The Center of Excellence for Early Child Development at the American University of Beirut- Medical Center (AUBMC) aims to improve early child development in day care centers in Lebanon through the implementation of the Care for Child Development (CCD) program as “early developmental opportunities establish a critical foundation for children’s academic success, health, and general well-being”. (Anderson et al., 2003) This proposal introduces a pilot study for building capacities in day care centers and training caregivers using the CCD program as a tool for enhancing early child development.
The CCD program developed by World Health Organization (WHO) /UNICEF is a continuation of the global training initiative on Care for Early Childhood Development. This program provides “information and recommendations for cognitive stimulation and social support to young children, through sensitive and responsive caregiver-child interactions”. In an attempt to improve children’s healthy development, the CCD suggests for the family to engage with children in proper play and communication activities. These activities will in turn help adults to be sensitive to the needs of children and respond appropriately. Therefore, CCD enhances basic care-giving skills and contributes to the survival, as well as the healthy growth and development, of young children.
A total of 456 children aged between 0 to 3 years will be enrolled from twenty daycare centers randomly selected by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. The intervention group will be composed of 228 children from the previously selected day care centers, to receive early stimulation using the CCD program in addition to being enrolled in the World Vision Lebanon Infant and Young Child Feeding project (WV-IYCFP) this group will be designated CCD-group.
The control group will be composed of 228 children randomly selected to receive activities related to the World Vision Lebanon Infant and Young Child Feeding Project (WV-IYCFP). This group will be designated WV-group.
This study will be conducted in the Greater Beirut between January 2015 and June 2017.
Children aged 0 to 3 years registered in the selected daycare centers.
Children diagnosed with medical conditions that might affect developmental assessment, or who are older than the specified ages will not be included in the study.