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Abstract:
For every child to reach their full potential, they need nurturing care from the start of pregnancy through early childhood. This involves rsing children in a stable environment that meets their health and nutritional needs, providing protection agnst risks, offering opportunities for early learning, and fostering interactions characterized by responsiveness, emotional support, and developmental stimulation. Nurturing care lays the groundwork for an individual's survival and flourishing throughout life. Alas, approximately 250 million children under the age of five globally are at risk of not realizing their developmental potential, with significant implications for their health, education, productivity, and well-being across their lifetimes.
Primary healthcare services serve as a universal platform offering support to all families and children and an entry point for identifying and addressing needs among those requiring additional assistance. Health professionals, especially pediatricians, are uniquely positioned to observe, understand the strengths and vulnerabilities of a family and child, initiate conversations about development, and d caregivers in providing nurturing care. Evidence underscores that when parents are supported to provide all components of nurturing care from pregnancy onwards, children have a better chance at unlocking their developmental potential even under adversity.
This paper outlines how the Nurturing Care Framework's strategic actions guide multi-sectoral policies, interventions, and services. It highlights the pivotal role healthcare providers can play in supporting young children's development in their early years.
Contributors:
The manuscript was conceptualized by BD who developed the first draft. Both BD and SM contributed to revising sections of the paper, ensuring its coherence and depth. All authors collaborated in finalizing the manuscript.
Funding:
No external funding sources were utilized for this work.
Competing interests:
None declared.
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Acknowledgement:
The authors are staff members of the World Health Organization WHO. Responsibility for the views expressed lies solely with the authors, who do not represent WHO decisions, policies or views.
References:
UN 2016. Global Strategy for Women's Children's and Adolescents' Health. United Nations.
Richter LM et al. 2017. Investing in the foundation of sustnable development: Pathways to scale up for early childhood development. Lancet, 3899549, 103-18.
Britto PR et al. 2018. Nurturing care for early childhood development: A framework for helping children survive and thrive to transform health and potential. World Health Organization.
Trude AC et al. 2021. Effects of responsive caregiving and learning opportunities during preschool ages on the association of early adversities and adolescent capital: An analysis of birth cohorts in two middle-income countries. Lancet Child Adolesc Health, 51, 37-46.
Gertler P et al. 2014. Labor market returns to an early childhood stimulation intervention in Jamca. Science, 3446189, 998-1001.
Citation Format:
World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, World Bank Group 2018. Nurturing care for early childhood development: A framework for helping children survive and thrive to transform health and potential.
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Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development Strategies Global Perspective on Child Potential Realization Importance of Stable Environments in Early Years Role of Healthcare Providers in Supporting Childrens Growth Linking Nurturing Care to Lifelong Health Outcomes Multi Sectoral Policies Guided by the Nurturing Care Framework