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Nurturing Care: A Holistic Approach to Optimal Child Development and Health

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To reach their full potential, all children require nurturing care from an early age. This means being rsed in a stable environment that meets their health and nutritional needs, protection agnst threats, opportunities for early learning, interactions that are both responsive and emotionally supportive, as well as stimulation for development. Nurturing care lays the groundwork for long-term survival and thriving in life. Sadly, approximately 250 million children under five years old worldwide face the risk of not achieving their developmental potential, with significant implications for their health, education, productivity, and overall well-being throughout their lives.

Primary healthcare services offer a universal platform to support all families and children alike, serving as an entry point for early identification and interventions for those needing additional assistance. Healthcare professionals, including pediatricians, are uniquely positioned to observe the strengths and vulnerabilities of both family dynamics and child development, initiating open discussions on developmental progress, and providing guidance to caregivers in fostering nurturing care environments.

Evidence shows that when caregivers are equipped with knowledge on all aspects of nurturing care from pregnancy onwards, children have a higher chance of unlocking their full potential for development, even under challenging circumstances. This paper outlines the role of the Nurturing Care Framework and its five strategic actions in guiding multi-sectoral policies, interventions, and service delivery strategies.

We introduce the concept of nurturing care as foundational to child health and development. This framework encompasses feeding practices, responsive caregiving, immunizations, healthcare, early learning opportunities, protection from violence and exploitation, emotional security, and supportive social systems that promote inclusive growth for every child. It is a holistic approach recognizing that children's health, development, and survival are interconnected.

The Nurturing Care Framework serves as a guide for policymakers, service providers, and communities to ensure all children have access to the necessary care and support they need. Through collaborative efforts across sectors such as healthcare, nutrition, education, social protection, and child protection, governments can work towards creating enabling environments that nurture children's development.

In , nurturing care is not just a set of practices but a comprehensive approach ensuring every child has the best start in life. Investing in nurturing care means investing in our collective future. Let us work together to prioritize this critical need, so no child falls behind and can reach their full potential.

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Funding:

The authors would like to acknowledge fundersorganizations for their generous support of this researchproject.

Author Information:

Bernadette Daelmans and Sheila Ashifa Manji contributed equally to this work. They are both affiliated with the Child Health and Development Unit at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where they lead efforts on child health policy and programming. Neena Rna is also associated with the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the same organization.

Ethics Declarations:

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript's content or its development process.

Additional Information:

This work was conducted by staff members of the World Health Organization. The authors are solely responsible for the views expressed in this paper, which do not necessarily represent the decisions, policies, or views of the organization.

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