Global Initiatives for Children

"The Center's Global Children’s Initiative has begun to build a portfolio of activities in three domains: early childhood development; mental health; and children in crisis and conflict situations" (Harvard, 2012). Through this work, advocates are making efforts to get more people engaged in making investments in the earliest years of life. Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff, director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, has launched a national campaign against ‘‘toxic stress’’ in childhood. In an interview he responded to a question regarding asking for political support for additional human services support for children and families, "What’s exciting about the biology is it takes it out of the political realm and asks us how it is that poverty and maltreatment result in problems later and how we could prevent that. It offers more ideas for new solutions and new approaches, rather than just the same old political arguments. Everybody wins if we prevent toxic stress in young children, and everybody loses if we don’t" (Shonkoff, 2012). We know that children who live in stressful living conditions are under chronic stress, and therefore, are susceptible for low self-esteem issues, delayed or challenges in learning, etc. If we don't work to break the barriers of poverty and chronic stress for parents and families, we will all lose.

This brings me to the podcast I listened to in which Delfena Mitchell, Director of the Liberty Children's Home in Belize City, described the condition in which children typically arrive at the Liberty orphanage. The children "come broken down and have to heal" (World Forum). Delfena described this area of Central America as being #1 in incidences of child abuse. Dr. Eck stated, "Liberty should be the blueprint for other orphanages"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsMr1Su-nzo). Caregivers working at Liberty expressed passion, understanding and care for the children they work with every day.

Gunther Fink, Assistant Professor of International Health Economics at Harvard University worked on an assessment tool for all children. Through his study he declared, “Where you are at age 6, before you enter school, predicts so many things in your life, and yet we have no way of comparing one country to another.” We need to take a look at children's inequalities across the globe to assess the ways in which to best serve all children. Through the Global Children's Initiative work, "we" have made great strides toward these efforts.


References:

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/global_children_s_initiative__activities/
 
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2012/02/27/targeting_toxic_stress_in_children/

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsMr1Su-nzo.


 

New Insights

While researching The British Association for Early Childhood Education website further, I was glad to see that this association offers training and professional development for "early years practitioners working in maintained, private, voluntary, independent, and home-based settings" (http://www.early-education.org.uk).  
Knowing that early childhood settings look differently in other countries, I was excited to learn that the UK focuses on professional development for family child care providers as part of their programming. This is a unique audience that sometimes gets left out of the professionalism of child care. Although the United Kingdom training programs appear to offer a variety of opportunities similar to what I coordinate in my job, there is a much smaller offering scheduled for this spring/summer.

The British Association believes membership is important. A member shares her experience and what she has gained from her connections."I will never forget attending my first meeting of Early Education in the 1970s...As the years have gone by, the journals and the clear and concise information and updates have continued to be invaluable. I can rely on Early Education to research and evaluate the facts, figures and events carefully and to campaign in a measured, articulate and informed way."
Professor Tina Bruce CBE   Early Education Vice-President   

The British Association works to influence decision makers. A member of the early education co-production group advocates for children and families through her work on the Daycare Trust, a national charity campaigning for child care. I do not care for the word daycare as I feel it does not speak to the work we do in educating children and supporting families; however, I did find great resources on the Daycare Trust site. They put focus on the essential components of child care (information for parents, training, and policy and campaigning). Some of the information includes sharing what quality child care looks like and how it can be measured, as well as some data on how the cost of child care is increasing in Great Britain. It appears that the educators all over the UK have their work cut out for them to influence policy makers on the importance of quality child care and making it accessible and affordable for families.


www.daycaretrust.org.uk

http://www.early-education.org.uk

Expanding International Connections

Unfortunately, I have not received response from the many correspondences I have sent to international early childhood professionals. Therefore, I have spent time listening to several of the forum discussions provided as the alternative. I have learned from many professionals of their journey in early childhood, and the lessons they have learned along the way. 

I was most captivated by the work of Meridas Eka Yora, who founded Fajar Hidayah in 1998. He established boarding schools across Indonesia over the next few years. When the earthquake and tsunami took over the land of Aceh, Indonesia in 2004, Yora opened the schools to 2,000 children of which 400 were orphans and 300 were underprivileged. "The teachers became the nurse and counselor for the children." In the World Forum podcast, Yora speaks of how the staff helped cultivate families between the children, even though their biological families had been destroyed. "Credit for this turnaround should go first and foremost to the stoicism of the Acehnese. Helping to shelter each other in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami" (World Bank).

In exploring the poverty aspects of the Indonesia area, I learned the population of Aceh, Indonesia is 4,073 with 26.5% of the population living in poverty. A priority identified by a World Bank Assessment conducted following the 2004 tsunami disaster include focusing on increasing the productivity of the agricultural and fisheries sectors to improve the capabilities of the poor. Additionally, the government of Aceh should continue its high levels of investment in education.

I am always energized when I hear stories such as these, in which people are overcoming tragedies and obstacles to make a difference for children and families.  I look forward to following other stories and projects happening in Indonesia.




The World Bank (2011). http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/INDONESIAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:21653738~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:226309,00.html

World Forum Foundation Radio. http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php

Sharing Web Resources

I have continued my research on the British Association for Early Childhood Education international website this week. They have been in existence since 1923 and focus their efforts on issues around early childhood and how the issues and trends affect the work of providers. According to the website, www.early-education.org.uk/, "They began their existence as the Nursery School Association whose aims were to advance nursery education and to promote the training of nursery teachers" (our history). Through their work, "Early Education supports the professional development of early years practitioners working in maintained, private, voluntary, independent and home based settings."

The British Association for Early Childhood Education

136 Cavell Street  London E1 2JA
Telephone: 0207 5395 400   Facsimile: 0207 5395 409
office@early-education.org.uk

 My Interest -
What interests me most about this website is the plethora of resources and training opportunities offered by the Association. They offer many articles on child development topics to enhance a providers learning and application in the early childhood programs in England. As I coordinate and design professional development in our local area, I am always researching new resources of important information on child development and program topics to integrate into curriculum. 

Issues/Trends --- Project Work

The work of The British Association for Early Childhood Education is conducted through projects, campaigns, and policy work. One issue I found as I researched the website and the work of the Association, is that "government decisions threatened to decimate quality early childhood education and care in England and undermine their own agenda to support the most disadvantaged families first and foremost in 2010" (projects). This threatens the emphasis on universal services for all children; the focus would be on providing care and education for only the most disadvantaged children. Where does this leave the rest of the children who deserve the best care and educational experiences? This contrasts with our study of quality care and education for all children, no matter the demographics (race, ethnicity, economic status, etc). Furthermore, a specific consequence of this issue concentrates around the requirement to hire qualified staff. This upsets be greatly. According to Early Education, "Early Education has grave concerns that this change will inhibit the drive to ensure that all early childhood education settings deliver the highest quality early years provision." One of the benchmarks of quality care for children is the requirement of highly-qualified teaching staff and providers. I commend the work and campaigning of people who are connected with the Association to advocate for the highest of quality in the early childhood programs in England, for all children deserve the best care and learning experiences to be successful in life.

Professional Contacts Around the World

Establishing Professional Contacts

I enjoyed discovering the possibilities of connecting with other early childhood professionals around the world this week. I have sent out request to communicate and share trends and issues in the filed to four professionals. It was frustrating to have undeliverable messages returned in my efforts to connect with these professionals; however, I am hopeful that a couple will return my request. In my quest to learn about early childhood in areas I am unfamiliar with, I have sent inquiries to the Phillippines, Singapore, Canada, and Romania.
                                 

My tip to peers is to be persistent in your quests. Although frustration came about for me, I quickly researched another area in which I found interest.

Expanding Resources

Throughout this week, I have searched various early childhood websites. Coupling my interest to learn more, and continued interest in England, I chose to expand my knowledge by researching the British Association for Early Childhood Education website (http://www.early-education.org.uk/).

My father was born and raised in England and I have always wanted to learn more. Additionally, I have found out that one of my cousins became interested in early childhood as an adult. I am trying to make contact with her as well, to obtain her perspective on current issues and trends in the United Kingdom.