Early childhood development

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the mental health of a generation of children. But the pandemic may represent the tip of a mental health iceberg – an iceberg we have ignored for far too long.  The State of the World’s Children 2021  examines child, adolescent and caregiver mental health. It focuses on risks and protective factors…, Uncertainty. Loneliness. Grief. These powerful emotions have enveloped the lives of many millions of children, young people and families. Children and young people could feel the impact of COVID-19 on their mental health and well-being for many years to come. Young boys wearing masks are playing a game of carrom. Ramjan (12), who came to the city…, The high cost of low investment, Despite all this, governments and societies are investing far too little in promoting, protecting and caring for the mental health of children, young people and their caregivers. We pay a high economic price for this neglect – around US$387.2 billion worth of lost human potential that could go towards national economies each year. The cost in…, Unheard calls for help, Young mental health advocates have not been standing by in silence. Many have been bravely calling for mental health to be addressed in different contexts around the world. In the State of the World’s Children 2021 , some have spoken out about their lived experiences with mental health and well-being, the challenges their friends and peers face,…, Understanding mental health: Breaking barriers, Our inability to address mental health can be measured by how little societies are willing to talk about or understand it. The fear of harsh words, laughter and abuse that underline the stigma around mental health make it harder for children, adolescents and caregivers to express their feelings. “With stress and mental illness, for many it’s a…, Youth perspectives on mental health, Adolescence is a time of strong feelings, when young people can feel overwhelmed, sad, isolated, or stressed. To better understand this time, we asked hundreds of young people in 13 different countries to talk to us about their greatest emotional and behavioural challenges. How do adolescents experience and perceive mental health?  Read the report…, It’s time for leadership, UNICEF calls for commitment, communication and action to promote good mental health for every child, protect vulnerable children and care for children facing the greatest challenges. Commitment means strengthening leadership to set the sights of a diverse range of partners and stakeholders on clear goals and ensuring investment in solutions and…, What UNICEF is doing, UNICEF works to help safeguard the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of children, adolescents, parents and caregivers in some of the world’s most challenging settings. We have also worked to address the global impact of the pandemic on mental health. A teacher talks to a boy in a classroom Rawan Nabulsi, 21, who had to leave her home in…, ON MY MIND T H E S TAT E O F T H E W O R L D S C H I L D R E N 2 0 2 1 Promoting, protecting and caring for childrens mental health Published by UNICEF since 1980, The State of the Worlds Children report seeks to deepen knowledge and raise awareness of key issues affecting children and advocates for solutions that improve childrens lives.…

A child’s first bite of food is celebrated among families around the world. It marks a new phase of discovery – new tastes, textures and smells. A nutritious diet in early childhood has the power to shape a healthier future for a child, helping to build a strong immune system, fuel a growing body and nourish a developing brain. Sadly, millions of…

Science shows that life is a story for which the beginning sets the tone. That makes the early years of childhood a time of great opportunity, but also great risk.  Children’s brains are built, moment by moment, as they interact with their environments. In the first few years of life, more than one million neural connections are formed each second…, Explore topics in early childhood development, When we give children the best start in life, the benefits are huge, for every child and for the societies we share. Providing early childhood development (ECD) interventions to all young children and families is one of the most powerful and cost-effective equalizers we have at our disposal, to ensure that the most vulnerable children can reach…, Abdo Gonzalez, 35, holds his daughter Paula, 14 months, for a portrait inside their apartment in the Fernando de la Mora district of Asunción, Paraguay. Support for parenting, Because parents and caregivers are the most important providers of nurturing care in early childhood, UNICEF works to ensure they have the time, resources and services they need to provide it. We offer information and resources UNICEF Parenting directly to parents , and also work with service providers and employers to offer support for parenting…, Inzhu, 2 years, playing and discovering new toys with trained coordinator of the PNS resource center in Turkestan. Support to governments and partners, Promoting children’s optimal development involves coordinated efforts across health, nutrition, education, child protection and social protection systems, and beyond. UNICEF works with governments, businesses, civil society and academia to strengthen these systems so that children receive the services required for their developmental needs – and…, Adra in eastern Ghouta in the Syrian Arab Republic, a UNICEF Syria child protection specialist holds 6-months-old baby Yusuf as his mother queued for services. Early childhood development in emergencies, For young children in humanitarian and fragile settings, access to ECD services is a matter of life and death. UNICEF advocates with governments, donors and other partners to ensure that ECD is treated – and funded – as a priority in all humanitarian action, including in protracted crises. We also work with partners to provide essential ECD…, Denee Warner, 28, holds her 19 month-old son Justice Warner outside Marilyn’s Nursery in Cottonground in Saint Thomas Lowland Parish on Nevis island, St. Kitts and Nevis. Tracking early childhood development, Data and evidence on ECD are essential to identifying the children at greatest risk of not achieving their full potential, improving and targeting services, and making the case for adequate investments in young children and their families. UNICEF works with governments and other partners to monitor ECD and create measurement tools that help close…

In Bolivia, a linguistic revitalization programme, called Bilingual Nests, supports mothers, fathers, caregivers, grandparents and community leaders to guide their youngest children in learning their native language from an early age, paving the way for greater success in preschool through the transition to primary school and beyond: children who…

Early childhood development (ECD) has many dimensions and unfolds at a breathtaking pace. Measuring ECD is a complex undertaking, and it is a new field, marked by rapid evolution, great urgency – and significant gaps in our knowledge.   We have long understood children’s development to their full potential as a General comment no. 7 (2005),…, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF works with governments and other partners to close the gaps in our knowledge of young children’s development, support monitoring and reporting on its many dimensions, and generate evidence to advocate for better resourced and targeted interventions in the early years of life. We also report on Global results global results from the…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF Early Childhood Development Index 2030 Early Childhood Development Index 2030 UNICEF UNICEF Data: Early Childhood Development UNICEF Data: Early Childhood Development UNICEF ECD in Emergencies: Fact Sheet ECD in Emergencies Fact Sheet UNICEF UNICEF Global Annual Results Report 2020: Goal Area 1 UNICEF Global Annual Results…, Learn more

Even in the best of times, babies and young children are among the world’s most vulnerable people. When societies are shaken by violence, disasters or disease outbreaks, their youngest members experience this as an existential threat.  Almost half of all under-five deaths are estimated to occur in fragile, conflict or violent settings. Meanwhile,…, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF works with governments, donors and other partners to ensure that the youngest children and their caregivers are visible in humanitarian contexts, and that the critical importance of early childhood development (ECD) services is recognized – both in the acute emergencies that make news headlines, and in the protracted crises the world often…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF Early Childhood Development Kit for Emergencies ECD Kit for Emergencies UNICEF Care for Child Development Care for Child Development UNICEF Caring for the Caregiver Caring for the Caregiver UNICEF Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies UNICEF Early Childhood Development in…, Learn more

To achieve their full potential, young children need nurturing care, which includes good health, adequate nutrition, security and safety, responsive caregiving and opportunities for early learning. Making sure that young children and their caregivers have access to the quality services and support they need requires significant coordination among…, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF works with governments, civil society and the private sector to ensure that all young children can access quality essential services that support their optimal development, and that their parents and caregivers get the support they need to provide nurturing care.  We work across each sector – health and nutrition, education, child and…, Resources, Publisher Title Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development, a partnership between WHO, UNICEF, World Bank Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development UNICEF Care for Child Development Care for Child Development UNICEF Caring for the Caregiver Caring for the Caregiver UNICEF Global Resource…, Learn more

Parents and caregivers are the chief architects of early childhood development. Like no one else, they shape the experiences that build their children’s brains and set them on a path towards healthy development.    UNICEF Parenting Parenting – whether it’s taken on by a mother, a father, a grandparent, sibling or another relative, or another adult…, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF strives to be a trusted partner for parents and caregivers everywhere, to support them in their most precious task of all – raising their children.   Strengthening integrated services for early childhood development (ECD) is one key part of this support. We work with governments, businesses, civil society, academia and other partners to…, Resources, Publisher Title UNICEF UNICEF Parenting UNICEF Parenting The Internet of Good Things Internet of Good Things Internet of Good Things UNICEF Caring for the Caregiver Caring for the Caregiver UNICEF Vision for Elevating Parenting, Learn more

Green spaces can significantly benefit children’s physical, mental and social development - from infancy into adulthood. This paper outlines the many benefits of green spaces on children's health and development, as well as actions to improve access to green spaces. Recommended interventions focus on empowering communities to claim and maintain…

INNOCENTI/NEW YORK, 18 June 2021 – Affordable, quality childcare is inaccessible in many of the world’s wealthiest countries, UNICEF said in a new report released today. Luxembourg, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Germany rank the highest on childcare provisions among high-income countries. Slovakia, the United States, Cyprus, Switzerland, and…

Since 2018, UNICEF is providing technical and financial support to the Government of North Macedonia to enhance the professional development of teacher competencies for early childhood education. This includes the introduction of a national programme promoting the social and emotional development of pre-school children and developing a dynamic…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on vulnerable children. While young people are not among those most at-risk of contracting the virus, the social and economic ramifications of the pandemic have been particularly acute for the most vulnerable and marginalized. Shocks to the global economy, to networks and services, to social systems and…, COVID-19 interrupted progress against every aspect of child survival, growth and development in 2020. Severe service disruptions reduced access to maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition and HIV services and immunization. In addition, the schools of over 168 million children were closed, many for an entire year. Restricted movement increased…, Health, Icon representing WASH - a tap with a drop of water 4,725 health-care facilities in 52 high-burden countries supported with water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services Icon representing infection control - virus symbol in a box Nigeria was certified as free of wild polio virus, in turn affording Africa the same status   Icon representing a…, Maternal and newborn health, UNICEF continued to focus on high-impact survival programmes, that includes special emphasis on improving the quality of care at the time of birth, the acceleration of global efforts to transform care for small and sick newborns and linking facility-based care with follow-up care in the community as the next step for newborn survival.    The COVID…, Immunization, Immunization remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions.  UNICEF advocates for the prioritization of children in the ‘zero-dose’ communities such as those in remote rural areas, urban slums and conflict-affected settings, for the delivery of immunization and other basic health services.    Disruptions to health services led…, Child health, To address the leading causes of under-five deaths, UNICEF interventions aim to accelerate progress and change the current trajectory, access to and utilization of high-impact interventions to reduce child deaths from pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. UNICEF continued to implement its thrive agenda, including through the strengthening of multi-…, Adolescent health, Despite the significant challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has also been a year of opportunity to mobilize political will and resources for promoting the health and well-being of adolescents globally. Icon representing gender - male and female symbols combined By the end of 2020 75 countries had an inclusive, multisectoral and gender-…, Nutrition, Icon representing stunting - two people with a height difference 244 million children under 5 were reached with services to prevent stunting and other forms of malnutrition in early childhood Icon representing adolescent health - silhouette with heart and tree 35 million adolescents were reached with services to prevent anaemia and other forms of…, Prevention of stunting and other forms of malnutrition, Prevention of malnutrition is the primary objective of all UNICEF nutrition programmes. To prevent malnutrition in children and their mothers, UNICEF works with governments to improve access to nutritious, safe and affordable diets; support quality nutrition, health, water and sanitation services; and promote optimal feeding, hygiene and care…, Adolescent nutrition, Middle childhood and adolescence are a second window of opportunity to reap the benefits of good nutrition. Yet even before the COVID-19 pandemic, far too many school-age children and adolescents were not consuming the nutritious foods they needed for healthy growth and development.   In 2020, school closures – affecting 1.6 billion school-age…, Treatment and care of children with severe wasting, When efforts to prevent malnutrition fall short, children with wasting need early detection, feeding, treatment and care to save their lives and put them back on the path to healthy development.  The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an even greater urgency to maintain services for children with wasting, who were particularly vulnerable. This urgency…, HIV and AIDS, Icon representing HIV and AIDS - HIV/AIDS ribbon 34 per cent drop in the number of new infections among adolescents aged 10–19 years in 2019 compared to 2010 Icon representing HIV prevention - HIV/AIDS ribbon in a shield 52 per cent drop in annual new HIV transmissions from mothers to their children between 2010 and 2019 and 2 million HIV…, Commemorating World AIDS Day on 1 December 2020, A young girl holding her hand out showing a medical tablet with her mother and young baby behind her UNICEF/UNI211839/Schermbrucker Kansiime Ruth (25 years) from Mbarara, Western Uganda, ensures that Joanita (4yrs) takes her pediatric HIV medicines at the same time every day. UNICEF 8 ways governments can help children with HIV now. 1️⃣ Get ARV…, Early Childhood Development, Icon representing early childhood development - child playing with building blocks Only 71 per cent of children globally 36–59 months of age are developmentally on track Icon representing reporting - pencil writing on paper 87 countries have established a national ECD policy or action plan Icon representing government building - building with flag…, Improving services and community demand, UNICEF has been strengthening multisectoral packages of interventions. In 2020, UNICEF continued to focus on stimulation and responsive care in the early years. Existing programme platforms, such as community health centres, home-visiting programmes, parenting networks and preschools are being increasingly used as entry-points to integrate…, Building stronger institutions, UNICEF has continued to strengthen enabling policy environments to promote multisectoral ECD interventions at scale – critical to institutionalizing ECD practices. This year, 87 countries, four more than in 2019, confirmed that they have a national ECD policy or action plan. UNICEF is also working with 46 countries to advance family-friendly…, Renewed focus on ECD in emergencies – Action in humanitarian settings, In the face the COVID-19 crisis, more UNICEF country offices prepared to support ECD and/or early learning programmes in humanitarian settings, growing from 46 in 2019 to 74 in 2020. UNICEF reached nearly 2.8 million children under 5 who were living in humanitarian and fragile contexts, including the COVID-19 pandemic. UNICEF supported ECD…, Looking forward, A young woman standing in a classroom in front of a blackboard A boy standing in front of solar panels and waving A girl standing in front of a white wall with colourful butterflies and flowers painted on it UNICEF will continue to save lives by bolstering the delivery of integrated front-line services through communities, schools and health-care…, Global Action Plan on Child Wasting. Strengthening and integration of comprehensive HIV responses will be prioritized toward sustainable health systems for Universal Health Coverage and work to reduce HIV-related stigma will move forward by addressing the social, cultural and legal contexts that perpetuate it. Support for parents will be elevated…, With thanks, This report highlights the achievements made possible by the generous contributions of softly earmarked thematic funding received from various partners. UNICEF would like to express it's sincere appreciation for these contributions. June 2021, Global Annual Results Report 2020 GOAL AREA 1 Every child survives and thrives Cover image: UNICEF/UN0336408/Babajanyan One-year-old Sugarmaa Batjargal is held by her mother near their ger (nomadic tent) in Alag-Erdene district, Khvsgl province, Mongolia. In Khvsgl, Mongolias northernmost province, newborn mortality rates have decreased…