A senior official from Save the Children Cambodia has highlighted the need for renewed investment in “positive parenting” by the guardians, parents and grandparents of small children.
Mot Sana, programme director of Save the Children Cambodia, explained that this will support the healthy development of small children, as well as their knowledge and abilities.
The Grandparents, Parents, and Communities Joined Forces to Give Young Children a Healthy Start in Life (GRAND) project organised a March 21 forum to share the evidence of the impact of the project.
Sana addressed the forum, noting that the GRAND project, which aimed to help grandparents, parents, and the wider community join forces to give children a healthy start in life, was implemented in April 2022 and ended this month.
He explained that targeted and creative social behavior change interventions through tailored key messages and communication channels to specific caregivers, result in positive parenting.
He also highlighted the important role of commune councils in promoting early childhood development.
“We requested all stakeholders, both caregivers and relevant actors at all levels, to continue to prioritise more investment in young children to help them grow morally, with knowledge and ability,” he said.
He added that the end of the project revealed that 68 per cent of the caregivers who were part of the project now practice their knowledge on responsive care, a 47 per cent increase compared with the baseline.
“This means that we now have more caregivers spending time playing, caring, and being responsive to their children’s needs,” he said.
Helen I’Anson, director of international programmes and advocacy for Save the Children Hong Kong, noted that caregivers are critical to reinforcing what is learned in early childhood centres, stimulating their children’s learning, and acting as role models for the importance of play and an interactive approach. Their role is critical for strong early childhood development outcomes.
“We support early childhood development. It is a child’s basic right. Fulfilling that right can lead to brighter futures, not just for those children, but for the whole of society,” she added.
Prak Kosal, director of the Department of Early Childhood Education of the Ministry of Education Youth, and Sport, said children who received proper care and experience kindergarten are active, and have a strong educational foundation.
He reminded all education officers to continue to improve their teaching skills through self-development, as well as to update their knowledge regularly to respond global educational developments.
“Learning through play is a good example of a modern technique that they should be aware of. Our children’s education needs to keep up with changes in the world like the digital age and the rise of AI, as well as a changing economies and labour markets,” he said.
