My Green Childcare Booklet
A number of childcare facilities (children under 3 years of age) of the City of Ghent incorporated sustainability and ‘green principles’ in their pedagogical vision and daily practice, engaging children, parents, community and the care team. Each of our childcare centers works from a well-defined, holistic pedagogical vision, focusing on total wellbeing and involvement of children and their environment. The so-called ‘profiled centers’ elaborate a specific aspect of this vision. The “Green childcare centers” look for different ways to bring children in contact with nature and to bring nature into their childcare. To support this, each child gets its own ‘GREEN BOOKLET’: a personalized notebook with a series of ‘green’ activities each child should experience before the age of 3, such as walking barefoot on grass or sand, play with water, dance in the rain, stare at clouds, make mud cakes, smell flowers, watch a bug, help to prepare and eat natural healthy foods… Whenever a child does any of these activities for the first time, it’s indicated in his green booklet, if possible with a picture of the child enjoying this activity and personal notes of the childcare team, such as when did the child do this, how did he experiment, enjoy the activity….
It stimulates the care team to ensure that each child (as an individual and member of the group) is offered a varied scale of green and sustainable experiences. Nature offers a wide range of materials stimulating children’s phantasy, creativity and senses. The goal is that each child does each of the ‘green’ activities at least once before he leaves childcare. The booklet is used as a tool to talk with the team, children and parents about what the kids do, focusing on the green and total development and wellbeing of each child. The practitioners start participation with observing children in a natural environment. Children’s language development is stimulated by telling and sharing the stories of their discoveries. The care team and parents can discuss the child’s development, wellbeing and the integration of green principles in the child’s education. And most of all, the Green booklet is a valued souvenir for children and parents when they say goodbye to the childcare. The green booklet was first designed by Childcare center, De Bubbels, and further developed and implemented by the “Green colleague group”, consisting of the coordinators of all green childcare centers and a pedagogical coach of the City of Ghent. The booklet can be easily adapted to any child and any environment a childcare center works in.
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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