Making a Difference for Children: Early Childhood Development

Note: Pages in this section have been stored solely for archiving purposes. Information contained here refers to the 2001–2005 CPAP. Follow this link for current details about UNICEF funding requirements in Turkey.

Photograph by Rana Mullan © UNICEF Turkey 2004

The child within the family

The early years of infancy are a time of immense opportunity for growth and development --they are also the riskiest. The child’s every need for good health, nutrition, growth and cognitive development must be met and effective childcare practices are crucially important in order to ensure survival in both the immediate and long terms. A healthy child is equipped for school, ready to establish emotional bonds with others -- prepared for a positive adolescence and a productive adulthood. Effective childcare for every child is the best way to close income, gender and other welfare gaps, ensuring that human development and national economies flourish.

Since the parents are the child’s first and most important teachers, the Family and Child Training Programme (FACT) focuses on the family, reflecting this approach to the child by including disparate features of Early Childcare such as exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition, immunisation, stimulation and education into one programme.

The Situation

Infant, child and maternal mortality rates are unacceptably high.
30 per cent of children under one year old are not fully immunised against preventable killer diseases and 16 per cent of under five-year-olds are malnourished.
27 per cent of under-fives have not been registered at birth.
One in eight girls is out of school.
Preschool attendance is 15 per cent.
Approximately 6,000,000 mothers between the ages of fourteen and forty-four are illiterate.
Gaps occur in services and work is often duplicated owing to poor inter-sectoral communication.

The Action

Three million parents will be empowered with knowledge on better care practices for their children, ensuring their survival, development and protection.
Fifty thousand ‘most-at-risk’ families will be given support and encouragement through home visits and group meetings to improve their childcare practices.
A nationwide initiative in the promotion of good childcare practices will be stimulated.
Support for an inter-sectoral approach in the provision of childcare services will be provided.

The Difference

Infant and Under-five Mortality Rates (IMR and U5MR) will be decreased.
Immunisation rates will be increased.
Levels of malnutrition will be reduced.
The physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children will be advanced.
Families will benefit from an increased understanding of the development and education of infants.
The rate of birth registration will be increased.
An inter-sectoral approach to the provision of childcare services will be developed.
Parents’ childcare practices will be improved.
Communities and families will be more sensitive to good childcare practices.

Your contribution will help us make the difference!

Just 10¢ will cover the cost of training a family in good childcare practices.

See below for details on how to make a tax-free donation to the Turkish National Committee for UNICEF.

Use the ‘Support Us’ link at the foot of this page to make an online tax-free donation to the Turkish National Committee for UNICEF now. Alternatively, you can make a credit transfer through your bank to Türkiye İş Bankası, Çankaya Branch, Ankara, Branch No. 4238, Account No. 500.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN

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