INECHD · International Network for Early Childhood Health Development

International Network for Early Childhood Health Development

The general aim of the International Network for Early Childhood Health Development (INECHD) was to strengthen collaborative interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer on early childhood health development and well-being among research institutions in Brazil, Canada, Chile, France and Ireland. The four specific objectives of the INECHD were to facilitate: a) analyses of existing longitudinal data banks on early childhood health and well-being development, and create new longitudinal studies; b) assessments of early childhood prevention program effects; c) transfer of best practices to early childhood service providers and decision makers; d) training early career researchers in early childhood health and well-being development and prevention. Longitudinal studies on early child development: As planned, over the first two years young researchers worked in collaboration with experienced researchers to compare the developmental trajectories during early childhood. Exchanges with Brazil and Chile were centered on data collection protocols, sample selection and data collection plan for longitudinal studies on early development of health and social adjustment problems in Brazil and Chile. Over the last two years of funding we worked on the prediction of developmental trajectories of early health and social adjustment problems and data collection protocols, sample selection and data collection plan for longitudinal studies on early development of health and social adjustment problems in Brazil and Chile. Young researchers worked in collaboration with experienced researchers to identify predictors of early health and social adjustment developmental trajectories. Exchanges with Brazil and Chile were largely centered on data collection protocols, sample selection and data collection plan for longitudinal studies on early development of health and social adjustment problems in Brazil and Chile. A research proposal was presented and funded in Brazil. Preventive interventions: As planned, the work during the first period of funding was centered on comparing results from three preventive interventions and exchanges on supporting perinatal and child care preventive interventions in Brazil and Chile. We also made a proposal on an FP7 call on early childhood education. As planned, over the last two years of funding, young researchers worked in collaboration with experienced researchers to report on the results of preventive interventions in France and Ireland. A young researcher from Chile spent one year in France to study a preventive experiment and write guidelines for preventive interventions in Chile. However we did not succeed in finding the researchers needed in Brazil to study ongoing perinatal and child care preventive interventions and to plan a randomized control trial. The energy was put on writing a grant proposal for a longitudinal study of newborn twins. Knowledge Transfer Instruments: As planned, during the first period we worked on the main knowledge transfer instrument, the online Early Childhood Encyclopedia. Nine new topics were included in the encyclopedia during the first 2 years and 24 of the topics were up-dated. During the last two years 8 new topics were included and we up-dated 20 of the topics that were done in the past. The presentation of the encyclopedia was completely modified and we added video clips. Early stage researcher training: As planned, numerous early stage researchers were involved in the training activities and the exchanges. The early stage researchers were involved in interdisciplinary teams with members from different countries working on data analyses, research protocol planning, and knowledge transfer to service providers and policy makers. They also participated in local and international seminars, workshops, colloquia and meetings. The main products from these activities are more than 50 publications in high impact scientific journals.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз