Whole Child International
Whole Child International is #EmbracingTheFuture
Whole Child specializes in relationship-centered care for children – responsive, consistent care that engenders stable attachments and trusting bonds between children and their primary caregivers. In order to establish this form of care in a meaningful way and on a large scale, we have developed innovative and scalable tools, training programs, and practices that support governments and key local partners to make lasting, positive improvements across their child protection and childcare systems.
Strengthening Relationships
The foundation of Whole Child’s work is relationship-centered care — in which caregivers focus on a central goal of having a stable, nurturing relationship with every child. Whole Child's evidence-based practices demonstrate that this focus can achieve significant improvements in children’s social-emotional and linguistic development, and even — despite no change in nutrition — their physical growth. To ensure that relationship-centered care is well implemented, we train caregivers to use routine moments to connect with each child and feel confident in their ability to provide what the child needs. We work across care settings to ensure that all children are better prepared to participate in family life and society as healthy and well-adjusted individuals — benefiting them, their family, their community, and society as a whole.
Sustainable Change
Systems change is a fundamental concept in the development and implementation of Whole Child's programs. This means we implement childcare best practices across the country's entire system of care — working not just with caregivers but also with policy-makers, practitioners, parents, partner organizations, educators, social workers, and researchers.
Whole Child supports governments to develop child friendly legislation and policies. Whole Child also works with partners to develop tools for practitioners to implement best practices across care settings for children. When all stakeholders have the requisite knowledge and skills—only then can we achieve sustainable change in care for children.
Skill Development for Key Constituents
Whole Child achieves sustained behavior change by improving skills and knowledge for people working in the child protection system. Whole Child accomplishes this through a unique university course that it has created for policy-makers and technical staff, accompanied by 1-2 years of individual mentoring. While Whole Child recognizes that participating in a training is important, it is the consistent follow up, support, and mentoring that institutionalizes and internalizes the lasting change.
In addition to the university course, Whole Child has developed and implemented caregiver training since 2006. The caregiver training has its own materials written for multiple levels of literacy and professional experience. The caregiver training was developed to ensure that caregivers can provide high quality care consistently and independently.
“My only hope, my only prayer is to spread this work everywhere.”
— His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a champion of our work.
See interview with Larry King where they discuss Whole Child International here.
We are #EmbracingTheFuture
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
infoca@wholechild.org
Phone
(503) 2246-3400