The Nurturing Care Framework for Early Childhood Development is a thorough, research-based strategy for fostering young children’s health, development, and well-being from conception to age eight. The framework is based on the most recent findings in early learning, brain development, and the significance of a child’s first years of life for their long-term outcomes.
The Nurturing Care Framework is organized around three key domains:
- Physical well-being and nutrition: This entails making sure that young children have access to wholesome food, clean water, and appropriate medical care, as well as fostering conditions that are secure and encouraging for play and physical activity.
- Early learning and development: This entails giving young children engaging environments and experiences that foster the development of their language, social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
- Protective care and supporting surroundings: This entails establishing loving and supportive interactions with young children as well as making environments that are safe and supportive of their physical, social, and emotional well-being.
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The Nurturing Care Framework is designed to be used by a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, service providers, and caregivers, to guide the development and implementation of policies, programs, and practices that support young children’s health, development, and well-being.
3 Main components of nurturing care framework
The Nurturing Care Framework for early childhood development includes several key components, which are organized around the three domains described above:
Physical health and nutrition:
This includes ensuring that young children have access to nutritious food, clean water, and proper health care, as well as creating safe and supportive environments for physical activity and play. Some specific components of this domain include:
- Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding has several advantages for both moms and children, including enhanced newborn development and health and lowered mortality and sickness risks.
- Providing newborns with a range of nutrient-dense foods that support their growth and development is vital once they are ready to begin eating solid foods.
- Immunization: Immunization is a critical element of nurturing care and an efficient method of protecting young children from diseases that can be prevented.
- Environmental health includes making sure that young children have access to hygienic facilities, safe spaces for play and exercise, and clean water.
Early learning and development:
This includes providing young children with rich, stimulating environments and experiences that support their cognitive, social, emotional, and language development. Some specific components of this domain include:
- Early stimulation and learning comprise play, exploration, and hands-on learning opportunities that promote young children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and language development.
- Parenting and caregiving: Supporting parents and carers in their roles as the young child’s primary educators and caretakers is another aspect of nurturing care.
- Early childhood education: Programs for young children, like preschool or daycare, can offer them structured learning experiences and aid in their growth.
Protective care and supportive environments:
This includes providing young children with supportive and nurturing relationships, as well as creating safe and supportive environments that promote their physical, social, and emotional well-being. Some specific components of this domain include:
- Parenting and caregiving: Nurturing care includes assisting parents and carers in their capacity as the young child’s primary educators and carers.
- Promoting young children’s social and emotional development through caring and supportive connections as well as assisting them in acquiring coping mechanisms and resilience are all parts of social and emotional well-being.
- Children’s safety and protection include ensuring they are shielded from injury and abuse and have access to safe surroundings that support their well-being.
The Nurturing Care Framework is designed to be flexible and adaptable so that it can be customized to meet the specific needs and contexts of different communities and populations.
