Early Childhood Development
In Jamaica, social and economic challenges threaten to undermine earlier gains in health for young children. Immunization rates have been declining rapidly. Exclusive breastfeeding up to six months is well below global targets. While over 90 percent of this population is enrolled in early childhood institutions, the quality of care and stimulation provided needs improvement in many instances. Supporting a national multi-sector wide approach to Early Childhood Development in Jamaica, UNICEF and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), co-chair the forum of the International Development Partners and Local Foundations on Early Childhood, and defines its support within this framework. Within the UN family in Jamaica, UNICEF partners closely with PAHO/WHO , UNESCO and the World Bank in working towards early childhood development. The overall objective of the Early Childhood Development Programme is to ensure that all children between birth and eight years have access to quality early childhood services and develop to their full potential through fulfillment of their survival, growth and developmental needs and rights in safe and caring environments. The current country programme has seen the completion of a Strategic Review of the Early Childhood Sector and the development of legislation and policy for early childhood institutions, supported by UNICEF. The Early Childhood Commission was set up in 2004 and a registration system was developed for the early childhood sector. This system was piloted in two parishes in 2005. A review of the Early Childhood Curriculum is being carried out as well. UNICEF is also working to support the development of systems for screening and referral for early detection and intervention of developmental disabilities. UNICEF funded the piloting of a Pre-primary to Primary Schools Transitions Project. Transitions targeted children between four and eight years old, and was designed to improve the readiness levels of children entering grade one by providing appropriate teaching methodology and learning environments in pre-primary schools and Grades and Grades one and two of primary schools. The Roving Caregivers Programme carried out by UNICEF partner Rural Family Support Organisation (RuFamSo) has been maintained and replicated. This unique intervention sees the deployment of Roving Caregivers to interface with high risk families in their homes and introduce them to developmentally appropriate child care practices. In the healthcare sector, UNICEF Jamaica has worked to enhance the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) component of the national HIV/AIDS programme. Protocols for health workers and IEC material were developed with UNICEF support. To address low rates of breastfeeding in the island, support is being given to the revision of the National Breastfeeding Policy and draft Strategic Plan and to the development of a Draft Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. UNICEF hopes to support breastfeeding and other nutrition interventions coordinated by the Health Ministry as well. In an attempt to boost immunization efforts, UNICEF provided two vehicles, vaccine carriers, thermometers and ice packs to the Health Ministry in 2005.
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