FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARIBBEAN CHILDREN (FDCC)
FDCC is the Caribbean's first indigenous, private Foundation dedicated to the development of Caribbean children, especially those living in disadvantaged circumstances. It was launched in 2011 and evolved from the 8-yr-old Caribbean Child Support Initiative (CCSI) programme of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD). Its mission is to significantly increase the number of disadvantaged children who acquire the knowledge and skills to prepare them for entry into primary school and lifelong learning through access to quality early childhood development support. The Founding Board of Directors comprises 8 Caribbean nationals, bringing professional expertise from the areas of finance and banking, law, marketing and fundraising, education, HR Development, strategic management, public sector reform and modernisation, early childhood and family development.
FDCC is the Caribbean's first indigenous, private Foundation dedicated to the development of Caribbean children, especially those living in disadvantaged circumstances. It was launched in 2011 and evolved from the 8-yr-old Caribbean Child Support Initiative (CCSI) programme of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD). Its mission is to significantly increase the number of disadvantaged children who acquire the knowledge and skills to prepare them for entry into primary school and lifelong learning through access to quality early childhood development support. The Founding Board of Directors comprises 8 Caribbean nationals, bringing professional expertise from the areas of finance and banking, law, marketing and fundraising, education, HR Development, strategic management, public sector reform and modernisation, early childhood and family development.
|
|
|
|
Caribbean Child Support Initiative
A CARICAD-managed programme with support from the Bernard Van Leer Foundation (BvLF)
RCP Panel Discussion II (Bridgetown, Barbados, February 2010)
The change that the CCSI sought to bring about during its 8-year history was to persuade parents to adopt a more interactive style of care which leads to improved cognitive and social development among young children growing up in disadvantage situations throughout the Caribbean region. The ‘centrepiece’ of the CCSI method for getting to this result was the home-visiting approach piloted by the Roving Caregivers Programme (RCP). This approach has been rigorously evaluated in its country of origin (Jamaica), and has been shown to bring about changes in parental knowledge and in developmental outcomes for children.
CCSI was launched in 2002 had activities primarily in Jamaica and four OECS countries (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines). However information on early childhood development was readily shared throughout the CARICOM region, and CCSI collaborated with others in the region on specific interventions, notably in Belize.
I was a member of the Regional Taskforce that provided guidance on charting the way forward re the continued sustainability of the CCSI initiative as its current funding from the van Leer Foundation came to an end in 2011. In this regard, members of the Taskforce (including myself) participated in a Panel Discussion in February 2010 in Barbados on the role of the future of the RCP programme. Below are the final three segments of this panel discussion.
CCSI was launched in 2002 had activities primarily in Jamaica and four OECS countries (Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines). However information on early childhood development was readily shared throughout the CARICOM region, and CCSI collaborated with others in the region on specific interventions, notably in Belize.
I was a member of the Regional Taskforce that provided guidance on charting the way forward re the continued sustainability of the CCSI initiative as its current funding from the van Leer Foundation came to an end in 2011. In this regard, members of the Taskforce (including myself) participated in a Panel Discussion in February 2010 in Barbados on the role of the future of the RCP programme. Below are the final three segments of this panel discussion.