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MONTHLY NEWS YEAR 2011:

DECEMBER (Back to Home)

EARLY HISTORY OF ICDP

Karsten Hundeide and Henning Rye: The early history, development and basic values of ICDP

The following is an updated version of the lecture given at the ICDP conference in Denmark 2010.  -  To read click here

Nicoletta Armstrong (on the left, photo above), one of the founders of ICDP, has become the new ICDP International chair and Ylva Snekkvik (on the right) the general manager.

ICDP WORLDWIDE

This outline gives a general overview of main developments around the world, since the official founding of ICDP in 1992. In some countries ICDP presence lasted over ten years with hundreds of projects, whereas in others developments were on smaller scale, even though they may have lasted for many years. This outline offers a description of the scope of ICDP development in a country, without listing each specific project. - To read click here.

CONGO

Pedro Mendes visited Congo in the second half of November, to assess the viability of implementing the ICDP Program in some of the current projects that are linked to the SDIA network. The leaders of the Albadi school project in Inkisi, are particularly interested in establishing future cooperation with ICDP. The ICDP program seems highly relevant for this project, which encompasses not only a school, but also a shelter home for orphaned children, as well as a program of assistance for families. One of the suggestions is to set up a pilot project that would form a core group of ICDP trainers; that way Albadi could become a centre for training for staff in both governmental and non governmental organizations, spreading best practice and knowledge about good quality adult-child interaction, with the objective of assisting large numbers of children at risk, including children accused of witchcraft. In Kinshasa, possible cooperation with UNICEF was explored through a meeting with the head of Child Protection.

ICDP AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

The Child Abuse & Neglect The International Journal (November 2011 issue published the article "ICDP approach to awareness-raising about children's rights and preventing violence, child abuse, and neglect" written by Karsten Hundeide and Nicoletta Armstrong.  Click here to read.

Child Abuse & Neglect The International Journal, provides an international, multidisciplinary forum on all aspects of child abuse and neglect, with special emphasis on prevention and treatment; the scope extends further to all those aspects of life which either favour or hinder child development. While contributions will primarily be from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work, medicine, nursing, law enforcement, legislature, education, and anthropology, the Journal encourages the concerned lay individual and child-oriented advocate organizations to contribute. It is the official Publication of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN): http://www.ispcan.org/

ABSTRACT OF THE ICDP ARTICLE:

In April 2011, the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued the General Comment No. 13 on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence. Its Article 19 declares that "protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programs to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child." One available social program that focuses on providing support for parents, caregivers and children is the International Child Development Program (ICDP), which is presented in this article. The ICDP is designed to influence and improve the quality of contact and relation between the caregivers, usually parents, and children, through the practical application of the eight themes or guidelines for positive interaction. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is a value-based legal document ratified by most countries in the world. This is a significant achievement and it gives a new basis and legitimization for a more humane treatment of children all over the world. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that there is a big gap between a legal document describing ideal conditions for children at a macro-governmental level and its implementation at the micro level of families and communities. The ICDP is another expression of the same humanitarian spirit as it is encoded in the convention of children' rights. ICDP can be put in practice in any community to create positive conditions for the fulfilment of fundamental children's rights: the right to be protected from violence and to receive the loving care and guidance from the immediate environment which is required to ensure healthy human development. Introducing children's rights is likely to have a major impact on families (and all levels of authorities) if efforts are also made to activate awareness and deeper bonding to children as persons. Without a deep activation of a more humanized and caring relationship to children, provided by social programs such as ICDP, the advocacy for children's rights may become an empty shell without its basis in human realities.

NOVEMBER 
 

YOUTH TO YOUTH PROJECT

Cordoba, Colombia: A group of young facilitators carried out an ICDP intervention with young people with problems due to drug addiction. The experience is summarized in the report by Luciana Aristizabal - click here to read. Link to see a short video on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ICDP-International-Child-Development-Programmes/149024808486920?ref=ts

LOGO FOR ICDP INTERNATIONAL 

ICDP  is happy to announce that  Snøhetta Design are creating a new logo for ICDP. They are offering this work, free of charge in support of our work. A logo is essential for the promotion of ICDP and we are very grateful to Snøhetta for offering us their expert services, which would have been far beyond our means. The logo will be presented at the beginning of next year.

Graphic designer Kristian Allen Larsen:

"We at Snøhetta are really looking forward working for a good cause like ICDP; we are glad that we can contribute by developing a new image and profile for ICDP, which will communicate who they are as an organization.  ICDP is an important organization and should have a logo that catches people's attention - a good logo helps to be seen and heard. We sincerely hope that ours will be a positive contribution for the future development of ICDP worldwide”.

Snøhetta Design is a brand and design consultancy incorporated with Snøhetta: www.snohetta.com.

Photo: Graphic designer Kristian Allen Larsen at Snøhetta`s location in Oslo

AN ICDP STORY FROM AUSTRALIA

Anne Moore, the ICDP trainer in Brisbane sent us the following story: - I got a phone call from one of the ladies who completed the ICDP course at the end of last year.  She is the 4th person to make a full recovery and come back into education in order to work in the sector and help others – thanks to the small ICDP pilot project we did last year. Her children were taken away from her by Child Safety because of her drug problems: she had overdosed and passed out on the floor of the house.  Her 8 year old daughter found her and ran to the local shop to get help.  She was taken into hospital and then sent to the Moonyah Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre.  When she joined the ICDP program she had only completed about 6 weeks of the 10 month program at Moonyah and I can’t begin to tell you about the shame she felt that it was her 8 year old daughter who saved her life and had to deal with such a traumatic event.  During the ICDP program, she made a mural for her daughter telling her how strong she was and how grateful she was, and said all the things she felt she could not say to her face, but managed to convey in pictures. As a result of the rebuilding of the relationship and strategies she learnt from participating in the ICDP program she was given supervised access to her children. Child safety monitored her progress with her children (she has 3 children: an eight year old, a six year old and a four year old) and now she has all her children back with her.  She wants to do the Community Services Program at TAFE and use ICDP so that she can help others who have been in addiction.

The blessing of the ICDP program is that it teaches people not to be judgemental of others, to feel empathy and understanding and makes them want to get into our services and work from the ICDP framework of empathy and gently leading, not the jackboot mentality that is sometimes demonstrated in our sector.

I am eternally grateful to have been part of the ICDP family and to have the opportunity to use the skills I learnt in all of my training which includes mental health, disability, aged care, youth work and alcohol and other drugs, homelessness and social housing and community services. Workers across all of these disciplines can use the ICDP framework to inform their practice and work holistically with people on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Thank you so much for having faith in me and giving me the opportunity.   

 Photo on the left is of Karsten Hundeide and Annie, and it was taken last year when Annie came to Watford for her final training as ICDP trainer.

DENMARK: ICDP FOR LIBRARY STAFF

From ICDP trainer Anne Linder: -  I would like to share about a special ICDP project which took place in the context of library. The focus of the ICDP programme is on relationship skills, and that focus has had a relatively small presence in the basic training of library staff. I started the ICDP project reasoning that, since public libraries play a key role in spreading knowledge in society, the manner in which librarians and their assistants interact with the public is important.  The project proved successful. By applying the ICDP principles the library staff developed skills which they perceived as very useful. Two professionals from the Universities of Aalborg and Aarhus observed the project and their evaluation is positive. The project experience is described in the anthology called  “Relationship in the library” , showing how the implementation of ICDP can strengthen the relational competence in staff enhancing their interactions with the younger users.

OCTOBER

ICDP International head-office has a new member of the executive committee.

Marianne Storkas (photo above) has joined the team as marketing manager in connection with the ICDP International new focus on improving its public profile and developing a marketing strategy.

Marianne has lived in Tanzania and Jamaica where she was engaged as a researcher  for her Master thesis in the field of anthropology and was working in direct contact with children. That work was linked to an NGO called "Right to Play" - whose use play as a methodology for achieving better conditions in children' s lives. 

" I share the ICDP' s ethos and fully endorse the organizational objectives as they are close to my own aspirations to give a positive contribution to children worldwide. I like the team and look forward to us working together." - Marianne.

Marianne has put ICDP on facebook, link:

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/ICDP-International-Child-Development-Programme/284229031606874

COLOMBIA

ICDP WITH A NEW MODULE ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS PILOTED IN COMUNA FABIO MOLINA, LA TEBAIDA:

A pilot project has just been completed in the community of Fabio Molina, in the town of La Tebaida, Quindio. The pilot is part of a wider project (click here for report) with the main focus on protection from violence in early childhood, which has been developing since last year through the cooperation of three partner organizations:  ICDP, IICRD and CINDE. 

In the La Tebaida project, the participants were community mothers who responded to the invitation to receive training in two areas: the ICDP programme with its guidelines for good quality care  + a programme that will guide them about children’s rights.

The ICDP programme provided a sensitization process which developed in the participants a new perception of their role as mothers. Each mother explored her own way of relating to her child, then tested out new ways and shared her own findings with the other mothers. All agreed to continue to practice the guidelines for good quality care; they understood the importance of showing positive feelings and using dialogue in relation to their children and that it is a two way process. The new children’s rights curriculum raised the mothers’ awareness about their own responsibilities to protect children from violence in their community and they formulated and put into practice an action plan. As a result of that action, a few dozen families (linked to the ICBF children centre, one school and one NGO called DAVIDA) are now informed about the guidelines for positive communication with children, about ways to protect children and detect abuse of children’s rights. The mothers are also campaigning to change "the local culture of shouting at children", which they perceive "as a first step leading to violence towards children".

Some participants' comments:

“At first I was not very willing to participate in this training; I was not  paying much attention to my children and I had little tolerance towards them. The support I received made a big difference and it was appreciated by my husband which is a good thing.”

“I know a better way to treat my children and I remember every day that one has to keep  improving , to have more capacity for tolerance, to talk and listen. We need to give so much affection."

“I feel  responsible for the proper care of children and for being attentive to report if something is wrong or hurts them.”

“I can identify things that are bad for children, now I speak to other mothers about child protection issues and know how to identify and monitor the abuse of children's rights..”

"It has given me confidence in my capacity, we are no longer just mothers waiting on their children and looking after their husbands, we have become leaders for our community, an example for other parents in the children’s centre where we send our children. “

“My old fear from when I was at school has disappeared; I can speak in pubic and I am not afraid to draw and make a poster.”

“I feel there is more harmony in my home, more tolerance; instead of criticizing we try to understand what is happening; knowing that you can improve.”

“The most important thing is to stop screaming at my children, to become a better person myself,  to dialogue with my children, tolerance is the key.”

“I now  know how to identify situations in which the rights of a child are abused.”

“ We need to share this experience with others. We need to provide a good example.”

Comment from the ICDP trainers: For us it was a most gratifying experience as we realized that a lot can be done on grassroots level and that most mothers are ready to receive and replicate the process –  all these mothers needed was to be given the confidence in addition to some simple tools to help them start engaging others in the same process. Click here for report in Spanish.

DINDAL AND GALAN: The ICDP Colombia team have also carried out an ICDP project in the Dindal and Galan communities of Neiva, in the Huila province. - click here for report.

ICDP PROJECT IN COMUNA 13: On the 29th of September, a team of ICDP trainers and facilitators celebrated the ending of their ICDP project, carried out in the Comuna 13 district of Medellin. The gathering was attended by Eumelia Galeano, the local ICDP team leader and she sent us her impressions:

"It was very gratifying to see all the evidence from the field notes, charts, photographs etc. made by the community mothers who implemented the ICDP programme with neighbouring families. It was a moving evening of hope, because in the midst of continuing violence (20 days ago the 16 year old son of one of the participating mothers was murdered), we were able to celebrate the successful work of this group of mothers who completed their training to become ICDP facilitators and had applied ICDP sensitization with others. The ICDP program impacted community mothers, promoters, teachers, youth and public officials. Some of the teachers decided to apply the program and use its materials in their daily work with children - this was undertaken from their own initiative and was outside the planned scope of the project.

The number of certified facilitators is 39. They implemented ICDP with parent-groups whose size varied ranging from 8 to 40 families per group. One facilitator stood out by delivering ICDP to several groups reaching a total of 200 families. The programme also reached 40 young people in the community and the total number of families who received ICDP is 547. These data show that the objectives were far surpassed in terms of expected coverage. There is an extensive photographic record of each of the training sessions and we are in the  process of finishing the final report that will include testimonies from the mothers. We wish to extend our thanks to IICRD who made the realization of this training possible, to Nicoletta for her permanent support and to CINDE for cooperation on the ground." Click here for the power point presentation in Spanish.

NORWAY: NEW BOOK ABOUT THE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY

"MEANINGFUL AND DIGNIFIED OLD AGE" is a new book concerning the care for the elderly. The author, Professor Henning Rye explains:

 - The background for this book are the many newspaper reports published over the recent years, which describe neglect and poor care for the elderly in Norway, particularly in Oslo and some other cities. This information was confirmed through interviews with professionals working in the care for the elderly that I carried out in different parts of the country. The main focus of the book is our  general human experience as well as our psychological knowledge that human beings are born into a context of human care, develop as human beings in close relationship with other human beings, and are dependent of living in close human relationships throughout life.

Without human relationships and personal contact human beings cannot stay healthy mentally as well as physically, and are therefore often suffering from loneliness, depression, anxiety and even physical illness. In spite of this knowledge the system providing services for the elderly focuses mainly on physical health and food. The book is proposing an upgrading of the theoretical as well as practical education of caregivers employed in the services for the elderly, and it makes recommendations for a less strict time schedule for the services provided. It also contains chapters about psychological as well as existential needs of elderly, that are not met today because the caregivers are not prepared for this kind of questions and do not have time to sit down to talk with their clients.

This is a book about how to meet very personal and important human needs of people in the last part of their lives. The training outlined in the book is aiming at making the caregivers more aware of - and able to relate to - personal, social and existential needs of the elderly. The training suggested in the book is very much based on the same understanding of the needs of human beings as outlined as the background for ICDP. The training suggested is also very much related to practical situations where sensitisation and consciousness raising are central qualities in developing the caregivers' personal contact and way of caring for the elderly.

ICDP IN MÆLUMENGA NURSERY

Mælumenga barnehage is a nursery in the little town of Åmot, one hour from Oslo, Norway. Link to their webpage: http://melumenga.modum.kommune.no/icdp.142917.no.html

All nursery staff received ICDP training three years ago. The ICDP principles are still an important topic in this nursery as well as being part of their daily work with children.

Elaine Barker, a representative from Parentfocus (a London based organization), recently visited  Mælumenga barnehage to find out more about how the ICDP programme is implemented in practice with the objective of developing an ICDP project in London. Elaine was impressed by the calm and peaceful atmosphere and the open welcoming space in this nursery.

SEPTEMBER

Click here to read KEEPING THE FLAME ALIVE, by Professor Karsten Hundeide, founder, chairman and leader of ICDP for over twenty years  

On the 7th of September, we lost Karsten Hundeide, the founder and leader of the ICDP family.

While we are mourning our friend, we also reinforce our commitment to carry   forward his message of compassion and humanity by continuing to work together, spreading the ICDP progamme in the world. 

Karsten provided guidance to us all, which we will sorely miss, not only because of his impressive academic contributions but even more because of his human sensitivity and friendship,  his tireless dedication to ICDP work, his continuous inspiration, personal warmth and sense of humour.

We will try to "keep the flame" alive.

- Nicoletta Armstrong, on behalf of the international team

         (17 May 1936 -7 September 2011)

Professor Karsten Hundeide was a familiar figure in Norwegian psychology. He was a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Oslo and Bergen and is well known for his interpretation and critique of Piaget and as a promoter of a more culture-oriented and interpretative understanding of child development. He wrote several books and articles on this subject, most notably the "Children's life-world: Cultural frames for children's development" (Cappelen 2004). He was an accomplished author and a sought-after lecturer.

Some of the main publications by Karsten:

Hundeide, K. (1977): Plaget i kritisk lys. Cappelen, Oslo.

Hundeide, K. (1985): The tacit background of children's judgements. I Wertsch: Culture, Communication and Cognition. Cambridge University Press.

Hundeide, K. (1989): Barns lisvverden: En fortolkende tilnærming. Cappelen Forlag.

Hundeide, K. (1991): Helping disadvantaged children. Psychol-social intervention in a third world context.  London: Jessica Kingsley.

Hundeide, K. (2000): Ledet Samspill fra Spedbarn til Skolealder. Vett og Viten, Asker.Boken er oversatt til svensk i 2002 og dansk i 2004

Hundeide, K. (2001): Det intersubjektive rommet. I O.Dysthe: Dialog, Samspell og Læring. Abstrakt forlag. Bergen.

Hundeide, K. (2002): The Mind between us. Nordisk Psykologi, 54(1) 69-90

Hundeide 2003: Becoming a committed insider. Cultural Psychology vol.9 (2)

Hundeide, K.(2003): Barns livsverden: Sosio-kulturelle rammer for barns utvikling. Cappelen Akademiske. Boken er oversatt til dansk og svensk.

Hundeide, K. (2003): Rapport fra innvandrerprosjekt i Oslo. Barne- og familiedepartementet. Oslo

Hundeide, K.(2004) Manual for anvendelse av ICDP Programmet på omsorgsgivere med etnisk minoritetsbakgrunn. Tilgjengelig fra Barne og fdamiliedepartementetet.

Hundeide, K. (2005: A new identity, a new lifestyle. Kpt. i A.N. Perret-Clermont, C. Pontecorvo, L.B. Resnick (Editors): Joining Society. Cambridge Univ. Press

Hundeide, K.( 2004): Omsorg og overgrep i og utenfor sonen for intimitet. I Nafstad: Det omsorgsfulle mennesket. Gyldendahl Akademiske.

Hundeide, K. (2004): When empathic care is obstructed: Excluding the child from the zone of intimacy.  Innlegg på internasjonalt symposium i vitenskapsakademiet om “ Early communication and emotions” Arrangert av Stein Bråten. Dette inmnlegget vil bli trykt i bok om samme tema publisert av Oxford University Press i løpet av 2006.

Hundeide, K. (2005): Socio-cultural tracks of development, opportunity situations and access-skills.  Cultural Psychology 2005, nr. 1

Hundeide, K. (2005): Om barns lojalitet og sensitivitet for andre: Kontraktmessig kongruens. I Festskrift for Stein Bråten

Hundeide, K. (2005): ICDP – et relasjonsorientert og empatibasert program. Kapitel i  Max Kreuzer & Niels Rosendal Jensen ( red): ”Family Support” – empowerment af Forældre i internsajonalt perspektiv. Danmarls Pædagogiske Universitets Forlag.

Hundeide, K. (2005): ICDP – et programm rettet imot barns omsortgsgivere. Skolepsykologi nr. 7 .2005

 Hundeide, K. (2005): En kulturpsykologisk tilnærming til barns utvikling. Impuls  nr. 1, 2005

Hundeide, K. (2006): Det intersubjektive rommet og bevisstgjøring av samspill i klassen gjennom reflekterende praksis. (2005). Kapitel i  dansk bok om nye metoder i klasseforskning.Editor Rene Kritsensen, Dafolo Forlag, København

Hundeide, K. (2006) Diskurser og kontrakter i barns utvikling: Et kulturpsykologisk perspektiv. Kapitel i  bok om utviklingspsykologi redigert av Mette Giulbrandsen. Universitetsforlaget

Hundeide, K. (2006): Jean Piaget: En konstruktivistisk teori om barns utvikling Kapitel i  bok om utviklingspsykologi redigert av Mette Giulbrandsen. Universitetsforlaget.

Hundeide, K. (2008)  Psychosocial care for disadvantaged children in the context of poverty and high risk. Sendt til det internasjonale tidsskriftet “Intervention” i desember 2005

To order Karsten's latest ICDP manual in Norwegian:  http://www.icdp.no/ny-bok-fra-icdp

PRESENTATION OF THE RESEARCH STUDY IN OSLO

The Norwegian Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion initiated and financed a non-randomised comparison study conducted between 2007 and 2010. The main findings of the Evaluation of the Parental guidance programme based on the International Child Development Programme were  presented at a seminar organized by the Ministry, which took place in Oslo on the 27th of September - click here for program. After a short explanation about ICDP, the evaluation study and its results will be presented by Professor Lorraine Sherr, from the Royal Free and University College Medical School, England,  who led the research and by the PhD candidate Ane-Marthe, as one of the key members of the evaluation team.

The evaluation study showed that the parental guidance program based on the ICDP method had a positive impact on participant parents and their families. The program discussed child rearing issues in a non-didactic counselling group,  which parents perceived as supportive, and they felt better equipped for parenting after receiving the ICDP-guidance. While the comparison group remained unchanged between the two measurements, the data show that parents from the ICDP-groups provided better parental strategy and greater involvement in relation to the child. Furthermore, parents reported fewer negative emotions and less loneliness after ICDP. Children were perceived as happier, quieter and with fewer difficulties. Relationships within the family were strengthened through a more positive interaction, which made family life in general more harmonious with fewer conflicts. The evaluation confirmed that the ICDP-certified facilitators and trainers demonstrated commitment and benefit from working with the ICDP program.

Click here to read the evaluation study report in English.

The evaluation study report both in Norwegian and English can be found on the Norwegian Ministry webpage - use link: http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/bld.html?id=298

On the 27th of September the Ministry broadcast a radio program about ICDP and its positive effects - this is the link to that radio program: http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/more_og_romsdal/1.7809717

AUGUST

ICDP IN 19 MUNICIPALITIES IN PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL

Over the last year and a half, ICDP has been expanding steadily  in the province of  Pernambuco, in the north-western semi-arid area of the country. The project represents a  cooperation between ICDP UK and Save the Children Brazil, with the sponsorship from the European Union. The government network whose professionals are receiving the ICDP training is called Mãe Coruja - this network offers support to local communities, focusing on improving health, education and social conditions, particularly for pregnant women, in order to reduce child mortality. 

 After an intensive period of training in ICDP of a core team from the ACARI organization, which took place last year, the team spread the ICDP program to 19 municipalities, all over Pernambuco. The strategy for 2011 includes the formation of 19 ICDP clubs, one in each municipality, where the professionals who are already  trained as ICDP facilitators, can meet on regular basis to share and strengthen their work with families.  So far their work has reached 16.946 children who benefited from this ICDP initiative.

Click here for more information from this project, in Portuguese:  1)Power point summary  2)Report/plans

CUSCO, PERU

CERTIFICATION

On the 2nd of July an ICDP certification ceremony was held in Cusco for a group of new facilitators. ICDP Peru invited them to receive their ICDP Diplomas. These facilitators are all community workers from the Kallpa organization and they had been receiving ICDP training since the beginning of this year. As part of their practical task they carried out ICDP projects with families who live in a poor area called Sangarará, close to Cusco.        

NEW TRAINING PROJECT

ICDP Peru has started new cooperation with the education network called DREC. A group of over 100 teachers from DREC attended an introductory workshop which took place during the first week of July. As a result 45 teachers signed up to receive full ICDP training and the first workshop is planned to take place on the 20th of July .

JULY

INDIA

Short update from Professor Karl-Peter Hubbertz, who has been developing ICDP  in West-Bengal for six years: - This year we started the process of training of a new group of very motivated people, who will to become ICDP facilitators. We used a newly revised training concept, which meant that things developed more efficiently than before. After the first training workshop, the trainees did their practical field work by applying the three dialogues in relation to children. Then this was followed up by another 3-day workshop, which included a special session during which they made plans for their practical work with parents. By May most of the trainees had started to implement the ICDP programme by running their own parent-groups in two villages north of Kolkata and most of them are currently in process of finishing. Since January 2011, we appointed a new coordinator to replace Maria Chatterjee who could not continue due to ill health.

REPORT FROM ICDP MOZAMBIQUE

The ICDP project in Mozambique works in the area of competence building of Civil Society, organizations and networks, in order to promote healthy development and protection for children. The overarching objective is to help improve the quality of care of vulnerable children, by strengthening the role of caregivers of both genders and enabling them to fulfil their care- and educational responsibilities. This aim is achieved through the implementation of a culturally sensitive and easy to implement programme designed to improve the interaction and relationship between adults/caregivers and children. The ICDP work is carried out mainly through a community based strategy where local teams are trained and sensitized to respond to children’s developmental needs. They are enabled to convey this knowledge further to other caregivers within the community, thus leading to a consistent spreading effect of good practices related to child rearing. More specifically the ICDP training programmes are delivered to:

1.      Staff inside both CS partners and DMAS; they are key-persons for the competence building strategy

2.      Staff from NGO’s, CBOs and networks of social workers, namely OMM

3.      ICDP will continue to cooperate with the Pedagogical University, Maputo, so that the program becomes part of the psychology/education curricula (at Master level), thus providing more institutional anchorage and sustainability

The baseline for the intervention was set on evidence from official statistics and interviews with leaders of key organizations operating in areas of high risk, referring to demographic indicators, like poverty, prevalence of HIV/AIDS, alcohol abuse and family abuse, violence and neglect in the psycho-social field, gender conflicts, school drop outs. Living under stressful conditions often leads to neglect of children as it is difficult for caregivers to attend to their children’s’ needs. This in turn can have a dramatic long-term effect causing sever developmental delays in children, later reflected in poor achievements at school, anti-social behaviour, low performance in working life, loss of cultural knowledge and values. The project is reaching caregivers and families in the most critical areas of the country; in the Maputo province and also expanding gradually to other provinces through the work of local organizations trained in the ICDP methodology. Some of the project’s key acitivities included:

a.      Strengthening DMAS staffs capacity through systematic follow up and monitoring of their work. This was carried out in children’s institutions and those who had fulfilled the requested criteria thus became ICDP facilitators.

b.      Participation of ICDP in DMAS meetings, in the Coordinating Council, which contributes to the sustainability of ICDP at institutional level;

c.       The first phase of training for CVM staff in the ICDP Program was carried out in Manjacaze, Gaza province, with a considerable number of participants coming from several provinces.  However the field follow up, monitoring and evaluation did not take place due to CVM organizational problems in creating the necessary conditions.

d.      The sensitization of OMM community groups in districts 4 and 5 in Maputo continued with great dynamic and involvement.

e.      Sensitization of senior staff from MINED over 3 days, involving a group of professionals, directors from ZIPs, who may play an important role in spreading the program through the education sector

f.        The work with Universidad Pedagogica evolved around two poles: 1. after a request from the department, a group of student trainees from the course of educational psychology were sensitized in the ICDP program and were involved in the field work with the ICDP team; 2. the ICDP program was taught by ICDP senior staff to developmental psychology students, as part of the post graduation and master courses in psycho-traumatology. This will also contribute to the Program’s future sustainability. 

The less positive factor related to the implementation of the project was that institutions in general found it difficult to adhere to agendas and plans previously agreed to. Also establishing protocols of cooperation proved to be a difficult process which makes it harder to set plans and strategies for the implementation of the program in a structured, responsible and timely way. CS organizations and groups put ‘pressure’ on ICDP by expecting to receive some kind of material benefit, in addition to receiving the ICDP training - and that constitutes an additional challenge for the work of ICDP.

JUNE

SCANDINAVIAN NETWORK CONFERENCE

On the 26th and 27th of May ICDP Norway hosted the Scandinavian network conference, which took place in Svolvær,  in the unique natural environment  and spectacular scenery of the Lofoten islands, in the north of Norway. There were 120 participants from Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

 Colwyn Trevarten was the speaker on the first day and his presentation was on the topic of "Why Hopes of Children Matter and Make Sense, For Them and For Us". Trevarthen is an internationally recognized scholar; he is Professor (Emeritus) in developmental psychology at the University of Edinburgh,  a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and vice president of the British Association for Early Childhood Education. Trevarthen has numerous publications about infant communication, emotional health and brain development. Through his work, he is a significant contributor to a research-based understanding of interaction. He is currently involved in pioneering work studying the role of musicality as the earliest form of communication with infants, as well as the importance of synchronization of movements, facial expressions and play in early language development.

Comments from participants:  "I am taking with me some truly wonderful Impressions; we had such a good day with Trevarthen. Trevarthen gave us a lot of food for thought contrasting concepts of  empathy and sympathy."   "Trevarthen gave us a new perspective and insight into the workings of the mind in context of interaction. We were shown remarkable video clips of a baby responding to her mother's singing a lullaby, by moving hands and arms in perfect rhythm - the baby was moving like a perfect music conductor."

"The second day was fragmented with several enriching workshops which ran in parallel.  Erica Sapir  presented the work of the “Puppeteers without borders” . The workshop was very interesting. We could see a real potential in teaching caregivers to make puppets together with children and also for caregivers to use puppets to tell stories and convey messages to their children."  "Paul Bergman taught us about the links between music and emotion - how different types of music Jazz, classical, baroque, can be used as a tool in sensitization. Anette Groot's workshop was very systematic and structured and showed excellent quality of her work related to ICDP sensitization."
 

The conference included a bus trip with a guided tour to Henningsvær. In the 1800’s the island community prospered, and Henningsvær became one of the most prominent fishing villages in Lofoten. Unlike many other fishing villages, the population of Henningsvær has remained stable in recent years, and there are still over 500 people living there.  Participants  had also the opportunity to go kayaking and hiking. The farewell barbecue, which took place at ”Kallebrygga” red jetty by the sea,  was particularly enjoyable.  All participants received tin boxes to fill up with whale meat, home made fish cakes and vegetables before putting them on the outdoor grill  to cook. Singing, joking and a party atmosphere went on till 11 pm.

Click here for article in Norwegian: http://www.sshf.no/artikkel.aspx?m=1088&artID=26653

ICDP VALUES INSPIRE FINLAND

is the title of the following article from Finland:

In Finland the ICDP work started in September of 2008, when Klara Schauman-Ahlberg took the boat from Turku to Stockholm to be trained in ICDP. As a result, in 2009 and 2010 we had the opportunity to arrange three inspirational days for our county personnel, together with Annelie Waldau and Karin Edenhammar from ICDP Sweden. We also invited representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Institute of Health and Welfare as well as community leaders. Two of the days targeted people from day-care, healthcare, social care and school. In the autumn of 2010, twenty four people participated in ICDP training at level one and fourteen of them went on to be trained at second level.

ICDP is currently in process of being introduced to Finland through a new project led by the Federation of Mothers, Child homes and Shelters. The Federation is interested to use ICDP with mothers who suffer from addiction to harmful substances.

So far we have been reaching with ICDP only the Swedish speaking minority, but in order to inspire and train on a larger scale in our country we need to translate the ICDP material into Finnish. First steps are being undertaken towards achieving this goal.

ICDP is generally greeted with curiosity and enthusiasm - mixed perhaps with an ounce of hesitance - by different professionals working with children and parents. With its roots deeply in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ICDP helps to clarify and challenge our different views on children and childhood. We think ICDP provides a great tool to enhance our interaction and communication with children.

NETWORK MEETING FOR ICDP PARENTS

ICDP ANNUAL REPORT

Click here to read ICDP report for year 2010

ICDP ON LINE

A new ICDP project for parents started to develop in Sydney, Australia, led by ICDP facilitator Amelia Vogel. The agenda for the twelve ICDP meetings with caregivers will include on-line meetings. This is a small pilot project testing out a new approach to training through the use of internet. The results of this innovative approach will be analyzed by ICDP later in the year.

MAY

NEW BOOK PUBLISHED IN SWEDEN:

"Guided interaction with the elderly", by Karsten Hundeide and Karin Edenhammar

How can the ICDP program "guided interaction" be used in the context of care for the elderly? This book is giving the answer to that question.
Guided interaction is an empathy based and community oriented program, which focuses on developing psychosocial competence in carers. The program is characterized by a humanistic approach, where human dignity is of central importance as well as issues around people's right to determine over their lives - including their daily lives. The book will be used in ICDP training courses, but it is of interest for anyone involved in the care of the elderly. http://www.icdp.se/bocker.aspx

ICDP TV PROGRAM IN GUATEMALA

ICDP is the main content of twelve TV programs, each lasting one hour, called "Mirador Infantil" (An outlook on childhood). The TV programs are broadcast on Tuesdays for twelve consecutive weeks and are presented by ICDP trainer Julio Martinez. They are meant to focus the viewers' attention on key matters concerning children's development and care. The programs are aired on TV between 18:30 to 19:30 p.m. in 7 municipalities of the department de Baja Verapaz (Salamá, San Jerónimo, San Miguel Chicaj, Rabinal, Cubulco, Granados y Santa Cruz el Chol), reaching an audience of approximately 1500 families. Each week a new ICDP topic is introduced. The program starts with a short introduction of the topic of the day by Julio, followed by a video, which is afterwards discussed by the audience. The audience is invited to apply the ICDP guidelines in practice at home by "creating a personal life project". On the following week their "project experiences" are  shared in the audience, whereas home viewers can phone-in to tell their story. For example the discussion would take place around the guideline number one: How much love did I manage to show and express to my child? A special time in the TV program is dedicated for this "evaluative moment".

The program was successful and it is currently being broadcast for the second time. Several hundred ICDP booklets were distributed and Julio received many emails from parents expressing their gratitude and describing the positive effects it had on their family lives and the children. In the municipality of Carchá, in the department of Alta Verapaz 400 teachers asked for ICDP training and ICDP workshops have started to take place in Chirré Quiché, Zepoc Tanchí y Chiqueleu.

NETWORK MEETING IN SOUTH AFRICA

The network meeting was held from the  17^th to the 20^th of March, in the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. It was attended by 21 people representing 5 countries and 7 projects: Lesotho (2 projects), Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa (2 projects) and Tanzania. There were also representatives from Norway and Portugal. The Zimbabwe representative did not arrive.

All sessions started and ended with a prayer. Participants shared about their ICDP work with extensive project presentations – more then 1 hour per project.  The presentations revealed the cultural adaptability of the ICDP program. There were small group discussion about child rearing and cultural values in African countries, which showed that there was similarity of views across the represented countries and cultures. The typical conception of a good and educated child is the child who respects elders, does not argue with them, does not interrupt them and does not disobey parents. It is a common understanding that adults, as role models, should not behave improperly in front of their children, should not use ‘bad’ language, should refrain from smacking; building children's confidence is one of the most important values; girls should be prepared to become good mothers – marriage is a goal in itself and everything is in line with that purpose, whereas boys should be prepared to provide for the family – manhood is instilled. The name of the child is of utmost importance.

The ICDP evaluation and monitoring procedures were introduced as part of the agenda of this meeting. The meeting also examined the ICDP training procedures. Some participants expressed the wish to become trainers ‘more quickly’ and this triggered some discussion about the minimum length of field experience required before qualifying  to become a trainer. It was noted that psychosocial changes,  development of knowledge, sensitivity practical experiences  belong to a process which requires time. 

Once more, as in previous years, the importance of continuing to hold network meetings became apparent. Participants made a recommendation for the next meeting to include one or more field visits to  ICDP projects. Malawi  was suggested as the preferred country to host the next network meeting. 

APRIL

PERU

ICDP Peru is in process of developing a new training initiative in Cusco, in cooperation with the regional director of the organization KALLPA CUSCO.  Some ICDP activities have already taken place during March. An ICDP training workshop was held in Cusco on 10, 11 and 12th March (see photos above). After the workshop the trainee facilitators have started implementing the ICDP programme with families and children, under the supervision of an ICDP trainer. There are plans for another ICDP initiative in this region, which would take place through ICDP cooperation with the Regional Secretariat for Education (DREC). Click here to read the photo report.

SOUTH AFRICA

An ICDP project has been developing for over a year now at the Gamalakhe Development Centre (GDC). Gamalakhe is a township in the south-eastern region of Kwazulu Natal, with a population of  12.000 people, mainly Zulus. Unemployment is high and 30% of the population is illiterate. Kwazulu Natal is the epicentre for HIV/AIDS, and large numbers of children have lost one or both of their parents.  In Gamalacke there are many crèches which  offer children care and food. When the GDC started working in this region they realized that there was a need for competence building and for increasing the knowledge base about psychosocial development of children, both in the township and its surrounding areas. GDC decided to implement the ICDP programme, because it is simple and easy to adapt to different cultural and social contexts. Click here to read the full report by ICDP trainers from Norway who carried out the training for the GDC.

INDIA

The Indian Child Abuse & Neglect and Child Labour Group (I-CANCL Group) and the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), are holding the 9th ISPCAN Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect (APCCAN 2011) in New Delhi, India, October 6-9, 2011. Website: www.apccan2011.com. Karsten Hundeide is invited to represent ICDP at this conference.

STUDENTS TRAINED AS ICDP FACILITATORS

The Bucaramanga University (Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Seccional Bucaramanga) has adopted ICDP. Pedro Pablo Ochoa, the coordinator explains: "We are delighted to announce that two of our psychology students, Adriana del Pilar Blanco Caselles and Adriana Marcela Gutierrez Hernandez will be implementing the ICDP program in practice during the first semester 2011, as part of their studies. One of the aims of our university is to create links between the academia and other institutions in our region, and to impact the development of our country by working together."  The students will work with ICDP for 100 hours. They will run a parent group comprised of 12 families linked to social services (ICBF, Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar). The students  have already received training from ICDP Colombia.

MARCH

SWEDEN

ICDP Sweden has recently organized a training course for a new group of professionals who have become ICDP qualified trainers and in May they plan to hold the yearly Seminar which will gather together all Swedish trainers. The Seminar will take place in Stockholm and it will be attended by over one hundred participants who work with the ICDP programme in different parts of the country.

The main focus of the seminar will be to explore together and learn about the  monitoring and evaluation procedures for the ICDP programme. The seminar participants will also have the opportunity to become informed about the outcomes of the 3-year research study of the national scale implementation of ICDP in Norway. 

Over the past few months ICDP Sweden has been focusing on the production of new materials and the ICDP core group has been very busy making arrangements for the distribution of a new book and of two new workbooks. 

The new book is about the implementation of the ICDP program in context of care for the elderly and it will come out in June.

The two workbooks are now available on the internet bookshop, on the ICDP Sweden webpage: http://www.icdp.se/bocker.aspx.  One is providing practical guidance and support for parents of teenagers who participate in ICDP courses or are generally interested in their role as parents (see workbook cover page on the left). The other workbook is about the "ICDP-guided interaction" program and it is meant for use by professionals involved in social services, social workers and foster carers. 

AUSTRALIA

Short update from ICDP trainer Anne Moore, from Brisbane:

"I am currently completing the delivery of the ICDP program at the TAFE university, which I started last year.  My students will be soon going into child protection to work with families at risk. What is really wonderful is that their teachers have told me that the students keep referring to how they can apply the ICDP program as their practice framework when they are working with children and their families.

I also had the opportunity to go to Moonyah Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre where I met up with several of the men who participated in the ICDP course I held there last year. One father has spent Christmas with his son for the first time in 3 years. Another who had not seen his son for 7 years is now visiting him every weekend. Others told me they have re-engaged with their children and are doing really well. It was truly amazing and inspiring to see that the changes have been sustained. On the 25th of April I am starting another course for ten new participants,  which will run for six weeks every Friday morning for three hours."

SOUTHERN AFRICAN NETWORK MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

The ICDP Network meeting for the Southern African region will be held in Pietermaritsburg in South Africa, from the 17th to the 19th of March.

This will be the third network meeting for participants from six African counties: Mozambique, Lesotho, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.  

The objective is to consolidate, strengthen and develop ICDP in this region through a gradual transfer of competence and through sharing experiences and ideas on how to best mainstream and implement the psychosocial component in existing projects and programs for children in  need.

The participant institutions listed below have been implementing the ICDP program and their long term vision is to gradually expand the ICDP work with families and caregivers in their respective countries: 

South Africa: Caversham Centre near Pietermaritzburg RobS & the Cindy Cluster LETCEE;  Gamalacke Stiftelse, in the township of Gamalacke, Natal                      

Zimbabwe: The Community Foundation for the Western Region (Home-based Orphan Care Programme)              

Tanzania: Kiwakkuki women organization, Kilimanjaro region                                                   

Malawi: Chisomo Children’s Club and Alinafe Community Hospital, PiV (Psychiatri of Vestfold) Norwegian Church Aid  (photo above: an ICDP workshop held by ICDP trainers from PiV)                                                                          

Mozambique: ICDP Mozambique                                                                                                           

Lesotho: Thaba-Bosiu Centre (TBC), Blue Cross Norway

This year's focus is on three themes: 1) Key issues and experiences of ICDP in different countries; 2) Sensitization of caregivers and training of facilitators; 3) Evaluation and monitoring in connection with project development  

PARAGUAY

Update from Benita Gavilan: - Centro de Apoyo para Niños del Abasto is a day care facility for children in the Central Gross Market in the Abasto area of Asunción. The work began in January 2008, financed by two German Associations. ICDP training for caregivers in this day centre has been ongoing and as result the staff have become more sensitive in dealing with children. There is a new feeling of closeness and confidence between the children and their caregivers; children started to open up and share personal secrets, not revealed to their own families.  ICDP became popular among the 110 participant children and teenagers.

Paraguay’s traditional child rearing culture has become been greatly undermined during more than forty years of dictatorship that ended in 1989.  It is uncommon for parents to play with their children, in urban, suburban or rural areas.  Very little of the traditional child rearing literature (songs, stories, games, rhymes etc.) has survived. There is also a deeply rooted custom among parents to separate from their children in order to go to work or merely out of negligence. In middle and upper class urban families, children are often raised by housemaids. ICDP training for children's parents and extended family started in 2010 and it is continuing in 2011, financed by SD Germany. The ICDP course is combined with the teaching of manual work (crochet and other productive activities) - see photo above showing mothers and daughters learning and practicing to crochet in an ICDP course. Fifty families have attended so far. Future plans are to offer ICDP training to different groups, institutions and organizations and to obtain funds for project with three-fold intervention in Early Childhood development: ICDP training at caregiver level, promotion of breastfeeding and organic gardening for families, including older children in the activities.

FEBRUARY

ZIMBABWE

The Community Foundation for the Western Region of Zimbabwe is expanding its work and plans to include the ICDP principles in its Home-based Orphan Care Programme - click to read their report. Currently the program is covering 9 districts but it is planned to extend it to all 25 districts in the western part of Zimbabwe.

Mercy Sakanya Musundasora, is applying ICDP in her work at the Child Protection Society Zimbabwe.  Mercy participated in the ICDP workshops held in Durban in 2006 and in Maputo in 2007, and received her certification as ICDP facilitator.  She explains: "The training I received helped a lot in working with communities, especially in the development of caregiver's capacity for sensitive adjustment and empathy with children using the eight guidelines of the ICDP program.  The organization recognized the value of ICDP in changing the caregiver's perceptions and attitudes towards child care.  Through the implementation of the ICDP programme in different communities the organisation  moved a step ahead and started dialogues regarding child care with the community members.  The ICDP concepts were also used in facilitation of support group meetings for caregivers of children living with HIV and AIDS."
 

NEW COOPERATION IN COLOMBIA

ICDP has signed a contract of cooperation with the International Institute for Children's Rights and Development  (IICRD) and has started to develop collaborative projects in 4 communities in Colombia. The first project began its activities in Comuna 13, one of the most vulnerable areas of the city of Medellin. This pilot project is integrating the ICDP and IICRD approaches, with the aim of increasing the local community's capacity to protect its young children from violence. The International Centre for Human Development (CINDE) is the local partner  involved in the implementation.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (General Assembly, 1989), reflected in the Colombian legislation “Hechos y Derechos” and in the "Codigo" at departmental/municipal levels,  establishes that “States bear primary responsibility for preventing and responding to violence against children.... [guaranteeing] girls and boys everywhere the right to live their lives free from violence”, (United Nations, 2006, p. xi).  Colombia has undertaken important steps to strengthen child protection of school age and adolescent children and has put in place an Early Childhood Public Policy, which has become particularly visible since 2002.  However, in spite of the development of institutional frameworks for child protection, in reality the protection of very young children is still limited. 

The IICRD/ICDP/CINDE project partners will work together on developing effective child protection models, which will include strengthening all phases in protection from violence: prevention, identification of suspected areas of violence, support systems and care services for child victims.  Children, family members, agency personnel and others will be included as critical participants in the process. The project will be helping mothers, parents, family members, local officials and child protection professionals to develop strategies to better prevent child maltreatment and violence within homes, as well as to establish easier access to and higher quality care services for child victims.  The project will inform responsible parties about the role they could be playing in improving child protection short and long-term.

JANUARY

ICDP BOARD MEETING

The ICDP International annual board meeting took place in Oslo, on the 15th and 16th of January. The chairman, Karsten Hundeide, invited  the founding members, the representatives from Norway, Sweden and Denmark and the members of the executive team to join the meeting. The meeting focused on the theme of sustainability  and future development of ICDP.

The work of ICDP International is to ensure quality dissemination worldwide of the ICDP psycho-social intervention and competence building program for children's caregivers.  The report prepared for the board meeting indicated ICDP growth and developments in 18 countries,  particularly in Scandinavia, Africa and Latin America - click to read the  report.

ICDP's aim is to have an empowering function in relation to the local community, mobilizing its human resources, strengthening their expertise and action in the field of care  and protection of children. ICDP overseas the gradual transfer of competence to local teams, who eventually take over the process of spreading the ICDP program by training others – at which point ICDP withdraws. 

Three independent evaluation studies investigating the work of ICDP in Mozambique, Colombia and Norway, produced positive results and convincingly demonstrated the viability of ICDP's intervention.

The main objectives for 2011 are to continue to expand and supervise the ICDP activities; to increase the effectiveness of the organization by strengthening the operation of the central office, particularly in the area of fundraising by hiring a development manager; to review relationships with partner organizations and national ICDP bodies;  to explore the possibilities of re-structuring  by becoming a membership organization and to consider de-centralizing by introducing regional desks. 

Happy New Year!

Click for ICDP CALENDAR 2011

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Earlier News

ICDP Report 2009                                                                   

ICDP Newsletter

Activity report 2010