INTRODUCTION
This document outlines the Community Childcare Project, an innovative initiative designed to significantly enhance early childhood care services in the densely populated and economically challenged areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. The project focuses on sustainable social development by addressing the critical need for quality childcare for children aged birth to three years old.
This first phase of the project is poised to assess the potential for significant impact that improvement on childcare practices can have on Agbado Oke-Odo and Mosan Okunola LCDAs of Alimosho LGA. The Project is sponsored by the World Connect and supported by Child Education and Development (COMED).
Problem Statement
Nigeria faces significant challenges in early childhood care, particularly for children under three. Working mothers in semi-urban and rural settlements often rely on low-quality, unlicensed daycare facilities due to the limited availability of affordable and quality options. This lack of quality care negatively impacts children's development and well-being.
Project Objectives
The objectives of the Community Childcare Project for Agbado Oke-Odo and Mosan Okunola LCDAs is to:
Train up to 40 home-based and center-based childcare providers using the Nurturing Care Framework in child development, health, safety, responsive caregiving, and childcare business management.
Engage up to 300 primary caregivers (mothers, fathers, relatives) of children within the select LCDAs in educative ifo-texts (SMS/ Whatsapp) on childcare practices and quality evaluation.
Conduct advocacy campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of quality childcare.
Establish a sustainable support network group for childcare providers, fostering continuous learning, peer mentoring, and licensing support.
Project Activities
FREE Training and Capacity Building:
Training sessions will adopt a blended approach. A total of 6 courses centered on the 5 Nurturing care components proposed by the Nurturing Care Framework for Early Childhood Development and a management course for childcare businesses will be taught. Online sessions will be self-paced for an alloted duration of one month per course with lectures delivered in text, audio and video formats. Physical training class will be held at the third weekend of each online course to summarise the course, deliver presentations to highlight key learning areas, conduct practical demonstrations and present assignments. See table below for course details.
Good health1. Ages and stages of development (Physical Development)
2. Daily Health Checks /Immunization and vaccination
3. Diapering and toileting/hygiene practices
4. Handwashing, cleaning and sanitizing
5. Caregiver Health
Adequate nutrition
1. Infant and Maternal nutrition and Breastfeeding
2. Food handling hygiene
3. Introduction to solid foods, weaning and feeding practices
4. Sleep
Responsive caregiving
1. Ages and stages of development(Social and Emotional)
2. Introduction to responsive caregiving
3. Individualized Childcare routines
4. Positive discipline
Safety and security
1. Pediatric first aid
2. Managing Infectious diseases
3. Emergency preparedness and childproofing
4. Child rights/abuse
5. Child Safety/protection
Opportunities for early learning
1. Ages and stages of development(Cognitive Development)
2. Play and early stimulation
3. Toy making
4. Childcare environments
5. Daily learning schedules
Managing your childcare business
1. Managing Customers
2. Book keeping
3. Marketing
4. Business Registration and licensing
CLICK HERE TO GO TO ONLINE COURSE
Primary Caregiver Engagement:
The project will engage up to 300 parents, particularly targeting five mothers (fathers or grandmothers) from participating communities. Mothers will receive virtual educative messages on childcare practices, empowering them to evaluate quality of care their children receive. They will provide monthly reports, contributing valuable insights to the program's evaluation and development. Some physical training sessions will be made open to these parents and guardians who play direct caregiving roles for their learning benefits.
Advocacy Campaigns:
Acknowledging the significant role of local market communities and primary health care facilities for public use, the project will collaborate with relevant authorities to conduct advocacy campaigns targeting parents visiting and working at these facilities.During these awareness campaigns, participants, primarily childcare providers and mothers, will play a pivotal role.
Sustainable Collaboration:
The project will establish a sustainable support network for childcare providers, facilitating continuous learning, peer mentoring, licensing support, and a platform for mothers to access learning resources and information about centers upholding training standards.
Impact and Benefits
Improved Child Development: Children will receive quality care based on the Nurturing Care Framework, fostering their physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
Empowered Parents: Parents will gain knowledge and skills to advocate for their children's well-being and assess childcare quality.
Enhanced Caregiver Skills: Trained childcare providers will deliver quality care, meningkatkan enrollment, and strengthening facilities.
Informed Policy Briefs: Findings from the project will establish and will serve as relevant information policy makers can utilize for continuous comunity improvement and cultural shift towards responsive caregiving.
Conclusion
The Community Childcare Project has the potential to make a significant positive impact on the lives of children, families, and the entire community. We are confident that successful impact of the project will not only benefit the selected LCDAs but Alimosho LGA as a whole.
CONTRIBUTORS
Mrs. Margaret Akinware
(Project Advisor)
margaret.akinware@gmail.com
Mrs. BASSEY UMOH
(Local Leader)
Mrs. PAMELA AKINBOBOYE
(WC Established Field Partner)
World Connect is a nonprofit/NGO committed to the idea that sustainable global progress is more effective when inside power is activated. World Connect activates inside power by co-investing with communities to advance progress on their terms. The results and impact of this co-investment model offers a more effective, cost efficient, and high impact development paradigm to address urgency inequities worldwide. The future of development is in activating insider power, with the role of outsiders being to activate new powers centers to grow and sustain independently. Since 2005, World Connect has co-invested in 2000+ locally-led development initiatives across 40+ countries. Visit World Connect at worldconnect.global to learn more about the long-lasting and transformational impact of its programs.
COMED is a Non-Governmental Organization for Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes on the care, education and development of all children wherever they maybe with a mission to provide quality careers at all levels of child caring by working with parents, teachers, caregivers, policy makers, private corporate organizations and other stakeholders; building their capacity to foster holistic development of all children.
PROJECT AD CAMPAIGN
Are you a passionate caregiver looking to make a real impact in the lives of young children?
The Community Childcare Project, brought to you by World Connect in partnership with COMED and Icarella Childcare Services, is on a mission to significantly enhance early childhood care services for children aged birth to three years old in the Alimosho LGA of Lagos State and is seeking dedicated individuals like you to join our innovative initiative.
Do you want to:
Gain valuable skills in early childhood development and care?
Learn best practices for health, safety, and responsive caregiving?
Enhance your childcare business management expertise?
Connect with fellow childcare providers, access mentorship opportunities, and receive assistance with licensing?
Win up to N100,000 and/or get FREE resources for your childcare business?
If you answered YES, then this program is for you!
The Community Childcare Project is offering a FREE comprehensive training program designed to elevate childcare skills and knowledge. The project will train ONLY 40 childcare providers using the globally recognized Nurturing Care Framework. Our blended training program offers flexibility and in-depth learning:
Self-paced online learning modules:Delivered via the Caregivers Training Scheduler in text, audio, and video formats (one month per course), and
Physical training sessions: Held on the third weekend of each online module for key learning summaries, presentations, practical demonstrations, and assignments
Who can Apply?
Hired nannies
Home-based childcare providers (You run a daycare at home or in your shop)
Center-based childcare providers (You work in a creche or daycare center not attached to a school)
School-based childcare providers (you work in a school creche)
Church/Mosque/Charity-based childcare employees or supervisors (you work in a creche or daycare the operates in the religious center or is run free of charge)
The first phase of training will commence in the first week of April and will conclude in the last week of August for childcare providers in Agbado Oke-Odo and Mosan Okunola LCDAs at FESBACH Nursery and Primary School Abesan Estate.
Become a Champion for Early Childhood Development!
Register Today!
Space is limited, so don't delay!
CLICK Registration Form Below:
Community Childcare Project Caregiver Registration Form