Comenius Foundation for Child Development Shares a Method for Scaling-Up with the ISSA Network
Established in 2003 by a group of psychologists, pedagogues and community workers, ISSA Member Comenius Foundation for Child Development (Comenius Foundation) inspires adults to create environments in which all young children can develop, explore and use their potential. The organization provides equal opportunities for children that help them to become open-minded individuals. To implement that, Comenius Foundation has innovative systemic and legal arrangements and a wide variety of effective childcare projects.
Comenius Foundation is mostly focused on the wellbeing of children from rural areas and small towns, children from economically and culturally neglected communities. Foundation’s activities are targeted towards non-governmental organizations, representatives of local governments, parents, teachers, librarians, animators, and children directly. On the national level, Comenius Foundation promotes the educational needs of young children through publishing, preparing reports, conducting research, organizing conferences. On the local level, the organization provides training, projects, and consultations to rural municipalities and non-governmental organizations to help them introduce developmental and educational services for young children which equalize their life chances.
Comenius Foundation would like to share their experiences with up-scaling playgroup services for children a few months old to three or four years of age, within and outside Poland. The up-scaling methodology can be used for other programs as well as playgroup projects. The playgroup project offers meetings for young children and their parents or caregivers under the guidance of an animator. A playgroup makes it possible for adults to accompany their children in the classroom, which contributes to their children’s sense of wellbeing, helps parents enhance their parenting skills, and strengthens parent-child relationships. The Playgroups Plus project helps young unemployed mothers with job searches.
“I am very thankful for the playgroups that have been set up for our children, where they can feel at ease,” says Jumagul from Tajikistan – a mother of Mehron, a girl with right-sided paresis. “The children learn and play together. During breaks, they wash their hands, eat fruit or have tea with biscuits. Each child has their own towel. After these meetings, at home, Mehron is able to act independently and helps to set the table, bringing spoons, tea dishes, and towels. I am very glad that my daughter is assisting me.”
Playgroups Plus was a pilot project. Now Comenius Foundation would like to scale it up! The aim is to determine the project's potential to improve the ability of young mothers to advance their professional careers in Early Childhood Education and Care services.
Are you an ISSA member with experience in this area? The Comenius Foundation would love to hear from you.
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Supporting families for nurturing care: Training resource package for home visiting practices
This training package equips trainers of home visiting professionals with essential knowledge, skills, and tools to deliver consistent, high-quality pre-service and in-service training.
Developed by UNICEF ECARO and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), it builds on almost ten years of collaboration and earlier home visiting modules (2017–2025). The goal is to strengthen home visiting as a key community health service supporting families from pregnancy to early childhood.
The package includes three guides: General Overview, Foundational Training, and Extended Training, each offering adaptable materials such as session plans, slides, and handouts based on nurturing and family-centered care.
It combines two main areas: (1) programmatic knowledge on child development, health, nutrition, and parental wellbeing, and (2) practical skills such as communication, relationship building, observation, problem-solving, and cultural responsiveness.
Grounded in adult learning principles, the training encourages reflection, peer learning, and practical application, fostering the professional growth of trainers and home visitors while improving the quality of home visiting services.
Trainer Guide: General Overview
Trainer Guide: Foundational Training
Trainer Guide: Extended Training
button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cff74ab2bbd98fabe605_SUPPORTING%20FAMILIES%20FOR%20NURTURING%20CARE%20Training%20Resource%20Package%20for%20Home%20Visiting%20Practices_0.pdf"][label="Download the Resource Package"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%201.General%20Overview-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: General Overview"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%202.Foundational%20training-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: Foundational Training"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT_2025_PowerPoints_Day_I%20-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT_2025_PowerPoints_Day_I%20-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20II-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20II-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20III-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20III-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20IV-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20IV-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20V-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20V-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%203.Extended%20training-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: Extended Training"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET%20Day%20I-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET%20Day%20I-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20II%20merged-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20II%20merge-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20III%20merged-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20III%20merge-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"]Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
ISSA, UNICEF ECARO
Language:
Contact:
Ayca Alayli, aalayli@issa.nl
State of Southern European Fathers 2024: Building Evidence for Engaging Men in Nurturing Care in Italy, Portugal, and Spain
The State of Southern European Fathers 2024 report, developed under the EMiNC initiative, explores fathers’ involvement in caregiving across Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While many men report active participation in daily care, a significant perception gap remains: 74% of fathers believe caregiving is equally shared, but only 51% of mothers agree. The findings show that mothers still carry the greater caregiving and household burden, often at the expense of their well-being and professional opportunities. At the same time, the report highlights the vital role fathers play in children’s development—greater involvement is linked to stronger emotional bonds, improved learning outcomes, and better long-term well-being for children.
Yet barriers persist: rigid workplace cultures, limited access to paid leave, and lack of affordable, quality childcare constrain men’s ability to participate equally. The report calls for robust policy reforms—such as fully paid, non-transferable leave for fathers—and investments in early childhood services that actively engage men. Public campaigns and local peer support networks are also essential to shift norms and expectations. Promoting men’s caregiving is not only a matter of gender equality, it is a key strategy to ensure all children thrive from the very start.
The report, developed under the EMiNC initiative, explores fathers’ involvement in caregiving across Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While many men report active participation in daily care, a significant perception gap remains: 74% of fathers believe caregiving is equally shared, but only 51% of mothers agree. The findings show that mothers still carry the greater caregiving and household burden, often at the expense of their well-being and professional opportunities. At the same time, the report highlights the vital role fathers play in children’s development—greater involvement is linked to stronger emotional bonds, improved learning outcomes, and better long-term well-being for children.Yet barriers persist: rigid workplace cultures, limited access to paid leave, and lack of affordable, quality childcare constrain men’s ability to participate equally. The report calls for robust policy reforms—such as fully paid, non-transferable leave for fathers—and investments in early childhood services that actively engage men. Public campaigns and local peer support networks are also essential to shift norms and expectations. Promoting men’s caregiving is not only a matter of gender equality, it is a key strategy to ensure all children thrive from the very start.
Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
ISSA
Language:
Module 3: Nutrition for Infants and Young Children
The Module 3 ‘Nutrition for Infants and Young Children’ is intended to support home visitors and other health professionals in providing advice and support to parents and families on infant and young child nutrition. It includes three modules:
Module 3b: ‘Introducing Complementary Foods’
Module 3c: ‘Nutrition of Children Aged 2-6 Years’
You can access the whole package here.
button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf735eb0b715b71d6271_3a.Nutrition-BreastfeedingNEWBORN-ENG-WEB.pdf"][label="Download 3a. Breastfeeding"] button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf743139d7275e743a0a_3b.Nutrition-InfantYoungChild-ENG-WEB.pdf"][label="Download 3b. Introducing Complementary Foods"] button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf766ca73e3f96db4776_3c.Nutrition-YoungChild2-6-ENG.pdf"][label="Download 3c. Nutrition of Children Aged 2-6 Years"]
Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
UNICEF ECARO & ISSA