International contacts-part 2

Since I have not heard any other response from my international contact, I reviewed the Global Children's Initiative of The Center on the Developing Child of Harvard University's website.


The Center on the Developing Child of Harvard University has launched The Global Children’s Initiative as the center of its global child health and development program. The Initiative focuses on three domains of healthy development for children: The Early Childhood Development, Child Mental Health, and Children and Crisis. The three insights that I have gained include their willingness to work abroad in Brazil and Chile to bring healthy development to the children and families there, the role that mental health and natural disasters play in the development of children, and the support that has been given to early childhood development through the work of global influences of scientific research and global policymakers.

Through the Global Children’s Initiative, the center is working in collaboration with Brazilian policy makers to provide stronger policies and larger investments into the early care and development for children and their families. This will inevitably provide a stronger, more prosperous and sustainable society in the future. Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), which means “A Good Start”, is a collaborative project in Chile, which strives to improve early childhood education through the professional development of teachers. The idea here is to improve the attendance, language development, and social-emotional development of children ages four to six years of age. Family involvement is a crucial component of this project, which helps to aid in the healthy development of children. In the mental health field, there is an immediate need to identify problems and services between the countries that are related to the research, education and public awareness of children’s mental health issues and its effect on society as a whole. Projects in this area will assess services in China, Rwanda, and the Caribbean nations of Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Center on the Developing Child of Harvard University believes that the healthy and successful development of children in early childhood will help to foster a prosperous, responsible, and productive society. The use of scientific research to enhance the well-being of children through policy and practice is crucial in providing a society that puts its children and families as first.

The InBrief video entitled “The Foundations of Lifelong Health” found on this website gave value information from medical doctors and professors about the necessary contributions to enforce lifelong healthy development in early in the life of children. Lifelong healthy development is formed by a combination of educational achievement and economic productivity from having good physical and mental health. Lifelong health is also influenced by the interaction of genes and experiences of children, and by stable relationships, safe/supportive environments, appropriate nutrition, and the policies that may provide for public health care.


Reference:

Harvard University. (2012). Global Children’s Initiative. Center on the Developing Child. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/