News

On 2 March, a Health Systems for Early Child Development webinar presented the guiding principles and examples of practical approaches to integrating nurturing care in Italy’s primary health care services. The webinar was organized in partnership…

In the early childhood development field, the impact of continuous professional development (CPD) on the quality of teaching and learning is essential. Educators who engage in high-quality CPD programs consistently report feeling more competent and…

In November 2022, ISSA welcomed a new Member: The School of Wellbeing and Social Services at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Metropolia prides itself on supporting and activating learning and development for lifelong learners…

SPYNKA centers support 10,000 Ukrainian children and families in Poland Since the start of the war in February 2022, approximately 1.6 million Ukrainian refugees are reported to have fled to Poland. Of this number, a large majority are women and…

A new tool focused on empowering Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for school leadership to create inclusive school cultures was recently released through the HEAD: Empowering School Principals for Inclusive School Culture project. The…

Dear ISSA Members and Friends,  The year 2022 has brought new opportunities and challenges for the ISSA Network, being marked above all, by the war in Ukraine. Despite the painful situation, the ISSA Network responded immediately, with agility…

Gender Transformative Parenting project  In cooperation with UNICEF ECARO and UNICEF New York, the ISSA team did a global mapping of gender-responsive and transformative parenting and in-depth desk research. The results were used…

Strong linkages and adaptive, flexible processes allow the ISSA Network to quickly organize in response to crises in Europe and Central Asia. In challenging times, networks provide access to critical knowledge, invaluable partnerships, and,…

Geneva, 6 December 2022 – Today, UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, WHO Regional Office for Europe and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) launched a new web platform Health systems for early childhood…

Transcarpathian Regional Charitable Fund "Blaho" is a Non-Governmental Organization established in 2003 based in Ukraine. Led by Eleonora Kulchar, "Blaho" aims to revive Transcarpathia and the provision of educational and social assistance to…

Based in Hungary, NestingPlay is a social enterprise that focuses on empowering adults to support children with developmental delays through play. By encouraging caregivers and teachers to be more conscious about delays and supporting…

In conjunction with the launch of the new European Care Strategy on September 7, 2022, the European Commission delivered a Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the Revision of the Barcelona Targets on early childhood education and care. This…

In partnership with Save the Children and with support from Amazon, the International Step by Step Association will distribute 195,000 copies of three children’s story books in Ukrainian, from ISSA’s Reading Corner series. These stories will…

Non-formal education for refugee children in Moldova   Since the start of the war in Ukraine, The UNHCR estimates that more than 542,000 Ukrainian refugees have passed through Moldova, with large numbers remaining in the country — the…

Webinar: Enabling responsive early childhood strategies: the Primokiz Approach for Local Governments The Primokiz approach has proved to be a successful vehicle for building a sustainable infrastructure of cross-sector capacity at the…

ISSA and War Child join forces in new partnership initiative   Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, more than 12 million people have fled their homes. The UNHCR estimates that over 7 million people are thought to be…

Foundational training on psychological first aid (PFA) and trauma-informed practices for young children and their caregivers As part of ISSA's Ukraine Response, the Secretariat held  two  Training of Trainers (ToT) online events for trainers and…

As of June 17th 2022, more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Poland, of which over 1.1 million have applied for temporary residence, allowing them to be legally employed (as well as receive other benefits such as healthcare). The…

Sharing and learning: Advice from the war in Nagorno-Karabakh ISSA Members all over Europe are working hard to support children and families who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. The “Step by Step” Benevolent Foundation (SBSBF) in Armenia…

In response to the war in Ukraine and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in France — the majority being distressed mothers and children with concerns about the future — ISSA Member Ensemble Pour l'Éducation de la Petite Enfance is advocating for…

There is a broad consensus among researchers, organizations, and policy makers that the outcomes for children, and ultimately families are strongly related to the quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) that they receive. Quality…

The impact of networks is evident in ISSA's work to connect and support organizations responding to the extensive needs created by the war in Ukraine. In challenging times, networks provide access to critical knowledge, invaluable partnerships, and…