XI'AN, China, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Titled "Together for Health - Parenting the Future (PTF)", a symposium on fertility support and childcare development in rural areas was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. The symposium was organized by the Hupan Modou Foundation and the Chinese Hospital Association (CHA) and received support from the China Population Welfare Foundation, with the primary objective of shedding light on the existing level of fertility support in rural areas and encouraging the development and diversification of childcare services.
The symposium brought together leaders from relevant departments, experts and scholars in the field of population health and education, and representatives from international organizations to share domestic and international experiences and practices, providing support and guidance for the infant and childcare projects in rural areas, and jointly promote infant and childcare services in rural areas.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the first 1,000 days of life as a crucial period for human growth and development. In recent years, China has paid increasing attention to the early development of children aged 0-3 and has introduced a series of policies to increase support for childcare services in underdeveloped areas. "Giving great impetus to childcare and education services is an inevitable requirement for adapting to demographic dynamics and promoting meaningful economic and social development," said Yang Jinrui, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Population Monitoring and Family Development of the National Health Commission, in his speech. "As a proactive attempt, the PTF project combines theoretical exploration and real implementation to improve the fertility support policy system."
"The future of rural children is the future of rural China, and indeed of China as a whole." Wen Jia, Chairman of Zhejiang Hupan Modou Foundation and President of Public Affairs of Alibaba Group, said in her speech, "Childcare requires social forces, including families, governments, and non-profit organizations, to create synergies with villages and communities. We hope to take the lead in exploring a province-wide multi-party cooperation model in Shaanxi. The aim will be to continuously refine and enhance the project's operation and mechanisms, and strive to make the project exemplary, scalable, and replicable. Ultimately, the goal is to extend the project's benefits to more families and children in rural areas, contributing to their well-being and development."
The symposium brought together government leaders, experts, and scholars in the fields of population health and education, as well as representatives from international organizations, to share experiences and best practices from both domestic and international contexts. The main focus was to provide support and guidance for and jointly advance childcare efforts in rural areas.
During the seminar, the signing ceremony of the "Parent School - Parenting the Future" public welfare project took place in Zhenba County, Shaanxi Province. This event marked another significant milestone as the county became the third in Shaanxi to sign the PTF project, following Ningshan and Qingjian. It also symbolizes a new collaborative model between the Hupan Modou Foundation and central government-owned enterprise in Shaanxi Province for advancing public welfare initiatives. The signing ceremony signifies the initiation of the multi-party cooperation model in Shaanxi Province, serving as a positive example and catalyst for the future development of quality childcare services in remote areas nationwide.
The PTF project, which originated in Shaanxi Province, has been under development for five years and is now being expanded nationwide in China. As of June 2023, the project had made significant progress, establishing 40 parenting centers and 12 service points in 6 provinces. It has successfully trained 264 caregivers and supervisors, conducted nearly 300,000 parent-child classes, and benefited more than 12,000 children.
In 2020, the PTF project won the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Award, becoming the first early childhood development program in China to receive the honor. Through the PTF project, more families residing in rural areas have gained access to valuable parenting guidance and benefitted from programs that help them access and understand scientific knowledge and concepts. At the same time, more children have had access to equal development opportunities and participated in parent-child courses tailored for their skill enhancement.
For more information, please visit http://parentingthefuture.hupanmodou.org/.
