The purpose of this Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) activity is to support children to thrive and reach their full developmental potential by promoting nurturing care for the most vulnerable newborns and young children, starting from before birth.

Early childhood development

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(ECD) is the outcome that nurturing care interventions aim to optimize.

Nurturing care by parents and other caregivers ensures children’s good health and nutrition, protects them from threats, and gives young children opportunities for early learning, through interactions that are emotionally supportive and responsive.

The IECD activity will specifically address stunting through a multi-sectoral approach that strengthens nutrition service delivery at health facilities and in communities; supports nutrition sensitive agriculture; improves water, sanitation and hygiene practices among caregivers; and promotes responsive caregiving to help children meet critical cognitive, linguistic, socio-emotional, and physical developmental milestones.

Focus will be on the early childhood years, with an emphasis on the first 1,000 days for more intensive nutrition, psychosocial, and physical stimulation interventions.

This IECD activity will support assessments of child development to enable the early identification of and interventions for children with developmental delays and/or at-risk for impairments and disabilities.

It will address the limited access to programs and services for these individuals, as they may require more support.