National Strategy for Child Development Presented

In order to monitor the development of children who attend day care centers and monitor their nutritional status through the their weight and height, National System for Integral Family Development (DIF) presented on Tuesday 21 November the Accompaniment Strategy for Child Development and Nutrition Surveillance.

The event, held at the Exhibitor and Convention Center of Puebla , gathered representatives of the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL), the Federico Gomez Children ‘s Hospital of Mexico, the Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Popular Insurance, the National Center for Health of Children and Adolescents, the Ministry of the Navy, DIF Puebla , the Early Childhood Education Program of Carlos Slim Foundation, LEGO Foundation, United Fund Mexico, FEMSA Foundation and Fund of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Monitoring child development will take place through the Child Development Evaluation Card (Cédula de Evaluación del Desarrollo Infantil, CEDI), which monitors six areas of development: fine and gross motor skills, language skills, social skills and knowledge, in addition to weight and size. This will enable educators conducting actions aimed at strengthening the capacities of children in daycare centers, and suggest to the mother, father or guardian activities to do at home.

This strategy will be implemented in SEDESOL’s day care centers to support working mothers in the 32 states of the Republic, benefiting 305,287 children. For the implementation of the strategy, staff responsible of the 9,131 childcare facilities was trained.

In order to support the proper implementation of the strategy, a kit with fun and informative material will be given to each daycare, which contains:

  • Backpack
  • Play equipment
  • CEDI
  • CEDI’s Application Guide
  • Application guide for taking weight and height
  • Stadiometer
  • Practical Guide for the Developing of your Son
  • Poster to CEDI’s application
  • Neurodevelopmental Card

The obtained information will be recorded on a platform known as Monitoring System of Nutrition and Neurodevelopment in Childcare Facilities (Sistema de Vigilancia Nutricional y Neuroderasarrollo de Estancias Infantiles, SIVNNEI), which will lay the foundation to create the first national registry of the development of children in early childhood.

“Affection, timely interaction and proper nutrition are the foundation for child development, particularly in the first 5 years of life,” Laura Barrera Fortoul, Head of the DIF National System.