The role of the health sector in supporting parents and their caregiving potential

Parents and caregivers play a pivotal role in shaping the health, development and well-being of children across the life course. But they cannot do it alone. All parents need some support. Supporting parents and caregivers requires a whole-of-society approach, with coordinated responses from the health, education, social services, private and other sectors.  

This webinar will explore how the health sector can better support parents and caregivers — from pregnancy through childhood and adolescence — by integrating evidence-based support into routine health services, strengthening health workers’ practices, and fostering coordinated care within and across sectors.  

Participants will learn 

• why the health sector matters, 
• what types of support can be provided through health services (e.g., anticipatory guidance, strengthening caregivers’ capacities to care for themselves and their children, information sharing), and
• how the health sector can work with others to strengthen care pathways and enhance family well-being.  

Practical tools to make parenting support an integral, sustainable part of health services and examples from Jordan and the United Republic of Tanzania will be shared.  

This webinar is organized by the World Health Organization, the Child Health Task Force and the ECD Action Network in support of the Global Initiative to Support Parents. 

Moderators and speakers

• Ephraim Kaphilimbi Shilla, ECD Focal Person, Ministry of Health, Tanzania
• Simon Martin Manyanza Nzilibili, Head of Coordination & Health Promotion at Service Delivery Points (Co&HPSD), Ministry of Health, Tanzania
• Areej Hijjawi, Head of Child and Adolescent Health Department, Ministry of Health, Jordan
• Stella G. Manalo, Head of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Head of the Child Protection Unit, Philippine General Hospital, the Philippines
• Sabine Rakotomalala, Technical Officer Violence Prevention, WHO
• Nuhu Yaqub, Medical Officer Child Health and Development, WHO
• Sarah Skeen, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Consultant, WHO
• Elizabeth Lule, Executive Director, Early Childhood Development Action Network