Getting to know your international contacts-- Part 2

While exploring the website, Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative”, I gained a few insights about early childhood systems around the globe. Center of the Developing Child by Harvard University’s Working Globally runs a program based on science to create policies and practices. After reading the information on the website, I have learned about how Brazil has that Harvard and Brazil has an organization, formed in 2011: Núcleo Ciência Pela Infância, which invests in Latin American children who are facing socioeconomic inequalities. I admire this program because it is reaching out to the culturally diverse families who are facing issues with income and education etc. In the years 2012-2014 Policy makers in Brazil came to Harvard for a week-long workshop in hopes to return and make changes in their policy and creating action plans. Upon returning to Brazil and continuously working together in San Paulo for workshops, the Brazilian policymakers developed three major investments for children in early childhood which were:

 

• “A comprehensive national “Legal Framework for Early Childhood” was developed by the 27 members of the Federal Congress who participated in ELP and it was adopted by the lower House of the Congress in early 2015.
• A new early childhood development program in the city of São Paulo led by its First Lady.
• A new home visiting program, designed by the coordinator for child health in the Federal Ministry of Health, and piloted by the First Ladies of São Paulo and Fortaleza”. (Harvard University)
  Canada, which has a program called: Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) focus on implementing science-based research and studies on the development of the brain to share with early childhood policymakers in hopes to support the betterment of child development. The AFWI has its own website, http://www.albertafamilywellness.org/ which runs different programs, has news and events, valuable resources and programs and interesting and educational videos and games. Overall, I have learned that there are quite a few countries working with Harvard University here in the U.S. for the sake of young children and investing in programs for their support along with families as well. Working globally can have some positive benefits when working together.