Amman, May 8 (Petra) -- The Second National Conference on Early Childhood Development, titled "Safe Growth, Lifelong Learning," concluded today in Amman.

Organized by the National Council for Family Affairs in collaboration with Plan International and supported by the Van Leer Foundation, the event focused on prioritizing early childhood investment as a critical foundation for children’s future success.

The conference highlighted Jordan’s alignment with the economic modernization vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II, which emphasizes the importance of investing in a child's early years to ensure their rights, skill development, and long-term potential.

Over the course of two days, 200 participants including national and international institutional representatives, local community organizations, and experts from countries such as Lebanon, the UAE, Brazil, India, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Denmark, Turkey, and Colombia, engaged in discussions on the country's early childhood development priorities.

Topics included bridging gaps in early childhood care, advancing child care policies, and fostering a multi-sectoral approach to development in accordance with the Child Rights Law in Jordan.

The conference also underscored the need to create child-friendly environments while integrating early childhood development into broader national goals, focusing on building safe spaces for children, families, and caregivers.

On the first day, discussions centered on innovative strategies to support young children and their families in difficult circumstances. The second day delved into the importance of a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to early childhood development, as well as fostering innovation and workforce development in the sector, alongside urban planning initiatives that prioritize children's needs.

The final session included key recommendations, such as implementing family-friendly workplace policies within the public sector, creating child-friendly parks across the kingdom, digitizing the licensing and evaluation processes for nurseries, and integrating artificial intelligence to create safe, engaging content for early childhood service providers.

The conference participants also stressed the need for electronic content that is both educational and secure, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy.

Other recommendations focused on strengthening the capacity of nursery staff to conduct self-assessments and ongoing improvements, as well as integrating mental health support into child care programs.

Additionally, participants advocated for the inclusion of psychological counselors in nurseries and schools and the involvement of parents in mental health support initiatives.

The conference concluded with a call to support community-based nurseries in underserved areas to reduce inequalities in access to quality early childhood education.

//Petra// RZ

08/05/2025 11:46:24