One of CHAVORE’s national implementing partners, Open Academy Step by Step in Croatia, is translating this mission into practice by equipping early childhood practitioners with the skills and confidence to apply Psychological First Aid (PFA). Since 1995, the organization has supported inclusive, quality education by providing training, mentoring, and resources to early childhood practitioners across the country.The CHAVORE learning session developed by Open Academy Step by Step positions PFA not as a specialized intervention, but as a core social instinct—a human capacity to offer support in times of need. Early childhood practitioners are guided to recognize signs of emotional distress in young children and to respond in a child-centered, developmentally appropriate way. The lesson introduces practical tools such as the LLL strategy (Look, Listen, Link) and emphasizes collaboration with families and support services.However, the process of creating meaningful learning materials revealed a deeper ethical challenge. In the process of creating the materials, an ethical challenge emerged. The dilemma of a preschool teacher working in a community where three children lost their lives in a fire became a learning opportunity for adults working with children. How should such a traumatic event be addressed with children? Aware of the risk of retraumatization and the need to protect the privacy and dignity of the victims, the teacher decided not to address the event directly. Instead, she provided a discrete place on the wall for a compassionate remembrance, and continued to work with children on everyday empowerment, making sure they feel safe and cared for by adults. Teachers who are already doing exceptional work need do nothing more or less than continue to strengthen children’s mental health on a daily basis, the lesson emphasized, even though this is not always easy to convey to a wider audience.To support reflection and integration, the self-paced learning includes short quizzes and reflective prompts, promoting the use of an individual learning journal, to support practitioners in exploring how the strategies apply in their own settings and reflecting on their own practices.About: CHAVORE (meaning “children” in Romani) is an initiative enhancing the mental health and well-being of young children in vulnerable communities, especially Roma. It promotes inclusive, culturally sensitive early childhood care across five countries. Built on the expertise of the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) and its Romani Early Years Network (REYN) initiative, CHAVORE leverages a transnational partnership across five countries to develop inclusive and responsive early childhood education and care. Funded by the European Commission, the consortium is comprised of ISSA members, led by Educational Research Institute (Slovenia), and includes Open Academy Step by Step (OASbS), Partners Hungary Foundation (PH), Skola dokoran - Wide Open School (SD), and Kosovo Education Center (KEC), and the ISSA Hub. Learn more at chavore.reyn.eu.
