Childcare in Humanitarian Crises
Programming Models For Acute Onset Emergencies
Highlights
Children and families in humanitarian emergencies around the world lack affordable, accessible and high-quality childcare. This is especially important during the acute onset stage of emergencies, where no existing childcare models are available and service delivery is more challenging. This lack of childcare has significant consequences for the roughly 59 million children living in crisis around the world, as well as for their families. This can have detrimental effects on health, development and economic earning potential for years to come. Even in these difficult conditions, children who receive positive opportunities for play, learning, relationship – building and socialization are better able to build a strong foundation for learning and development. For children, high-quality childcare provides opportunities to socialize with peers, interact with the environment and build strong and close relationships with caregivers. It can provide a critical space to manage stress and build resilience which is essential for children facing conflict in emergency situations.
