content. This booklet would not have been possible without the in-depth technical inputs from the ARNEC Advocacy Working Group namely Dr. Adarsh Sharma and Ms. Maki Hayashikawa, as well as from members of the ARNEC Steering Committee. Support from Ms. Tanya Batra is also acknowledged on these and other ARNEC activities. We would also like to extend a special thanks to Ms. Miriam Thangaraj and Ms. Jessica Malkin for their careful documentation and their research reports on noteworthy practices in the region. Thank you also to Dr. Sheldon Shaeffer for peer reviewing the booklets. Content from submissions to the three editions of ARNEC’s signature publication, ARNEC CONNECTIONS, was also used in this publication and we gratefully acknowledge the diligence of the authors of these contributions.

About ARNEC

Launched on 7 February 2008, The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) is a network established to build strong partnerships across sectors and different disciplines, organisations, agencies and institutions in the Asia-Pacific region to advance the priority on and investment in early childhood.

ARNEC works to ensure the rights of every child to optimal holistic development through- Advocacy for Policy Change- Knowledge Generation- Information Management and Dissemination- Capacity Building- Partnership Building

ARNEC is guided by a 15-member Steering Committee composed of ECCD experts from different sub-regions in the Asia-Pacific. They represent the government, academia, NGOs and UN agencies, and provide the overall strategic direction of ARNEC and guidance of programme activities.

ARNEC covers a large geographical area, totaling 47 countries in the region. Membership in ARNEC is free and open to any individual concerned with young children in the Asia-Pacific region. Institutional Membership, or Friends of ARNEC, is also available to other institutions and organisations that actively promote ECCD.

The ARNEC website provides a rich collection of advocacy and communication materials, policy and planning documents, research and country specific reports, and newsletters on ECCD. To strengthen the ECCD database, ARNEC encourages experts and the general public to submit articles and resources to the Secretariat.

Published by Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC)c/o SEED Institute73 Bras Basah Road, NTUC Trade Union House #07-01, Singapore 189556

This publication is a product of collaboration between ARNEC and UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

© ARNEC 2011

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of UNESCO and ARNEC.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO and ARNEC concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

While every effort is made to provide accurate information, UNESCO and ARNEC disclaim any liability for errors and omissions or for any damages accruing from the use of its contents.

We welcome requests for permission to reproduce and translate this booklet in part or in full. Applications and enquiries should be addressed to the ARNEC Secretariat.

This series of six booklets have been prepared by the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC), with the objective of highlighting regional trends and issues specific and unique to the Asia-Pacific region for promoting and strengthening Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) policies and practices. This booklet highlights a need for particular advocacy within the Asia-Pacific region by introducing one of the five key advocacy messages that are evidence-based, regionally contextualised and prioritised based on diverse sources of information.

Introduction


The Role of the Family in the Young Child’s Development

Children who receive home-based ECCD programmes show significantly better development than their counterparts who do not receive any such input (Rao & Pearson, 2007)D. When other community- or state-based ECCD programmes are not available, home-based programmes are effective options.

Children whose fathers participate in their development demonstrate positive effects such as advanced cognitive development and are better problem solvers as toddlers. By the same token, poor or no fathering can lead to socio-emotional issues even to the extent of delinquency (Allen & Daly, 2002).D

Successful ECCD programming should target effective father involvement in these initiatives. The home-based ECCD Project initiated by World Vision in Wilgamuwa, Sri Lanka, has demonstrated that ECCD can serve as an effective platform in empowering and encouraging fathers to “own” and actively engage in the process of childrearing along with the mothers (World Vision, undated).

ECCD at Home Serves All Children

The Father’s Role is Crucial

Home-based programmes started in 2004 in Cambodia and had 13,447 children enrolled by 2005-2006 out of the total ECCD enrolment of 119,893. A core mother selected by the community provides resources, hands-on practice and training to mothers about promoting children’s well being, development and everyday stimulating activities. The programme encourages mothers groups to meet regularly and requires minimal external resources (Rao & Pearson, 2007).

A child’s first contact with the world is typically through adult caregivers in the family. Their interactions with these adult caregivers and the home environment impact the young child’s brain structure and emotional, social and physical development (Iltus, 2006).

Hands to Hearts International (HHI) was founded on the premise that all parents want to and are capable of providing the most essential components of healthy child development through caring relationships and nurturing daily interactions. Steeped in this evidence, the curriculum and training of Hands to Hearts International are replicable, cost effective tools that provide education in ECCD, psycho-stimulation, hygiene, play and baby massage to mothers and caregivers of the children of the world. (Hudson, 2009)

Caregiver support and education programmes can equip them with information on caring and stimulation for children to help children reach their optimal potential (UNESCO, 2006a).

The Philippines ECCD Law, enacted in 2000, affirms parents as primary caregivers and the child’s first teachers (UNESCO, 2006). The Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) implemented by the government provides support to all caregivers especially from low-income groups. The programme includes parent sessions, home-based training, neighbourhood assemblies, live radio programmes and manuals. A special focus on fathers is an essential part of the model (Rao & Sun, 2010).

As part of a pilot study to provide “easy to do” packages at home, a study in Indonesia provided a unique way of providing integrated child development services through the health sector. Popularly known as the “Tanjungsari Model”, the pilot is a posyandu (integrated service centre)-based service delivery model that provides health, nutrition and early stimulation and learning to children under eight years of age while the interventions for mothers are delivered through the puskemas (local health centres). Data indicated a small but significant increase in enrolments of children. In addition, “evaluators of the project also found that children attending the Taman Posyandu had greater school readiness than children not attending”. (UNICEF, 2004, p.16)

The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) 3

The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC)4 The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) 5The Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) 5

Out of 46 countries in the region, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand explicitly include family- and home-based ECCD programmes. There are other countries that do start their ECCD services before birth but whether they provide comprehensive support to the family is not clear (Rao & Sun, 2010).

Irrespective of the scale of the programme, home and family support programmes appear to have demonstrated benefits. Based on accumulated evidence, it is clear that State and voluntary efforts need to promote home-based initiatives in the region as these are both effective and low-cost. A related advantage of such community-level initiatives is strengthening the MDG for achieving gender equality: “A study in Nepal indicated that participation in ECCD was highly related to retention rates of young girls in early grades of primary school among the dalits (marginalised community). It is possible that participation in ECCD strengthened parents’ views of their daughters as active, engaged learners and encouraged them to keep their children in school.” (Bartlett et al, 2003)

Children need a seamless continuum of care and education before birth through primary years to help them reach the optimum growth and development. This is possible when all members of the family and community and policy makers are empowered with knowledge about young children’s development.

Parents’ Awareness and Home-Based ECCD Programmes Ensure Smoother Transition to Pre-schools

“ “ Home-based interventions can only be effective when the community is involved. The community provides the context to adapt models and appropriate programmes in local languages. Community leaders and core group members take the lead to create acceptance and space for activities and are a crucial link to external agencies.

Home- and community-based programmes are important in providing the right environment and start to children. These help in reaching out to the populations that cannot afford or access ECCD services. These programmes have been found to strengthen the overall ECCD effort due to commitment from parents and community. Such interventions help parents who benefit enormously as result of sharing with and support from others.

The “Mother Teacher”, one of the ground-breaking intervention practices of Bodh Shiksha Samiti, engage local women in the educational development of children and communities. Today, it is acknowledged as a successful strategy for empowering women and improving child care practices in the community. An implementing partner of the Aga Khan Foundation, Bodh’s work with urban slum children and children living in remote rural areas of Rajasthan are well recognized. Their work over the last 20 years has particularly highlighted how quality and relevant education can be provided to children in marginalized communities (Aga Khan Foundation India, 2008).

Community Involvement and Support to Family


Policy Recommendations

While there are many experiences supported by anecdotal evidence, more rigorous programme evaluation is urgently needed that can influence policy makers and other stakeholders toward improved ECCD at both policy and practice levels. Professional networks that promote a “knowledge-sharing culture” are of critical importance in providing effective policy advocacy and practice improvement efforts. Based on the research in the region, ARNEC calls on its members to:

1. Invest in programmes for parents (fathers and extended caregivers included) that strengthen and develop strong parenting and care giving skills.

2. Ensure that programmes that support parents follow a targeted and practice based curriculum.

3. Create successful programmes for fathers that reach them at home, the work setting or the community.

4. Create opportunities for parents to spend more time with their children at home by promoting work at home programmes, flexible work schedules and non-traditional workforce engagement.

5. Introduce ECCD and the critical role of parents to young adolescents (parents- to-be) through school curriculums, vocational training programmes and other community initiatives.

6. Establish strong social protection mechanisms, specifically reaching orphans and vulnerable children who otherwise may lack a strong home environment.

7. Support and establish (where these don’t exist) community groups and mechanisms to support parents and extended caregivers.

8. Embed parent support programmes in holistic and integrated initiatives including health and nutrition programmes.

9. Allocate sufficient funds for implementing the above mentioned policy recommendations.


Allen, S. & Daly, K. (2002). The effects of father involvement: A summary of the research evidence. The FII-O News. Volume 1, Fall 2002. Retrieved from http://www.ecdip.org/docs/pdf/IF%20Father%20Res%20Summary%20(KD).pdf on 6 September 2010.

Aga Khan Foundation India. (2008). Mother teachers: The agents of change in Rajasthan. ARNEC Newsletter: Early Childhood in Asia and the Pacific, Issue No. 1.

Bartlett, S., C. Arnold, and P. Sapkota. (2003). What’s the difference? : An ECD impact study. Save the Children (US, Norway)/UNICEF.

Hudson, C. (2009). A cross cultural solution: Hands to Hearts International. ARNEC Connections: Working Together for Early Childhood. Issue No. 2.

Iltus, S. (2006). Significance of home environments as proxy indicators for early childhood care and education. UNESCO. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001474/147465e.pdf

Rao, N., & Pearson, E. (2007). Evaluation of early childhood care and education programmes in Cambodia. UNICEF. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/CBD_early_childhoodcare_evaluation.pdf Rao, N. & Sun, J. (2010). Early childhood care and education in the Asia Pacific region: Moving towards goal 1 Bangkok, Thailand: UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education & Hong Kong: Comparative Education Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong.

UNESCO. (2006). Country basic information: The Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/archive/Countries/WDE/2006/ASIA_and_the_PACIFIC/Philippines/Philippines.htm

UNESCO. (2006a). EFA global monitoring report 2007: Strong foundations: Early childhood care and education. UNESCO, France.

UNICEF. (2004). Working towards best practices: Regional experience on integrated approach to early childhood: Six case studies in East Asia. UNICEF EAPRO, Bangkok.

World Vision. (undated). Sri Lanka: Making Every Day Father’s Day. Retrieved from http://wvasiapacific.org/gender/sri-lanka-making-every-day-fathers-day.html, on 6 September 2010).

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