The Early Years - An Opportunity of a Lifetime

“The Early Years – An Opportunity of a Lifetime”

Awareness raising campaign implemented by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF from

August 1 to October 31, 2009

OBJECTIVE:

“By December 2009, increase awareness by 20% of Montenegro’s parents with children under the age

of 6 on key ECD issues defined by the survey through an awareness raising campaign.”

KAP Survey in June 2009:

• KAP survey was conducted in June 2009 among 1,000 Montenegro’s parents of children under 6.

• Key findings showed that there are 3 main areas on which parents need to be better informed and influenced in order to improve practices:

1.more active role of fathers in child’s upbringing • 41% of mothers stated that they mainly visited the doctor alone; • 59% fathers claimed not to know how the child was fed; • 37% of breastfeeding mothers stated that no one helped them with nutrition and breastfeeding, sterilization, cleaning, bathing the child; • Only 7% of fathers teach a child his/her first moral principles, i.e. what’s good, what’s bad – this is mother’s responsibility in 86% of cases.

2. alternatives to physical punishment • 55% of guardians said that they had to hit their child at least once during the last week.

3.breastfeeding• 63% of guardians agreed with the statement that Breast milk may be of such quality that

it fails to meet all the needs of the child for nutrients. 22% said it was not sure whether to agree or not and only 15% expressed disagreement.

Target groups:

• parents of children under 6

• their opinion-makers – family members, friends and experts (doctors, nurses, psychologists, etc.).

Communication Channels:• The survey identified TV as the main source of information of the target

groups, while on the last place are books, magazines, brochures and internet.

• The results of the survey indicated clearly the communication channels to be used: – 3 promotional videos (1 for each topic) were broadcasted for free on all TV

stations and in the cinema before the movies; – billboards and city lights with key messages along the most frequently used

roads and in places with the greatest circulation of people in all municipalities throughout Montenegro;

– live interviews on the most influential TV stations; – print-ads and articles with key ECD messages in the most read daily, weekly

and monthly newspapers including a specific magazine for health professionals.;

– Special events with sports and music celebrities, preschools and maternity wards in the north, centre and south of Montenegro were organized every month in order to remind the target groups and the media of the campaign messages regularly.

Key messages:

A mother’s milk is the most complete form of

nutrition she can offer her newbornMother’s milk – all a baby needs Every child deserves the best possible start to life

Baby always has time for a cuddle The Early Years – An Opportunity of a Lifetime

Key messages:

Being a father is an opportunity

of a lifetime

Children always have

time to laughActive fathers strengthen children’s self-

confidence

Active fathers strengthen

children’s self-confidence

I always have time to

laugh

Children always have time to

play

Being a father is an opportunity

of a lifetime

Children always have time for

a story


play


cuddle

Key messages:

Children imitate the closest

ones

Children imitate the closest

ones

Talk to your children when

they do something wrongTalk to your children when they do something

wrong

Explain to the child rules and boundaries

Children learn to behave by imitating

the closest ones

Special events with celebrities were organized every month in

order to remind the target groups in various parts of Montenegro and

the media of the campaign’s key messages

UNICEFSomalia, 1992 - HQ92-5103 / Press

WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 01-07/08/2009

Podgorica, July 31, 2009

BEGINNING OF THE CAMPAIGN“THE EARLY YEARS –

AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME”

Minister of Health Miodrag Radunovic and UNICEF Montenegro Representative Noala Skinner launch the campaign


ĐURO OSTOJID, BASKETBALL PLAYER, PROMOTES FATHERS

“My experience is quite fresh. However, as Ispend most of the time abroad, I have to saythat there is a visible difference in how muchtime fathers abroad devote to raising theirchildren. Also, they are more dedicated duringpregnancy, when men need to help theirwives and pass together the weeks and mothsof expecting the beautiful moment. Definitely,fathers should be involved in child’sdevelopment the whole time. And all thenights that you did not sleep can only bringyou more pleasure, not to think about howmuch they will mean to the child and howmuch you will help him/her to find the rightway through life.”

A preschool in Podgorica, August 5,2009


MILOŠ ŠDEPANOVID, WATERPOLO PLAYER, PROMOTES ALTERNATIVES TO PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT

Sports Centre in Podgorica, August 19, 2009

“We all come home stressed from work, but nochild deserves to be hit. If we as adults requirelots of attention on daily basis, then childrenneed it much more than us. The relationshipbetween spuses is the foundation of every familyand if this relationship is coloured with love,patience and attention, this will be reflected tochildren in the greatest measure. We cannotchange the child’s character, but we can helphim/her to learn what is “right” and what is“wrong”.”


Maternity ward in Bar, September 8, 2009

ANDRIJANA BOŽOVID, SINGER, PROMOTES BREASTFEEDING

”I breastfed my son for a year and these 12months were a period during which the twoof us had a really special relationship. I willnever forget these moments, mines and his,when I was holding him in my arms and hewas watching me. As he was growing, he waskind of becoming more aware of this. Youneed to be persistent when breastfeeding,because you know that you are giving the bestto the child.''


VUKAŠIN POLEKSID, FOOTBALL PLAYER, PROMOTES FATHERS

“When I play for the club abroad, Ihang out with my child every dayafter 4pm, as until then he’s in thekindergarten. I try to use everymoment available to spend it playingwith him, telling him stories, visiting aZOO and the park, and so, our everyday is fulfilled.”

Montenegro Football Federation Terrains, Podgorica, October 8, 2009


BASKETBALL CLUB “ULCINJ” PROMOTES FATHERS

Sports hall in a primary school in Ulcinj, October 16, 2009

Petar Jovanovid, basketball player

‘’I have a 4 year old son and my job is quite

demanding. I find it hard not being able to be with him as much as I would like to, but I use every

moment I have to be with him, as being a parent is

the most beautiful thing in the world.”

Dragan Radovid, trainer ‘’ I made a big mistake and I am trying to correct it now and in future. I would advice other

parents not to make the same mistake that I did, as I did not have enough time to dedicate to my child. So, my message would be to use all the free

time you have to be with your child.”


PLJEVALJSKI TAMBURAŠI, FAMOUS MUSIC BEND, PROMOTES FATHERS

A preschool in Pljevlja, October 21, 2009

„We are honoured to support thecampaign of the Ministry of Health andUNICEF “The Early Years-An Opportunityof a Lifetime”. We hope that our timespent with children today will influenceour citizens, current and future fathers inPljevlja. Campaign’s messages are thatchildren always have time to play, laugh,for a story and to cuddle, and we wouldlike to add that children always havetime to sing. We are showing this todayin the preschool “Eko-bajka”, saysIbrahim Ipko Gerina from Pljevaljskitamburaši bend.


RAMBO AMADEUS, UNICEF NATIONAL GOODWILL AMBASSADOR, PROMOTES ALTERNATIVES TO PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT

A preschool in Bijelo Polje, October 27, 2009

“Parents hit their children for tworeasons. The first one is because theydon’t have time and patience to talk tothem. The second one comes fromfrustrations that parents live through atwork place, on the street, with friendsand in their environment, because theydon’t have the strength to cope withthis. They come home and only childrenare not able to hit back. Too afraid toconfront adults, parents take it out ontheir child.”

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION

Key findings of the survey among 1,000 Montenegro’s parents of children under 6 in

November 2009 show that

the campaign objective was achieved.

Yes

72%

No

28%

Have you noticed in the past 3 months, that is, since August 1st, any campaigns concerning children and their early development, either on TV, radio, newspapers or billboards, through promotion of public personalities or interviews?

72% of parents spontaneously cite our

campaign when asked if they have

noticed any ECD campaign lately.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION

75% answer

positively the

prompted question

whether they have

seen the campaign

of Unicef and

Ministry of Health.

Where, in which media have you seen or heard this campaign?

87%

63%

27%

24%

22%

20%

2%

TV commercial

Billboards or street posters

Discussions or interviews on

TV- with professionals

Promotions by sportsmen,

singers and other celebrities

Ad in newspapers

Article in newspapers

Other

3/4 noticed

promotional videos

and they were the

most noticed source of

information, then

billboards and city

lights 63%, interviews

27%, promotions with

celebrities 24%,

newspaper ads 22%

and articles in

newspapers 20%.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION – COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION -BREASTFEEDING

95% of those who noticed the campaign

know that it covered breast-feeding.

Average grade on scale 1-5 for breast-

feeding promotional video is 4.8.

More than half of parents 58.3% were

stimulated by this campaign to think about

breast-feeding and 42% are under the

impression that concerning this issue the

campaign was addressing them directly.

26% of parents agree that breast-milk

contains all nutrients a baby needs, while

before the campaign only 15% knew this.

The percentage of those who disagree with

this dropped from 63% in the first survey to

53% after the campaign.

If they had another child, average duration

of breast-feeding would be 12 months, while

in the research before the campaign it was 9

months.


know that it covered the role of fathers.

Average grade on scale 1-5 for role of fathers

promotional video is 4.7.

Almost 2/3 of parents 60.9% were stimulated

by the campaign to think about the father's

role and 43.9% were under the impression

that this campaign was addressing them

directly.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION –ROLE OF FATHERS

When asked what attitudes were changed

due to the campaign, parents most often

refer to father devoting more time to children

18%.

When asked what behaviour changes

occurred due to the campaign, most

mentioned is that father devotes more time

to children 16.8%.

Campaign brought new information to 40%

of parents. As new information, they usually

mention importance of father's role.


know that it covered alternatives to physical

punishment. Average grade on scale 1-5 for

alternatives to physical punishment

promotional video is 4.7.

61.5% of parents were stimulated by the

campaign to think about alternatives to

physical punishment and 43.1% felt as being

personally addressed.

22% of parents say they had to hit their child

at least once last week, while before the

campaign 55% of parents claimed this.

76% of parents say they don't punish their

children physically, while before the

campaign only 45% of parents claimed so.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION –ALTERNATIVES TO PHYSICAL

PUNISHMENT

Campaign brought new information to

40% of parents. As new information, they

usually mention: importance of father's

role, importance of breast-feeding and

different upbringing methods.

Compared with the research performed

before the campaign, lower percentage

of parents would not change anything

regarding raising their children - from

74% to 60%.

Majority of the population (80%)

liked this campaign in general.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION

45% of parents were stimulated by

the campaign to think about ECD.

Did this campaign make you change any of your attitudes, in terms of early

child development?

Not at all, since

everything that I saw in

this campaign

coincides with the way

I perceive proper child

development

64%

Not at all, my attitudes

are somewhat

different, but I don’t

think I should change

them

22%

It made me change

some of my attitudes

14%

14% of guardians say that this campaign changed their attitudes

towards upbringing of children.

63% say that there was no change because their attitudes are

already in accordance with those proclaimed by the campaign.

Others (22%) admit that their attitudes are somewhat different,

but they think that no changes are required.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION – ATTITUDE CHANGES

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION – ATTITUDE CHANGES

When asked what attitudes were

changed, parents most often refer to

father devoting more time to children

18%, to talking more with children

17.6% and not hitting their children

17.4%.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION – BEHAVIOUR CHANGES

Has this campaign influenced any changes to happen in your family, even the

tiniest, regarding the way you raise your child (either you or your spouse)?

No influence

81%

Yes

19%

19% of target population claim to have

changed their behavior towards children

after this campaign.

77% of those who haven’t

changed their behavior, state

that they are already behaved in

accordance with the proclaimed

attitudes, so there was no need

for any changes of behavior.

17% state that their behavior

toward children is not in

accordance with the proclaimed

in the campaign, but they think it

is correct and don’t want to

change it.

3% say that they don’t know

how they would do this exactly.

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION – BEHAVIOUR CHANGES

Behaviour changes most mentioned

are: father devotes more time to

children 16.8%, parents talk to children

more 11.7% and parents don't hit their

children any longer 15.3%.

The Early Years - An Opportunity of a Lifetime

Education

Transcript of The Early Years - An Opportunity of a Lifetime