Providing critical child development and parental support to a low socioeconomic population

PROJECT

Establish an Early Childhood Center in Neve Sharet providing activities for babies and toddlers, parent education, and other support.

OBJECTIVE

The center aims to support children’s physical, cognitive and emotional development and reduce the incidence of postpartum distress (including loneliness, depression, and anxiety).

IMPORTANCE

The first six years of a child’s life are critical in terms of their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Services and support to families at this time are critical to healthy child development and effective parenting.

THE BACKGROUND

In the north Tel Aviv area, there are three Tipat Chalav early childhood health centers, which serve approximately 10,000 babies and toddlers. The Neve Sharet center alone provides service to 2,028 babies and toddlers.

THE NEED

In the central and northern neighborhoods of Tel Aviv, key social services related to early childhood are under-developed or situated far from the target population: parents of children aged 0-6 years. While there are neighborhoods in north Tel Aviv that have high socioeconomic indices, there are also neighborhoods like Neve Sharet which have a low socioeconomic index. The Social Services at The administration of the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo is aware of over 200 babies and toddlers in this area who are in need of additional development and community support. Research shows that the first few years of a child’s life are critical in terms of their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. It is therefore vital that services and support are accessible to families at this time to ensure both healthy child development and educated and effective parenting.

THE PROJECT

Establishing an Early Childhood Center will create a hub of health, community, and welfare services and support for children aged 0-6 years and their parents who live in Neve Sharet and surrounding neighborhoods.

The center is designed to:

1.  Support children’s physical, cognitive and emotional development.
2. Facilitate early identification and intervention for developmental delays where necessary.
3.  Strengthen the parent-child relationships.
4. Reduce the incidence of postpartum distress (including loneliness, depression, and anxiety).

The center will provide:

1. A variety of age-appropriate activities, e.g. baby yoga, baby massage, storytime.
2. Parenting workshops on a range of topical issues, e.g. child development for ages 0-3 years, parenting preschool children.
3. A play space to support parent-child bonding.
4. Support groups for parents with similar-aged children.
5. Individual and family counseling and therapies to improve the parent-child relationship.

By locating the center in the same building as the existing Tipat Chalav early childhood health center, it will serve as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for parents of young children. The center will be staffed by a center manager, specialist social worker, occupational therapist, speech therapist, and play therapist. Expert facilitators and other allied health professionals will provide educational workshops and therapies at the center. A similar center was established in the south Tel Aviv neighborhood of Yad Eliyahu over 12 months ago, which has been very successful.

THE INVESTMENT

The Tel Aviv Foundation is seeking a philanthropic investment over three years in order to create continuity and consistency of support for the community.

Annual center costs $300,000
Contribution from the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo $150,000
Balance $150,000

REQUESTED DONATION (over three years) $450,000