{"id":1449,"date":"2012-01-06T15:10:42","date_gmt":"2012-01-06T15:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/akdn\/?page_id=1449"},"modified":"2022-12-23T21:47:55","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T21:47:55","slug":"ec-3-3-advancing-child-and-family-friendly-policies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/content.scienceofecd.com\/akdn\/ec-3-3-advancing-child-and-family-friendly-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"EC 3.3 Advancing child and family friendly policies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Investing in early childhood development is good for everyone \u2013 governments, businesses, communities, parents and caregivers, and most of all, babies and young children. It is also the right thing to do, helping every child realize the right to survive and thrive” (WHO, 2018, p.1).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Family life is enormously affected, directly and indirectly, by public policies. Policies on matters such as immunizations\/growth monitoring and safe birth, parental leave, workplace childcare, support for breastfeeding, free and accessible quality education, and access to ECD programs make a huge difference in the daily lives of children and families.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\nConsider…Maria and Esther\n\nTwenty-two-year-old Maria lives with her husband and their two-year-old son, Javier…..Esther and her husband welcome their new daughter, a sister for their two-year-old son, Nelson. \u2026Read more<\/a> <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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What are the significant differences in the experiences of these two families?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How have these differences impacted on the parents?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you expect they will impact on the children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What role might country policies play on the families’ differing experiences?<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Now watch a short clip from the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s The Beginning of Life <\/em>documentary that looks at how both listening to families and science are vital for progressive child and family-friendly policies and better for societies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n EXPLORE<\/span>\n View | Why invest in early childhood<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There is a sense that the policy landscape for early child development is changing for the better, at least in some parts of the world. This may be because the evidence that investment in the first 2000 days after conception makes a big difference for children, families, and societies is so clear and incontrovertible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Jody Heymann, distinguished professor and former dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, founded the WORLD Policy Analysis Center. Explore WORLD’s website to learn more about their focus on global data regarding policies that affect family life, especially working families. Watch WORLD’s video to hear Heymann explain why “data matters” and how it can be used to advance policies around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n EXPLORE<\/span>\n About WORLD<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Heymann uses parental leave as an example of how data, particularly when displayed in a visual and engaging manner, has inspired countries to make important policy changes. Watch as Heymann discusses some of the challenges of policies that support parenting and what a difference effective policies would make in parents\u2019 and children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n VIEW<\/span>\n Heymann – policies that support parenting (1) (2:02)<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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