Ensuring Early Childhood Care & Development

Sharing experiences from Chittoor Dist, AP Creating enabling learning environments for children Save the Children in partnership with Target, Mattel and P&G together have had the opportunity to help children meet their lifelong potential, by giving them access to a child focused, gender sensitive and inclusive teaching-learning environment. Reaching over 12,000 children aged 3-8 years in 292 Anganwadi centers and 102 Government Primary schools Using Play to Lean to help Each Childhood Development (ECD) programmes create strong foundations for future school success

The continuum of development

Programme Approach A large number of children miss out on pre primary educational opportunities at a critical stage of their development. There is a focus on the most marginalized groups of children who face various forms of social exclusion, such as caste and gender discrimination and also migrant children Girls receive priority focus, so they can benefit from equitable educational opportunities not only in primary school, but more importantly during their early development years (3-6 years) Create convergence between the Government Departments of ICDS & Education

Addressing diversity Children may not speak the language of the classroom; are at risk of dropping out because they are sick, hungry, or not achieving well; or they belong to a different religion or caste. They may also be children affected by HIV/ AIDS, and all girls and boys who should be in school but are not, especially those who work at home, in the fields, or elsewhere (migrants). Anganwadi teachers and school personnel are being challenged increasingly ‘to change’ in order to meet the new challenges presented within the learning environments ‘Inclusive” in the programme is not limited to only children with disabilities, but means including ALL children who are left out or excluded.

Providing access to a stimulating learning environment in early childhood programs Bridging the gap between Schools and real life by linking schools and communities they serve, ensuring that schools equip children for a rapidly changing society Providing access to health and nutrition services Capacity building at various levels – ICDS, Education & community levels Engaging and working with a variety of governmental and community stakeholders and comprise of an integral partnership Key Programme Activities

Initiatives on Early Childhood Education – 3-8 years Early Literacy & Math Skills – in pre schools / centres School Readiness – to ensure a smooth transition from pre primary to primary Literacy Boost – in primary schools

 Understanding about Words and Sounds Understanding Print Knowing what Books are Knowing about the Alphabet Talking and Listening Key Emergent Literacy Knowledge Areas 8

 Geometry Patterns Sorting and Classification Comparison and Measurement Numbers and Counting Key Emergent Math Knowledge Areas 9

Literacy Boost – Why? To strengthen children’s access to literacy and language experiences To improve reading instruction To measurably improve children’s reading and learning To attain these objectives, three components are implemented: 1. reading assessment 2. teacher training 3. community action

ALL CHILDREN IN SCHOOL AND STAYING IN SCHOOL

Key Partners State Government Department of Education Department of Women and Child Welfare District Institutes for Education Training (DIETs) Panchayati Raj Institutions Mother Committees Parent Teacher Associations Local Implementing partner

Sharing Experiences from Brick Kilns in West Bengal India’s brick kiln industry is the second largest in world after China. It has more than 1,00,000 operating units producing about 140 billion bricks annually 13

Brick Kilns in West Bengal The Gangetic plains of North India accounts for 65 % of the total brick production. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal are major brick producing states in this region Brick making is a traditional, unorganized industry confined to rural and peri- urban areas 14

Concerns Brick Kilns are least regulated by law as this industry falls into non- formal sector Not many NGOs/ INGOs are involved advocating for rights of child labourers who remain quite invisible to society 15

Result- Increased Demand for Bricks Increased Child Labour in Hazardous Sector 1,60,000 migrant children in West Bengal’s Brick kilns Every year thousands of children, invisible and unheard arrive into approx 4000 brick kilns situated across West Bengal 16

Sharing experiences from Brick Kilns in West Bengal Creating enabling learning environments for children in Brick Kilns Save the Children in association with partner NGO NMCS and RCHSS provided very foundation for basic education and life long learning and development to children in brick kilns in a inclusive, gender sensitive and child friendly learner environment. Reached out to 4588 children 2 to 5 years spread over 70 creches and 40 Anganwadi centres in two district – North 24 pargans and Malda district of West Bengal children enrolled into primary schools from cercehe and Anganwadi centres and accessed early childhood care and education in child friendly inclusive learning environment Using Play to Lean to help Each Childhood Development (ECD) programmes create strong foundations for future school success

Programme Approach  Children in brick kilns 2 to 5 years are devoid of government schemes and services in areas of health, nutrition and early education - as a result, large number of children in brick kilns lose out on opportunity to access early childhood care at a critical stage of development  Children in brick kilns are from diversified groups; Creche volunteers and Anganwadi workers capacitated to provide early education to children in inclusive, multi-lingual and child friendly environment.  Creating links with the Anganwadi Centres for institutionalized Early Childhood Care and Education services to children who face various forms of exclusion – such as caste and gender discrimination  Advocating with the Departments of Health and Women & Child Welfare to establish Anganwadi Centres in the brick kilns to provide easy and accessible Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) and health services; immunization and health check-up.

Addressing diversity Creche volunteers, Anganwadi workers and school teachers adopted innovative methods – joyful learning, multi-lingual teaching methodology, diversified classroom management for children in brick kilns The training manual conceptualized as a resource for crcehe volunteer and Angawadi workers for addressing diverse needs in learning environment for children in brick kilns All inclusive approach for children in brick kilns who do not speak the language of the classroom; drop-out because of seasonal migration; belong to different religion and caste.

Programme Activities /Achievements Establishing creche in brick kilns to provide early childhood care and education to marginalized children 70 creche equipped with Teaching Learning Materials to provide early education to diverse group of children in a multi-lingual child friendly learner environment, Creche volunteers provided care and early education to children whilst their mothers were working to avoid risks of burning and hazardous pollutants in brick kilns Reached out to 6455 marginalized children 3 to 5 years in brick kilns and developed skills on - colour, shape, space and direction and motor skills, language skills and cognitive skills 20

Programme Activities /Achievements 70 Creche volunteers and 50 Anganwadi workers were capacitated on child care, nutrition, growth monitoring, immunization, health & hygiene and education- early literacy encompassing knowledge of alphabets, books, words, talking and listening, and mathematical skills including numbers, pattern, sorting, measurement, and geometrical shapes in a multi-lingual child friendly environment 21

Programme Activities/ Achievements  4588 children from brick kilns mainstreamed with Anganwadi centres and accessed pre- school education, supplementary nutrition, safe drinking water and growth monitoring  2248 children transitioned from pre -school (Anganwadi centre) to primary schools for quality elementary education 22

Programme Activities/ Achievements 8 Aganwadi Centres have been established by Child Development Department in brick kilns of North 24 Parganas and Malda district to provide easy and inclusive accessibility to early childhood care and education to children in brick kilns 4588 children were immunized, accessed health check ups and nutritional support through Anganwadi Safe Drinking Water and hygienic sanitation facilities for Children in Anganwadi centres resulting in low incidence of water borne diseases’ among children in brick kilns 23

Challenges Language barrier for migrant children in Anganwadi centres New group of migrant children coming every year to brick kilns in West Bengal Tracking of immunization and health needs of children Support from government/Brick Kiln Owners 24

Initiatives in Jharkhand Consultation meeting with Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Labour and Social Welfare department in Jharkhand to ensure early childhood care and education to children of migrant workers in brick kilns 25

Thank You